The Astonishing Dax Edmund

Chapter 5

Dax tried hard to meet up, he had inventory management. He was aware of the competition, he wanted to make sure that they were the best choice.

He offered the team some incentive to find some weaknesses on the part of the other companies.

The permanent workers were making progress being installed.

He checked his watch. He had the technical team work on the search engines and the newer project, a user friendly app to keep up with their demands.

He had a gala event to attend and

He upped the prices and offered incentives like discounts on home maintenance services or free upgrades to premium features. "Put that on the ad."

He brushed his temple and he took down a suit.

"Sir."

"Bryson, I'm so surprised to hear from you."

"Are you ready for the event."

He wanted to use the opportunity to network with some business owners and potential partners. By 8 pm. He was on his way to the event.

He emerged from the car and he went towards the building decorated with lights.

He walked in and declined a glass of chardonnay.

The rich were elegantly dressed and waiters moved around to serve tables.

He pondered on the possibilities. He recognised Mr Johnson for the MAX-E theatres.

He met with the CEO of MAX-E theatres. "Hello, I'm Daxton Edmund, CEO of Haven Homestead."

The CEO raised an eyebrow at the young man. "Ah, Mr Edmund. Lovely to meet you."

Dax was happy that he responded. "I'd like to discuss a partnership deal with you, sir."

"I appreciate your effort but I'm not looking for a partnership right now." He explained waving a palm and shaking his head. "We're both doing well so why is there a need to join forces?"

Dax felt cornered, he didn't know what to say. His palms were starting to sweat. "If you would just give me a little bit of time to convince you. There's a lot we can accomplish together."

The CEO looked dubious. "I give you 3 minutes."

"Imagine if we combined our resources. We could reach new customer base and increase our profits."

"At what cost? Wouldn't we be giving away control of our company. I'm not convinced. I've met entrepreneurs who come up with the same answers and this isn't the first time. I'm not sure I can involve myself in this business."

"But, wait."

Mr Johnson went away from Dax to network with other entrepreneurs.

It was a dark and stormy night, he faced the numbers on the computer screen wondering what went wrong. He was certain that he had a lot of ideas to pitch. The drink in his hand went sour. Maybe he was too pushy or he didn't communicate his ideas well enough. He felt like a failure replaying the scenario over and over in his head, to see what he could have said differently.

He gazed at the numbers, he wanted Haven Homestead to have a groundbreaking amount of profits but with his attitude, it was not getting him anywhere especially with Mr Johnson.

He rubbed his temple and he went back to the drawing board to make a change. Engrossed in his work alone. He reached a mental block.

He reserved his judgement for later to practice his guitar. He made a C-F-G, a simple cord progression and he winced at the faint chord. He thought about the next lesson. How accommodating Shannon was being and he had an idea.

He gave Mr Johnson another call.

"Mr Edmund, I see you're persistent."

"Mr Johnson, I think it would be best if we spoke one-on-one." Dax spoke. He went further to say. "We can make this work."

"Let me ask you this question again."

The CEO asked. "Would we be giving up control of our company? Would we be sacrificing our brand identity?"

Dax could feel the doubt in the room. He needed to address these concerns head-on.

"Definitely not," he said. "This partnership would be an equal partnership. We would maintain full control over our company and our brand. This would be a merger of equals."

The CEO looked unconvinced. "But how would we split the profits?" he asked. "Would it be 50/50?"

Dax paused for a moment, thinking through his response. "I think a more equitable split would be 60/40," he said. "You would receive 60% of the profits, and we would receive 40%. But in exchange, we would provide certain services and resources that you currently lack."

The CEO was clearly intrigued. "What kind of services and resources?" he asked.

Dax smiled. This was his chance to really sell the partnership. "I'm glad you asked," he said. "I have a whole list."

"First," Dax began, "we could provide you with access to our network of suppliers. This would give you a wider range of options when sourcing materials and services. Second, we could provide you with access to our distribution channels. This would allow you to reach a wider range of customers. And third, we could share our marketing expertise, helping you to reach new markets and increase your brand awareness." The CEO was listening intently, and Dax could tell he was considering the proposal.

But then the CEO asked the question that Dax had been dreading. "What's in it for you?" he asked. "What would you gain from this partnership?"

Dax knew he had to have a compelling answer. "For us, this partnership would be about more than just profits," he said. "It would be about growth and innovation. We would have the opportunity to learn from you and grow as a company. And we would gain access to your expertise and experience. This is about more than just money - it's about the future."

The CEO sat back in his chair and pondered Dax's words. After a moment, he spoke. "You've given me a lot to think about," he said. "I need some time to consider all of this. I'll get back to you in a few days." Dax was both disappointed and relieved. He hadn't gotten a yes, but he hadn't gotten a no, either. He stood up to leave. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Johnson," he said. "I look forward to hearing from you." And with that, he turned and walked out the door.

In the days that followed, Dax couldn't stop thinking about the meeting. He had been so close to closing the deal, but he had failed to convince the CEO. He felt like a failure. But then, he got a call.