1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 408 May Lady Luck continue to bless me!

Sandrine's professionalism is not only reflected in her unique vision, but also in her rich business experience.

In less than half an hour, she came up with seven or eight ways to effectively increase sales.

For example, the "for sale" model includes not only art shops, but also hotels and any other setting where woven elements can be incorporated.

For example, by further expanding the scope of 'artist styles,' Ronan can call on other artists in Provence to cross over, which is his natural advantage.

She also proposed a more detailed membership system.

The methods Cafu used before were too outdated and inefficient, and they couldn't make customers feel a sense of 'superiority'.

Even Ronan's much-vaunted one-on-one service was deemed by Sandrine to be not quite perfect:
“One-on-one service isn’t just for waiters; designers and head tailors of luxury brands can also provide one-on-one service to customers. If you spend enough money, you can even have Ronan design a product that is one of a kind in the world.”

It's no exaggeration to say that Sandrine's suggestions made Ronan realize that he had been neglecting the knitting business.

If managed well, the monthly income will definitely not be just over 3; the upper limit is very high.

This greatly surprised Ronan, who was under considerable financial pressure!
However, after discussing the advantages, Sandrine raised a series of issues that could not be ignored:
"First of all, the store is too small. Such a small store cannot make customers feel their own dignity. If a VIP system is established in the future, we should create a 'royal feeling' that the entire building belongs to only one customer."

"Secondly, the supply chain is too short. Handicraft workshops are best opened to customers for visits, gradually introducing the concept of 'craftsmen are artists' to enhance brand value. For the general public, 'seeing it with their own eyes' can persuade them to pay a high price. For wealthy businessmen, 'exclusive access' can satisfy their class identity."

After asking a few more questions, Sandrine hesitated and said:
"There's another issue. I think your cooperation model has a major problem. Once things go smoothly, the next step is to expand your stores, leave Provence, and open up more regions. Is Cafu going to take his team to open stores all over the country?"

Sandrine found the issue sensitive, but Cafu was quite frank about it.

He and Ronan have always dealt with problems as they arise; there's nothing they can't talk about.
"As long as we can develop better and make more money for everyone, I don't mind changing the cooperation model."

He was under immense pressure to pay his brothers' salaries, and life was tough for him. Why would he refuse a powerful backer if he could do so?
Cafu and Sandrine both looked at Ronan, seeking his opinion.

Ronan, who owns the Lourmaran Handicraft Cooperative and is both a designer and the brand ambassador, is undoubtedly the 'head' of this business.

I can do without anyone else, but I can't do without him.

Ronan has the right to set the 'rules of the game'.

To be honest, Ronan had thought about this question many times as well.

The best way to emulate the success stories of luxury brands and high-end furniture manufacturers is for him to be the one paying everyone's salaries.

The sales staff at Kafu have a fixed salary plus sales commission, while the women have a fixed salary plus piece-rate commission.

But this puts all the pressure on Ronan.

Given the current scale of the weaving business, the stakes are still too high.

Moreover, Ronan was unsure how successful the weaving business would be in Provence.

Before you know it, you can go from getting tens of thousands of francs for nothing to working a lot and losing tens of thousands of francs every month.

However, he doesn't dare to pay the salaries of others for the time being, but he can afford to pay the salary of one person.

Ronan looked at Sandrine:
“Our business is just starting out, only about six months from the beginning. There are definitely many things to adjust. But we need to take it slow. The business can’t expand beyond Provence in a short time, so we can continue to operate in this model for a few more months. During this period, I would like to hire you as a consultant to help us improve various issues.”

Whether Sandrine agrees or not, Ronan has decided to focus more on the knitting business in the coming months and upgrade its operational strategy.

Firstly, he wants to earn more money. Secondly, once he sees the potential of woven furniture in the Provence market, he will immediately take action to adjust the operating model and operate the 'Lourmarin Handicraft Cooperative' as a whole.

Ronan believed Cafu would agree as long as it meant making more money. He was the one paying the brothers' salaries, and Cafu might even be hoping Ronan would quickly change the cooperation model.

It would be even better if Sandrine could join; the changes would be even more significant.

