Chapter 14 - ALISTAIR MAKES HIS OWN MISTAKEAlistair offered to refinance Whitaker Medical’s debt.
Without asking me first.
He sent a term sheet to the independent directors.
Competitive rate.
Strong liquidity.
And one condition:
My father would step aside as CEO during an independent governance review.
I exploded.
“You did what?”
We were standing in my kitchen.
Kirk asleep against my shoulder.
Alistair looked genuinely confused by my anger.
“The company needs a financing alternative.”
“You used my family crisis to submit one.”
“The board can reject it.”
“You knew it would look like I brought you in.”
“I disclosed that you had no involvement.”
“You are Kirk’s father.”
“That is already public to the people who matter.”
“Not to employees.”
He stopped.
I continued:
“You don’t get to rescue me by taking over the problem.”
“I’m not taking over.”
“You sent fifty million dollars into the room.”
“Forty-two.”
“Not helping.”
He closed his eyes.
Then:
“You’re right.”
I stopped.
“What?”
“I should have asked whether you wanted me involved.”
That was new.
He withdrew the term sheet the next morning.
May you like
Not because it was necessarily bad.
Because I had not invited it.
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