Interview: Akels Searbier on becoming CEO of Lucrative Excavations
Nannaras X
February 12th YC 121
Akels Searbier is the current and temporary CEO of Lucrative Excavations after the previous CEO, Monden Searbier was discovered to have been storing contraband in his office in the form of alcohol. Monden Searbier’s history with alcohol is extensive and abusive, to the point where he could be best described as a functioning alcoholic. The discovery of contraband was the final straw for the patience given to Monden Searbier and it was declared that drastic measures had to have been taken to both punish Monden for his illegal activities, but also help him with his problems. As such, the Ohrion Conglomerate have placed Monden Searbier under Mandatory Care for an uncertain amount of time to sober up and overcome his dependency on alcohol.
Lucrative Excavations however needed new leadership with Monden’s absence and there was no better choice for the job than his son, and CFO, Akels Searbier. ZANIE invited Akels down to the studio in Hoiyori to talk to him about the recent events and gain some insight on his relationship with his father.
We go now to the transcript
[Hoovand]
“Tonight, my guest if honor is the newly appointed CEO of Lucrative Excavations - Akels Searbier. Akels, it’s a pleasure to have you here, how are you feeling?”[Akels]
“Well…Still processing everything, this all still just a sudden change in my life.”[Hoovand]
“I can understand that, I’m sure this wasn’t how you imagined you’d inherit your father’s company.”[Akels]
“W-Well I haven’t inherited it yet, I’m only the CEO temporarily while my Dad receives help from the Ohrion Conglomerate. When he comes back, the control of Lucrative Excavations will be handed back to him.”[Hoovand]
“Right, I apologize for jumping to that conclusion…Can you tell me about how you’re adjusting to your new role so far? Your new temporary role that is.”[Akels]
“It’s…Different, certainly not the same as my time as CFO. Although in a strange way I feel as I’m understanding my Dad more now that I’m his shoes for once…Metaphorically that is, I’m not literally in his shoes.”[Hoovand]
“I figured that much out…Could you elaborate further on what you mean in regards to understanding your father more?”[Akels]
“Like, I’m handling all the problems that he dealt with on a daily basis now. As CFO I was contained in my own bubble inside the company, working with numbers and balancing the budgets, but now as the CEO I ain’t just responsible for finances and accounting team, but now I’m responsible for practically everything and the people that I have to delegate tasks to. Ontop of having to answer to the Patriarch. It’s all just…Intimidating, you know? At least for me, my Dad seemed to have handled it well…Erm well, n-not exactly.”[Hoovand]
“I was about to say, your father Monden Searbier has commonly resorted to using alcoholic substances as a means to cope with the stress and pressure of his workload. A frequent visitor of multiple establishments here in Hoiyori that are licensed to distribute alcohol, were he would max out the drink limit patrons adhere to with each visit before turning in for the night. Skipping the fact that he stored contraband in his office, Peacekeepers also found a flask on Monden Searbier that he admitted to have carried around with him to have a drink whenever. Thus leading investigators to assume that this wasn’t the first time Monden had stored and consumed contraband. Now, the Peacekeeper Division has already cleared you of any suspicion in regards to having a hand in or any knowledge of Monden’s illegal activities, but were you aware of his abuse of alcohol prior to before mentioned activities being unearthed.”[Akels]
“Well…I didn’t know it was this bad, right? I-I mean I did know - in a manner of speaking. I knew my Dad was a heavy drinker long before we came to the Zaibatsu. When the Capsuleers started taking over the planetary goods market, raw goods companies like Lucrative Excavations suffered, plenty of them even being bought out by Capsuleers for a singular unit of ISK. My Dad was determined to keep the company afloat and I guess he turned to drinking to cope with the stress and accumulating debts.“[Hoovand]
“Any idea he was so attached to this company that he would take on all this stress to keep it afloat?”[Akels]
“He wanted something to pass onto me and my sister. My Dad grew up in a poverty stricken area of our homeworld, his parents made ends meet though odd jobs here and there. He didn’t want us to grow up like he did and started Lucrative Excavations as way to make sure we had stable income, a nice house, food and clothing - our entire livelihood depended on this company. He refused to give an inch to the Capsuleers taking over the markets but…He gave in eventually, but we ended up here instead of some slum, so I’d say we got the better fate than most companies.”[Hoovand]