That's exactly the kind of talent Ronan needs right now!
Sandrine could no longer hide her smile. Ronan and Cafu's collaboration model had nothing to do with her; she was simply worried that it might affect the business's future, because she had absolute confidence in the job!
She's even started to imagine how envious her Parisian colleagues are of her 'running' a high-end furniture brand in Provence.

Just as Ronan was about to agree, her husband Bruno suddenly asked her:

Where will Sandrine work in the future?

This question determines where they will buy a house.

Ronan said with a smile:
"She doesn't have a fixed workplace; she can even 'work on the go.' However, Lourmaran will be a very important area for the weaving business in the future, so you should consider the time and distance to Lourmaran when you buy a house."

"Great!" Bruno hugged his wife happily. "We can buy that house now!"

"You've already found a house?" Ronan asked in surprise.

Bruno said with a smile:
"To help my family settle down as soon as possible, I started looking at houses before they arrived. My colleagues gave me a lot of advice, including Lourmarin, which they said could be the area with the highest appreciation value in Luberon in the future. Our favorite house was in Lourmarin, so I immediately contacted the agent to see it."

Ronan nodded happily; he remembered.

When the farmers called Bruno to welcome him to stay in Provence, Bruno asked Ronan what had happened in Lourmarin recently and why his colleagues had asked him to look at houses there. It was Ronan who explained to Bruno the reasons for the rise in house prices in Lourmarin.

Sandrine immediately switched into 'work mode' and looked at her boss, Ronan, saying:
"In that case, my first task is to promote the implementation of the 'workshop visit' project. The tourist season is about to begin, which can provide an extra source of income."

Ultimately, Ronan hired Sandrine as a business consultant for the Lourmarin handicrafts cooperative for 7000 francs per month.

This price is definitely considered a high salary in Provence, but Ronan believes that Sandrine will bring him ten times or even a hundred times the return.

With her joining, the weaving business may even surpass the restaurant as Ronan's main source of income in the future.

Ronan is now Sandrine's boss and has offered her a high salary. Fearing that Bruno might 'misunderstanding,' he didn't mention the host tree seedlings and artificially cultivated truffles in Apte this time.

Bruno and his wife will likely move to Lourmarin in the future, or at least somewhere not far away, where they will have plenty of opportunities to meet, so there's no rush.

Moreover, Professor Fernand needs a considerable amount of time to verify Ronan's suggestion, and there is enough time.

On the way back to Lourmaran, Zoe couldn't help but sigh:

“Lourmaran used to have only a castle, an old church and fountains. Then a commercial street was added. Now Cotillard has applied for a building to set up a special arts market, which is about to be renovated. Sandrine is also going to do a weaving workshop tour. There are also newly opened galleries, workshops and art shops. Lourmaran is so lively this tourist season.”

Last autumn, when Ronan's restaurant opened, the waiting customers were complaining that there were too few places to visit in Lourmaran and they had nowhere to kill time.

Now, there are so many things to experience that they can't possibly try them all!

Ronan said with a smile:
"That's not all. There are also tours around the vineyards, winemaking workshops, visits to the experimental truffle forest, and a rosé wine museum that will be opening soon."

“I can’t believe Lourmaran has become like this,” exclaimed Zoe, a native of Lourmaran, in disbelief.

“This is just the first step; there will be many more changes in the future,” Ronan said, raising his eyebrows.

The new reinforcements include not only Sandrine, but also Juliet.

This experienced government official will surely be able to help Lourma secure one new grant after another.

For example, she mentioned the winter truffle market, the truffle art festival, and so on.

"This is all thanks to you." Zoe patted Ronan's face as a reward. "I'm definitely a well-informed person, and I'm still this shocked. Imagine how shocked the villagers will be when Blanco announces the news at the general meeting tomorrow and shows everyone what a new look Lourmaran is like now?"

Ronan grabbed Zoe's hand and kissed it twice.

"May Lady Luck continue to bless me, and may everything go smoothly tomorrow, so that the uprooting plan and the planting of new vines in Lourmaran can proceed smoothly!"

(End of this chapter)