89th of Glade, 121 AS
The flickering candle flame was the only light in the upstairs apartment area of Ale'Epherium. The hour was late, far past when the average person would find their bed in preparation for the days to come. The only sounds in the room were the scratching of pen on paper and the soft murmuring of voices deep in conversation.
"It isn't complex, but it isn't always simple either." Emma's words were confident, speaking as someone who had not simply read this truth but lived it many times. The candlelight cast dark shadows on her face, but beneath them her eyes were alight and her hand near danced crossed the page. "A business is like a living thing. It grows with the right nurturing, and when the right resources are provided to it. I think you have done very well up until now, but I think even you have begun to see the limitations of your current situation. Thus why you hired me and Rean."
Lyra nodded, the truth was obvious to her as her newest employee said, "It is not difficult to find those who desire what I offer. In fact, through a series of odd occurrences, I have found far too many opportunities. Many of these require I take time away from Ale'Epherium, and thus I knew I needed other hands to mind the shop."
"It is wise to know your own limitations, and hiring help was a good first step." Turning over a stack of papers marked with columns and numbers, Emma rand a finger down its contents, "I have also been impressed with the details with which you keep your ledgers. Often businesses let the tedious stuff like documentation slip through the cracks until they hire someone to take it over for them."
"Ledgers are much like the scripts," Lyra shrugged, "The most minor of details will cause a schema to fail. I simply apply my trade to all aspects of my life."
Emma nodded, but then pointed to another page which more numbers and notes, "That is also a good mindset to have. You have a problem though." She picked up the page and tapped it with the back of her hand, "Your inventory, wares, and overall sales plan is, to be frank, all over the place."
"I do not understand." Lyra said, tilting her eyebrow, "The items we sell have not changed since I opened the shop."
In answer, Emma began to read off the list, "Scribal supplies, including general paper and ink of varying styles. Scrivening supplies, which include magical inks, papers, writing utensils, and selected texts on the subject. Wands, staffs, and staves crafted to varying degrees in the house with rotating effects based on materials held on hand at the time of their creation. Books, often used or second hand, on a variety of topics generally studied in Kalzasi."
During a pause where Emma took a breath Lyra interjected, "Yes, all these things were items that, when I first came to Kalzasi, I found difficult to obtain myself. Thus I desired a shop where such useful items to my craft could be collected, all in one place."
"Then there are your custom works," Emma continued as if she had not been interrupted, causing Naila to snicker and Lyra to frown, "Vague is too small of a word to describe what it is you do. In this, you are like a painter who paints anything, in any style, with any materials, and any setting no matter what it is and without consideration as to whether the time invested is worth the final payment for the service."
Shaking her head Emma put down the paper and rested her folded hands on top of it, "To put it simply Lyra, you, and by extension your business, are unfocused. You offer too broad a range of services that Ale'Epherium on its own cannot hope to keep up long term. Eventually, the workload with becoming more than you, or any number of new hires, can reasonably accomplish."
There was a long pause as Lyra stared at Emma, her brow furrowed and displeasure clearly showing on her features. Emma sat quietly, her face relaxed yet posture firm and forward-leaning as she waited. After what seemed like minutes it was Lyra who relented with a sigh.
"Very well child. Let us say that what you state is correct. What is it exactly that you are suggesting?"
"I am not suggesting anything just yet." Emma said, shaking her head, "I just want to make sure you understand your current situation. If you do, then I can ask you this question and you will honestly consider it." There was another pause, during which Lyra leaned forward as well, "What is it you want Ale'Epherium to be? What do you want to do for your business?"
"I wish to provide resources to scriveners in Kalzasi." The answer came quickly, and Lyra smiled confidently before Emma's expression made the smile slowly fade.
"That's not a business model. You, me, and Rean cannot be a supplier of resources. We simply do not have the capital, or manpower, to sustain that yet. At best we can be a reseller like you are for the magical inks that Jacun's Alchemy Shop and the Skyforge provide. I already know you spend considerable time sourcing paper to keep on the shelves, as well as writing instruments. That is a major draw on your time, and part of the issue you are having."
At first, Lyra wanted to protest, but she was forstalled by Emma's raised hand, "Just listen. Ale'Epherium is not set up to be a supply shop. We can keep a limited inventory of basic materials in-house for novice and apprentice level crafters, but everything beyond that needs to be special ordered supplies through suppliers we make arrangements with." Another page magically appeared in Emma's hand and she slid it across the table to Lyra, "I have taken the liberty of creating a list of paper, ink, and other scribe related suppliers in Kalzasi, as well several traveling merchants who bring wares from outside the city as well. Utilizing this method of special orders for supplies like these will yes make orders take longer, but they also add a premium on custom works that utilize them, especially the magical supplies."
Taking the paper Lyra read through the list, her expression relaxing as she glanced over the page toward Emma, "You found all of these on your own? In just a few days I was gone?"
"This is part of what I do best." Emma smiled. She had Lyra's attention now, "If we move away from being a shop that supplies materials for every other scrivener in town, at least by only keeping limited stocks and inventory in house, it also frees up significant time normally used to restock. We can set up a supply chain directly to our shop which can come routinely. I then suggest we limit the magical wands and staves down to a few basics. That will allow you and Rean to keep up with demand, and let you maximize your full skillset in your biggest commodity."
"And that is?"
"Custom works of scrivening, personalized items and grimoire, and the pursuit of those other opportunities you mentioned before."
