Chapter 2

Julie had proven to be kind of person that not only made a difference, she had found her calling by tying in this business and her skills. By thinking ‘out of the box’ from the way we in advertising usually thought, Julie presented another way we might accomplish what we wanted to do for Dieter.

I told her I wanted twenty to thirty small offices across the country, ready to support and launch our campaigns. She got more information, this time forcing me to make a list. In generic terms, I told her all the type of things I envisioned. The list was basic. Most of the things were similar in each city, and I estimated that outside the models, car shows, parties and golf outings; five or six staff in each city would do it. She got the general idea then about the use of temp models.

“Sexy, Right?”

“Ahh ... Yes., ‘Sex’ sells.”

“Can I have two or three more days on this? I don’t know your business, but if you would consider doing this a different way, I know we won’t need two hundred people to do this.”

“I guess. Maybe I should hire you if ‘We’ are going to use your plan for this!”

“John, too. He has some ideas on things also. I need to call the big boss in Dallas to get his agreement on something. Can I hire a couple people for here and a few temporary workers? Trust me, this should work and end up a lot cheaper for us.”

‘We’, ‘Us’, yep, I think this girl is either going to flame out, or end up pushing me out of a job. ‘Wouldn’t that be great?’ I thought? ‘From unemployed to media mogul and back again’.

I wondered if she was related to Dieter? I needed to call him. I did.

“Dieter, can we update you and make a short presentation on the launch next week? My team here has some ideas on new approaches we would like you to consider, if you are agreeable.”

“Ugh uh! Ja!”

“Probably be about thirty 30 minutes with questions and answers after that. The whole thing should be done with in an hour or less. I can have advance copies sent to you and whomever your people are for us to contact. This project is going to need a manager and an entire team on your part, too, to approve what we spend and do.”

“I am working on that, Paul. We have had more changes. They will affect you only just a little in the US, but will have some impact on this new car line in other countries.”

“Great, you know we will work with whomever you put in charge and do what you want; but I, for one, am curious about this new approach you are using, especially if it supposedly gets you market share in this changing economy. ‘SMART I’ did not take off here in the US. I hope Germany listens a bit more, this time?”

“I think they will. My father and sister are now running things again; not the Dutch and Frenchies. Everyone wants this venture to succeed not just line their pockets. We also have real partners for this than before. That is one of the things we need to discuss. We need to meet in a few weeks.”

“That should be no problem, Dieter, as long as I can bill you for my time and you buy the tickets. I know you sent a retainer, but I am keeping the accounts separate for the project, and what I need to set up for my company. I may not be able to afford paying for things as quickly as I would like, and I will not use project money for my office expenses. I found it just does not work out in the end. Everything, right now, is only focused on a twenty-four month life so it is temprary.”

“This will be part of our discussion. How many of your people will need to attend?”

“If you can arrange that Giselle will still handle the models, and Geist the print shoots, then my contribution should be maybe two or three others at the most, depending on if we get into South and Central America or not. Let me know, because I have put that on the back burner for now.”

“Don’t, in-fact add Canada now. It is part of my new responsibility as well. I give you permission to hire five more key managers, as you see fit. Start billing them as of right now. Surprise, surprise Paul; Diane is coming over and will head up efforts on our side. She will also try to, how do you say, seduce you again to her way of thinking. You remember my sister, don’t you, buddy? The Countess Von Falberg is now single again, so be warned! Her husband was recently killed while skiing.”

“Just what I need! Things are hard enough already, no pun intended. Oh! I will not work with my old company if you get any ideas. Please tell her that for me.”

“Maybe you can yourself. She should be arriving there in few hours. I think she told me she needed a place to stay so I have given her your number at the Wyndam. I knew she and you would want to get together and discuss business things at least. Bye for now, Buddy!”

“Bye! Thanks, Buddy!”

Now what, we had a past history. Diane was not just a pretty face. Ok, she was a pretty face, great body, and had always been able to get me to do whatever she wanted. Her marriage occupied her, but if she was a widow now, I was in trouble, big trouble especially if she was to be my new boss.

I wondered how Julie, let alone Ginny, was going to react to her. What was that saying the Roman Gladiators used to say: “We who are about ... something?”

Later I got a call from the hotel, saying a young lady was asking for a key to my suite, asking should they give her one. It could be Ginny, Julie, or Diane, I thought. All were blonde, tall and beautiful. “Sure,” I said. “Please ask if they needed anything sent up, too.”

I toyed with the idea of having all of them go there at the same time. My would that not be fun? Maybe Geist would send Bridget and Monique and Giselle would fly in from New York. I should get a larger suite and pre-arrange my funeral service after that experience. I knew John might object about Julie but what the Hell, this was all business right?”

What to do, what to do?

I got an email from John saying Julie had asked him to prepare some ideas about ‘Market Research’, ‘Segmentation’, and creating a new dealer network. Could I please attend a presentation tomorrow afternoon at six pm at, he gave me a location at the University of Georgia. I replied in the positive, Yes and said that I would also have three or four people with me. I called Giselle to ask her to fly down. She told me Diane had already asked her to come. She was staying in Suite 747 (My room, of course!) at the Wyndam. “Was this the same meeting?