Money was tight everywhere, the economy was in the the toilet and everyone was feeling the pinch somewhere in their lives. Maybe it was the new car that wasn't in the driveway or that holiday the family were looking forward to.
Karl Jacobs looked out from his mezzanine office onto the floor below him, watching his employees as he slowly twirled a rose gold embellished Mont Blanc pen through his fingers. He had gotten into the Real Estate business years ago, foregoing college and working his way up the hard way. That was over 30 years past and now here he was in his 53rd year and relishing it was his name over the door. KJ Realtors; still made him smile to be his own boss.
'There's always going to be money in bricks and mortar son', his father used to say, and for a long time he was right.
He looked away from the floor to ceiling window to the antique teak desk behind him, and the sales spreadsheets for the last quarter spread out across it. In a world of computers he was was still old school when it came to paperwork, preferring a pen in his hand and the hard copy on the desk in front of him.
He looked down again, his eyes flitting over his half dozen realtors who were busy on the phones, trying to close down the next deal. There were the ones who plodded along, bringing good commissions, then there was Simmons, a true snake, but a solid seller.
He missed the bite of the sale every now and then, but he loved the perks that came with owning the company. Thinking of which, he looked at his watch and then back down towards the floor.
Karl Jacobs looked out from his mezzanine office onto the floor below him, watching his employees as he slowly twirled a rose gold embellished Mont Blanc pen through his fingers. He had gotten into the Real Estate business years ago, foregoing college and working his way up the hard way. That was over 30 years past and now here he was in his 53rd year and relishing it was his name over the door. KJ Realtors; still made him smile to be his own boss.
'There's always going to be money in bricks and mortar son', his father used to say, and for a long time he was right.
He looked away from the floor to ceiling window to the antique teak desk behind him, and the sales spreadsheets for the last quarter spread out across it. In a world of computers he was was still old school when it came to paperwork, preferring a pen in his hand and the hard copy on the desk in front of him.
He looked down again, his eyes flitting over his half dozen realtors who were busy on the phones, trying to close down the next deal. There were the ones who plodded along, bringing good commissions, then there was Simmons, a true snake, but a solid seller.
He missed the bite of the sale every now and then, but he loved the perks that came with owning the company. Thinking of which, he looked at his watch and then back down towards the floor.