I locked eyes with Eric Robichaud at a movie theater on Saturday for the first time since we stood across from each other in a courthouse room back in 2003. Eric is a former employer who sued me and my long-time friend, Sean Follick, when we incorporated our own business, Magi New Media, in 2002.
[ SIDE NOTE: START ]
Just because I hadn't seen Eric in the flesh since 2003 doesn't mean I didn't attempt to communicate with him.
In 2005, there was a billboard with Eric's likeness over I-195 promoting Cox Small Business Solutions. Upon seeing said billboard, I sent Mr. Robichaud a congratulatory note on Magi New Media letterhead that read:
Eric,
I saw your big as life picture over I-195. Congratulations on your continued success.
It seems appropriate that Cox has a dick for a spokesman.
Best Regards,
-- terrence
True story.
[ SIDE NOTE: END ]
It's incredible the amount of genuine hate I still have for this man after all these years.
Eric, Sean and I started as colleagues. Eric was the CEO of a successful, family-owned development company in Woonsocket, RI. Sean served as the Sales Manager while I filled the role of Production Manager. After nearly 3 years of working together we developed, what I thought to be, a reasonably strong friendship along with mutual professional successes. But things started to fall apart when Eric began a tryst with one of Mediaweave's newly hired Sales Associates.
[ SIDE NOTE II: START ]
I use the phrase "Sales Associate" loosely. Tonya didn't close one deal during our shared tenure at Mediaweave.
Except, of course, the one with CEO Robichaud's libido resulting in his divorce and, ultimately, the demise of his company.
[ SIDE NOTE II: END ]
After Tonya infiltrated our ranks, everything changed. Eric, the workaholic, started being late. Then he started to miss meetings. Eventually, he stopped coming to the office all together. Then he was served papers for divorce by his angry wife, Becky, who was Mediaweave's bookkeeper.
In the midst of this mess, Eric moved in with Sean to cut personal costs. Then he started dancing. Shortly thereafter, Eric and Tonya bought a house together and guess who had to help move them? The three of us had countless conversations discussing the state of the company, possible solutions, and a plan for sustained success despite Eric's domestic turmoils.
Then it happened: 9/11.
The post 9/11 economy was difficult, to say the least, and Mediaweave's business suffered. The tipping point came in the from of an employee coup when it was learned Eric was plugging his losses by withholding payments into employee benefit packages. Sean and I knew the business would not survive this type of activity and we needed to do something. And that something manifested itself in the form of Magi New Media.
The plan for Magi -- the wise men from the east -- was to help Sean and I bridge our careers during the collapse, and hopeful resurrection, of Mediaweave. Ultimately, our plan was to use Mediaweave as our main contractor for client jobs secured through Magi. We even sat with Eric to disclose our intentions and he welcomed both our honesty and commitment to not "fully abondon" our current posts with his company.
Sean and I were escorted from our desks and off the premises 2 days later.
Our friendship with Eric, now fractured and irreparably damaged, Sean and I did the only thing we could do: focus on building Magi New Media. We developed our web site. We found 2 investors who would support us with their small business know-how and office space. We even closed a few deals and were getting meetings with "potentials."
Then it happened: Eric sued us.
The thing is, Eric didn't have a case. He sued us for violating non-compete agreements that Sean and I never signed. And the reason we didn't sign them? They didn't exist. Eric's goal was as transparent as is was simple: to drain our limited start-up capital.
He succeeded.
The depositions, legal fees and monetary settlement that my partners and I accepted in order to end the proceedings so we could focus on growing our new business reduced start-up capital by 1/4.
[ SIDE NOTE III: START ]
Magi survived the courtroom drama and was a moderate success. But, ultimately, the services we offered were viewed as a "luxury" in the post 9/11 world we all inhabited and, despite the high quality work Magi was producing, we closed our doors after about 2 1/2 years of operation. Sean and I lost sleep, money, time, hair, energy & years of friendship following the failure of Magi.
Shit, I nearly lost my life.
The stresses associated with our company -- even though it was formed with the best of intentions -- proved to be more than either of us could bear.
[ SIDE NOTE III: END ]
They say living well is the best revenge.
I guess looking him in the eye while he realized who I was and watching him signal to his children to turn around and walk the other way ended Saturday's episode. But, regardless of the small satisfaction allowed by the end of our recent encounter, I would still welcome the opportunity of 10 minutes alone with Mr. Robichaud in a room without cameras.
And not in a gay way.
6 comments:
Wow. It's interesting to hear this side of the story since I heard the other side several times. I too formerly worked at Mediaweave. In my case, the Magi story was often told as a warning to employees to behave. I personally never met Eric the "workaholic". Some days we were fortunate if he showed up at 2:30 - if Tonya let him leave. I've never seen a more disfunctional relationship than theirs - which is why that one finally crashed and burned as well. In the end, after years of hoping Mediaweave would live up to its potential, I too left. For some reason, I always hoped that Eric would make a business work. I liked him personally. However, anyone who can let someone complete change who they are, at the core, isn't strong enough to be successful at anything. Too bad.
More like Eric Robichode am I right? AM I RIGHT??
p.s. where did you find that sweet youtube of Russ Rhodes
Anonymous,
I'm sure if you worked hard on a startup company only to have investment capital drained by an irresponsible employer who needs money to pay for his divorce and other personal failures, you wouldn't exactly be happy either. I'm sure it's easier to speak from an outside perspective when you have nothing to lose nor gain from a situation. I'm also sure it's easier to pass judgment when your money isn't at stake.
That being said, harboring a grudge(albeit a valid one) hardly constitutes being a "changed person, at the core". If the author had voodoo dolls, lynched effigies or even a picture of Mr. Robichaud with darts sticking out of it, you might have a point, but unfortunately this is not the case. Combined with the fact that after knowing the author personally for a number of years, this is the first I've ever heard about the subject of the blog, I suppose that also further disproves your notion that the author is some sort of changed person. Then again, your idea begs the question of "wouldn't you have to know someone to begin with in order to say that they've changed?"
Clearly that is also not the case.
Regardless, I apologize if words on the internet about your former employer offended you. I'm sure he's a "stand up guy".
Dear Anonymous,
First, let me apologize for E-Boog. His intentions, while almost always pure, get muddled by his inability to unplug from his emotions.
The resulting confusion, in this instance, is he mistakenly read your last sentence, "However, anyone who can let someone complete(ly) change who they are, at the core, isn't strong enough to be successful at anything" as being directed toward me.
You and I both know that's not true because it's clearly directed at Mr. Robichaud.
That said, your identity has piqued my curiosity. If you feel an urge to remove your cloak of anonymity please email me: sportsandthoughts@yahoo.com.
If you choose not to reveal yourself, let me offer a sincere thank you for taking the time to read the "unique" world view that is my blog.
Godspeed,
sports + thoughts
Dear E-Boog,
I applaud your bulwarking efforts regardless of how misdirected they are because "Anonymous" was referring to Mr. Robichaud and not the author as you originally estimated.
Swing and a miss.
But your back-to-back references to both Russ Rhodes and "Robichode" personify your stalwart efforts.
[ SIDE NOTE: START ]
The video is actual footage of Mr. 'Chode from a company Christmas party at Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln, RI.
Big ups to B.K. for his video recording foresight way back in '02!
[ SIDE NOTE: END ]
You came out ahead this time, my friend. Well played.
Well. Played.
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