The Price of a Sale
I am a CEO of a small start up. This means like I am a small business owner but for some reason it is more glamorous. The only difference is that I have investors that they have given me some amount of money, they expect huge growth and results, they check on me every three months, and if they’re not happy they can replace me and take away my small business and hand it on to someone else who they believe can do better. So that means I go to bed and I wake up thinking only about my business how I can grow it and how I can do it faster.
The year of the pandemic was tough like anybody else, but I survived. I have created a software product for schools to be sold to the local district. Last year was very disruptive for everybody including schools but the potential of distant learning open up new doors for me and my small company.
I tried to keep up with the sales, do all the zoom calls, stay focused and continue to have sales zoom meetings. But it was clear to close this large huge big business deal I had to travel and meet them face-to-face. Since the vaccination started I felt travel would be safer and I wouldn’t put myself or my family and my newborn in danger. I’m not vaccinated yet so I took all precautions and flew down south for the big meeting. If it closed could change the trajectory of my little start up.
The people were great, the hospitality was great, but health precautions were not. For whatever reason and this is not about politics people felt masks are not necessary, social distancing is not working and life should get back to normal now. I was wearing my mask during the entire time when one of the key decision-makers said to me, “I really don’t understand what you’re saying do you mind if you take off your mask?”
Reluctantly I did and I continued my pitch in a room full of people eager and ready to buy. I felt excellent, I felt empowered, I felt like this is the time that my company is going to be on the map.
And then I went home and I started coughing, my throat was scratchy, I had a headache and my wife ordered me to go take a test, while she took the baby and lock herself in our bedroom.
And of course I did test positive for Covid. I was devastated, the entire high of the sales process turned into a terrible low of emotional and an emotional roller coaster.
From the images of me being a successful CEO raising more money, hiring people, getting more product and helping my customers; my vision turned into my beautiful small baby how she can turn sick with Covid and little treatments. Fear overwhelmed and the sense of responsibility and fatherhood kept being like a wet blanket over me.
Did the sale worth it? Did getting a new customer outweighed the risk I took? What are my priorities? Am I a father first, or a CEO? Is health the most important thing? or is it money?
Now I have to be quarantined and worst of all, I live in fear about infecting my little baby and my wife. All my investors were sympathetic; some of them said I shouldn’t go and try to make the sale; some of them said that it will all pass and I will be fine and I shouldn’t worry about it. I don’t know how they will remember this weekend in a couple of years, specially if I don’t produce the financial results they expect . But I will remember it forever.
ps. this story is inspired by true events
