Chapter 16 - Ashley’s studio
Ashley almost lost Encore Motion.
Not because I cut her off.
Because the studio’s numbers had been bad for two years.
The credit line had delayed a necessary restructuring.
She had twenty-seven recurring students fewer than before expansion.
Rent on the second room cost $4,200 monthly.
Payroll too high for current enrollment.
She kept using debt to avoid shrinking.
Dad helped because he believed:
Backing family means preventing visible failure.
I helped with competition expenses because I believed:
Supporting Emma is different from supporting Ashley’s business.
The boundaries blurred.
Ashley hired a small-business accountant.
Closed the second room.
Subleased it.
Cut two adult classes.
Changed competition schedule.
Sold unused equipment.
Renegotiated the line.
Boring operational work.
By the next year, the studio was modestly profitable.
She told me once:
“You stopping payments almost killed us.”
I answered:
“No. The numbers almost killed you.”
She glared.
Then:
“Fair.”
That was growth.
May you like
Not pleasant.
Accurate.
