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CEO Refused to Shake Black Investor's Hand — Next Day, She Was Begging for Meeting

CEO Refused to Shake Black Investor's Hand — Next Day, She Was Begging for Meeting

Chapter 6

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  • Net worth: $3.8 billion.
  • Cole Ventures: $3.8 billion in assets under management.
  • Forbes 400 ranking: number 184.
  • Track record: 47 investments, 43 successful exits.
  • Board member: Apple, Microsoft, Tesla, six others.
Her hands start to shake—actually shake, like she's holding something too heavy."Jenny," her voice comes out hoarse, "tell me this is a different Darien Cole."Jenny reaches over and scrolls down. There's another photo: Darien at a tech conference standing next to Sundar Pichai. Darien shaking hands with Tim Cook. Darien on a panel at Davos. In every photo, he's wearing casual clothes: polos, button-downs without ties, never a suit.Victoria's throat closes up. She tries to swallow; can't."The meeting was confirmed three weeks ago," Jenny whispers. "I have the emails. He was coming to discuss Series C. $500 million."500 million. The number echoes in Victoria's head like a bell. Without that money, the company dies in eleven weeks."Oh my God." Victoria stands up so fast her chair rolls backward and hits the window. "Oh my God. Oh my God."She grabs her phone, finds Darien's number in the deleted contacts folder. Her fingers are sweating so much she has to wipe them on her skirt before she can dial.The phone rings once, twice, three times: voicemail."Mr. Cole, this is Victoria Ashford. I believe there was a terrible misunderstanding this morning. I would love to reschedule our meeting at your earliest convenience. Please call me back."She hangs up, immediately calls again: voicemail again."Jenny!" Victoria's voice is getting higher. "Get Marcus in here now!"Marcus Brooks, the CFO, arrives three minutes later holding a coffee and a folder of quarterly reports. "What's the emergency?"Victoria shows him the Forbes article. "The investor we were supposed to meet this morning... the one I had security throw out."Marcus reads. His face goes from confused to shocked to horrified in about ten seconds. "Please tell me this is a joke.""Do I look like I'm joking?!"Marcus sets down his coffee. Some of it sloshes over the rim onto the quarterly reports; he doesn't seem to notice. "Victoria, please tell me you didn't actually have Darien Cole removed from the hotel.""I didn't know who he was! He showed up dressed like a college student!"
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CEO Refused to Shake Black Investor's Hand — Next Day, She Was Begging for Meeting

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