“Sorry,butwedon’tagree,” the cocky hipster said twenty minutes later, after Lissa finished her presentation.
She blinked at the two representatives sitting across from where she stood, having given up her own chair.“I’m sorry, what did you say?”She glanced back and forth between the two people whose names she’d already forgotten.Over the past few months she’d communicated with so many different Art, Inc.reps that they all blended together.She’d been mentally calling the guy “Faux Hawk” because of his hair, and the non-binary one, “Piercings,” given they had more metal than skin visible.Even Lissa with her Monroe lip stud, double nose ring, and six helix piercings on each side thought it was a bit overkill.
Seriously, how was her fate in the hands of these two?
“I said we don’t agree,” Faux Hawk reiterated even louder, as if volume was the issue.“The details on how we operate were very clear.We purchase a company and provide management with a cash infusion to turn things around.In return, they hit the breakeven point within six months.You’re over five months into that, and we see no real difference.You yourself showed us the spreadsheet indicating you’re not yet clearing expenses.How can we expect you to ever become profitable at this rate?I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Ms.Parker, but your lobby was empty when we came in.And we imagine it’ll be empty when we leave.”
“Truth,” Piercings agreed, nodding slowly.
“Come on,” Lissa sputtered, bracing herself on the desk to keep from shaking.“It’s Monday morning.Of course it’s empty.The tourists are all still asleep.”
“Blown Bubbles wasn’t empty when we passed by,” Faux Hawk replied, adjusting his black-rimmed glasses.
Lissa ground her teeth together at the mention of Marge’s studio.Of course her nemesis was busy.She had a sweet location between a crepe restaurant and a boba shop while Smooth Expressions was at the ass end of the main drag between a realtor and an insurance salesman.
“You’re being unreasonable,” Lissa said tightly, doing her best to tamp down the growing anger.
“I can see where you might think that, but your old boss was very much made aware of how we operate when he sold the studio,” Faux Hawk replied.“To speak candidly, he didn’t seem overly concerned about the details so long as he got his money.”
“Truth,” Piercings agreed, once again mimicking a bobblehead with their slow nod.
“The reality, Ms.Parker, is that the majority of the businesses we obtain get resold within two to five years of purchase, regardless of their success.Only a handful of exceedingly profitable ones remain in our portfolio long term.While we do believe in supporting the arts, we operate in investments, not charity.The better you do, the longer we keep you.If a studio is unable to grow, however, then it gets sold sooner rather than later.We have to recoup our investment without risking further loss.
“Truth,” Piercings agreed, and Lissa almost asked if they even knew any other words.
“Now, if we had shown up here to see progress, maybe we could have been convinced to wait.There have been scenarios where we felt the existing management was the issue and bringing in someone new might increase profitability.But the truth is we have received a generous offer to purchase this studio, and since we see no movement whatsoever, we’re going to accept.You can, of course, always ask the new owner if they will let you stay on.”
The two representatives rose from their chairs, the squeaky vinyl sounding like the dying cries of Lissa’s dreams.
“But I still have three more weeks to turn it around,” Lissa protested.“You can’t do this.”
Faux Hawk pushed his glasses up with one finger.“And why not?”
“Because,” Lissa said, her mind frantically searching for something to say, anything that might stop them.Dammit, she still had time!
“Because I have an incredible plan,” she blurted out, her mouth filling in when her traitorous brain drew a blank.
“A plan?”Faux Hawk asked, giving her a dubious look.“What kind of plan?”
“It’s, um… a secret,” she replied, summoning all the confidence she could in order to sell her little ruse.
“A secret?You expect us to believe you have a plan to save your studio in three weeks, yet for some reason you must keep it secret?Despite what you might think based on our appearances, this is business, Ms.Parker, not a bake sale at the local co-op.”Faux Hawk crossed his arms and stared down his nose at her, an impressive feat given she was taller than him.
“I do have a plan,” Lissa promised, forcing herself not to react to the less than subtle insult.“It has to stay secret because it won’t work if someone leaks it.”That bullshit line from Mercer Marketing had worked on her boss, maybe it would work on these two.
Faux Hawk and Piercings exchanged a look, a silent conversation passing between them.After a second, Piercings nodded.
“Okay,” Faux Hawk said.“While this is likely only delaying the inevitable, we’ll hold off on accepting for three weeks as a professional courtesy.But not a single day more, Ms.Parker.If we don’t see notable, and I do meannotable, improvement in sales, that’s it.Smooth Expressions will become the new satellite studio for Blown Bubbles.”
Lissa gaped at the annoying hipster.“You’re selling us to Marge?”
“We’re selling you to another artistic company that has the funds to purchase you.That’s how we operate.Whatever your beef is with Marge has nothing to do with us.”
Lissa clenched her fists at her sides and bit her tongue so hard she tasted blood.
Just smile, nod, and act grateful they’re giving you the time they promised from the beginning,her brain said, finally showing up to the party.
“I understand,” Lissa forced out alongside a strained smile.“I appreciate the opportunity to show you what we can do.”
