The IPO that IP didn't...but then did...

Well...they don't call it the solar coaster for nothing?  We have been on this ride for 13 years now and the last year has been the most intense and dramatic, for sure.  

You might recall back in October while we were in Bulgaria for wrestling, Will announced his company was merging with another and going public through a SPAC.  When that announcement was made we thought the process would be over before the end of 2022.  Alas, it did not happen then.  The date was pushed to March 2023 (because the SPAC expired then).  Surprise, it didn't happen then either.  The date was pushed to May, possibly the first week of June.  We needed another quarter of revenue reported and there were hiccups with some of the previous partners the companies had agreements with.  Shocker...May/June didn't happen.  Will spent the entire month of June in Utah trying to get revenue up and robust.  We thought the first week of July...nope.  Finally, truly, madly, deeply, it would be Friday July 14th (Bastille Day).  It was scheduled with the Nasdaq, plane tickets and hotels were secured.  

The week leading up to that Friday was a mess.  It seemed like the deal was off or falling apart at the seams.  I can't articulate the full details.  You can ask Will...he might remember.  Basically, it came down to closing fees and who would pay what.

Wednesday me and all the kids boarded planes for NYC.  Will stayed home...trying to salvage the deal.  He left California as we were landing in NYC.  The deal was not solid yet.  Thursday was spent working and finally Thursday night the "truth" came out.  The SPAC had been stalling trying to raise more funds to cover the closing costs.  But there were no more funds to raise.  It was off.  

                                                               

I can't really describe the disappointment.  Failure so close to the finish line had always been possible.  There had been so many delays...why wouldn't failure be an option at this point?  

We had taken the kids to an observation deck as an activity Thursday.  Will spent most of the event on the phone trying to fix the deal.  On the way back to the hotel, Clare and Adell understood it wasn't really going to happen Friday morning.  They were very sweet and supportive of their Dad.

Still, we had an appointment with the Nasdaq Friday to have a bell ringing and celebration...employees and executives had flown out.  It was time to go through the motions.  

We met in the hall of the hotel and told the kids the truth, this would be a show but hopefully the real closing would happen Tuesday the 18th.  We walked over to the Nasdaq building in Times Square.  

 

We took pictures and posed in front of screens.  Will gave a lovely speech telling the employees and executives that it wasn't happening today...but would happen Tuesday.  Then he got on more phone calls to try to make it happen.  I know this is all super vague but I don't have the language to really describe the full picture.  Some of it was exchanging fees for stock options, some of it was lawyers, some of it was moving money from international banks, some of it was agreeing to who would pay for what and when.  All of it was hard and messy.  But Will did it all.  

These are the pictures from the professional photographer at the Nasdaq.  Even though it really didn't happen that Friday morning, I am so glad we all went out for the show.  I am so thankful my kids got to see their dad do this.  These kids have been growing along with this business their whole lives.  We jokingly call the company our sixth child, right between Adell and Colter.  

Will continued to take calls and try to get the deal closed all weekend.  There were moments it seemed like  it would be canceled all together.  But he never gave up.  Vague, again, I know...

These are just a few of the moments Will was working on the deal.  Phone calls, zoom meetings, meetings with executives who were in NYC for the bell ringing.  On and on.  He worked through the night and every day.  It was hard.  

Some of the calls were with new investors who were willing to invest if XYZ happened.  Some of the calls were with existing investors who wanted to pull out because the promise of going public Friday wasn't met.  It was stressful to listen to some of these calls.  I cannot imagine how Will bore it.  

Will is on the phone in this picture above, he stayed at the entrance of the observation tower and made phone calls while we went through the exhibit.  

I won't say "long story short" because I haven't really told a story.  I've just recounted events as best I could...with the amount of detail I had.  Not a lot.  

Will continued to work on the deal on the trip home and through Monday.  Tuesday morning at 6:00 am we woke up to creep downstairs and watch the Nasdaq ticker.  At 6:30 am PST (9:30 am EST) trading opened and CSLR started officially trading!!!

It really happened Tuesday July 18th.  Sweet Lorien made confetti and threw it when the opening bell rang.  It was darling.  Three cheers for Complete Solaria being a public company!

Fun fact, it is exactly one year ago almost to the day that Will first started talking to the SPAC guys he ended up doing the deal with.  We went to Paris last summer (the last week of July) to meet with them.  We had a "celebratory dinner" in October in London to "close the deal".  Oy.  What a year!

June Gloom...

 I donated blood and nearly fainted again.  Why is this so hard!  Thankfully Lorien came along and was able to drive home.

We all walked to church on Father's Day for Will.  

Adell did the sweetest thing for her friend, Julia.  Adell organized a surprise party with a little group of friends.  They rallied around the theme of Flynn Ryder and got Julia good gifts. 

Dad and Adell matched in kaki and pink.

Having Lorien home keeps us in fun restaurants.  We got kebabs and dessert one evening.

The kids kept me company while shopping for Will's birthday!

Adell and Colter did swim team this summer!

Adell gave Junior Coaching a try and was awesome!

We took a hike up to Lorien's bench on the longest day of the year and soaked in the sunset.

