Georgie Girl Ch. 19-21

"There are a couple of possible solutions," Kevin began as we sat around our makeshift lunch table in the office area. "We could farm the welding out to another company. I'm not real pleased with that option. We need high quality workmanship and we need to be their first priority for delivery and not an afterthought.

"The second option is to keep looking for qualified welders and hire as they become available. My concern with that plan is how long it might take to get a full complement. It might mean we fall behind in production and therefore behind on deliveries. That could be fatal for a new company.

"The third option is to hire two or three top-notch welders and have them teach a group of apprentices on the standards we have to have. Again, that could be a slow process, but we would end up with what we need.

"The fourth and only other option I'm almost afraid to suggest. We go the way of a larger, more sophisticated operation and put in a robotic system."

"What's that cost?" was my immediate reaction.

"I have no idea," Kevin admitted. "I know they are a lot cheaper than they used to be and we don't really need an exotic one for the type of welding we need. The usual formula for the smaller units is that they can do the work of five men without taking any breaks and they can process more work per hour than six men."

"Five top quality welders would earn sixty or seventy thousand a year each, plus benefits," Kevin said. "That gives us a budget of over four hundred thousand for a one-year payout for each five guys."

"On the surface of it, it makes a lot of sense if the initial cost isn't too crazy," I said.

"Well, we haven't considered maintenance and backup if something goes wrong," Thomas offered.

"I assume these units are programmable?"

"Yes. Why don't I do some investigating and see what the possibilities are. I'll get some costs and we can sit down make a decision. In the meantime, I'll continue looking for qualified welders. That will at least get us started. We need to get some additional prototypes out in field testing."

"Okay, Kevin," I said. "Go ahead. If you need some help, let me know. The more I think about it, the more I like the robotic idea. If you're right, we might have a cost-effective solution."

***

Georgette's sorority sister was now employed by a small up-and-coming marketing company that was working hard to develop a client base. Annie Lieberman met with me, Georgette and Thomas to discuss what her company could do for us.

"You're absolutely right, you need a product name that can be featured in any type of promotion. It isn't a riding lawnmower or an ATV that could capture a certain segment of the public's imagination. This is a piece of machinery that performs an important function and its promotion has to emphasize that. The name should also be serious."

"How do you see this product being marketed?" I asked.

"For industrial contacts, you're best to begin with a large buying group. They service retail outlets nationally and can give you the widest distribution. But even there, you need brand recognition and public awareness. My thought is a combined television and magazine advertising campaign. The TV ads get people's attention and tell them what the product does. It introduces the brand name to them. The magazines are a follow-up reminder directed at the specific consumers that might need this product."

"That sounds expensive," I said. "We're a start-up company. We don't have a big budget for that type of campaign."

"I understand," Annie said, nodding. "I'm not suggesting a saturation campaign on network television. I'm thinking more of carefully selected spots on the specialty channels. They are a lot less costly and can be directed more accurately at your target audience. Same with the magazine advertising."

"What kind of budget would we need?" Thomas asked.

"I haven't worked that out yet, but I will give it some thought when I go over the product with you and determine who would buy this product. Why don't you tell me who you see as your domestic customers, John."

I proceeded to tell her about the genesis of our machine and how I envisioned it being used. Annie was listening carefully to me, occasionally glancing at Georgette as I spoke.

"You tell that story very well," she said as I finished my comments. "I see you and possibly Georgette too as the spokespersons for this product. You are an attractive man and you are well spoken. It's your product and you know it best. You see it as an 'All-American' machine and that's a great selling point these days."

"I'm not sure I'd be very good at being an actor," I suggested.

"You're not an actor," Annie said, shaking her head. "Neither is James Dyson. He just represents himself, and look how well he comes across. I can see you standing beside one of your machines and telling people what it is and why you built it. Thirty seconds later it would be done, but you would have recognition in millions of homes."

"I guess we can think about it, but it will depend on the budget," I said.