“When did you start working for Lucrative Excavations as the CFO?”[Akels]
“Sometime after Lucrative Excavations started having finance troubles. I’ve just graduated from school at this point and I’m in need of job, even more so when funds were getting tighter and tighter at home. There were no jobs I was qualified for that were open, most people had to start signing on with Capsuleer crews to get a high injection of income for high-risk, but I knew if I went that route and got killed in some horrific gate camp that would had pushed my Dad and Mom over the edge…But there was my answer, my Dad. I could go work for him, you know? I made good grades in school and I love working with numbers and solving math problems, so I figured I could get a desk job as an accountant. I was already helping mom with planning out budgets and getting tax work done, obviously that’s not the same as handling the finances of a debt riddled company. But it was something I was willing to put up with, because at the same time if I started working for my Dad I would be around him more for once.”[Hoovand]
“Was he not around much?”[Akels]
“No…When Lucrative Excavations was doing good and money was rolling in, he would always sets aside a week of a month to catch a shuttle ride back to our homeworld and spend that week with us. It was awesome when he was around, you know? We always went out and did things as a family, but only for a week before he was off again. It all felt temporary when I wanted something more permanent. When money started being a issue however, it become every other month, then every three months then…it stopped. Shuttle rates got expensive and Lucrative Excavations slowly became less and less lucrative…I just started to miss him, you know? Like I was disconnected to someone important in my life, and I saw going to work or him as way to reconnect.”[Hoovand]
“But you started out as a normal desk worker before coming the CFO?”[Akels]
“Actually, I became the CFO right then and there over the FTL call. Uncle Dor- I-I mean Dorret Brilte, the former CFO of Lucrative Excavations just…vanished. He told Monden he had to resign and he just fell off the face of the Cluster. My Dad was in a rough spot and despite my inexperience he offered me the position. Might just be nepotism, but in a way I felt like it was my Dad also yearning to reconnect and thus putting me closer to him on the ladder. I accepted.”[Hoovand]
“So this isn’t the first time you’ve been given a position you were inexperienced for?”[Akels]
“Guess not…Again, I was just good with numbers, so while it was difficult at first, I made due as the new CFO and got better the more effort I put in. Being the CEO is a whole new challenge, one I don’t want to fail at because I know how much this company means to my Dad and the trust placed in me by the Patriarch. While some off-world excavations are operating under low maintenance at the time so I can focus on Z-1SE2, I don’t want it to stay that way forever just because I’m filling the seat for now. I want to prove I can handle this.”[Hoovand]
“Well said, now I believe we’re running out of time so I’m gonna ask you one last question, and forgive me if this is a inappropriate question, but are you happy here Akels? Do you ever miss your homeworld or wish to simply return to the Federation?”[Akels]
“…I’m happy here l Hoovand. It’s…different, but in a way that’s what I like about it. Everything about this place and this world is exotic to me. I’m meeting so many different kinds of people and experiencing a culture that makes the one back home just seem bland. There’s some intrigue here and while I miss my homeworld for simply being a familiar stomping ground, I can’t help but feel as this is also my home. So to answer your question again, I’m happy here.”[Hoovand]
“Very good, I’m happy to hear that…Now I thank you for your time and coming down here and giving me a chance to speak to you, do you have any final remarks to close us off? The floor is yours to say whatever.”[Hoovand]
“I mean…My Dad is gonna have some way of looking at this interview, right? Not sure if people under Mandatory Care have access to the news but…Dad if you’re hearing me- or rather reading the transcript of this interview. I-I want you to know I’m rooting for, I don’t think of you any less for the mistakes you’ve made and know you can fight this battle and kick your habits. I need you to trust the Ohrions and believe that they can help you, I need you to be the hero I always saw you as one come out triumph in this trial of yours. I love you, Dad.”[Hoovand]
“Very…Touching final words Akels.”[Akels]
“It was cheesy wasn’t it? It sounded better in my head.”[Hoovand]
“No-No, not at all, not to me at least. That was heartwarming. Now the, Akels Searbier, it was an honor to speak with you. I wish the best of luck in running Lucrative Excavations.”[Akels]
“Thank you, it was my pleasure.”