As a result of the Lehman Brothers collapse, the economic environment went from bleak to disastrous. I pretty much gave up on finding a job in the United States and started aggressively pursuing opportunities abroad.
I was soon in touch with a financier from Hong Kong, the Dutch CEO of an international furniture company, the British CEO of an international car parts company, and a Japanese doctor who ran an innovative cancer treatment and research clinic in Yokohama.
The doctor was so convinced that I was the person to help him manage his clinic and spread his research and techniques throughout the world, he said he would fly me to Japan to meet with him.
All of these people told me they had felt compelled to contact me after seeing my picture in the newspaper, on television or on the Internet.
I had already left New York City, would I soon be leaving the United States?
My wife and I discussed the matter and decide we would be willing to relocate abroad for a year or two for the right opportunity—if we could put money in the bank. Many times, if an American company sends someone abroad—or if a foreign company lures someone abroad—they pay for housing and many other living expenses, so the employee can save much of their salary.
Cindy was not very excited about having me pursue an opportunity in Hong Kong or Yokohama as they were on the other side of the world and it would be difficult for her to visit her parents and grandparents in Omaha.
On the other hand, she felt that London or Amsterdam might be viable as long as housing and other major expenses, such as international schools for the children, were covered by the employer.
The Hong Kong financier who contacted me said he helped American companies set up businesses, market products and invest in China. He called from Hong Kong several times, emailed me questions about the global economy and asked me to describe my approach to business development.
When I pressed him for information about his company and business activities, I did not receive an adequate reply, so our communication stopped.
The Dutch CEO of an international furniture company called me from Verona, Italy and then from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. We had several long, enjoyable conversations, and I started to believe I could soon be an international furniture salesman.
His company had a large catalog of reasonably priced, well-designed and high-quality modern furniture which was produced in Indonesia and China—and I would have responsibility for North and South America but would also be a frequent visitor to Holland, Indonesia and China.
The Dutch CEO said he panned to visit the United States in early November, and as soon as he discussed the matter with his partner and firmed up his schedule, we would set up a meeting.
We even got to the point of discussing compensation and sales targets, but then I got caught up in other leads and could not get a confirmation regarding his visit to America. Eventually, our communication fizzled out.
The British CEO of an international car parts company left me an encouraging message and told me to be in contact with his human resources department.
I called and spoke several times with his human resources manager and learned what I could about the company which re-manufactured car parts. It was growing at forty percent a year and expanding all over the world, especially in Africa and Eastern Europe.
I spoke with the CEO briefly a couple of times, but the first time we spoke he said he was too busy to talk at length and said he would call me back—but did not.
The second time he could not talk for more than a few minutes because he was ill with a severe flu.
I tried contacting him and his human resources manager several times after that but could not get a response.
My most unusual and distant international lead turned out to be the one that developed most seriously.
Dr. Tetsuji Okuno initially called me and left a message, but the connection was full of static, so I could not understand his name, message or telephone number.
He then sent me an email that he had seen me on NHK, a major Japanese network and had been impressed by my attitude. He told me to look at his web site—and I was instantly intrigued by his dedication to medical science and cancer research.
We started corresponding by email, and I soon received a call from his English-speaking in-law in Vancouver telling me that he was extending an invitation to me to visit him and his cancer treatment clinic in Yokohama—perhaps in the middle of October.
I was extremely excited and intrigued by the invitation, but my wife and others in my family did not think it was a practical lead to pursue.
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