She nodded. "Of course. We'll keep that in mind always. Let me do some work on the demographics and I'll get back to you with some numbers."

We left it at that. I had it in my mind that what she was proposing was going to be very expensive, possibly much more than we could afford. I wasn't holding my breath that she could pull this off.

"What do you think, Thomas?" I asked after Annie had left.

"I think she has some good ideas, John. I like the idea of you being the spokesman. You are the cornerstone of this venture and you do present yourself very well. I'd say we should give her a chance to convince us."

"Georgette?" I turned to her.

"Father is right. Let's see what she comes up with and what kind of costs she's thinking of. And ... I also think you should be the featured person in the ads for all the reasons Father and Annie mentioned."

I nodded uncertainly and we left it at that. It would be revisited when Annie returned with her presentation.

The testing of the units continued as we concentrated on the toughness and durability of the units in all conditions. We worked with a supplier of PVC sheet to develop a strong and durable slat for our shrouds. It was tested in all weather extremes under laboratory conditions and passed. We made sure the supplier knew just what conditions the product would have to withstand and they assured us that they had a formula that had been used in both the Antarctic and hot climates.

We had completed the layout of the machinery for assembly, but had yet to decide on how the welding of the frame would be done. We had invited Lincoln Electric to give us a presentation on their industrial robots to determine the cost and effectiveness of their equipment. Their technical representative had met with us and taken note of our needs and would tailor their presentation to our specific requirements.

"I think we've found our solution," Kevin said as the presentation wrapped up. "I won't comment on the costs other than to say the equipment is a lot less than I expected it would be. What's your opinion, John?"

"Thomas agrees with you, Kevin, and so do I. This is by far the most cost effective way to go. The capital cost is not beyond our reach and we can easily add more units as our volume increases. We'll need a technician and supervisor for that part of the plant, but that's a lot less costly than trying to find eight or ten qualified welders."

"It won't take long to pay those machines off, John," Thomas added. "This is a good investment and Lincoln is a well known and respected leader in the welding equipment business. I'd say we'd be in good hands with them."

"Okay, then it's unanimous. Kevin, why don't you work with Lincoln to set up the shop they way you and they think it should be to get us started."

"Great, John. I'm really glad you made this decision. It takes a big variable out of the equation. I'll sleep better not worrying about where I'm going to find the talent to get the job done. Lincoln said they would help us find a technician and train him as well. Another thing I don't have to worry about," he grinned.

Thomas, Georgette and I met with the Richardson brothers, Calvin and Sam. They were big in industrial and light-industrial equipment distribution and we gave them a demonstration of our machine and discussed its capabilities.

Both brothers were in their fifties and were obviously very friendly with Thomas. He had secured financing for their expansion and they had never looked back since then. They were very down-to-earth types, dressed casually, and considering the size of their company, gave no hint that they were multimillionaires.

"I think you've got a hell of a machine there, John," Sam said. "We already represent a couple of the big units, but no one has what you have. I can see this being a perfect addition to our line. Those test results you've got from the state tell me you can do the job, and Thomas's word is as good as gold, so we'd be darned interested in being a distributor for you."

"It won't be an exclusive, Sir," I said, carefully. "On the other hand, you'll get the first group of machines before anyone else."

Both brothers were nodding. "We understand that," Calvin said, "but I sure wish you'd quit calling us 'Sir.' We'd be more at ease with Calvin and Sam," he smiled.

I nodded, feeling very comfortable with these men. Thomas had vouched for their honest, straightforward business dealings and that was good enough for me. It was hard to assess just how successful they would be at selling our system, but it would get us started and we could make some growth judgments from that.

We had decided to produce ten more prototype machines while we waited for the welding robots to arrive and get set up. Kevin had found a man with experience in robotic welding and hired him to run the frame shop. He had worked for a metal building company that had moved out of California leaving a number of people behind. It was our good luck that he applied for a job when Kevin advertised for an experienced person.

