#c: nazim gül

[gwendolynwcde]

❛ ☾ ◟━ LOCATION: grip factory

❛ ☾ ◟━ TIME: afternoon

❛ ☾ ◟━ STATUS: closed for @nazimxgul

For a team building exercise Gwendolyn's supervising officers that were in charge of new recruits had suggested having one over at the Grip Factory. It was a good change up and different from the usual exercises and so, she wasn't opposed to the idea and decided to show face and join them. After doing a couple of rounds with the cadets and getting to know them, she finished up the last encounter before dusting off the chalk from her hands and stepping away for a water break. Going to her duffel bag, she pulled out her water bottle to take a couple of mini gulps, but stopped halfway after noticing a familiar face. Approaching the individual she then asked, "Sorry to bother, but you're Nazim Gül, right? Founder of SkyAid Technologies?" Extending her hand to introduce herself, she then said, "I'm Gwendolyn Wade, I've read and heard about your work. It's quite impressive, as well as impactful. You're such a long way from Silicon Valley or overall the West coast, are you currently here for a personal visit or for work?"

[gwendolynwcde]

“Exactly!” agreed the Chief of Police with a light laugh. “The fact that you still have to look presentable despite being pixelated always boggles my mind.” Gwen had her fair share of virtual meetings and it can be a pain rather than just getting it over with face to face or over a phone call. At Nazim’s inquiry, she nodded as a confident smile crept onto her lips, “Mhm…Well working for the Bureau and then with my family’s business, we like to scope out potential vendors and tech…Your company’s in a whole other ball park though, but I took interest in your mission and been keeping tabs ever since.” If there’s one thing that she had taken after her mother, it was her philanthropy and there were some organizations that she’d kept a close eye on that had piqued her interest when it came to making generous donations. Nodding in understanding, Gwen chuckled softly and said, “I totally understand if it’s not feasible, in no way shape or form am I trying to interfere in your work. I simply want to support it.” However, when Nazim proposed to discuss her interest over The Cozy Cup, she nodded and decided to accept the invitation. “Of course. Here’s my business card. Let me know when you’re available and we can connect then.” She then shook her head and let out a heavy sigh as she jokingly replied with, “Unfortunately, it's beneath my pay grade...But it goes to show this isn't for everyone."

Nazim listened as she spoke about Midtown versus Carriage Falls. "Local wisdom beats Google reviews any day," he said, mentally filing away the information for future reference. "Virtual meetings? Pure torture. I spend half my time fixing my hair in that tiny screen." When she revealed her interest in investing, his professional demeanor shifted to genuine curiosity. "Wait, you've been following our work?" The thought of someone actually paying attention to their progress made him oddly self-conscious. "That's … unexpected. In a good way." Her mention of the security firm background sparked his interest - it could be valuable for their upcoming security protocol upgrades. "Would love to hear more about your thoughts on this. Maybe over coffee at The Cozy Cup?" Just then, two cyclists collided right in front of them, their bikes creating an impressive tangle of metal and limbs. The riders were fine, but their pride seemed bruised as they awkwardly tried to untangle their bikes. He glanced at the Chief of Police beside him. "So … do you write tickets for bad cycling, or is that beneath your pay grade?"

[gwendolynwcde]

Gwendolyn chuckled and shrugged nonchalantly, “Truthfully, Midtown would have been my second choice if I had ever moved out of Carriage Falls. Growing up in Wilmington, it was my goal to invest in a home there. So if you’ve ever thought of moving there or investing too, you’ll be doing yourself a solid at that point.” She then nodded in agreement when it came to his take on breakout rooms, which she did find surprising given that he did work in a more collaborative corporate like setting. “That’s the goal. I take it the MS Teams meetings aren’t your cup of tea?” she inquired with a playful grin. Now Nazim’s response did pique her interest as she had been following his work for some time. “And I completely understand. It’s important that the investor is on board with the mission and supports it to its full extent.” When he asked about knowing anyone trustworthy, the Chief of Police pressed her lips into a thin line debating whether or not to shoot her shot. "I'd be interested." she finally admitted after a thought. "I do come from a family that owns a private security firm, but I have no play in that as it conflicts with my line of work. However, I have been looking to invest in companies that align with my interests and SkyAid Technologies is right up my alley."

