LV Business Executives

So this happened tonight:

I sell companies. Today an interested buyer invited my client and I out to discuss our business for sale. The buyer is the President of his large company, my client is the CEO of his smaller company, and I am the investment banker who facilitates these discussions.

In these meetings, the buyer always pays: he invited us, we went out of our way to accommodate his location and schedule, and he is “courting,” my client.

The check arrives. The buyer doesn’t move. He continues talking past his deadline to leave (he had a dinner afterward). He mentions he’s “late,” and asks ME to cover it since he’s in a hurry.

I’m pissed. I am the least wealthy person at the table. I am paid ONLY when we close a deal. I don’t have a corporate expense account. He does, and he’s traveling on his company’s dime. Further, he invited US to meet, and now he’s weaseling out of paying. He obviously doesn’t want to impress my client. And he’s playing a power game by asking the lowest-status person at the table to pay - me. 😠

I told him he could Venmo me, then paid after he left. He said sure, so I requested the money from him. I have zero faith he’ll pay me.

Ladies: men like this, are shit. And I am sick of interacting with selfish, cheap, low value men. I’m tired of having to be on my toes every second of every interaction them, waiting for the moment they try to screw me over. I am tired of anticipating tactics I’ll need, just to protect myself from their bullshit.

If he doesn’t pay me, I will message his company CEO and tell her what he did. I’ll also tell her he drinks a LOT (2 glasses of wine and a manhattan in one hour, JFC).

Further…this incident reconfirms my 4B status: men abuse, manipulate, gaslight, and seek every personal advantage while giving NOTHING. Why would I consider dating, when this is how they operate?

Some of us will say, “oh, you should always be ready to push back,” or “just pay and leave.” Sure! But why should we women always have to plan ahead, strategizing what we’ll do & say when we encounter assholes? And why should we be under pressure, manipulated to react in the moment? Women constantly have to worry about our safety, being abused and taken advantage of, when interacting with men. And if we date/marry one, we have to worry about protecting our bodies, time, resources and emotional labor from their predatory behavior. It’s all downside with men.

I’m angry and I am fed UP. 😡