“And it wasn’t good,” Minnie concluded flatly.
I couldn’t help but laugh. This was a woman I could definitely see enjoying working with.
“Since you put it that way, no, it wasn’t,” I said with a smile. “But it could be. The good part about having next to no social media presence is that you have a fairly blank canvas to work with. Rather than having to try to undo mistakes and rebuild a reputation that has been damaged by bad social media, you can just build from the bottom up and create an impressive presence. That’s where I come in.” I reached down for my messenger bag and took out the plan I’d drafted. “I took the liberty of putting together a plan for the first few weeks and months of a new social media campaign for Freeman Racing. You can glance over it and see one direction we could go. Of course, this is only one approach, and there are many different options.”
Minnie took the file folder from me and opened it, spreading the papers out on the desk in front of her. It felt oddly exposing to have my work spread out like that in front of me. I knew what every word said and felt completely confident in what I put together, but somehow it made me feel vulnerable to watch her look over it like that. She nodded a few times, making sounds that could either be acknowledgement or her simply noting places she would want to make changes.
It took only a few minutes before she looked up at me and smiled.
“I have to say, I’m impressed. Your reputation is fantastic, of course, but I know you haven’t worked for any companies on quite the scale as this one. It would be a much larger project,” she said.
“Absolutely,” I admitted. “It would be far more extensive than anything I’ve ever had. But the scope of it means I would be able to focus completely on this campaign. You would have my absolute undivided attention, and I would create something customized exclusively for the flexible and changing needs of the company. Utilizing my skills means others in the company don’t have to try to keep up and can focus on the other elements of their jobs. My professional experience also means I would be able to broaden the targeted demographics and create more involvement among fans.”
Minnie nodded and I knew the job was mine. It took everything in me to not jump up and explode with excitement. She reached into a drawer in her desk and pulled out a contract that she slid across the desk to me.
“This is the initial contract,” she said. “If you would look over it and let me know if you have any questions or things you’d like to discuss.”
I wanted to just sign my name on the dotted line as fast as I possibly could, but that’s never good business practice. Instead, I forced myself to slow down and scan through the contract, reviewing all the terms and expectations. I was pleasantly surprised to see I didn’t even need to attempt to negotiate for better pay. The offer included in the contract was already exceptionally generous and far more than I would have made with any other client.
When I was finished, I smiled at her.
“Do you have a pen I could use?” I asked politely.
Minnie grinned at me and offered me a gold engraved pen that was filled with vibrant purple ink. I would expect nothing less of her. She watched me sign my name, then stood, extending her hand to me.
“Congratulations and welcome aboard. I look forward to working with you,” she said.
I let out a long breath, feeling my shoulders relax as I smiled.
“Thank you. I do, too,” I told her.
“You come on back on Monday. Quentin is taking his first vacation in a long while this week, but he’ll be back then,” she said.
“His first vacation?” I asked, tilting my head to the side with curiosity.
“Yes. That man refuses to take a break. He does nothing but work. Doesn’t even take the time to breathe half the time, I think. But his brothers, father, and I finally convinced him to take this week off so he could be rested up and have a good head on his shoulders when the race season starts up again,” she said.
“Oh,” I said, my smile slipping as I nodded, processing what she’d just told me about her son.
“Don’t worry,” Minnie said as if she could sense my nervousness to meet the man who would be my direct boss. “He might be an old curmudgeon before he earned the old, but he can be a softy, too. You’ll see. He’ll like you.”
We chatted for a few more minutes before I disengaged from the conversation and headed home to decompress. Just as I promised myself, I rolled down the windows and enjoyed the flow of the wind through my hair as I drove. Just before getting home, I stopped for a celebratory bottle of wine and looked forward to a barefoot evening on the patio and a bubble bath.