Episode 78 • Numbers
Never in a million years...
Back to/at square one
Ballpark figure
Do the math
Quadruple
Story
Boss: Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming. Please, take a seat. So, like I said in my last email, this is a special meeting. Never in a million years did I think I would have to tell you this, but, as your boss, I want to be completely honest with you – the company is in trouble. You know how much I care about this company. This was my father’s company. And before that, it was my grandfather’s company. Over the past couple of years things seemed to be going well, but now… Now we’re back to square one. All the progress we’d made last year, gone.
I mean, look at this graph. Sales have gone down tremendously. I don’t have the exact numbers but, just to give you a ballpark figure, we’re talking about a one-million-dollar loss. This is unacceptable and things will have to change around here. I did the math and things are not looking great, which means we’re probably going to have to let some of you go. I know it’s not what you guys expected but-
Mike: Uhm, boss?
Boss: Yes, Mike.
Mike: Sorry to interrupt. But I think you’re looking at the graph wrong. It’s upside down. Sales have actually gone up, in fact, they have quadrupled this year…
Boss: Ehm… [Clears voice] Well, Mike… That is a very good observation… Well, in that case then, good job everyone, and keep up the good work! [laughs] I think we’re done here!
