Chapter 156 – Ultimate Business Dilemma

Our carriage picks up speed along the city’s greatest road, “Alexander Campbell and I have run the numbers, over and over again to no avail.”, said Robert Macleod.

“I’ll visit Alexander later to sort this. Time for a business lesson. On one side of the equation, you have the cost.” I open back up the map and run my finger along the tramline.

“Yes. I have kept our two-year project within the investment budget; however, the cost of production is the problem.”

“If the production cost is the same as the ceiling price, then we make nothing and lose everything invested.”

Robert sinks into his chair further, “Yes, this is my nightmare.”

“And the ceiling price is non-negotiable?”

“The Glasgow Town Council consists of formidable merchants, and have every’ t’ crossed and ‘i’ dotted. They are not budging.”

I sit back and stare out of the window. The rain is pouring again, and I imagine my own money pouring down the drains.

Robert is worried, and his youthful exuberance has departed. All inventors go through this: they create a brilliant product, but the production costs are unmanageable and risk losing everything.

I take a guinea out of my pocket, “Robert, I want you to remember this business lesson forever.”

I hold the tales side up, “This is the cost side.”