I'd spent the better part of the week looking at applicants for the position I had created and no one seemed to have what it would take to fill the job. I took an idea a few years ago and opened my first retail store. It took a little while for me to find the market niche to be successful but once I did everything took off quickly. In fact it took off so well I now needed someone to help me control it. I had already opened a few more stores and while they were doing well, they were not as dynamic as the original store. I had decided to find someone to help me understand the market before I lost the opportunities I'd made happen.
I'm a twenty five year old single woman who has always wanted to be her own boss. I am a little over five foot two inches tall with a proportional body. My hair is dark and hangs to my shoulders and I've been told that I have a pretty face with spectacular eyes. I know I spend more time in bars and pubs getting hit on so I gather I am either attractive or look like and easy lay. At any rate I am a pretty tough boss and often hear my employees referring to me as the queen bitch. I'm not proud of that and maybe someday I can soften that image but for now this business is my baby and I am the mean mother hen who is nurturing it.
My last interview for the day, and probably the week too was an older guy with some impressive work history. As I reviewed his resume prior to his visit I realized that he has the work experience and training that I was looking for but wondered if his age would be a hindrance to his understanding the product lines and customer base I was marketing. At least he looked better then the younger just out of University types I'd been overwhelmed with. Mentally I decided to give Kevin a shot in the interview, to be positive and look for his good points instead of looking for reasons why not to hire him.
"Kevin, welcome I'm Gina. Come in and sit down."
"Thank you Miss Gina, you have an interesting business going. I imagine you have some exciting opportunities in front of you."
We shook hands as we made that exchange and then intrigued by his remarks I said.
"Tell me Kevin, what do you mean by opportunities?'
"Well I have taken some time to look over your business. After all I need a job and I need one that will be here for a while so I wanted to see how stable your outfit was. I think the idea you have is brilliant. I see what kind of foot traffic you already have and other then the locations of your stores you seem to be doing pretty well."
"So you think the locations I've selected are problems?"
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be offensive Miss Gina."
"Well, then perhaps you need to explain this comment. I set those up myself and they are doing pretty good."
"I do apologize and yes each of the locations is good in and of themselves, but as parts of the whole they are poorly placed, much too close to one another and I would guess that while they are doing OK, they are not doing what this location did when it opened. Am I right?"
He was right and I didn't notice that in my haste to open up and grow. I chose to stay close to keep my time and costs down and was basically just undercutting my own market. Kevin might just be the person who could help me take this operation forward.
"You're hired."
I suddenly said and surprised him.
"I'm not one to wait around for waiting sake, Kevin. I read your resume and checked out your references before I set up this interview. Your observation earlier was so on target and I never saw it till you said it. You are the kind of person I need to help me grow this business. Will you take the job?"
"Miss Gina I'd be pleased to work for you. This looks like a place where I can really use my skills."
After agreeing on salary and perks I looked at him and said.
"One last thing. In front of the employees, I would appreciate it if you would refer to me as Boss or Miss Ward, but one on one please just call me Gina."
"I will if Kevin will be the title you use with me."