“Hi Les – We are currently looking into an investment in the pathology space and are looking for an expert that can engage with us as an advisor and potential board member. Are you open to an opportunity like this? Would be great to schedule some time to chat this week or early next week. Best, Joe“

LinkedIn

The LinkedIn invitation came early this week. As you have read in a previous post, I’ve been puttering around in various professional capacities since retirement, and this sounded like a possible puttering opportunity. I messaged back expressing potential interest, but warning “Joe” that I wasn’t a big fan of venture capital and private equity funding, particularly in health care. Joe assured me that his company took good care not just of the investors, but of physicians and patients as well.

I retained my doubts, but after Joe and I exchanged a few more messages, I accepted his invitation to a Zoom meeting on Thursday morning. In preparation, I researched Joe and his Capital partners (all seemed legitimate) and cleared my schedule (sorry Cooper, no morning walk for you.)

Just before 9 a.m. I booted up my balky desktop computer, focused the camera, and logged in on the prescribed Zoom link. I was alone. Fearing I had logged into the wrong site, I logged out and logged back in. Still no Joe.

Staring at the blank screen, I typed a LinkedIn message to Joe, very politely asking him where the hell he was. After 20 minutes of patient waiting, I exited Zoom and said goodbye to my opportunity to become “an advisor and potential board member.”

After 24 hours there was no apology or explanation from Joe. Now after 48 hours, he has remained a ghost. I have concluded that either:

• Joe was hit by a car
• Joe was fired
• Joe found a better candidate
• The whole thing was a scam

Am I cruel to hope a speeding SUV was involved?

It’s not the first time I have been ghosted. A bookkeeper disappeared on me a few years ago. A bookkeeper/pilot, I think she flew the coop. That episode was more significant; I had to scramble to get my corporate income tax completed on time that year. Am I foolish to think people involved in commerce would be more reliable?

How about you? Professional ghost stories? Reply or email me at chidoc@post.com and I’ll collect and publish the most unusual tales.

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