Читать книгу Find. Build. Sell. - Stephen J. Hunt - Страница 22

I was worried now; worried enough to start talking to lawyers to see if I could extricate myself from this mess I had created. I asked them two key questions: can I get out of this contract without penalty, and if not, how bad will it be?

Their answers were pretty clear cut. No, and very bad. Not the answers I was hoping for.

I decided to take the personal route and rely on my charm and sincerity to see if that would work. I rang the hotel broker who sold me the bar and I said, ‘Mate, you know that money that I was going to raise to buy the bar with? Well, turns out I've fallen short as a key investor has pulled out. I don't suppose we could get an extension on the settlement?

‘Ah, I don't think so,' was his response. Not the response I was looking for. He said, ‘I recommend you have a chat with the actual owner of the bar. He may be more accommodating than me'.

I jumped in the car, drove like a mad man, barged into his office and said, ‘I really want this bar, but I just need a bit more time. Can you give me an extension?'

He said, ‘I'll think about it and get back to you'.

I waited by the phone like a love-sick teenager, desperate for his call.

He didn't call.

Another day went by. No answer. Then another day. Still no call. I was now completely stressed out, on tenterhooks, waiting for an answer. My options were looking very grim. If I can't come up with the rest of the money, I forfeit the deposit, a very hefty $420 000, and will be sued for the rest of it too — an extremely hefty $4 million.

Finally, with two days to go before settlement, the bar owner rang me and said, ‘With regards to your request to extend the time frame, I have one word for you. No'.

The next day, I got a call from his lawyers. They said, ‘If you don't come up with the money, we will sue you for non-completion', which is a fancy way of saying, ‘If you don't come up with the cash, we'll sue your arse off'.

I felt sick. My chest tightened, my stomach clenched, my heart raced. This was definitely not the response I was hoping for. My negative self-talk went into overdrive. How did I get myself into this mess? What was I thinking? If only … were the words that danced around my head.

If only I'd got those investment guarantees in writing.

If only I had more time before settlement.

I cursed those who had let me down, but mostly, I cursed myself for counting my chickens before they had hatched; for making assumptions, and being impetuous. These qualities had mostly served me well in the past, but not this time. Now they could cost me everything I had worked for, and more. But it was my own fault, and I had no-one to blame but myself. I was in the shit and I had to find a way out. If I couldn't, I'd lose all my assets: my house, my super, my savings. I had five children to support so it was no joke. I was about to lose everything.