Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
I take Ethan to the broodmare barn so he can check on a few things. As he gets out, he leans down to look at me. “I’m happy for you, Trey. You might have gone about it the wrong way, but I know you would never try to hurt Wade intentionally.”
“That means a lot,” I say with a nod of gratitude. “Thank you.”
Ethan taps his hand on the ATV roof in farewell and turns to walk toward the barn.
I head back to the training barn. I’m going to finish the schedule, go home and shower, then I’m going to pick up my girl and take her out to dinner so we can catch up on each other’s days. The prospect of seeing Holland pushes away the gray cloud hovering over me and I know that no matter how long it takes Wade to come around, I have Holland right now and that’s all that matters.
CHAPTER 16
Holland
The phone rings and for the first time since I’ve been trying to clean things up, I don’t dread answering it. I’ve handled all the outstanding client complaints, made good on some deliveries and have a reopening date next week. While I’ll be temporarily running things here while continuing my job remotely for the time being, I still have to figure out my long-term plans.
“Rhodes Printing,” I say in a cheery voice, “Holland Rhodes speaking.”
“Holland… this is Mark Thompson from United Paper returning your call.”
“Yes, hi… thank you for getting back to me so quickly.” I explain to him that my father passed away, to which he gives condolences, and that I will be running the shop for the near future. “I want to discuss supply needs and make some adjustments that will help me better manage costs.”
There’s a brief pause on the other end of the line. “All right, what do you have in mind?”
“I’ve been looking over our recent invoices, and I noticed that our paper costs have increased by about 15 percent over the past six months. I understand prices fluctuate, but I’m hoping we can renegotiate the terms to bring those costs down.”
Mr. Thompson gives a slight cough. “Well, we’ve had some increases in our raw material costs, which unfortunately have to be passed down. What specifically are you looking for in terms of adjustments?”
“I was hoping we could discuss volume discounts. We’ve increased our order sizes consistently, and I think that warrants a better rate. Additionally, I’d like to explore any possible long-term contract options that might offer more stable pricing.”
Mark hums thoughtfully. “Let me pull up your account.” I hear the clicking of a keyboard on his end. “Okay, I see you’re ordering about 25 percent more paper than last year. I think we can work something out. How about this—if you can commit to a minimum order quantity each month, I can offer you a 10 percent discount on those orders.”
I was expecting a low-ball offer, and I’ve been doing my research. “That’s a good start, Mark. But I was hoping for a bit more. The increase in orders isn’t just a one-off—it’s part of a growth strategy for the shop. What if we look at a tiered discount structure? For instance, a 10 percent discount for orders up to a thousand reams, 15 percent for orders between one and two thousand reams, and 20 percent for anything above two thousand reams?”
There’s a longer pause this time. “A tiered structure is quite ambitious. Paper suppliers don’t really do that—”
“I have a new supplier that is willing to do that for me. I’d like to stay with you because of my dad’s long-standing relationship but I’m prepared to move our account if need be.”
There’s an audible sigh and defeat in his tone. “I suppose I could make an exception for you, but I’d need you to sign a twelve-month contract to lock in those rates. Stability for both sides, you understand?”
I smile, feeling a sense of accomplishment. “I understand perfectly. That sounds fair, Mark. I appreciate you working with me on this. Just to confirm, this would start with our next order, correct?”
“Correct. I’ll get the paperwork drawn up and send it over by the end of the day. Once you sign it, we’re good to go.”
“Thank you. This really helps. Looking forward to continuing our partnership.”
“Same here, Holland. Best of luck with the shop, and don’t hesitate to call if you need anything else.”
I hang up the phone, satisfaction washing over me. It’s a small victory, but an important one. With the new pricing structure, the shop’s margins will be a bit healthier, and I can focus on growing the business even more.
Getting up from the desk, I walk out into the shop and look around with a mix of pride and uncertainty. The shop feels different now—more organized, more efficient. The repairs Trey helped with have made a world of difference. I walk over to the equipment, running my fingers over the clean surfaces. I’ve spent countless hours scrubbing, polishing, and making sure everything is in working order.