“They’re repaid from distributions, so there’s no additional cash flow burden on the company. Casey and Tabitha pay themselves back through their ownership income. It’s elegant, actually.” His tone shifted to something more admiring. “Alex, this doesn’t just solve your current crisis. It makes Catalyst stronger long-term. This is something other small businesses should be doing.”
“Send me the full analysis. I need to start having conversations.”
“Already in your inbox. Call me after you talk to Oliver.”
I hung up and stared at my laptop for a long moment, the weight of what I was about to do settling over me. This wasn’t just restructuring a company, it was fundamentally changing what Catalyst was, how it operated, who had power and stake in its future.
It was terrifying.
It was right.
I pulled up Oliver’s contact and hit call before I could second-guess myself.
He answered on the second ring. “Hey Alex, I was just thinking about you. How’s Wyoming treating you?”
“Good. Really good, actually.” I took a breath. “Oliver, we need to talk about the buyout.”
The pause on the other end felt heavy. “Have you made a decision?”
“I have. And I think you’ll like it more than what we originally discussed.” I pulled up the partnership structure document. “What if instead of buying you out completely, we restructured Catalyst so you could retire but maintain a stake in the company?”
“I’m listening.”
“Partnership model. You’d retain twelve percent equity, get quarterly distributions based on company profits, and keep an advisory role without operational responsibilities,” I spoke rapidly, the words tumbling out. “Gradual transition over twelveto eighteen months instead of immediate exit. You’d have retirement income security without the market risk of investing a lump sum, and you’d stay connected to what we built.”
Oliver was quiet for so long I thought the call had dropped.
“Oliver?”
“I’m here. Just thinking.” His voice sounded different, thicker. “You’ve really worked this out?”
“I had help. Finn’s dad showed me how his family structures their ranch, multiple generations and long-term employees all having stakes at different levels. I adapted it for Catalyst.” I pulled up the financial projections. “John and Sherlock ran the numbers. It works, Oliver. It actually works.”
“Walk me through the rest of it.”
So I did. Casey and Tabitha becoming real partners, employee ownership stakes, strategic partnerships diversifying revenue. My own financing becoming manageable instead of risky or catastrophic.
“You’re building something sustainable,” Oliver said quietly when I finished. “Not just solving the immediate problem, but creating structure that’ll outlast both of us.”
“That’s the idea.”
“Alex, I—” he took a shaky breath. “When Ginny and I started talking about North Carolina, about retiring early, I felt guilty. Like I was abandoning you, abandoning what we’d built. This solution lets me step back without letting go. Stay connected without being responsible for daily operations.”
My throat tightened. “You deserve to retire, Oliver. You’ve earned it. This way you get security and freedom while the company gets your wisdom when we need it.”
“When do you want to start the transition?”
“Soon. I need to talk to Casey and Tabitha first, make sure they’re on board. Then we’d work with lawyers to structure everything properly, probably take a few months to finalize.” I glancedat my notes. “But if you’re agreeing in principle, I can start moving forward.”
“I’m agreeing.” His voice was firm now, decided. “Not just in principle, Alex. I’m in. Let’s do this.”
Relief hit me so hard I almost laughed. “Thanks, Oliver. For trusting me to figure it out.”
“You always figure it out. That’s part of why I wanted to do this crazy adventure with you in the first place. Call me after you talk to Casey and Tabitha. I want to hear how they react.”
“I will.”
I hung up and sat there for a moment, letting it sink in. Oliver was in. The biggest piece of the puzzle had just fallen into place.
