Ivan thought specifically about his decision to take care of his older brother and three nephews. He answered, “Well, unless you’re the last man on the planet, you’re always gonna have to deal with the less fortunate. So you figure out a way to do it in the most…peaceful way.” He laughed and said, “And sometimes you need the help of your lawyers to develop the safest and sanest way to do it.”

“And what about your love life when you’re a multimillionaire?” Levonia asked him. She smiled and added, “You know I can’t let you go without asking you that.”

Ivan thought about his long-standing relationship with Lucina Gallo, business and now personal. And he chose his words carefully.

He said, “The best relationships for people who make big money are with other people who understand how to paddle in that canoe with you. In other words, if she don’t understand money, and don’t want to learn, then keep her safely separate from your business. But with people you wanna get serious with, you gotta make sure they’re in step with where you’re going.”

Levonia read through his politically correct answer and followed up with, “Yeah, but what about you, Ivan? I understand the philosophy of the rich marrying the rich, but what woman has your nose open?”

Ivan grinned and answered, “The same one who pulled it open in the beginning.” He laughed it off and said, “You’ll also learn that a lot of wealthy people are loyalists. Once we feel comfortable with a person, and the relationship is working well for us, we figure, why fuck it up? Especially when you’re talking about people who are close to us. So, unless someone else can take their place, you tend to keep coming back to the people you know.”

“So even love is business with you?” Levonia asked him.

Ivan didn’t hesitate. “Definitely,” he answered. “That’s why I’ve never made the mistake of getting hitched too early. I’ve seen what getting married and having kids early can do to people. And I’m not saying that it’s all bad, because it’s not. I know other people who have used family as a motivation to stay focused and busy. But I didn’t want that extra burden in my life before I felt I was ready to handle it.”

“And now?” she asked.

Ivan rocked back in his chair. “I’m almost ready.” Then he laughed again. He said, “But that’s a two-way street, so you both have to be ready for that next step, you know. But for right now, the immediate goal is becoming recognized as a global brand identifier.”

Levonia stopped him and said, “Yeah, I’ve seen you talk about that before on your website blog. But could you explain what that means for our readers?”