Chapter 22

Grant looked at his family and introduced those who hadn’t met her yet to Mia. Then everyone proceeded to the table for the dinner Fiona had ordered and that’s when things got interesting. “So Grant, I have a unique proposal for you.” Westly Anderson said. “Your mom came to me this afternoon because she really isn’t comfortable being your COO.” When Grant started to say something, Westly held his hand up in a wait a minute gesture. “I know what you’ve told her but I have an alternate proposal if you plan to keep and run ClickTalk. So I guess my first question is, are you going to pursue selling the App or run it yourself?”

Grant looked at everyone and then smiled. “Yes, I guess that’s as good a place to start this conversation as any. After thinking about it and tracking the profit of the sales of our advertising efforts so far, I agree that we would be better off in the long run in keeping it and running the thing ourselves. However, that would mean implementing all the advertising ideas that Mia proposed to me. We’d have to hire a few people to help with that. Still I think the rewards would far outweigh the costs. So yes, we are going to keep ClickTalk. I’ll send emails out to the companies that offered to buy it tomorrow telling them I’m not interested in selling.”

Everyone clapped because honestly it just made sense for Grant to keep doing what was working and the family was making money. Westly then looked at Grant. “I agree, I think that is the wisest decision and one that proves you are thinking like a businessman and not a teenager who happened to make the most lucrative Social Media App and can’t wait to cash out. So here is what I’d like to propose. Honestly I used to love Advertising. It’s why I started Anderson Advertising. But as of late it hasn’t really given me a challenge. It’s like I’ve accomplished what I set out to do and became the best in my field. However, I need a new challenge. My proposal is simply this: I’d like to sell you my company for forty million dollars.”

Grant opened his mouth to remind Westly he didn’t have forty million dollars. “I know you don’t have forty million to give me. What I’m suggesting is you let me buy a twenty percent stake in G.L. Creations for forty million dollars. On paper, we’ve both bought and sold companies and shares. In reality, one cancels the other so no actual money changes hands. Then I would move from President of Anderson Advertising to COO of G.L. Creations and you would promote your mother to Vice President of Advertising for G.L. Creations which would put her in charge of my company.”

Grant looked at the older man. “Why would we do this?”

“Well honestly it lets me move into a new position, one that I believe would challenge me. I would learn about what you do in creating apps and would oversee the daily operation of your company. Thus freeing you to keep doing what you love; research and development of new apps. As the CEO, you can define your job as anything you want it to be while being the young and happening face of the company. It allows your mom to do what she is good at running an advertising team, well several teams. It also would meet several of your other needs, as my company comes with a fully staffed group of graphic artists, advertising experts, human resources and legal team that you would put Becky in charge of as the head of my legal department is looking to retire with his wife before their first grandchild is born.” Westly looked at Becky who had dressed in a new pet accessory accommodating business outfit. Grant also looked at Becky. “Would it be legal to make these two deals that cancel each other out?”

Becky looked at Grant and nodded. “I’m sure that Mister Anderson realizes that money would have to change hands and he wouldn’t have made the offer if he didn’t already know it was legal. What we would do is you would sell him his twenty percent stake and he would wire transfer forty million into your offshore account. Then forty-eight hours later he would meet with us and his lawyers and you would sign the sales contract on Anderson Advertising and transfer forty million from your account to his. That way, the money does change hands and the paperwork for both is drawn up legally and done properly. The question I have for you Mister Anderson is what all assets you are selling as Anderson Advertising?”

Westly nodded. “A very wise question indeed. I would sell everything listed as an asset of Anderson Advertising. The company name, all equipment and the building that we are housed in. Which is another good reason for you to agree, Grant. It would give you an actual location for your business. There is an empty floor in the building right now because I had a small company that went bankrupt and moved out. You could easily locate your offices there. We have a server room that you could also move your server to. Or you could just move the files off your home server onto our current servers or even add to our existing servers in that secure climate controlled space.”

Grant looked at Mia and she nodded. “Money wise I haven’t seen an evaluation on Anderson Advertising but even I know that it would be higher than the 40 million he’s asking for it. With what he’s proposing it’s actually more of a merger than an acquisition and financially would be a win for you. It does give you a lot of things you need and provides you with a seasoned business partner to act as your COO. The biggest question in my head isn’t if it’s a smart move but if your mother wants to take on running what is essentially a whole company within the company?”

Grant looked at his mother. “That is indeed a good question mom. You keep saying you are uncomfortable being my COO. However, if I make this deal with Westly are you going to be comfortable taking on the role of running what is now Anderson Advertising? Won’t that cause you as much anxiety as the thought of being my COO for G. L. Creations?”

Cecilia shook her head. “Running the advertising side won’t cause me stress or anxiety Grant. Not like trying to be the COO for a company I don’t know a lot about. It’s the app and understanding the coding and creation of those that had me worried. I don’t know anything about those. How would I be able to help run a business I don’t understand? I think being your Vice President of Marketing and Advertising is a better fit for me since I already know and understand the business.”

Grant looks at Westly again and then asks the question that really is burning in his mind. “Why are you offering to do this? I know it’s not about the money because essentially you are giving me the better end of the deal here.”

Westly laughs. “You really don’t get it do you Grant? I’ll still be making a lot of money here. Probably more than I was just operating Anderson Advertising. By merging the two companies I will still get a portion of the profits from Anderson and a portion of the profits from your apps too. In the end, I’ll probably make more money a year than I did as sole owner of Anderson. Add to that the challenge of learning about a new business and helping the man who has taken over the care and provision of one of my daughters succeed. I’m not taking a losing hand here Grant. I honestly believe that together we will both make more than we would separately and it will jump start your new company by instantly giving you some of the employee’s and resources you need all while increasing both our profit margins.”