Chapter 20 Under Way

My parents had moved into their new home just a few days before our wedding, and at the last minute they decided to hold the reception on their freshly landscaped grounds. Once again, luck was with us as the weather was both warm and sunny. We took that as a good omen for our marriage.

My parents had resigned themselves that we would be living in San Francisco and wouldn't see them very often until the business was established. Even then, it was a long way from our home to theirs. So it was quite a surprise when they turned up in San Francisco in late November for a visit at Thanksgiving. Considering my father's curiosity about the new manufacturing plant, Jared now in residence at Boise State, and my mother showing signs of suffering from "empty nest syndrome," I guess we shouldn't have been too surprised.

"How close are you to beginning production?" my dad asked as we walked through the assembly area.

"The programming of the robots is finished and Lincoln has completed the training of six people. With one of their people here for start-up, we should begin next Monday. Kevin is very fussy about making sure everything is as it should be. He's a great guy for this task, as long as you're patient and don't try and rush him."

"You mentioned you already have orders for machines. How many?"

"We have to produce two hundred for Richardson Brothers, and we haven't agreed on how many for an initial order for the American National Hardware Group. They were talking about one thousand to begin with, but the response they are getting keeps ramping that number up to almost double. I'm really reluctant to accept more business until the line is settled in and we know our capacity, so we're stalling them."

My father was shaking his head. "I didn't think it was possible to get the units into production this quickly. You haven't even begun to advertise it yet."

"No. Again, I don't want to be overwhelmed with business and not be able to fulfill orders. That could be a killer if we disappointed people and it would invite competitors."

"I like the name," he said. "It took us a while to agree, but Diamond∞Stream seems to fit, especially with that logo they came up with."

"Yeah, the silhouette of a person at an old hand pump seemed to work just right," I agreed.

"When will we see the TV and magazine ads for approval?"

"Still shooting for the end of December, to run early next year. I'm not looking forward to doing the commercial, but Georgette and Annie are adamant that I'm the right person to be the spokesman, so like it or not, I'm it."

"Don't be so modest, John. This is your invention and you are the logical person to represent it. It's something new and special and you come across as sincere and not just another pitch-man for another product."

I shrugged, wondering if my best effort would indeed be good enough.

***

"You didn't tell me you were going to do this," I said, mildly irritated with Kevin Riordan at that point.

"I didn't want to take any chances or have any surprises," he answered with only a slightly apologetic look.

"How many?"

"Fifty frames and thirty complete units," he answered, looking me straight in the eye.

"Just on the weekend?"

"Yes."

Kevin was a man of few words when few words would suffice. I stood looking at the finished units ready for crating.

"So, what's the verdict?" I asked, surveying the scene.

"The robots performed perfectly with a little tweaking from our Lincoln guy. No rejects and the line speed is as expected. Our assembly crews are still learning to be efficient and are working out the awkwardness. That will take some time yet, but I'm not disappointed. I offered them a day off to make up for their weekend, but they declined. I think we've got the makings of a good team."

"So, based on your expectations, when can we expect to ship the Richardson order?"

He turned to me and grinned. "Friday."

"This week?" I asked in surprise.

He nodded with a grin.

That brought a smile to my face. If we could produce two hundred in a week just on start-up, we were going to be in business. I knew we had to fill the pipeline to begin with, but delivering on a steady schedule would go a long way to satisfying our first two customers. Smithton PWTS LLP was about to be in business.

"I'm holding back every twentieth unit for some testing to make sure everything is the way it should be. I'll take on that job myself."

"Good," I said, absently, wondering just what to tell Richardson Brothers and American National.

"We should be able to make some commitments by the end of the week," Kevin said, reading my mind.

"Good. Sooner is better. But ... you're satisfied ... so far?"

For the first time I saw a genuine smile. "Yeah. I think we're this close to being ready to go," he said, with his thumb and forefinger less than an inch apart.

If Kevin said we were there, I had confidence that we were.

