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Claire nodded toward the older man who had just spoken. “This is Carl, and he is the Vice President here at Locke Enterprises. He’s been with Mr. Locke the longest out of everyone in this board meeting.”
“And because I’ve been with him the longest, I know we’re all wasting our time. He’s never going to go for this.”
“He doesn’t have a choice in the matter. We’re announcing and going public in ten days, Carl.”
“I understand the severity, Claire, but we both know he’s a private person.”
She ignored his statement, gesturing toward the man who sat in front of her at the rectangular mahogany table where we were all sitting at.
“That’s Robert. He’s our chief financial officer.” She pointed to the woman next to him. “This is Julia. She’s our senior marketing officer, and the man sitting to her right is Adam. He’s the head of our public relations department. The woman sitting beside him is Sylvia, and she’s one of our board members who is accompanied by James and Andrew, who are also board members. Last, but certainly not least is Marcus.” She nodded toward the man sitting parallel to her. “He’s one of our chief executives.”
I smiled at the room. “Nice to meet everyone.”
“Great, now that we have that out of the way, I can share some history on Locke Enterprises with you. I’m sure you Googled the company, but even the internet doesn’t know much about our CEO. As Carl stated, Mr. Locke is an extremely private man and is adamant about staying so. However, we’re in the process of transitioning from a private business to a public one as we discussed on the phone. We’ve all come to the mutual agreement that Mr. Locke must remain the face of the company, and with that, there are a few concerns.”
“There aren’t a few concerns,” Carl interrupted, only looking at me. “There’s only one, Miss Troy, and it’s why you’re here.”
She glared at him. “We’re not trying to scare her away, Carl. She’s the best at what she does. It’s why she’s here.”
“I am the best at what I do, and I’m fully aware of the reputation that precedes Mr. Locke. The whole world is, but trust me, if I can change Life of Debauchery’s (LOD) rock star image to golden boys, then I can handle your CEO.”
“I know.” Claire beamed, sitting up in her chair. “It took me months to get a phone call with you. You’re a very busy woman, and your resume speaks for itself.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, gazing around the table before I confidently added, “I’ve worked for High Society Public Relations for the last five years, and after my success with softening Life of Debauchery’s image about two years ago, my phone hasn’t stopped ringing with new clientele. LOD had endless stints in rehab and problems with authority, not to mention the law didn’t hold well with their record label. When news got out that I was the woman responsible for their rebranding, things most certainly took a turn in my career. By the time I was through with them, they landed the cover of The New York Times and went from bad boy rockers to misunderstood musicians. I was in charge of their interviews, live appearances, and everything in between. Most importantly, I established and maintained cooperative relationships with industry representatives across a broad spectrum of media outlets which we’re going to need now more than ever on our side.”
I could tell by the expression on their faces they were eating up every word of what I was sharing. I wasn’t exaggerating by any means. I’d graduated college early, top of my class in my master’s program of Marketing and Public Relations. I wasn’t just good at what I did—I was the best.
“Those are only a couple of things that I can personally handle,” I continued on. “But rest assured that my entire team was handpicked by yours truly. Each person brings their own level of expertise, from writing press releases and any other media communications on promoting our clients, and in some cases, even monitoring their social media accounts. Their ideas are fresh, and they understand how this industry works. It can eat you up and spit you out in a matter of a few hours, and my job is to make sure our T’s are crossed and our I’s are dotted. We act as a safety net for our clients and the rest of the consumer world. We’re a powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with. I am the best. Therefore, I only work with clients who are in desperate need of my services. The bigger the challenge, the more I accel.” I paused to let my words sink in, loving the energy I was creating through the boardroom.
It was such a high.
Success was as addicting as any drug could be, and it was the only reason I agreed to this position in the first place. If I took Mr. Locke on as a client, I could make partner in my agency. My hands were tied, and I had no choice if I wanted to advance my career to the next level, Mr. Locke would be the man to make that possible. Everyone would want to work with me, and there would be no competition. I’d be at the top of my game, the peak of my career, and there was no turning that down.
Even if it meant I had to swallow my pride and work with the son of a bitch who deemed me nothing more than a fuck. I had to do what was in the best interest of my future.
I didn’t tell them any of that. They didn’t need to know my personal agenda for taking Mr. Locke on as a client.
It was no one’s business.
Ignoring the thoughts in my mind, I proceeded with my pitch. “People love to feel like they’re a part of something, and given the fact your CEO doesn’t even participate in interviews makes it very hard for people to trust him with their hard-earned money. Especially when it comes to stock trade which is what you’re transitioning from a private enterprise to a public one. No one is going to want to trade with someone who seems unstable. It’s all about stability and image. Low risk, high reward. Mr. Locke may have a lot of money, but he needs to gain the notoriety and respect of his possible consumers. The media portrays him as a … well, please excuse my language, but he’s nothing more than an arrogant, controlling, and demanding asshole. Although that may work in the boardroom, business deals, and running a multibillion-dollar corporation, it doesn’t work for the average Joe Schmo.”
“Yes,” Claire agreed, smiling wide. “That’s exactly it. You nailed it, Miss Troy. Mr. Locke has built this company from the ground up. He spent years overseas in Italy, France, and Japan. Truly learning his craft and the ins and outs of sports cars. He’s always had a passion for cars being from Fort Worth, Texas, and he took that passion and built an empire. Being the first person to create an ultra-efficient motor with a high RPM without having to run down battery power has made him a very influential man. There was no electronic sports car before him, and it has most definitely piqued the world’s interest in who he is and what he’s capable of. It doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes and was voted most eligible bachelor by not only People magazine but Forbes three consecutive years in a row now.”
“All that may look great on paper, Claire, but it doesn’t mean a damn thing to him.” It was obvious Carl spoke his mind, and I, for one, appreciated his honesty.
“He couldn’t care less about the glorified titles from the media. He’s a businessman through and through and has no interest in being Locke Enterprises’ mascot. Regardless of the outcome.”
Carl didn’t know I was aware of what I was taking on, of who I was taking on.
He couldn’t say anything I didn’t already know just from personal experience and my history with him. I knew the son of a bitch better than anyone in this room did.
Or, at least, I used to.
With a curt nod, I countered, “You’re going to have to give him no other choice in the matter. If he refuses, then you need to make decisions based on what will benefit the company as a whole. Not Mr. Locke’s ego. Going public is a whole different ballgame. One you need to be prepared for if you’re going to dominate and succeed, and we have very little time.”
Claire agreed. “Locke wouldn’t have it any other way. When it comes to cars and business, Miss Troy, he’s an expert. Now, when it comes to people… well, as you said, his bedside manner needs some work.”
“Some work?” Carl chimed in again. “Jesus, Claire. The man never smiles. In the years I’ve known him, I’ve never once seen him smile. Not even when we grossed our first million within the first two weeks that Locke Enterprises was established.”
