Page 73 of Stacked
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
ROBERT
Damn, what a whirlwind.
It only took one phone call and two emails. Hudson came online with me that morning and insisted we talk moments after I sent a message saying I’d be interested in hearing more about his proposed opportunity. Half an hour later, I was booked on the last flight out from Cincinnati. I landed after ten, checked into the Four Seasons, and promptly fell asleep from exhaustion.
Now, I was on the deck of Hudson’s yacht, which had a slip in a marina near Indian Creek. Eighty feet long, hardwood flooring, vintage details. Impressive in an understated yet high-end way.
“I’m telling you, even though I’ve been here six months, this view doesn’t get old,” Hudson said from behind a pair of classic Ray-Ban aviators.
He had a beer glass in one hand, and he leaned back in his chair, surveying the view before us. A few dozen boats rounded out the rest of the marina, and from the deck we had a 180-degree view of downtown Miami. I had to admit, it was stunning, even as the temperature crept from hot to hotter. It was going to be a muggy, humid day, but my old college friend had insisted we take this meeting on his vessel.
It was all about impressing me. I knew that. It was also about showing me what was possible if we went into business together. And for the last half hour, Hudson had been dreaming. He’d always been great at that.
“I’m sorry we lost touch,” he said. “Didn’t plan for that to happen.”
“That’s life.”
“I know, but it doesn’t have to be going forward.”
“Which is why I’m here, right?”
He drank some more beer and signaled for the boat staff. “Since the fund is doing well, I want to bring on a couple of principals, guys who will be willing to cross the country and the world until they find the next unicorn.”
“I’ve never done acquisitions.”
“You have always been fucking great at marketing and promotions. Remember how you handled that Sigma fundraiser?”
“The one for multiple sclerosis?”
He nodded. “Most successful one for the chapter.”
“That wasn’t hard to do.”
He placed his now empty glass on the marine-grade polymer table between us. “Come on. You know what I’m asking.”
I could guess, but I said, “Enlighten me.”
“This is a huge opportunity. We do things right, and we won’t have to wait years or decades to see the results. We could be in the stratosphere one year from now.”
“That depends on a lot of factors.” I glanced at the view over the boat deck. “I’m not saying we can’t achieve it, but it’s going to take a lot of things lining up the right way.”
“Aha. So, youareconsidering this.”
I nodded. I was, no doubt about that. It would be a huge chance for me, and working at a VC firm like this was a dream. After all, I was a bit of an alpha male. As much as I tried to hide it, as much as I tried to remake myself, I couldn’t change that much about me. At my core, I liked to win. I liked to dominate. I did that in New York. Did that in every stage of my life. How many times had I walked into a meeting and known within the first ten seconds I’d be able to shape every person’s mind?
It was what I did best.
“Will I have to move to Miami?” I asked.
“Well, I’m hoping you will.”
“I’ve got a pretty good life in Ohio.”And that includes Anya...
He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “We’re talking about a one point two base salary to start, and a twenty-five percent stake in the company. Plus, bonuses.”
I gaped at him. A salary over one million dollars was generous. It was also double what I made in Manhattan, even in my best years. I hadn’t come to this meeting with a number in my head, but this exceeded whatever I would have put together. And if we managed to find the next big thing...
