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“And what would I do?”
“Remember that sports app you started to create in college and then forgot about because you thought you needed to follow in daddy’s footsteps?” He gives me a pointed look. Toby may respect my parents, but he never agreed with my decisions. He knew me well enough to know it wasn’t what I wanted.
“That was just for fun. I didn’t have a future creating sports apps, especially with all the competition nowadays.”
“Imagine if you would’ve launched it back then.”
“I didn’t, so there’s no point in driving myself crazy with that.” I grab a wing from the basket.
“No,” he shakes his head, “but you have the skills, and you loved that. Remember when we were in school and trying to brainstorm ideas on how to be better at certain plays? Create an app where athletes can type in the skill they’re struggling with, and it generates tips and ideas for their practice.” Toby’s smiling as if he came up with a genius idea.
“That’s what coaches are for.”
“Sure, but a coach has a ton of players to deal with. This app is something people can use on the side. You can even team up with professional athletes and have them be guests on the app, provide their professional advice.” He’s talking a mile a minute, throwing different ideas my way.
It’s true I used to think about creating my own app, combining my love of sports with the ever-growing technology market, but I never saw it through. Listening to Toby talk spikes that excitement I used to feel. I should’ve studied computer science instead of business and real estate.
“You can do that job from anywhere, too.” He arches a brow. “I know you’ve been spending more time with Lex than just planning the trip. If you still feel for her, maybe this is your chance to make things right. Not just for her, but for you. How happy will you be in ten years working at the agency, wondering what if?”
“I thought we were coming out to relax and talk about sports or something.” I deflect.
“I’m relaxed.” He leans back in his seat, his arm draped across the chair beside him.
“Yeah, because you’re putting all your attention on me,” I laugh.
“Hey, whatever works,” he shrugs with a smile.
“I’ll admit that app idea is cool, but I’m not sure how effective it is with search engines at people’s fingertips.”
“I could say the same for all those e-reader apps, and yet there are a ton of them. Or how many social media platforms exist nowadays? It’s all about market research and creating something specialized to that audience.”
“Are you an accountant or business guru?” I tease.
“I could be both.” He smiles triumphantly.
“I don’t know. I’ll admit being in town has forced me to face some things I haven’t wanted to address, but it’s not that easy.”
“I understand. Just want you to know that if you want a change in your life, it’s possible.”
“Thanks, Toby. I’ll drink to that.” I lift my glass.
“Cheers.”
Throughout the rest of the night, I think about Toby’s suggestions and ideas. The technology geek in me starts to calculate and turn ideas to see if it’s a winning possibility to create a sports app with that angle. It’d be amazing, especially if I could get professionals to give advice. That would set it apart from just searching for ideas on a browser. Personal experience from someone who plays professionally would be a huge selling point, even from college athletes.
When I was a kid, I would’ve given anything to hear one of my favorite players give me pointers, even if it was through an app or an interview.
More than excited about the prospect of working on something I love is the idea that I could do it from anywhere, including Hartville. The fallout could be great, though, and I’d need to take my time. I can’t make a rash decision. If I cut ties with the family business, I’m cutting ties with my family. I need to be ready to face that and confident in my plan. However, Toby may have given me the push and inspiration I needed.
After dinner, I clap Toby’s back and smile.
“Thanks for coming to town and helping with the bachelor party,” he smiles. “I appreciate it more than you know.”
“No need to thank me. It’s why I’m your best friend.”
“I’ll see you before you go on Tuesday. We can have dinner with Hope.”
“Sounds great. I’ll still be here the weekend. No need to get sad and miss me yet,” I joke.
