Page 53 of Executive Decision

I turned, beaming. “Good. Because I’d like to tell you about my plans to save the company.”

20HARD CHOICES

Cal

Daphne returnedto the breakfast nook.

“Cal, I have poured over the financials. They aren’t good. And I know there are probably a million reasons for that. You’re going to tell me that I’m trying to revive a zombie. Retail is?—”

“Mom is seeingbigreturns in retail right now,” I said. “Retail isn’t dead. But as Davey sees it, luxury retail is a thing of the past. Have you looked at comps?”

I shouldn’t give her any help, but I suspected Daphne did the research. Like her mother, she held her cards so close that I never got a read-in. What did she know?

“Of course, I have. You know me too well,” Daphne answered. “The sector—as a whole—is challenged. It’s problematic for most.”

“But there are bright stars.”

“Beauty is doing very well,” Daphne said. “Which is why Elise M is over-performing.”

“No, it’s not,” I insisted. “It is because while Mom can complain about Chloe’s lack of a ‘job’, influencers are selling her product for her. It’s grassroots, guerrilla marketing—driven largely by Chloe being Mom’s biggest hype woman—making it work.”

She looked down at her wine. “I want influencers and luxury collections—not value fast-fashion. Even Davey does. Sadly, Bernie doesn’t.”

“Influencers can be complicated, but they also bring in younger people. You’re right. It worked for Mom. And Mom’s stuff isn’t evenluxury. It’s justgood, right?”

“Her newest line is trying. And certainly, the anti-aging stuff is. It’s hella expensive, but I swear the under-eye serum is amazing.”

I snickered.

“Don’t judge me. I’m getting old.”

“Daphne, you do notknowold. You are not even middle-aged yet. Your skin is impeccable, and I am sure every woman your age hates you for it.”

“You are the first—and last—straight man to tell me that, so thank you.”

I laughed. “Fair, fair. You’re lovely, though. Can you name a major competitor that is outperforming?”

“Selfridges. Bergman-Meyer. Both have reduced their store footprints and retail stock to focus on a very specific customer. Bergman-Meyer has a similar price point and has the sort of American consumer we’d like to have. I did some research there.”

“And?”

“I talked to a shopper—she had no idea who I was. She’s our ideal customer—fashion-forward but not into fast-fashion, twenties or thirties, and the type to seek out stores with similar values to hers. She was looking for a size twelve but couldn’t find one. We carry a wider range of sizes, so I asked if she’d tried Delphine’s. She said, quite frankly, it’s a maze. It doesn’t feel like a luxury experience. And while she wants to use our personal shoppers, they’re never available.”

“So, what is the concern then? You have the beginnings of a plan. Why not think about the possibilities?”

“Because everything is complicated. Davey and I had amassivefight. He gave me a job I’m not qualified for and did not want—a director’s position when I’ve already been an SVP. It was a huge insult all to ‘protect me’. Doing anything about this will only make it ten times worse. Please, Cal. What I need are introductions—social ones. Nothing more. Let me get the ears of the people who I need to convince. Do it… as a friend?”

She gave me the sweetest, most pitiful look.

“If you want to save the Company, I will support you in any way Ilegallycan. Your father would want it to remain solvent, Daphne. And… I will always have a soft spot for you.”

She blushed. “Do it for Dad. Leave me out of it.”

“I could never leave you out of it,” I said, too honest. “Give me exactly what you need, and I will tell you what I can do and not lose every shred of integrity when this becomes public.”

She dropped my gaze, stood, and paced. Still ruminating, she opened the kitchen French doors to let in a lake breeze.

She returned, nostrils flaring, “Tell me who we need and let’s do the math.”

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