1
Dixon
For the past five years, I’ve been helping struggling businesses with their development and success. It’s helped make a name for myself as someone who can turn even the most dire situations into success stories. When businesses are going under and they need help to figure out how to salvage their business, they call me. My background has come in handy in more ways than one and all that money for college has been worth it.
Another day, another dollar. I sip my morning coffee, still warm from the café down the street. My laptop has a dizzying array of email notifications and calendar appointments that I try not to stress over. It’s going to be a busy day, but that’s nothing new. Freelancing doesn’t provide a set schedule, but sometimes that’s what I like about it. Predictability can be boring and with freelancing, I keep myself on my toes.
Legacy Inc., my father’s company, has grown tremendously in the last ten years, and soon it’ll be my turn to take over the reins. The desire to prove myself is more than just familial obligation. For me, taking over the family business means carrying on a legacy that extends far beyond my family’s wealth and privilege. Hard work and commitment leads to greatness,even in a world of skepticism.Legacy Inc... soon to be mine. I won’t let you down, Dad.
I’ve been waiting patiently for my dad to retire, but he loves the company. He has been preparing me for it since I was ten-years-old. He used to bring me to work with him, explain what he was doing, and I still remember every word. Besides that, he sent me to a prestigious business school too. The weight of the company will soon be on my shoulders. After all, it is not every day that someone gets the chance to carry on their family’s legacy, and I’m more than prepared to rise to the occasion.
Legacy has provided for my family, but my brothers have gone into another line of work, Law. When I was a child, my father knew I would be the one to run Legacy one day. My brothers were jealous, but in a sense, I always had a business mind. Hell at six, I had a lemonade stand over the summer and made five hundred dollars.
Alright, time to get this show on the road. I crack my knuckles and dive headfirst into the daily tasks, analyzing graphs and spreadsheets for the next six hours. By the time it reaches five o’clock, my head is about to explode. With a sigh, I close my eyes and lean back in my chair. It is time for the weekly family dinner at my parent’s house, so I throw on a blazer and walk out the door, not sure what tonight will bring. Hopefully there is no drama, but it’s always a hit-or-miss with our family.
“Dixon!” Mom calls as I step out of the car. “We’ve been waiting for you!”
“Sorry, Mom! Work ran a little late today.” I jog up the front steps. “You know how clients are.”
“Your father will be happy you made it.”
I’ve only ever miss a family dinner when I’m out of town. Who turns down a home cooked meal?
“Hey there, kiddo!” Dad greets me with his signature bear hug. “How’s my future CEO?”
“Working hard, as always.”
“Good man, but remember, this journey isn’t just about skills. It’s about passion and determination too. Don’t lose sight of that.”
“Never, Dad.”
“Speaking of,” Mom interjects, “let’s get this dinner started before the lasagna turns into a fossil!”
“Your lasagna could never turn to stone.” I joke, following them into the dining room. “It’s a work of art!”
“Flattery will get you everywhere, dear,” she winks, setting down a heaping plate of lasagna in front of me. “Now, eat up! You’ll need all the energy.”
“Thanks, Mom.” My mind wanders to the future as I eat, imagining myself sitting at the helm of my father’s company, leading it to new heights.
“Anything interesting happening at work today?” Dad asks.
“I had a breakthrough in a project I’ve been working on. It’s going to make a tremendous difference for one of my clients.”
“Keep working hard and learning, Dixon. And remember, you’ve got your family behind you every step of the way.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
It's remarkable that this weekly dinner tradition has been going on for years, and yet it never gets old. My mother is an amazing cook though. She is always coming up with random things and putting them together to make something that is phenomenal. I joke with her all the time about how she missed out on her calling as a chef.
“Dixon, could you pass me the salt?” Cassie, my sister, asks.
“Sure thing,” I say, chuckling as I hand her the shaker.
Why do I feel like everyone is staring at me and knows something that I don’t? I hate being kept out of the loop. My dad is looking around the table, and my mother is staring at me. Like dead into my soul.
“I’ve got a very important announcement to make.” The table falls silent. All eyes lock onto him. “Dixon, as you know, Legacy Inc has been my life’s work, but it has come time to pass the torch.” My heart races as Dad pauses for effect, his excitement contagious.Is this happening? Is he going to entrust me with the reins of the family business?“Your dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed, son.”
“I’ve been working towards this for years.”
