When Fortune 50’s Attack

Being a child of two parents who are equally left- and right-brain dominant, it was not surprising that I had a penchant for technology as well as creativity. My parents were both musically inclined, yet worked in non-creative fields. While I had musical training and maintained a rudimentary level of skill with an instrument or two, my creativity was more in the realm of writing songs, plays, and... eventually, feature film scripts.

My ability to quickly master a variety of computer systems gave me a great career that started with the U.S. Air Force and then segued to work for commercial and government contracting companies. One employer, Veridian, was acquired by a multi-billion dollar Fortune 50 that, after the passing of my parents, convinced me to move from Philadelphia, PA to work in the Washington DC area.

I managed multiple projects in the Nation’s Capitol while traveling to business development opportunities across the United States (and, for a brief two-year interlude, to the Republic of Singapore). My crowning achievement was a sales presentation at the Air Force Information Technology Conference (AFITC) in Montgomery, AL. My presentation brought in twelve new contracts, bringing in BILLIONS in revenue.

Unfortunately, my Fortune 50 employer informed me that I would not receive a penny of the billions that came in. Even worse, the Senior Vice President of my former employer threw my travel voucher in my face. My travel expenses from DC to Alabama and back would come out of my own pocket. To say that I was livid would be an understatement. But it was the perfect set up for a visit by a female friend who planted the idea of the two of us settling down and building a family. That move would require my relocating to Los Angeles, CA.

Imagine my surprise, when I arrived in El Segundo, CA expecting to assume leadership of a multi-billion dollar contract... only to be told that the DC Area team had been phoning California several times a day for the three weeks of cross-country travel. The message:

He’s our property. Send him back!

After checking to make sure that no one had legally changed my name to Kunta Kinte, I told both East and West offices that I had no intention of leaving Los Angeles. Unfortunately, my employer dropped me (and a huge potential income).

The most compelling reason to remain in Los Angeles was a mentorship with the Writers Guild of America, West. My mentors included legends of the television industry, including Saul Turteltaub (pictured below) and Norman Lear (second photo down).

Unfortunately, my former employer sent spies to Hollywood to dissuade Saul and others from following through. Even worse, their preventing me from gaining any employment (including paying lawyers to drop my case) ultimately landed me in a facility for homeless Veterans. Imagine, going from homeowner with rooms of furniture, eight bookshelves overflowing with classics, and more... only to become homeless.

Thanks, former employer.

So, where is the happy ending to this story? It has yet to be written. But this is hardly the first time I was a David standing toe-to-toe with what seemed to be an insurmountable Goliath. And so, while this battle rages on, I decided to set my attitude to the tune of a song by the late, great Mister Tom Petty…

https://youtu.be/nvlTJrNJ5lA