blistered, split, bled, then developed thick calluses. I lived on fifty-cent instant noodles, studying hospitality management and corporate finance beneath flickering neon lighting in a damp basement apartment shared with three women.
I advanced from cleaner to night auditor. then from front-desk manager to assistant general manager. At twenty-seven, with an impeccable record and a strong business proposal, I raised financing for my first boutique-hotel renovation. At thirty, I had secured the aggressive private equity backing required to launch the Opeline Hospitality brand.
I understood the thread count and weight