Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 195
That day, their catch didn't suffer any spoilage, but they agreed that having ice was better because it kept the quality of the fish pristine. They earned about 517,000 pesos that day. They were slowly growing numb to earning such a huge amount on a daily basis.
'I talked to Antonio, and he said that his commercial trawler boat earned 1 million pesos in three to four days. But his net profit was only 600,000 to 700,000 pesos because the operating expenses were quite high whenever they stayed at sea longer,' Karlos thought.
He couldn't believe that their mid-sized bangka earned money faster than a commercial trawler.
For reference, a commercial trawler could only harvest fish once or twice per day. They deployed a massive trawling net that was at least 100 meters long and 40 meters deep. It was extremely heavy, taking many hours just to haul the entire net back in, especially when it was filled with fish.
So it was not surprising that a commercial trawler could only net 1 million pesos in three days. Karlos and his mid-sized bangka were actually the abnormal ones. The fact that they didn't have to wait long to land a catch was a massive blessing in itself.
Right as the bangka reached the shore, a group of teenagers was already waiting for them. These teens earned hundreds of pesos just by pushing the boat, perhaps this was why they didn't bother going to school, knowing they could make easy money just by idling around the beach.
Yet the thing that caught Karlos's attention most was Gustavo, who was standing at the beach store.
"Do you need help carrying stuff?" Gustavo asked.
"I won't decline your goodwill. You can carry this." Karlos passed him the thermos.
After thinking about it, they decided to leave the storage boxes and fuel gallons in the boat, as those items weren't critical to bring back.
Brandon and Andres exchanged a quick glance, confirming their suspicions.
'It seems like Gustavo is really interested in partnering with Karlos.'
They stared at Karlos's back as he walked ahead. They realized what an amazing person Karlos was. His understanding of the world was far broader than that of the typical folks living in town. He was remarkably knowledgeable, too. Following someone like him was certainly not a bad idea. In fact, they constantly reaped good fortune just by staying close to him.
The four men reached Karlos's house and stored the equipment in the shed.
"I guess you're here because you want to talk to me," Karlos said.
"That's right," Gustavo nodded, then glanced uncertainly at Brandon and Andres, who lingered nearby.
"Don't worry, Brandon and Andres can be trusted."
"We're actually interested in investing in your business too," Andres chimed in.
"Really?"
Gustavo was caught off guard. He had been mulling it over all night. He lacked confidence in running a venture alone and was terrified of shouldering the entire investment only to lose everything. At the same time, he fully agreed that starting an ice shop was a solid idea since local competition was practically nonexistent.
Since he didn't want to shoulder all the risk himself, bringing Karlos into the equation felt like a wise move.
And now, realizing that Andres and Brandon were also eager to join the partnership, he was even more relieved. Having four people divide the initial investment meant far less individual risk if the business didn't work out.
Gustavo wanted to run a business, but he lacked confidence in his entrepreneurial skills. He was scared to do it completely on his own. After all, he had studied Marine Engineering, not business management.
To take this big step, he needed the guidance of someone he could trust implicitly. Knowing that Karlos was already a co-owner of a successful shrimp farm was more than enough reason for Gustavo to place his trust in him.
"Okay, let's talk in my garden. I built a small kubo there where we can sit down and chat."
Once they finished putting the equipment away in the shed, Karlos opened the door and spoke to Maya, who was holding the twins. She had held them back earlier so they wouldn't disturb them while Karlos was carrying heavy gear, which could be dangerous.
"Babe, we're going to discuss some business in the garden."
"Papa!"
Now that Karlos's hands were free, Maya released the twins. They immediately rushed over and hugged his legs, and Karlos gently patted their heads.
"Alright, I'll bring you all something to drink," Maya nodded.
"Mama, I want to pway in the gawden too," Iñigo said.
"Okay, just don't disturb Papa and his friends while they're talking," Maya said, letting the children head outside. "And remember, don't pick the plants or flowers."
"Hehe!"
Karlos scooped up the twins and walked down the pathway along the right side of the house, with the other three men following closely behind.
He set the twins down on the grass, and they immediately dashed over to the swing Karlos had built for them a few months ago.
With the sound of innocent giggles echoing in the background, Karlos and the men got straight to business regarding the ice shop.
"I have no issue with bringing more partners into the business. But let's get the financial expectations clear first," Gustavo said.
"In exchange for a 50% stake in the business, you'll need to provide 500,000 pesos in total capital. I'll be the one managing the shop day-to-day, and we'll be using my family's property as the storefront. The 500,000 pesos investment will be used to purchase the commercial ice makers and renovate the space." After thinking it through, Gustavo had decided it was best to let them supply the main capital while he contributed the physical location and labor. This way, he felt completely comfortable yielding half ownership to them.
Brandon and Andres were taken aback. Gustavo was asking for half a million pesos upfront. Sure, they could easily afford it given how much they had earned over the past few months, but it was still a substantial sum of money.
Instead of answering immediately, Brandon and Andres looked over at Karlos. They had silently agreed that Karlos was the ultimate decision-maker of their group. He possessed a clear grasp of business dynamics and had yet to experience a single failure. Whatever he decided, they were prepared to follow.
[Thank you for reading this novel.]