Late 1971…
Graham Lightbridge had never been so busy as since he took over the helm as head of Epoch USA division in 1959. He simultaneously felt like he had only just settled in and that he had spent his whole life in the role. Epoch’s expansion and reception here had been slow to start, but had increased exponentially and was quickly looking like profits may even overtake those gathered in the UK and Europe…
While Graham had started on estimates and hand-over notes, he now felt that he had a deep understanding of the American market, and was starting to get frustrated at the lack of engagement he was getting from Epoch HQ over in England.
"I hope you will excuse my language, but God damn it Frank… Youre just not listening to what I’m trying to say. I don’t care what you think will or won’t sell here, I don’t care if it fits in your plans or not, I don’t care if there will be extra work, I don’t care if I have to even cut my budget to cover the extra production costs to get it started, and I sure as hell don’t care what some bean counter in their ivory tower there in London thinks about profitably and cost benefit ratios and gad knows what else when they probably havent stepped foot over here! I bet they probably wouldn’t even have the balls to take a risk on buying a sandwich at the canteen there in case their bloody sandwich order got bloody mixed up and bloody broke their bloody cost benefit ratio! I’m sick and tired of not being listened to and I’m sick and tired of being bloody treated like a glorified bloody import agent who has not bloody care in the world about the bloody company he is bloody trying to bloody get to bloody succeed… Bloody hell… "
…
“No I’m not apologising. I know I’m right and you know I’m right. I’ve seriously had enough. Make it happen or I’m quitting. I’ve already been approached by a couple of other companies who value my performance and direction. The only reason I’m still here is my loyalty to Epoch, who game me this opportunity in the first place. I’ve paid it back many times over, with little gratitude from you guys over there at all.”
…
“i don’t care. I’m going to write up my proposal now and you know what the outcome will be if it doesn’t go ahead.”
click
Graham hung up the phone and massaged his temples. It was good to finally get that off his chest, even if he did get a bit too heated.
Graham sighed.
“Well only time will tell if this was worth it…” he said to himself, taking out his stationary and starting to write.