He smiled at her comment about being neighbors, finding it oddly comforting to know someone in the area already. "You've got good taste in real estate then," he said, thinking how different this was from his crowded family home in California. Talk of trust and pressure made him think of his own team back at the office. "Yeah, those break out rooms are pretty useless. At least here you can see real progress," he added, watching her group tackle the wall with determination. The company needed funding for the new prototypes, but accepting outside money meant giving up some control. "Actually ... yes. We're looking at options," he said, surprised by his own candor. "The new project needs significant backing. I've been careful about investors though - want to make sure they share our vision. Know anyone trustworthy in that space?"

[gwendolynwcde]

After learning his current whereabouts around Wilmington, Gwendolyn arched a brow in amusement and said, “Oh wow, we’re neighbours then. Honestly, it’s a good move to invest in Midtown. It’s close to most amenities and it has history. I have property there and it’s been a good asset to have.” Chuckling softly, she nodded in agreement and said, “Agreed, break out rooms aren’t going to teach them trust, let alone how to work under pressure. They’re not literally falling here, but I am trying to get them immersed and shift their perspective. Plus it’s a great workout.” Learning about Nazim’s future plans with his company was not only exciting, but it meant that more good was being done with the drones. “I appreciate you sharing what you can. I hope it all works out in the end. Out of curiosity have you been needing investors?"

Nazim grinned at her welcome, wiping sweat from his brow. "Thanks! And yeah, I've been exploring Midtown. Got a nice little place in Carriage Falls. I'd be up for a different place in Midtown." His eyes brightened when she mentioned team building. "That's brilliant ... using climbing for team bonding. Much better than those corporate workshops, right?" He observed her team's synchronized movements on the wall, thinking about his own path to finding community here. The question about future projects made him straighten up. "We're working on this compact drone for search and rescue ... it's designed to get into really tight spaces. Still in testing mode. There's another big project too, but that's still confidential," he added, smiling. "We're a bit on edge until everything is perfect."

[gwendolynwcde]

The drone industry was a niche market to begin with. Not only has she seen and used it in her line of work, but her father heavily relied on it in his company Silver Securities. However, What made Nazim’s company different from the rest was its purpose and it was far from surveillance, as it was more pro humanitarian aid. “Moved? Oh wow, welcome to Wilmington then.” she replied with a soft chuckle. “That makes total sense, you chose a good middle ground to continue your business.” As he spoke about what he found interesting about the place, Gwen nodded in agreement and pointed to her team, “It’s a good escape that’s for sure. As for me, I’ve been using it as a team building exercise—had to make it fun somehow. Although, I’m glad that you found a place to set up shop. It’s truly brilliant what you’ve done in Nepal and I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing about what you'll do next. Do you have any future projects or is that classified?"

Sweat dripped off his face as he paused mid-climb on the wall when someone called out to him. Nazim spun around, his eyes shining with delight as he was introduced. He stood tall and offered his hand with an easy-going smile. “That’s me. Nice to meet you, Gwendolyn. Yeah, I moved here for good - set up shop in Wilmington a couple of weeks ago to expand SkyAid Technologies. Silicon Valley got way too extra, you know what I mean? And being on this side of the coast makes it easier to reach people who need our help overseas. He chugged some water before speaking again. “I’m a little hooked on this place already. There’s something super cool about hitting the climbing wall when your brain’s fried from working all day. You have to keep that work-life balance in check.” Thinking about his last mission made him smile. “Seeing our drones deliver medicine to those children in Nepal is truly remarkable. That’s when I knew we had to expand. And Wilmington? It totally clicked. Like this was exactly where we needed to be.”