Chapter 1

My little ad agency was finally starting to grow. Our first big client was a German car company. In-fact it was our only client. They were involved in a three-way venture, of sorts, with a Japanese and Italian car company. All three were competitors, but neither of the two other companies did much of the same business in the USA for the luxury market. The German firm did though and wanted another set of eyes for a new, low cost model. I used to work for a large firm that handled their other business.

I hated my boss! Hated, hated, hated him. Yes, there were a few personal reasons. Personal like he had seduced my girlfriend, I should say, ex-girlfriend into sleeping with him. I had decided to leave that company and the slag, with some semblance of my head held high. So I worked extra hard to complete my current assignments, to make them the very best campaigns that I could. You could say I was driven, driven by hate and a hope when I left they might miss me.

I had, rather we had, worked side by side more than a year. Market share went up nearly 4%. That may not seem like much but at $ .7 Billion a point it adds up. The clean-up work that I did for the German car company reflected that. When the last scores came in I offered to make myself available to answer any questions about the work I had done, I handed my contact my new card with the company name, P. B. & J. at a home address and a new telephone number, he took it and looked surprised.

“What is this?” he asked.

“It is where you can reach me if there are questions my replacement may be unable to answer?” Laughing a bit I said. “No charge for the first hour even. This is my last day here. I wanted to finish your campaign before I left, you have been a great customer and did not deserve anything less than my best efforts.”

I extended my hand, we shook and I turned to walk away, thus ending my eleven years at Moody, Hall and Peabody Advertising. As I started out of the plush conference room, Dieter said, “Thank you Paul, you did a good job for us.”

That meant a lot to me, it really did. My personal life had turned to things cows, pigs and horses would leave on the ground but I fought like Hell not to let it impact the quality of the work I did for the client. I had some time on my hands before I could get back into advertising with any competitor of my old company, but I had decided that I wanted to start over in something that I could control probably my own firm.

I really had nothing against the company I had, until today worked for, it was just that snake boss of mine. It was not in my nature to try and ‘steal’ clients away or disparage my former employer, so I decided to move and begin anew. I considered throwing a dart at a map then go there. Naw, I had been dealing with the automotive sector here in Detroit a long time. Mom and Dad still lived in Harper Woods and I just knew what ‘kind words’ my old boss would have to say about me here, if I stayed.

The economy was quickly changing, American and high-priced imports were no longer favourite choices to buy and ad dollars were now going to the lowest bidders, not the largest firm. Here I might have the advantage. One negative aspect of this industry were the unions. Their high costs were making most companies outsource components offshore and merely assemble in the US to comply with the protectionist policies here. It seemed the Southern States were not so unionized as in Detroit or California, so I headed South. I chose Atlanta, Georgia for my new office.

The Perimeter Center area had a ton of office space still un-rented and they were willing to deal on it. I had a long way to go before I would be secure enough to afford real offices, but I was able to find a Rent-A-Suite facility, get a phone number uniquely answered, and decent business cards made up showing a good address, and all for just $550 a month!. P. B. & J. was in business, and no longer resided in my parents basement.

I sent the first of my new business cards to Dieter. In a note, I explained that I had moved and kiddingly re-affirmed he could still ask me questions, but he would have to call me long distance now. I had no idea how fortunate and timely it would be for Dieter to get my new card.

About a week after I sent the new card, the phone rang in my ‘famously’ huge office (not) from the receptionist saying I had a call, would I take it, or should she take a message. So far, in one week, I had received two calls. One was trying to sell me a better telephone book listing, (this, in the age of the Internet?), the other had been my Mom. I was wondering to see who it would be now, I took the call; it was Dieter.

“So have you lit a large fire in your Atlanta, Paul?”

“Wait, I smell the smoke now, it is still burning. (As in Sherman’s march to the sea) Oh the in-humanity of it, Dieter!” (Line from radio coverage of the fire on the German Zepplin Hidenburg)

“Ha, ha! Very funny! I have a question?”

“Sure! Hold on, let me start the timer so if you run over your ‘free hour’ I can send you a bill. Shoot! What do you want to know, buddy?”

“Actually, yes, we are buddies. Your work on this last campaign has made me look good. My headquarters is pleased, very much so. Germany is quite pleased so much so, that there is a new, but small for now, venture which needs your ‘magic touch’. Do you think you and P. B. & J. might find the time to help your ‘buddy’ on it?”

“All kidding aside, Dieter; I loved working with you. But there is only me, now, and I do not want to take on something where you or Germany get less than they expected from me.”

