How could I know that this was the night that would change my life? Denize Callaway, my boss, has invited me to have dinner. She owns Tri-C Secretarial Services Inc., which operates a downtown packaged office with 16 furnished offices rented to clients. Our staff of five women works hard every day; so it’s always a relief to leave the office, take a deep breath and get ready to relax. As we drive to the restaurant we chat about our clients, Denize’s favourite topic. This woman lives and breathes her company.
Once we’re seated with a glass of chardonnay, waiting for our dinners, Denize steers the conversation in a different direction. She asks, “Have you decided to stay in Vancouver?” A year ago she had hired me when I was newly arrived from Revelstoke and I guess is now checking to see if I have ties back there.
“You bet I’m staying – I love it here!” Originally from the Toronto area, with winter snow and summer humidity, the coastal climate is very seductive, and when I yearn for snow all I have to do is go to a ski hill. But…the next question floors me.
“I’m hoping to retire to my place in Pemberton in a few years, and I’m wondering if you’d like to come in as a partner and eventually take over the business?”
My eyes widen and I don’t know what to say – and I can’t say what is in my heart (I’m just staying here ‘til I find something better. I really want a job with benefits so I can have my daughter’s teeth straightened.)
Instead what comes out is, “I don’t know Denize. I guess the biggest thing is that I don’t have any money to invest. I’ve just barely managed to furnish my apartment over the past year. I’ll have to think about it.”
And now I have a whole new perspective. The job that’s been a fill-in looks more promising. As I see it from new eyes, we do well whether the economy is up or down, and that’s an advantage that few companies have. But I haven’t a clue about where I can find funds for a down payment for this very successful business.
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