Chapter 42: CEO (4)
"I can give you an opportunity," Adam said his eyes fixed on Smith. "Will you run a business for me?"
Smith looked at Adam. He thought What? He was completely speechless. This was the last thing he had expected. He did not know how to react. He just stared at the teacher in stunned silence. Adam understood that Smith was a little surprised by his offer. "I am going to open a bank in this city right now," Adam said his voice low and serious.
"And my dreams are much bigger than your dreams."
Smith was very surprised to hear this. A memory from Adam’s first day in class surfaced in his mind. "I remember," he said his voice barely a whisper. "You said on the first day that you are very rich. But I didn’t believe it."
Adam did not say much after hearing Smith’s words. He just looked at the boy with a calm unreadable expression.
Adam leaned back in his chair. He looked at the young boy standing before him. He saw the intelligence in his eyes.
"So," he said his voice casual but his eyes sharp. "What do you think? How beneficial would it be to open a bank in our country?"
Smith was really put on the spot. He was not expecting a business consultation with his new PE teacher. But he was not one to back down from a challenge. He thought for a few seconds organizing his thoughts. He had spent countless hours thinking about business about the economy of their country Viper City.
"Actually it’s a bad idea," he said finally his voice surprisingly firm for a boy his age. "Opening a bank in the current climate is a very bad idea. It’s almost like a charity. It means giving away money for free."
Adam was not surprised by this answer. He just nodded his head slowly. "And what else?" he asked. He wanted to see how deep the boy’s understanding went.
Smith thought some more. "The biggest problem is our country’s economic structure," he said.
"There is a lot of corruption. And most of the money is concentrated with a few powerful families. A very small percentage of the population holds almost all the wealth. Even our country’s middle class is not so powerful that after opening a bank it can be made profitable. They don’t have enough savings to create a large enough capital base. And they don’t have the financial security to take out large loans."
Adam nodded his head again. He agreed completely with Smith’s analysis. The boy had a clear and realistic view of their country’s economy. "And what else?" he asked again.