Happy Father's Dad to the greatest Dad in the world!

Colter did a summer camp with his friend, Lewis.  Colter got to go on lots of field trips (amusement parks, movies, arcades, lots of fun)!

Swim meets, swim meets, swim meets.  Will has been in Utah A LOT for work and I have been doing swim meets on my own.  Lorien has been going back and forth from home in Danville and Utah with Will too.  She has been working for Complete since February and decided to work full time this summer.

Wyatt and Emma broke up in June.  It was hard but we think it was for the best.  I went out to spend a couple of days with them and snuggle the baby while I could.

Oh...and I got to fly in a private jet to get there.  One of Will's investors flew a bunch of employees out from California to Utah for a working session and I got to go on the plane.  It was wild.

Cute Clare has the best job!  She teaches toddlers ballet at the tutu school in San Ramon.  Her little students love her and she loves them. 

We cheered long and hard for Clare in her dance show. 

Who is the tallest Anderson girl?  Me!

Lorien and her San Diego roommates moved houses.  Will, Adell, Colter, and I flew down to San Diego to help her move.  Her new place seems really nice!  The landlady is strict and cares about her house.  She was touching up paint and decided to replace the carpets.

Lorien decided wanted to come home while the roommates waited for the carpets to be replaced.  She figured she would be more comfortable at home rather than 1/2 way moved into her new room and waiting. 

So we get more Lorien time!

Will got to fly on the private jet home from Utah at the end of the work week.  Fancy!

Wyatt had a hiking adventure!  He went on a hike that was supposed to be super cool but his car ended up getting stuck in the mud.  Instead of hiking he spent the day digging his car out.  It was a mess!

Stories in May

I was strolling through the park one day

In the merry, merry month of May...

What happened in May?  A lot: 

Clare's high school dance show.  She was amazing.  Adell and I went to watch and cheer. 

Wyatt and Emma broke up and we went out to help...twice...three times by June.  

I went out once by myself for about 24 hours and got to drive my brother's Porsche.  Worth it.  When I got back home a couple of days later a police officer knocked on our door.  His first words were: "Is your son Wyatt?"  I died.  

Dead. Dead. Dead.  Like those are for sure the worst words you want to hear out of a policeman's mouth on your front steps.  My mind made up the worst before he could keep talking.  Merciful heavens, I really died thinking Wyatt was harmed in some awful way.  

BUT Wyatt's wallet had been found up in Los Trampas.  Wyatt had been hiking up there when he was home in April.  He had misplaced his wallet while he was here.  Turns out he dropped it on a hike and someone turned it in.  All of his vital documents were in there, it really was a miracle.  BUT THAT POLICE OFFICER COULD HAVE COME WITH A DIFFERENT LEAD!!!

Clare had the fancy church dance called Mormal:

Mother's Day happened and I wore my favorite jewelry.

Clare did a second round of chaperoning for outdoor ed (5th grade sleep away camp).  But she went with her boyfriend, Logan, and some of her other best friends.  She had a blast. 

After a preseason that was not...the kids had time trials for the summer swim season.  Our swim team pool had a broken heater so they couldn't have swim for March, April, or most of May.  It will be an interesting season.  Colter took it easy and went a slow as he could so he could pop his time during the seasonal meets.  Clever strategy.  

Colter turned 11 and got a go kart.

Will and I flew to Dickinson, North Dakota to celebrate my best friend's wedding.  Heidi and I have been besties since high school.  She has had a few rocky relationships but this one seems to be the absolute best.  I got to be her Maid of Honor and was beyond touched.  It was a wonderful weekend.  

Hair was made crazy for crazy hair day.

One day I was going into my closet to put somethings away.  I noticed my pants were askew on the hangers.  I pushed my hand into my closet and down my hanging pant legs to smooth them out...and touched another HUMAN HAND!  I freaked right the heck out!  Just as Colter jumped out to scare me.  It was bonkers and funny.  He had wanted to scare Will but got me.  Terrible.  

Colter's friend from school, Adam, also has a go kart and lives on a quieter street.  Colter goes up to Adam's a few times a week to ride go karts.

I launched a coaching beta program for overwhelm.  I got four practice clients and started it up!  I am so excited and in love with it.  I cannot wait to see how my test clients like it.

Adell had her last (and super fun) choir concert for middle school.  It was Hawaiian themed.  We all had fun singing and hearing her sing.  

Colter was awarded the part of Daniel Boon in his school play.  He nailed it!

I went out to San Diego to help Lorien clean up and pack up for her move next month.  

And school ended (actually the first day of June).  Peace out May!  

First day of the 2022-2023 school year and the last day:

  

One heavy heart note about the last day of school.  Poor Clare.  She got news the weekend before that one of her dear friends from EFY last summer had died.  He had been killed.  It was the most heart wrenching thing.  We wanted her to go to the funeral in Utah.  Miracles of miracles, her history teacher excused her from the final and she was able to go to the funeral on the last day of school.  She got to reunite with many of her EFY besties and have a healing time.  Will was out in Utah for work and to help Wyatt, again.  Wyatt is struggling post break up.  He knows he and Emma shouldn't be together but his mental health is low.  It is hard.