Grant looks around the table and see’s that those who are part of G.L. Creations are all nodding their head as if they agreed. Which gives him hope that this is a good step for them. “Then I say let’s do it.” He and Westly shake hands. “I’ll get my legal team to work on drawing up the sales contract and listing all the assets of Anderson so that you know exactly what you’re buying. I will also have my sales team start letting our clients know that we are being sold and that the new company will be able to offer them an exciting new opportunity to advertise with the fastest growing social media app available today. So that should also boost both companies’ profits. You need to decide if you are going to change the name of Anderson Advertising to something else or just add a line that says ‘A G.L. Creations company’ or something like that.”

It didn’t take long for them to all agree to just drop the Anderson Advertising name and go with G.L. Creations. Anderson would now be the marketing and advertising arm of Grant’s company. Once that was decided Mia knew it was time for her to speak up as well. “I also need to inform everyone of something. Especially you, Grant.”

Grant looked at her and smiled nervously. “Please tell me that you have decided you want to join our family as well as working for us.”

Mia bit her lip. “I am seriously considering joining your family. But there is something I need to inform you about and make sure you are okay with first.”

Grant’s smile went from the nervous half smile to full blown. “I’m sure we won’t have a problem with anything you need to tell us Mia.”

She smiled but now hers was the nervous one. “You might. See I haven’t told you all everything about me. I’m not just Mia Vasilios, your new CFO. I’m also Crown Princess Mia Vasilios of the tiny island nation known as the Isle of Vasilios. Well actually, I guess, since my family’s death I’m Queen Mia of the Isle of Vasilios. I just haven’t taken on the role and responsibilities by returning home and having my Coronation Ceremony. That is something I need to do soon. If that is a problem for you having me be your CFO or joining your family I will understand. I’ve left my country in the hands of my fathers steward as my regent while I ran from my past and my grief. But I need to return home and assume my rightful place. I just had to come to terms with my loss first.”

She proceeded to tell them about how her entire family had died in a fiery explosion on the way to her graduation and how she’d been so overwhelmed that she hadn’t returned home since leaving her responsibilities to the tiny nation to her Regent instead. How she had contacted them to tell them she was ready to return home and how nervous she was. “So, I would love to be part of this family and continue to work with you at G.L. Creations but I must accept my role and responsibilities to my people back home as well.”

Grant looked at Abi who smiled and nodded. It amazed him again how in tune the two of them were to each other’s thoughts... “Mia, my only question is: are you sure that you want to add working for our company to the responsibility of running a country? Because I don’t see a problem with you being a part of our family. I’m not sure how that would work with you living on this island and us living here.”

Mia bit her lip. “I was thinking you all might want to move to the Isle with me. I own a very large home as you can imagine.” She laughed “Okay it’s actually the Royal Palace so there’s plenty of space. You wouldn’t have to be crowded like you are here. What I’d like to do Grant is have our date this weekend be a visit to my home. Let me take all the family over to the Isle and let you experience what I can offer. If that isn’t something you’d want to do then I’ll have to postpone our date. I really need to go home and start to make things right with my people. I plan to set up my Coronation and talk with the Regent about having him become Prime minister so he can continue to help me run the country. That would make my role more like Queen Elizabeth’s and less like the sole ruler of the Isle of Vasiliso.”

Grant thought about it and said. “So how will that work for being part of our family? I mean as the ruler of this island you’ll be in charge. However, in our ‘family’ I’m in charge. How would we work that out?”

His mother shakes her head. “You are asking a worthless question, Grant. I know you are in charge and I’ve accepted that. But as your mother, I have to point out the fallacy of your thinking.”

Grant looked at his mother. “How so? Explain why you think my question is worthless.”

“I can do so by asking you another question. Imagine that instead of Mia coming to work for you that you ended up working as the IT guy for her at a company she owned. But the two of you, through working together, fell in love and married. Would that make her any less your boss at work?”

Grant shook his head “No, of course not.”

Cecilia looked at her son. “So, at work, if she was the boss and told you to do something, would you do it? Or as her husband, would you try to tell her to find someone else to do it?”

“Of course I would do it. She’s my boss.”

“But she’s your wife too.”

“Yeah, but we’re at work where she is in charge.”

Cecilia nodded. “Exactly! If we moved and she joined our family. If, as the queen, the boss of the country, she gave a command you would obey, right? But that wouldn’t change that she had joined our family knowing you are in command at home. There really isn’t any difference. We all know strong women in the workplace who are submissive at home. I’m one of them at work. I’m in charge of my team and soon the entire company, but at home I belong to you and Abi and I do as you tell me too. Honestly, I like it. You know why? I don’t have to be in charge. I assure you, if you ask her, Becky feels the same way.” Cecilia looked at her friend. “I mean, I know it’s only been a couple of days. It’s freeing isn’t it, to come home and not have to be in charge? Not having to make any decisions?”

Becky blushed, thinking of the conversation she had with Abi and Grant earlier. “Well, there have been a few incidents. I mean, there is obviously an adjustment period going from the sole decision maker to not deciding. But I will say that the idea of being free of that responsibility and the weight of having to accept the outcome of being in charge is liberating. It is what has given me the freedom to embrace the lifestyle I want to live.”

Grant thought about it and realized his mom was right. It really was a nonissue. “Okay, I stand corrected. It isn’t an issue. If you are saying you need us to come visit your island and the castle and explore if we can all co-exist as a family. Then I say we all pack a bag this weekend and go visit Queen Mia’s home.”