It's Not Luck - Eliyahu M. Goldratt [101]
Don wants to stay on. Stacey doesn’t have any problem with it, on the contrary, she is glad to have him.
29
Six months later we are sitting in my office.
“How long does it take them?” Bob asks for the tenth time.
“More coffee?”
He ignores me. “These bloody lawyers. What are they doing in there? Sharpening pencils? How much time does it take to insert a few minute changes?”
We are waiting for the lawyers to put in the last-minute changes that were agreed on. Then Granby and Nelson will sign and I Cosmetics will no longer be part of UniCo.
Bob stands up and starts to pace. “And I still say we sold it short.”
“Bob, let it go. Two hundred and seventy million is a fair price. Besides, what is it to you? In an hour or so, you are them. You change camps. Any last-minute regrets?”
“Not really.” He sits down again. “You know I didn’t have any real problems with it. Especially after talking to Pete.”
“Yes,” I laugh, “he is as happy as a cat in a dairy.”
“Why shouldn’t he be? He is expanding like there is no tomorrow.”
“I think that what really counts for him is that he can now teach people how to do things the right way. You know how much Pete likes teaching. As I heard it, they plan to rotate all their managers through his company. Even the corporate comptroller has to spend two weeks there. Can you imagine what Pete will probably do to him?”
Bob’s laughter fills my office.
“By the way, Alex, you never told me how you managed to pull off that miracle. To get one hundred and sixty-eight million dollars for that small pimple.”
“I don’t think you want Pete to hear you calling his treasured company a pimple.”
“If he does, I’m dead. But Alex, with all due respect, it’s a small company. How much were they doing? Must be less than seventy million a year. You got more than twice their total annual sales!”
“They were also cranking out fourteen million profit a year. But the real answer is—we got it the same way we are going to get a fair price for your company. We didn’t sell just a company. We sold a valuable concept. The company and its management are the essential instruments to implement that concept.”
“I see.” He quiets down. “I could still learn a lot from you. Maybe I’m making a mistake leaving UniCo?”
“Are you crazy? Do you think that you’d get such an opportunity here?”
“No, Alex, just teasing. Who could ask for a better opportunity? Not only am I keeping I Cosmetics under my direct control, but on top of it I’m going to run the entire drugstore supply group. Your kid’s idea worked beautifully! What a job! Five companies. Nine plants. Over two hundred sales reps. A hefty budget. I can’t wait. What’s with these bloody lawyers?”
He starts again.
I ask Fran to bring in some tea. We don’t need any more coffee now.
“By the way, Alex. What are you going to do once Stacey’s company is sold? Do you have any irons in the fire?”
“Maybe I’ll come and work for you?” I ask jokingly. “I have some thoughts. Nothing concrete yet. But don’t worry, I’ll manage.”
“I’m sure. Any company would grab you with both hands. With your achievements and connections, I’m not worried at all. I just wondered if you’d already decided.”
Frankly, I’m starting to feel itchy. I had a little time to look around and there aren’t many jobs that I’d like to have. Not to mention being able to get. But there is enough time.
I hope.
“You know, Alex,” he interrupts my thoughts, “if there is one thing that I don’t like about my new job it’s that I won’t have you to turn to. No, don’t stop me. I have wanted to tell you this for a long time, but it was somehow inappropriate. Now that it’s apparent that I don’t need to brown-nose you . . .”
“You still need. The contract is not signed yet.”
“Will you shut up, please. As it is, this is not easy for me to say. I don’t need your jokes on top