Kivi put the advertising circular down with a thud, nearly spilling his coffee.

There, between a picture of a dripping ice-cream cone that was somehow advertising a new sort of therapy and a banner that said “It’s never too early to start planning for Succos,” there was a notice about “An Evening of Real-Time Business Advice.”

Not motivation, not chizuk, not another evening of leads that will take you nowhere….The Parnassah Panel will give you valuable insight and direction along with actual business strategy. Hear from a group of experienced business leaders and empower yourself.

The event was being hosted by an organization that provided tutoring for children whose parents couldn’t afford it, and along with a delectable fleishig buffet and sushi station, participants would hear the expertise of Lakewood’s business titans.

Kivi recognized the first two names — one had opened medical clinics all over New Jersey, and the second one had started an online school-supplies business, which was reportedly bought out by Amazon — but the third was the surprise.

Daniel Stockman, founder and CEO, DSS Capital, Starbright Strategies.

In the accompanying photo, Daniel had his go-get-’em face on, frowning slightly over an open-necked blue shirt and gray blazer, looking very much like a seasoned investor sizing up a young hopeful.

“Why do you look so sad?” Malky walked into the kitchen. “What’s there?”

Kivi waved the small magazine in the air. “This. This makes me sad.”

“Look, it’s not a big deal, it’s nothing major. They asked me, I accepted.” Daniel was sitting behind his desk, and Kivi was standing in the open doorway. Daniel seemed agitated, tapping a pen on the table like a drumstick.

“Daniel, come on. If you need help, tell me.”

“You?” Daniel Stockman stood up and walked stridently to the door, closing it with a bang.

“Sit down a minute, Kivi,” he said. “Listen. Listen to me Mr. I-married-a Halb-and-so-I-know-all-about-business. You know nothing.” He resumed his drumming, punctuating his remarks with pen-taps on the large gray desk.

“You waltz in here, you got this building as a present, a little toy they gave you to keep you busy. You really can’t mess it up, but it looks like you’re still finding a way. The point of real estate is to keep growing, to be creative and innovative in financing and expand your portfolio, not to spend three hours a day talking about a back porch for your little office building. So really, don’t come in here with that concerned expression on your face, all sincere and well-meaning.”

Daniel was trying to regulate his voice, as if to suppress his rage, but it was slipping away from him. He smiled broadly, his grip tightening on the pen.

“You’re a sweet kid, but you’re way out of your league. Business is a real world, Kivi, and you’re absolutely clueless about how it works. There are ups and downs. Good days and bad days. It’s about risk and reward, but what do you know about that, about staking everything you have on one deal or decision, about having the courage to follow your instincts even though you can lose everything?”

Daniel was sweating, hair pasted to his forehead, and he was looking intently at Kivi, as if to make sure his words were hitting their mark.

Kivi knew at that moment that the fairy tale was over, that things would be okay eventually, but the vibe at 66 Norton would never be the same.

He didn’t feel hurt, just sad.

 (Excerpted from Mishpacha, Issue 729)