I smiled, trying to find the right words. “I find you intriguing, captivating, tempting…”
The server took our empty plates and replaced them with our main dishes.
Lior waited until he was out of earshot. “I think you’re the one who’s tempting.”
“And look who’s flirting now?”
“It’s not flirting if it’s a fact.”
“Tell me more about your strained-glass workshops,” I said, diverting the conversation to a safer topic.
He smirked but took another sip of wine and leaned back in his chair. “Stained glass is a dying art. These days, you can get beautiful glass panels for a fraction of the price. Hell, you can even get them from my own company. My goal isn’t to make handcrafted stained glass mainstream. It’s to make it special. Timeless. Something you can pass on to future generations. I’ll never forget the time I spent with my grandfather learning how to make small decorations. My parents still have Christmas tree ornaments they bring out every year. I made those.”
His smile turned into a frown. I’d read his father passed away recently, just before we met. It had to be hard talking about good family memories when he’d just lost someone.
“Who’s your target audience?”
“Anyone. We have couples’ workshops, family parties, children-only workshops, and we can also deliver team-building exercises.”
“I have an idea.”
“Shoot.”
“I’d like you to run a workshop for me, my brothers, and their partners. I want to see you in your element.”
His eyes shot up to his forehead. “You’re…no, that’s not happening.”
“You barely know me,” I managed to say with a straight face, “but hear me out. Remember, I’m the marketing dude.”
“Hmm.”
“This is what I’ve learned from my research into your company. Your grandfather was the heart of the company, yourgrandmother the soul, and your father the mechanism that made it a financial success beyond the small business it started out as. But I didn’t see you. You are the future of VSE. Anything you do from now on needs to be impactful and with purpose. Your purpose. Even if you don’t teach the workshops yourself, your customers want to know you’re connected to your family history.”
Shit. He didn’t look happy. I hoped I hadn’t put my foot in my mouth and lost his business because I’d been too honest.
His eyes moved from the wine bottle between us to mine.
“I’m not sure I understand. Can you elaborate?”
Deep breath. I could do this.
“Lior, the way you talk about your grandfather and your business is purely from the heart. I can see it in your eyes. If you want a place where memories are created, you have to share your memories.”
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable being a marketing tool.”
“You wouldn’t be. This is about showing your audience that VSE is a family business. That you’ve grown in it, and everyone else should experience it. Lex and Adam are the creative heads in our business. If anyone out there knows family business, it’s us. I’m confident we’ll develop an excellent campaign that not only promotes the workshops but also showcases your values and the values of your family.”
“I’ll sleep on it.”
“I can help you workshop it this weekend.”
“That means more alone time, which, as I’m finding out, is a very dangerous activity with you.”
“Don’t dangle the carrot.”
He raised a brow. “No carrots are being dangled.”
“You’re right. It’s more a huge eggplant or a prize-winning zucchini.”