“So hire a staff. Let’s get this going. I am sending you a retainer made out to P. B. & J. and a contract for twenty-four months to launch a new car line. It’s a re-designed ‘Smart’ car, this time cars will be designed for an American and other markets seperately. Our initial push will be to sign new dealers, establish a new distribution network and sales channels, it will take well over a year, maybe more than two even. Know anyone with automotive experience in Atlanta, buddy?”

“Dieter, I’m getting misty all of a sudden. You don’t have to be doing this! It is like a dream come true!”

“Yes, I do! I need your help, besides, if I have more questions maybe you will give me a discount on them. By the way, in addition to the retainer, Germany wants to send you a little bonus for the last work you did for us. Oh! Also by the way, the budget for this initial American project is $50 million plus your standard 15% fee. I will be sending you $1 million in advance to be our exclusive agency for the ‘Smart II’ campaign. Bill me here each month for the actual expenses. Fax me back the signed contract. We will also need to discuss setting up a similar arrangement for Mexico, Brasil, Argentina and Chile next month. As one of our partners would say, Ciao, now buddy.”

I fumbled hanging up the phone. Not only was this totally un-expected, it was making me question how I would make such an effort even work. Before I could decide to jump out the window or call Dieter back to see if this was just some dream, the phone rang again. It was Julie the receptionist.

“You have someone here to see you Mr. Jacob’s. Should I send her back?”

Stuttering, I told Julie yes. I had no idea who even knew I was in Atlanta. I knew I had not owed enough for a bill collector. A well dressed young lady entered.

“Mr. Paul Jacobs?”

“Yes.”

“May I see some ID please?”

I showed her my drivers license and as a joke my hotel room key at the Wyndam Hotel nearby. She took the license, wrote something down, looked at the room key, raised her eyebrows, then waved her finger at me saying, ‘naughty boy’ handed back the license, an envelope and a small box. As she left, she turned back and asked, “What room was that again, I don’t get off until six this evening.”

That and the sexy look she gave me made my day, no my week. Added to the phone call and my first account being Dieter I did not see how life could get any better. I would soon find out that it could. I opened the envelope. Inside was a cashier’s check for $1 million, made out to P. B. & J. with a notation it was a retainer for ‘Smart II’. It was signed by Dieter M. Daimler, President American Operations, Daimler-Benz and Daimler Worldwide Enterprises.

I began to cry. It was then I saw the inscription on the top of the box. It simply said, ‘Buddy’.

I opened the box. Inside was a folded note, an American quarter and two sets of keys and ‘clickers’. I read the note. ‘The cars have GPS and ‘auto call’ to our new customer service center, but in case you get lost or have a question, use the quarter and call me on an ‘888’ number. There is no charge.’

One key set was tagged as S-500 the other SL-550. I could not keep my eyes open, tears kept running from them. When I finally composed myself enough I decided to leave the office early and also asked Julie if she could do a few things.

“Julie, would it be possible to get a larger office in addition to this one and maybe a large open room with desks for a half dozen people. They will need phones, computers, maybe a couple of printers and we all need to be on a network. The regular business type of software should do and a dedicated conference room with a projector, overheads, some whiteboards and paper easels. I need to make arrangements for a bit of travel and with an employment agency to hire permanent and temp staff.”

“Good news, I take it?”

“The best. Now I need good people and only 20 or 30 more offices around the country.”

“We are a ‘full service company’ boss, just tell me what you need, how much you have to spend and when you need it by. Flowers and dinner might be nice too?” I got that ‘Cheshire Cat’ smile from her.

“Julie if you are serious, order yourself the biggest arrangement of flowers they have. We get lobster, champagne and caviar for dinner tonight and you be here by 8 am tomorrow morning, then we will start getting this show on the road.”

I held the check out for her to see. “Is there a good bank still open around here?”

She punched a button on her phone, picked up her ‘survival kit’, (Purse) got up, and walked over to me. She took me by the arm and said, “Walk this way!” as we started down the lift.

I mumbled, “If I walked that way, you might want to call me Percy instead of Paul.” Her answer was to sway her hips even more, now bumping into me from time to time. When we got downstairs and out the door I froze. Parked in-front were two gleaming examples of German engineering at their finest. I remembered the keys. I asked, “Would Madam prefer the Blue, or the Gray, car tonight?”

She reared back and looked at me funny. I took one of the fobs from my pocket and hit the clicker. The S-500’s lights came on. “The Blue one it is, walk this way please?” She did not seem as amused as I was.

The car was beautiful, though not quite as attractive as Julie was now that I saw more of her than I did while she was sitting behind a desk. She was tall. Actually, she had long legs and did not mind showing them off. The rest of her left no doubt she was female ... a very healthy female. Man, I thought, what was she doing here? In NYC or LA she could be a model. I made a mental note to call some friends there and see what they could offer her.