#Marginal Revenue (MR)

[unicornheadnebula]

Economics Formulas

Microeconomics Formulas Total Revenue (TR): Calculated as Price (P) multiplied by Quantity (Q). It’s the total income a firm receives from selling its goods or services. