Page 44 of Coffee Shop Girl
He studied me but didn’t ask me to elaborate. “Tonight, you and I are going to go over a plan that we’ll put into place while you do the operations manual and straighten the business out. You’ll take this plan to Steven, full disclosure, and show him everything you’re doing.”
“Why?”
“If they see that you’re trying something, that you have a data-backed plan, not to mention a killer business consultant, they may extend some payment grace. We’re going to strip this debt away a little at a time by plugging all the little holes in your company.”
“Through the operations manual?”
“Partly, but other places too. Inventory, for one. You have products that hardly sell at all that you keep stocking.”
“Oh.”
He meant Dad’s specialty coffees, probably. Or his favorite scone that I just couldn’t stop ordering, even though they were a close relative to hockey pucks. He was right. I could get rid of that kind of stuff, but I’d never thought about it before. It was just what Ididin the shop.
“There are other places you’re losing money. Employees aren’t, thankfully, an issue now. That will help. Once we get that squared away, we’re going to get more people in your shop and increase your profit. If you can get some grace from the bank, we can cover the minimum payment on the mortgage checks and really focus on throwing that credit card debt down so you’re not getting raked over with interest. Given time and a steady plan, this is doable.”
He spoke firmly, confidently. The even cadence of his words, so assured, calmed my rising hysteria. The details jumbled in my brain. This mess was inherited. Sure, I hadn’t exactly been steering it correctly, but when I took over, Dad’s debt had already been past scary. I’d managed those minimum payments but missed a few mortgage payments in the meantime, and the debt had gone straight toatrocious.
“Okay,” I said when I realized he was waiting for me to say something.
“Okay?”
“I can do this. I’ll text Steven now and meet up with him tomorrow.”
“Good. It’s a start. In the meantime, we’ll keep the operations manual going. That’ll help us find the money leaks, as well as establish your documentation so you’re ready for help when it comes.”
“It makes sense.”
He paused, studying me. “It does make sense, but it seems like there’s something bothering you.”
For the love ... he had to be beautifulandperceptive? My gaze dropped to my fidgeting fingers. How did I explain how stupid I felt? How ridiculous this entire thing had become?
“What is it?” He nudged me with an elbow. “Now is not the time to hold back. If you want my help, you have to be all in.”
There was no wavering in his tone. Nothing that screamedsafetyin most regards, but I felt safe enough to not hold back. Dad had been the same way in emotionally charged situations.
Keep it to facts, then feel it once you understand it, Bee.
“I just ... I feel really stupid. Like I should have known this. Like this is all my fault and I could have prevented it.” I peered at him through my eyelashes. “Does that sound insane?”
To my surprise, his expression softened. “You took Entrepreneur 101 in college, did you?”
“No, I guess not.”
“They don’t teach you this in a formal way when you inherit a disaster.” He shrugged. “No one expects you to step into a new role and naturally know everything. This mess was handed to you. You were given a dumpster fire, and now we’re just trying to keep your dumpster.”
Unable to help myself, I burst out laughing. The image of the Frolicking Moose as a dumpster wasn’t drastically far off. He relaxed, chuckling and rolling his shoulders.
“You were Army, too, weren’t you?” I asked. “You were being facetious, but I can tell.”
He didn’t seem startled by the question. Nothing seemed to surprise him. His deep voice rolled like a river when he said, “Yeah.”
“MOS?” I asked, trying to decide what kind of job I could picture him having.
“Infantry captain.”
“Usual story?” I gestured to his leg, expecting shadows and reticence. At the very least, a hesitation to speak about what happened. Neither came.
“If IED is the usual story, yes.”
