Chapter 90: Trapped in Business

That's the most accurate depiction of Carter's mindset during his visit to Jones today.

In Carter's original plan, once he had negotiated the convenience store and the repair shop, along with his own restaurant, adding a gas station should have been relatively easy. He believed that once Jones heard about these plans, he would understand that once his gas station joined in, this would be a complete package of highway commercial services.

But things didn't go as planned. The dragon was almost drawn, but the head was missing.

As O'Neil had said, the gas station was the most crucial part of attracting customers. No matter how delicious your food was, how good your repair skills were, or how low your prices were, if people hadn't experienced it, how would they know if you were offering good value?

Having a gas station changed everything. People who came to fill up would inevitably come in, see the neighboring shops, and even if they just tried it out, they would come in with the mindset of giving it a shot. This was the chance for them to experience whether your products or services were good or not, and then potentially become repeat customers.

Carter now felt somewhat melancholic and conflicted about whether he should build the gas station or not. If he invested in the gas station himself, his total investment in this highway commercial district would approach four hundred thousand dollars, not including the bank's land fees.

The investment was getting a bit too big, and the future was still uncertain. Adding tens of thousands more to build the gas station?

"Goodman, please contact the ExxonMobil franchise manager in Georgia and inquire about franchising. Also, see if any other oil brands in Georgia are available for franchising."

With a heavy heart, Carter returned to the bank and, after pausing for a moment in the lobby, beckoned Goodman.

He felt like he was trapped in this highway commercial district. He had started with just wanting to open a restaurant, taking it one step at a time. Then, when the restaurant business was struggling, he tried to expand the supporting services to share the risks with others. And now, he was at this point where the crucial link was unwilling to cooperate.

He felt stuck, unable to move forward or backward. If he didn't continue, the highway commercial district would remain incomplete without the gas station. It would not only harm his interests but also the interests of his two new partners. But if he continued, the money would keep pouring in.

From initially planning an investment of around $150,000, to now, although he hadn't discussed how much it would cost to build the gas station yet, considering franchise fees, brand management fees, gas pump procurement, underground tank construction, building construction, initial inventory, and so on, it would still be over $150,000. The investment was snowballing.

This experience reminded Carter of a friend from his previous life who had been quite ambitious. He had gone to Ningbo, a place where he wasn't familiar with, and opened a folk music bar, taking over a coffee shop. It could be opened with minimal adjustments, and it was quite popular, serving coffee during the day and alcohol at night. At that time, when his friend told Carter about it, he thought his friend was really lucky.

But trouble came immediately when he applied for the permits. At that time, Ningbo's regulations for food and beverage service establishments required shops with a floor area of over 100 square meters to have at least three cleaning pools. The theoretical area of his friend's shop was 114 square meters, but in reality, it was just over 100 square meters, and having three pools would definitely be a waste.

But the regulations were there, and he wasn't like the previous local owner who could find connections and negotiate. To obtain the permit, he had no choice but to renovate. So, the renovation cost, in addition to the transfer fee, resulted in an additional substantial expense. At that time, Carter's friend was just like himself today.

The shop had already been taken over, and if he didn't make the changes, he couldn't get the permit to open. The transfer fee had already been paid, the renovation materials had been purchased, and at this point, selling or transferring them would definitely result in a loss. The sunk costs were already there, so he could only grit his teeth and continue to spend money.

Yes, at this moment, Carter had resigned himself to his fate. With the initial $200,000, minus the $36,000 from Truffaut, he was left with $164,000, and after deducting taxes, there wouldn't be much left after investing in the gas station.

Indeed, he was still too poor!

"Uh, okay, Carter, think positively. Investing in the gas station now also has its benefits. At least, the franchise fees now shouldn't be too high. Consider it as setting a baseline."

Hearing Carter's words, Goodman knew that he hadn't reached an agreement with Jones. So, while carrying out the task, he comforted Carter.

"Haha, okay, okay, gotta keep the spirit of Ah Q! Money, it's a matter of give and take, that's all."

After consoling himself forcefully, Carter went upstairs to deal with the school assignments.

"Why were you back so late yesterday?"

"I was discussing some business with Truffaut from the South City repair shop. I had dinner at his place in the evening, and before that, I went to see the mayor to discuss some matters. It took too long, and I had to come back to the bank to do some work, so I got home late. Sorry for worrying you."

Yesterday was definitely the latest Carter had returned home since his reincarnation. Hearing Jenny's concern, Carter quickly smiled and explained.

"How can I even say anything about you? Most people come home late from hanging out with their girlfriends, but you're out doing business."

With a mix of speechlessness and a touch of concern, Jenny walked out of the kitchen and looked quietly at Carter, who was still changing his shoes.

"Don't work yourself too hard. Our family is actually doing quite well. What's the point of making so much money? I'm really worried about you, Carter. You're busy with your studies, busy with your business, and you'll wear yourself out! Except for the summer vacation when you took Melissa on a trip, I haven't seen you rest, or hang out with friends like Jack next door. This won't do!"

"Haha, it's okay, studying isn't too stressful for me."

Laughing, Carter stepped forward and put his hand on Jenny's shoulder, leading her into the kitchen. He didn't explain more of his thoughts to her, just smelled the aroma of the food in the air, and diverted Jenny's attention:

"Are we having stewed beef tonight? It smells so good! But, can I suggest trying it with potatoes and peppers next time, along with onions?"

"Sure, sure, you don't like tomatoes, right?"

Facing the request from her eldest son, Jenny smiled and nodded. She knew her limitations, and couldn't shield her children from the wind and rain outside. Taking care of their daily lives was the only thing she could do as a mother. At this moment, hearing Carter's request, Jenny felt quite happy, and her attention was successfully diverted by Carter.

"Okay, it's fine. I just feel like the tomatoes can't cover up the fishy smell of the beef. I don't really like that taste. Oh, by the way, I suddenly remembered something. Uncle Victor's son should be 18 this year, right?"

"You mean your brother, Lavin? He's already 20! It's been a few years since he went back. I almost forgot. Do you want to go stay at your grandparents' house for a while this year when Melissa finishes school?"

"Sure, I'll ask her when she gets back from school."

"Wait a minute, why did you suddenly ask about Lavin? Is there something going on?"