I find myself overwhelmed in noisy New York. Luckily with son Will to help me. Our US office is just to the north in Norwalk, Connecticut. Will knows the place well but It’s been a while since I visited so all quite overwhelming after those quiet, homebound Covid years. The office here like to see me … they say. Though I suppose they have to. They are very nice people, our lot. So polite.
Our office is a treasured antique … very old by US standards … was a factory and still looks it … the main meeting room features a huge rusty boiler – so big you could put an office IN it.
It’s three days of meetings all timed to the efficient minute. Keep up old Laithwaite!
Our buyer has come from her base in California, via a visit to a winemaking family we are keen on in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Moe and Flora fled Iran on a moped with Revolutionary Guards in pursuit – I guess it’s unwise to be a winemaker in Iran these days. The team think they are wonderful. The wine too.
Burgundy being somewhat beset by problems, it’s fantastic to find a great new source of good Pinot Noir.
Our lawyer Mort came up from Florida. You really need good lawyers in the Land of the Free. Mort’s better than good … a lifesaver. He’s 91, they say. He came up with Nick who’s also swapped Chicago for west coast Florida. Nick started our business in the States. Says he’s retired, but anytime we need his wisdom … he’s here.
So many British companies come to grief when they try and invade the USA. We’ve been here 16 years and things look more exciting than ever. I take no credit whatever; it’s that team wot did it.
Exciting went to another level when I went to a session with the CEO of the Wall Street Journal. I thought I’d had a few big ideas in my time. But his dwarf mine. Exciting isn’t the word! Need a calming-down pill. Time to go. Flight’s been called.
