Brain short circuits trying to reconcile the Travis he remembers. Quiet scared scholarship kid with the Travis standing 15 ft away. self-made CEO worth tens of millions. This is he is Brad states obvious. He is loaded, dude. Maybe different Travis Taylor thousands with that name.
Brad shows photo again, zooms in. Same guy right there at bar. Derek cannot process. Will not process. Mental framework collapsing.
Chelsea reads Forbes, eyes widening. Derek, did you know about any of this? No. Voice sounds distant. No idea.
You organized this. You sent invitations. Did not look him up first. Did not think I needed to. Chelsea turns to Travis surrounded by impressed classmates now.
Travis, this is amazing. How did you build this? Travis humble. Started in dorm with my co-founder Jordan Williams. Built tool we needed.
Others needed it too. You went to Stanford, transferred from community college. Scholarship and loans. Worth it. He mentioned scholarship again.
Different now. Not insult. fact he owns proudly. Questions flood from all directions. What does Apex do exactly? How many employees are you hiring?
What is your role dayto-day? How did you scale during COVID? Travis answers each patiently, detailed, genuine, not bragging, educating, sharing knowledge. Difference obvious makes him more impressive. Social dynamics completely inverted.
10 Minutes ago, Derek center, Travis unknown. Now Travis surrounded Derek peripheral displaced from own event. Derek's friends core crew since childhood all in Travis's orbit now. Sarah had no idea you did this. Incredible.
Thank you. Great team makes the difference. You seem grounded. Most CEOs are. Travis smiles.
Life is better when kind. Every word makes Derek smaller. Not by attack, by genuine impressiveness. Contrast draws itself. Comparison forms in everyone's mind.
Derek, VP at dad's company, inherited, never left hometown. Travis, CEO of company he built, Manhattan, three offices. Derek, comfortable on someone else's foundation. Travis, extraordinary, built with own hands. Someone includes Derek.
You are doing well. VP Anderson Holdings. Yeah, family business, commercial real estate. Words taste like ash. Your dad's firm.
Yes, but earned position. Awkward silence. Everyone knows truth. Dererick's title was gift, not achievement. Then someone asks the question, ending Derek's night.
Travis, that helicopter, charter it or more to story. Travis's answer will break Derrick's reality. The question hangs in evening air. Did you charter the helicopter? Travis casual like discussing weather.
I own the charter service. Record scratch. Mental error message. You own it. Taylor Air bought 2 years ago.
Regional charter. Six aircraft total. Pulls out phone. Shows website. Taylor Air charter services.
Professional design. Fleet page. Six helicopters. Mix of Airbus H125s and H130s. Services.
Executive transport. Medical evacuation. Aerial survey. Owner and CEO. Travis Taylor.
Room explodes again. He owns it. Six helicopters. He has helicopter company as side business. Morgan Stanley guy and crowd calculates aloud cannot help himself.