Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
After a brief moment of silence between us, Selena says softly, “Thank you for telling Andre I’m a queen. That meant the world to me.”
I glance away from the road, briefly, to smile at her. “Just speaking the truth. It’s honestly unethical how gorgeous you are.”
Selena’s tentative smile turns bright and wide as her shoulders soften. “Will you tell me about your app? I won’t breathe a word about it to anyone, if your idea is confidential.”
“Of course, I’ll tell you. It’s highly confidential, but I trust you completely.”
“I trust you, too,” she whispers, sending goosebumps across my flesh. “Completely.”
We share a long, lingering smile. One that sends my heart thumping. But after a moment, I return to the road and say, “So, basically, my idea is a data-tagging mechanism to optimize artificial intelligence systems. I think over time it could transform any industry that relies on data collection. But I think, in the short-term, I could use the basic technology to get a cool app off the ground that makes online reservations for just about anything. And if that app is successful, then I think I could use that revenue expand my programming into a bunch of different industries.”
“Wow,” Selena says. “That sounds amazing. Explain the app to me in detail, if you would. Explain it to me like I’m a kindergartner.”
For the next ten minutes of our drive, I tell her everything I can think of, breaking it down as simplistically as I can. And to my surprise, Selena asks tons of insightful, interesting questions that help me consider things in new ways. In particular, some of Selena’s questions and comments make me realize there are even more potential uses and applications for my idea than I’ve been contemplating. Things I could do with my initial app idea, relatively quickly and easily.
“Thanks so much for talking this through with me,” I say, as I turn my car into the hotel parking lot. “I was already excited to dive into the development process, in earnest, but now I’m chomping at the bit.”
“I think you should launch an entire company from the outset,” Selena says. “And make it clear the app is your opening salvo—your launching product—but there will be lots more to come. Make it clear to investors what else is coming down the line.”
I snicker. “Investors?”
“Of course. An idea this big will need investors, Grayson.”
I say nothing. Attracting investors to fund a start-up is a notoriously difficult thing to do. And getting to the sweeping level of success Selena is envisioning for my idea would require years, a full staff, and an insane amount of funding—far more than what’s sitting in my bank account—not to mention a whole lot of business expertise I don’t currently possess. But there’s no reason to point any of that out to Selena, who’s only trying to be supportive and cheer me on. So, I say, “Yeah, thanks. I’ll certainly look into that.”
After I’ve parked the car, we begin walking toward the hotel, each of us apparently lost in our own thoughts for a moment.
But finally, Selena says, “Would you be okay with me telling my best friend, Victoria, about your app idea? Remember her from Captain’s? The one with the blonde bob. Victoria’s the head of a prominent venture capitalist firm downtown, and—”
“What?”
“Yeah. She’s always looking for start-ups and products to invest in! Victoria’s been wildly successful at spotting diamonds in the rough—that’s what she’s most known for!”
“Holy fucking shit, Selena! Of course, I’d be stoked for you to tell Victoria about my app idea. Thank you.”
“Fabulous. I’ll call her on speaker phone the minute we get up to our room, and you can knock her socks off with everything you just told me in the car.”
I palm my forehead. “You honestly wouldn’t mind doing this for me?”
“Of course, not. Your idea is amazing. I mean, what I can understand of it.” She chuckles. “And, anyway, it’s the least I can do, seeing as how you lost your job tonight because of me.”
“Please, don’t say that, Selena. I have zero regrets about tonight. Like I said, this is the shove I needed to pull my head out of my ass and take a chance on myself. As excited as I am, though, I can’t let you call in a favor with your best friend because you wrongly think you owe me something. You truly don’t.”
Selena waves me off. “The only favor I could possibly call in with Victoria in a business situation is that she’ll definitely take my call and hear you out. But that’s it. Once you’re on the call with her, you’re on your own, kid. I can’t help you anymore.”
“I’m good with that. Let me at her.”
Selena giggles. “Fair warning, Victoria mostly throws her weight behind female-led start-ups. But not always. She makes exceptions for the right projects.”