The flickering candle flame was the only light in the upstairs apartment area of Ale'Epherium. The hour was late, far past when the average person would find their bed in preparation for the days to come. The only sounds in the room were the scratching of pen on paper and the soft murmuring of voices deep in conversation.
"It isn't complex, but it isn't always simple either." Emma's words were confident, speaking as someone who had not simply read this truth but lived it many times. The candlelight cast dark shadows on her face, but beneath them her eyes were alight and her hand near danced crossed the page. "A business is like a living thing. It grows with the right nurturing, and when the right resources are provided to it. I think you have done very well up until now, but I think even you have begun to see the limitations of your current situation. Thus why you hired me and Rean."
Lyra nodded, the truth was obvious to her as her newest employee said, "It is not difficult to find those who desire what I offer. In fact, through a series of odd occurrences, I have found far too many opportunities. Many of these require I take time away from Ale'Epherium, and thus I knew I needed other hands to mind the shop."
"It is wise to know your own limitations, and hiring help was a good first step." Turning over a stack of papers marked with columns and numbers, Emma rand a finger down its contents, "I have also been impressed with the details with which you keep your ledgers. Often businesses let the tedious stuff like documentation slip through the cracks until they hire someone to take it over for them."
"Ledgers are much like the scripts," Lyra shrugged, "The most minor of details will cause a schema to fail. I simply apply my trade to all aspects of my life."
Emma nodded, but then pointed to another page which more numbers and notes, "That is also a good mindset to have. You have a problem though." She picked up the page and tapped it with the back of her hand, "Your inventory, wares, and overall sales plan is, to be frank, all over the place."
"I do not understand." Lyra said, tilting her eyebrow, "The items we sell have not changed since I opened the shop."
In answer, Emma began to read off the list, "Scribal supplies, including general paper and ink of varying styles. Scrivening supplies, which include magical inks, papers, writing utensils, and selected texts on the subject. Wands, staffs, and staves crafted to varying degrees in the house with rotating effects based on materials held on hand at the time of their creation. Books, often used or second hand, on a variety of topics generally studied in Kalzasi."
During a pause where Emma took a breath Lyra interjected, "Yes, all these things were items that, when I first came to Kalzasi, I found difficult to obtain myself. Thus I desired a shop where such useful items to my craft could be collected, all in one place."
"Then there are your custom works," Emma continued as if she had not been interrupted, causing Naila to snicker and Lyra to frown, "Vague is too small of a word to describe what it is you do. In this, you are like a painter who paints anything, in any style, with any materials, and any setting no matter what it is and without consideration as to whether the time invested is worth the final payment for the service."
Shaking her head Emma put down the paper and rested her folded hands on top of it, "To put it simply Lyra, you, and by extension your business, are unfocused. You offer too broad a range of services that Ale'Epherium on its own cannot hope to keep up long term. Eventually, the workload with becoming more than you, or any number of new hires, can reasonably accomplish."
There was a long pause as Lyra stared at Emma, her brow furrowed and displeasure clearly showing on her features. Emma sat quietly, her face relaxed yet posture firm and forward-leaning as she waited. After what seemed like minutes it was Lyra who relented with a sigh.
"Very well child. Let us say that what you state is correct. What is it exactly that you are suggesting?"
"I am not suggesting anything just yet." Emma said, shaking her head, "I just want to make sure you understand your current situation. If you do, then I can ask you this question and you will honestly consider it." There was another pause, during which Lyra leaned forward as well, "What is it you want Ale'Epherium to be? What do you want to do for your business?"
"I wish to provide resources to scriveners in Kalzasi." The answer came quickly, and Lyra smiled confidently before Emma's expression made the smile slowly fade.
"That's not a business model. You, me, and Rean cannot be a supplier of resources. We simply do not have the capital, or manpower, to sustain that yet. At best we can be a reseller like you are for the magical inks that Jacun's Alchemy Shop and the Skyforge provide. I already know you spend considerable time sourcing paper to keep on the shelves, as well as writing instruments. That is a major draw on your time, and part of the issue you are having."
At first, Lyra wanted to protest, but she was forstalled by Emma's raised hand, "Just listen. Ale'Epherium is not set up to be a supply shop. We can keep a limited inventory of basic materials in-house for novice and apprentice level crafters, but everything beyond that needs to be special ordered supplies through suppliers we make arrangements with." Another page magically appeared in Emma's hand and she slid it across the table to Lyra, "I have taken the liberty of creating a list of paper, ink, and other scribe related suppliers in Kalzasi, as well several traveling merchants who bring wares from outside the city as well. Utilizing this method of special orders for supplies like these will yes make orders take longer, but they also add a premium on custom works that utilize them, especially the magical supplies."
Taking the paper Lyra read through the list, her expression relaxing as she glanced over the page toward Emma, "You found all of these on your own? In just a few days I was gone?"
"This is part of what I do best." Emma smiled. She had Lyra's attention now, "If we move away from being a shop that supplies materials for every other scrivener in town, at least by only keeping limited stocks and inventory in house, it also frees up significant time normally used to restock. We can set up a supply chain directly to our shop which can come routinely. I then suggest we limit the magical wands and staves down to a few basics. That will allow you and Rean to keep up with demand, and let you maximize your full skillset in your biggest commodity."
"And that is?"
"Custom works of scrivening, personalized items and grimoire, and the pursuit of those other opportunities you mentioned before."
