Chapter 705
Andrew remained unfazed as he continued, “And one more thing–true wisdom has nothing to do with age. If you’ve lived all these decades and still haven’t figured that out, then congratulations–you’ve basically wasted your entire life. Next time you want to learn something, start by showing a little humility.”
The elderly executive was livid. He shot up from his chair, turning to Tiana with a furious glare, ready to demand justice. However, the sudden surge of anger proved too much. With a guttural groan, his face contorted, and he collapsed with a loud thud under the table.
Michael and the others gasped in shock. “Did… did Andrew just argue him into unconsciousness?”
Tiana’s face remained stone-cold. “Take him to the medical wing. Don’t let this disrupt the meeting.”
A team of security staff quickly entered the room, lifted the unconscious executive, and carried him away. Lauren discreetly gave Andrew a thumbs-up, her eyes glimmering with amusement. She thought, ‘Dr. Lloyd, you’re incredible. You sure know how to piss people off.’
Andrew stretched his arms lazily. “Well, since everyone seems so eager to hear me out, I’ll go ahead and share some real business insights.”
Tiana’s patience was wearing thin. She clenched her jaw and snapped, “Mr. Lloyd, let me remind you—this is a boardroom meeting, not your personal talk show.”
Andrew chuckled, taking a sip of water. “Apologies, Mrs. Rhodes. Can’t help it sometimes. When you’re as articulate as I am, the ideas just keep flowing.”
He set the glass down and smirked. “If being brilliant is a crime, then I plead guilty and beg to be sentenced to life without parole.”
Lauren burst into laughter, nearly choking on her water. Marcus stifled a chuckle, shaking his head. Andrew’s audacity never ceased to amaze him.
Tiana, on the other hand, was not amused. Her voice dropped to a warning tone. “Andrew, if you want to clown around, do it outside. This is your last warning.”
Michael’s fists clenched under the table. The meeting had turned into Andrew’s one-man show, and he was losing his grip on the narrative.
Andrew’s gaze shifted to him. “Michael, sit back and let me teach you what real business strategy looks like.” He explained, “Look at PinterBuy–a discount marketplace that took over the market by focusing on massive inventory and rock-bottom prices. People share referral links just to knock a few dollars off a blender.
“Or look at Crystal Springs. A company that sells bottled water. That’s it. And they turned that into a billion-dollar empire. Water! Something you can literally get for free from the tap. Both of these examples crush your ‘luxury only’ strategy. And you know why?
“Because smart businesses don’t limit themselves to rich customers. Real success comes when you create products everyone is willing to pay for–rich or poor. That’s how you build an empire.”
Lauren and Marcus both applauded without hesitation. Tiana surprised everyone by joining in with two slow, deliberate claps.
“Well, well, Mr. Lloyd. I didn’t expect it, but you might actually know a thing or two.”
Her tone was a mix of skepticism and reluctant respect.
Bane snorted loudly. “What a load of nonsense. I don’t care about markets, pricing, or branding. My job is to develop effective medicine–something you, Andrew, could never match.”
Michael seized the moment. “Exactly! Andrew, you can talk circles around us all you want, but this industry isn’t won through speeches. Our success will be decided by the products we develop. And when the time comes, I’ll enjoy watching you eat every arrogant word you’ve said.”
Andrew smiled faintly. “Michael, you’re not even qualified to be my rival. If you weren’t riding the Rhodes family name like a free pass, you’d be begging for spare change on the street right now.”
Chapter 706