Running a small business, even one supercharged by secret advantages, was proving to be a brutal education. Just when things seemed to be stabilizing, solidifying, new problems erupted, betrayal from within, attacks from outside. He felt a weary frustration. He told himself to calm down. Tammy was an expensive lesson in vetting employees, a reminder that trust was a commodity easily broken. The review bombing… that was different. That was an attack. He'd deal with it. He'd likely need Sarah's expertise again, maybe even pay her properly this time to manage online reputation repair.
But the anger lingered. Someone had targeted him. Sabotaged his success just as it was taking flight. He didn't know who, or why. But as he finally crawled into bed, sleep feeling miles away despite his bone-deep weariness, one thought burned cold and clear: Whoever did this… they just made a very dangerous enemy.
Theodore Sterling - Financial Ledger (End of Week 22)
Starting Balance (Beginning Week 22): $30,746.00 (Carried over from End of Week 21)
Income (Week 22):
Mon Sales (Est. 143 orders @ $16 avg): +$2288.00
Tues Sales (Est. 140 orders @ $16 avg): +$2240.00
Wed Sales (Est. 150 orders @ $16 avg): +$2400.00
Thurs Sales (Est. 150 orders @ $16 avg): +$2400.00
Fri Sales (Est. 200 orders @ $16 avg): +$3200.00
Sat Sales (Est. 190 orders @ $16 avg): +$3040.00
Sun Sales (Est. 149 orders @ $16 avg): +$2384.00
Total Income (Week 22):+$17,952.00
Expenses (Week 22):
Personal Rent Paid (Week 22): -$450.00
Personal Living Expenses (Week 22): -$500.00
Business Lease Payment (Week 22): -$700.00
Food Stock/Supplies (Est. based on ~1122 orders): -$3366.00 (Assumes ~30% Food Cost)
Shop Utilities (Est. @ $150/wk): -$150.00
Wages - Henry (Full week + Bonus): -$840.00 (Base $700 + 20% Bonus $140)
Wages - Tammy (Left Fri – stole money, so unpaid): -$0
Wages - Olivia (Wed-Sun: 5 days @ ~$100/day + Bonus Est.): -$600.00 (Base $500 + 20% Bonus $100)
Henry Dessert Experiment Supplies: -$100.00
Misc Shop Expenses (Fees, Spoilage, etc. Est.): -$200.00 (Lower estimate this week)
Provision for Estimated Taxes (Est. @ ~30% of Profit): ~$3000.00 (Rough estimate based on higher profit before theft)
Theft loss from Tammy: -$3500.00 (Note: Theft loss of ~$3500 treated as expense for simplicity)
Total Recorded Expenses:-$13,406.00
Net Change (Week 22 - Recorded): +$17,952.00 (Income) - $13,406.00 (Expenses) = +$4546.00
Ending Balance (End of Sunday, Week 22):$35,292.00
Assets:
Maria's Charcoal Chicken (Business Purchase Price): $38,000.00
Status: High Growth Met by Internal & External Crises. Week saw continued massive sales growth, necessitating third hire (Olivia). Successfully integrated new staff and processes, hitting max prep capacity (200/day). Launched dessert trial successfully. However, week ended disastrously with employee theft (~$3.5k cash stolen by Tammy) and a coordinated online review bombing campaign. Profitability remains strong on paper, but real cash flow impacted by theft. Identified need for better employee vetting and online reputation management (likely requiring Sarah's help). Despite setbacks, core business model remains highly effective. Focus shifts to mitigating sabotage damage, stabilizing operations, and addressing trust/security issues. Capital ~$40k cash (less theft) + business asset. And find the bastard responsible for the sabotage and make them pay!