After our initial conversation about the university, Geoffrey Gamble and I continued to chat for a while longer. He had been kind enough to offer his help, but I couldn't shake the feeling that he was sizing me up, trying to figure out exactly what kind of person I was. Perhaps, in some way, he saw potential in me. But what I didn't expect was the question he asked next.
"So, Sunny," Geoffrey began, his tone shifting slightly. "You mentioned you want to get into finance, right? But tell me something—what's your view on the economy? Where do you think things are headed in the next few years? What industries do you think are going to emerge and grow?"
His question was direct, but it was clear he wasn't just asking for a simple answer. He wanted to know how I thought. He wanted to understand how my mind worked.
I leaned back in my chair, taking a moment to think. The more I reflected on his question, the more certain I became about one thing: the future was going to be shaped by the internet. Everything in my previous life, the world I came from, had shown me how interconnected businesses had become through technology. I didn't have a perfect grasp of all the nuances, but I had seen enough to know where things were heading.
"Well," I began, choosing my words carefully, "I think the biggest change we're going to see is how the internet will reshape every industry. We're already seeing it now—how companies are moving more and more into the digital space. But what I see happening in the future is a more intimate integration of the internet with traditional industries. Like how transportation, retail, healthcare, and even education are being transformed by the web."
Geoffrey listened intently, his gaze steady and thoughtful. "Go on."
"Well," I continued, "Take industries like finance, for example. It's not just about banking anymore. Digital platforms, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology are disrupting the whole financial system. But it's not just finance. I mean, look at healthcare—telemedicine, health apps, AI-driven diagnostics—all these things are connecting healthcare professionals to patients in ways we never thought possible. And this is just the start."
I paused for a moment, letting the weight of my thoughts settle.
"And it's not just tech companies that will benefit from this shift," I added. "It's the service industries too. Customer service, logistics, delivery, marketing—every part of the service sector is going to evolve with the help of the internet. The more industries integrate digital tools, the more interconnectivity we'll see. Every company, no matter how traditional, is going to need to adapt or risk being left behind."
I leaned forward, my mind racing with the possibilities. "In a sense, the internet is no longer just a tool. It's the backbone of modern economies. And those businesses that figure out how to use it most effectively will not only survive but thrive."
Geoffrey didn't speak right away. He sat there, his hands folded in front of him, studying me. His silence felt heavier than usual, and I could almost see the wheels turning in his mind. Finally, after a few long seconds, he nodded slowly, as if the pieces were starting to come together for him.
"You know," Geoffrey said, a smile tugging at his lips, "I don't think I've ever heard someone so young explain it like that. You've got a way of seeing things—a vision, really—that I haven't come across in a while. A lot of people are focused on the now, the trends, but you're thinking about the future, how everything is going to evolve."
I could feel my heart racing, but I kept my cool. Geoffrey's words had a weight to them—he wasn't just being polite. There was something genuine in his tone.
"I've seen a lot of young people come through here with big ideas," he continued, "But you… you've got something different. You're not just looking at the numbers. You're seeing the long-term picture, the way industries will blend and merge in the coming years. And I think that's something special."
I was stunned. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. In my old life, I'd always felt like I was just scraping by, surviving from one day to the next. But here, in this new world with a second chance at life, maybe I was starting to see things others hadn't.
Geoffrey leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the desk thoughtfully. "You know, Sunny, I think you might just be the kind of person that could shake things up in the business world. In fact, I know someone who's looking for someone with exactly the kind of vision you have."
My eyes widened slightly. "Who?"
"James Liebmann," he said, his voice low and deliberate. "He's the heir to the Cargill family business, one of the largest and most influential players in the global agricultural and industrial sectors. But James isn't interested in following in the family's footsteps of managing Cargill. He's not the type to just inherit and run the family business. Instead, he wants to be an investor—like Warren Buffett—looking for the next big opportunities in industries that are ripe for innovation."
I sat there, stunned into silence for a moment. The name James Liebmann rang a bell, but I hadn't realized the connection. Cargill was massive—a multinational giant in agribusiness, energy, and food production. James wasn't just another rich heir—he was someone who had the resources and ambition to reshape entire industries.
I blinked, my mind racing. An heir to Cargill? A potential investor on that scale? Meeting someone like James Liebmann could open doors I hadn't even begun to imagine.
"Thank you, Geoffrey," I said, my voice a little unsteady. "I really appreciate this. I won't waste this chance."
Geoffrey nodded, his expression softening. "I think you'll do just fine, Sunny. You've got the right mindset. Now, it's just about putting it into action."
As I left Geoffrey's office, I felt a surge of excitement. This was the kind of opportunity I had been dreaming of, but it still felt surreal. Geoffrey had just opened a door to someone who could change my future in ways I couldn't yet fully understand.
James Liebmann wasn't just a name anymore. He was a potential partner, a mentor, someone who could help turn my ideas into something real. And I was ready for that. The next step was clear: make the right impression, prove my worth, and show James that I was serious.
But first, I needed to continue working, learning, and growing—so that when the time came to meet him, I would be ready to seize the opportunity.