***

We were gathered at Thomas and Sarah's dining room table for the Thanksgiving meal. Ten of us, including Kevin, now a permanent resident at Nan's unit. No hank-panky of course, just two people who had become very good friends. In fact, Nan had been doing some friendly nagging at Kevin to get out and find a girlfriend. She was determined to make sure he was happy.

"Two years ago was the first time we met John," Sarah remarked, reminding me of the occasion.

"There are times when it seems like it was much longer," I replied. "We've had so many dramas in that short time. But everyone is here, hale and hearty. For that alone, I am thankful. This is definitely the appropriate time for Thanksgiving."

"Hear, hear," Devon said, raising his wine glass in salute.

"Christmas and New Years at Lake Tahoe again?" Thomas suggested.

There seemed to be general agreement and it was settled. My parents and Jared would fly into Reno and we would pick them up and drive them to the lodge. My sister and her family decided to spend Christmas with our grandparents. It would be the first time that the family had been split up during the holidays.

Kevin, as usual, would be in Colorado, visiting Charlie Prendergast. It would be a partial celebration at his house as well. His new lines and couplings were being tested for acceptance by the Department of Defense and he was anxiously awaiting their evaluation. Preliminary results looked good.

What we didn't announce and wouldn't until it was confirmed was that Georgette was trying to become pregnant, hoping that she would know for sure by Christmas. It would be a dramatic Christmas present for the family. My bride was very confident that we had already "done the deed," but didn't want to jump the gun. I'm pretty sure Thomas, Sarah, and Nan would think it's the best present they had ever received. Devon and Mary would be equally pleased.

"Do you care if it's a boy or a girl?" Georgette asked as we lay in bed that night.

"Nope. As long as it's healthy. Do you?"

"No," she said. "I'd like a boy, but it isn't that important to me. I don't think I want to know until it's born."

"You seem pretty sure that it's already a fact ... that you're pregnant."

"I am. I don't know how or why, but I'm sure. I even know when it happened."

"When?"

"Do you remember that night just after we got to Orcas Island and I had another of those incredible orgasms?"

"Oh yeah," I chuckled. "I don't think it's possible to forget one of those. So ... you think that was when?"

"Yup. I just had a feeling. Call it woman's intuition or whatever, I was pretty sure that was it."

"I hope you're right. It would bring great joy to your parents and family."

"And yours too. Your mom and dad are just as anxious to have more grandchildren they can spoil, even if it is from long distance."

"Isn't there a test you can take to see if you're pregnant?" I asked.

"Yes. But I'm only going to take it if I don't know for sure by the middle of December. I'm kind of old fashioned that way."

"Okay. It's your body. I really hope you are right. It would be a wonderful Christmas present for all of us."

***

"I really hoped I could keep it a secret until Christmas Day," Georgette said, "but I'm afraid Nan has already guessed and she's nearly bursting at the seams to tell someone. I wouldn't be surprised if Mother knew also. I've been avoiding her in the mornings until I can get my act together."

"You've only got two more days to go. Why don't you just brazen it out until then? If they know, they know, and if they don't, it will be the surprise you hoped for. One thing is for certain, when you confirm it to everyone, there is going to be a big celebration in the Fulton-desBiens household."

"What about this Smith household?"

"You already know the answer to that, love. I couldn't be happier and I can tell you feel that way too. I hope this is the first but not the last of our children."

"Let's talk about that after we get the first one in the crib," she smiled.

***

Sarah, Nan and Mary had tears in their eyes when Georgette announced Christmas morning she was pregnant. If they knew or had guessed, they hid it well, but there was no mistaking the emotion that came from my wife's confirmation. It was an event that they had longed for and waited more than five years to celebrate.

My parents were equally happy for us, but with three grandchildren already, it didn't have the impact that it did on Georgette's family. I thought I saw some dampness in Thomas's eyes as well. Perhaps they were tears of relief after all the turmoil and unhappiness he had seen. Whatever the reason, we had conceived his first grandchild and that was everything he had hoped for.