Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 60131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60131 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 301(@200wpm)___ 241(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
He leaned forward and gave George a hug—a hug that went on for several seconds longer than necessary, and then he headed to the door.
As soon as the door shut, George let out a breath. “Well, there goes my thinking that a Harvard man would be able to accomplish what so many of your previous let-downs couldn’t. Do you know that you’re the only CEO in the luxury hotel industry who can’t consistently say who your go-to EA is?”
“I only know that I’m the most successful CEO in the luxury hotel industry.” I walked over to the windows. “That’s all that matters at this point.”
“Whatever,” he said, clearing his throat, “before I even begin to address that never-ending issue, we need to discuss your latest amenity change.” He paced the room. “I don’t understand why you’ve decided to give away free gourmet breakfasts at some of your hotels. It’s not like you’re running a Hampton Inn.”
“The Hampton Inn doesn’t serve gourmet breakfast.”
“You know what I mean, Preston. Luxury hotels are branded luxury because of the fact that the guests pay for everything. The more stars and profit for us, the less free things for them.”
“It’s just an experiment,” I said. “It also seems to be working. Revenue is up by ten percent.”
“Well, hopefully, that’ll last longer than your next assistant.” He tossed me a bright blue folder.
“What’s this?”
“This is your newest executive assistant’s resume and intent letter,” he said. “I took the liberty of picking out the next one, and I can guarantee that she’ll last longer than a few months.”
I flipped through the paperwork and immediately knew she wouldn’t last longer than a week. She was just like every assistant he’d recommended to me before. Ivy-league educated, years of experience in hotel management, utterly destined to fail. Even her personal statement of why she wanted to work for me rang a familiar bell of imminent failure.
I truly believe that I can help make Preston Parker be the best CEO he can be by becoming the best executive assistant he’s ever hired.
I’d never mentioned it to George, but I found it quite ironic that I rose through the ranks of the hotel industry before getting my business degrees; that the first hotels I took over were achieved out of my hunger and desperation for success, not anything else.
Why haven’t we ever taken a chance on someone like that?
“As you can see, she graduated from Yale at the top of her class.” George smiled as he spoke, saying the same words he’d said hundreds of times before. “Not only has she worked in the hotel industry for over ten years, she’s spent significant time with the marketing and branding departments at the Hilton, Marriott, and Starwood brands. I think you should pick her brain for inside tips on the competition.”
“I’ve been number one for ten years. I don’t have any competition.”
“You will if you don’t start getting any backup help.” He groaned. “At some point, you have to accept that you need one hell of an EA to help you keep this company running. Someone who can not only help you here, but someone who can go in your place to meetings whenever you finally decide to take a break, or God forbid, take a vacation like a normal person.”
“Fine.” I shut the folder and handed it to him. “Give me a few weeks to pick out my next one, and if she doesn’t work out, I’ll go with your choice.”
“Fair enough,” he said. “I need to sit in on all the interviews, though.”
“Why? Don’t you trust me to pick her?”
“Now that I know you have women texting your phone about their pussies, and you’re hell bent on your next assistant being a ‘she’? Absolutely not.”
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