They Gave Me Nine Dollars So I Took The Whole Company

The new Director of Finance calls herself the “Queen of Cuts.”

She took the commission on my million-dollar contract and slashed it to nine dollars and ninety-nine cents.

“Platform overhead, marketing spend, client retention costs… you think that’s free?”

“You should be on your knees thanking me for the $9.99. Now sign it.”

I went to my boss, Mark, looking for a shred of sanity. I found only deeper humiliation.

“Whatever Finance says, goes. We can’t bend company policy for your personal gain.”

Then, with a magnanimous sigh, he added, “Look, I’ll tell you what. I’ll throw in my own money to make it $99.99. For good luck. Happy now?”

Later, that same Finance Director used a web of fabricated policies to cut my expense report until I owed the company money.

That’s when I finally understood. I would follow their policies. To the letter.

Two weeks later, I sat in silence during a meeting for a two-million-dollar deal.

My boss had a complete meltdown.