“Show them in,” Greta replied.
“Of course.”
The phone call ended, and a few moments later, the door to the office swung open. Ezra and Eleanor walked in together, both sporting smiles on their faces.
“Ms. Dawson, we hope we’re not disturbing you by coming unannounced,” Ezra said with an air of politeness. Eleanor, on the other hand, went straight for the couch and took a seat. She exuded a leader’s presence.
“Mr. Swanson, Ms. Welch, what brings you here today? Do you have any business with me?” Greta maintained her calm demeanor.
“Business? Yes,” Ezra responded with a not-so-subtle smile. “We wanted to discuss a business opportunity with you.”
“What kind of opportunity?” Greta asked, acting as if she was oblivious to their intent.
“Ms. Dawson, have you heard about our recent product, Rejuvenaid?” Ezra asked.
“I’ve heard of it, yes. What’s the matter?” Greta’s expression remained composed.
“Great, that makes things easier.” Ezra smiled. Then, he said, “Rejuvenaid, our latest creation, is a miraculous healing balm. Once we launch it widely, it will dominate the market. It would surpass all other external injury treatments, including your Dawson’s Healing Balm.
“Mr. Swanson, you seem overly confident, don’t you think? Your Rejuvenaid is impressive, but our Dawson’s Healing Balm is no slouch either,” Greta remarked.
“It’s not about overconfidence. It’s about reality,” Ezra replied with a meaningful smile.
He added, “Ms. Dawson, you’re a smart person. You should understand the difference between the two products. The trends are clear, and denying them won’t change that.”
“So, Mr. Swanson, what exactly are you here to discuss? Let’s get straight to the point.” Greta remained calm.
“Absolutely.” Ezra snapped his fingers and smiled.
“Ms. Dawson, our Rejuvenaid is set to dominate the entire market very soon. To ensure a smoother path to success, I hope we can collaborate with the Dawson Medical Group,” he offered.
“How would this collaboration work?” Greta asked with her fingers intertwined on the table, showing keen interest.
“It’s quite simple. Both of our families will handle the production. Meanwhile, the Dawson family will handle nationwide distribution through your sales channels.
“This way, Rejuvenaid can quickly gain a substantial market share, and we can all profit handsomely,” Ezra explained with a smile.
“That sounds promising, but how would we split the profits?” Greta inquired.
Rejuvenaid was set to become a smashing hit. Partnering with the Welch and Swanson families was the key to recouping their losses.
Of course, she couldn’t afford to wear her enthusiasm on her sleeve. Otherwise, they might just exploit that and offer an even smaller cut.
“We discussed it internally and were planning to offer Dawson Medical Group th-” Ezra was about to propose a 30% share and extended his three fingers. But then, Eleanor, seated on the couch, suddenly spoke up, “We’ll give you ten percent of the profits.”
“Hmm?” Greta furrowed her brow instantly upon hearing Eleanor’s offer. Ezra’s smile also froze.
Their initial discussion had suggested giving Dawson’s Medical Group 30% of the profits to facilitate quick market entry. Then, they would have the option to reduce it later once they had established themselves.
However, Eleanor had swiftly lowered the percentage to ten. A 30% profit share was suddenly reduced to 10%. It was quite a steep cut!
“Ms. Welch, is this a genuine negotiation for business?” Greta said with a cold tone.
“Ms. Dawson, 10% is our absolute limit, “Eleanor responded indifferently. She added, “After all, Rejuvenaid is the product of our combined research and production efforts. The Dawson family’s sole responsibility is sales. Ten percent is a generous offer.”
“If you’re not genuinely interested, then there’s no need to discuss collaboration any further,” Greta stated with a hint of frustration.
“Ms. Dawson, it’s in your best interest to think this over carefully before answering,” Eleanor huffed.
“If we collaborate, the Dawson family can still make some profit. If not, you’ll be left to struggle on your own,” she warned.
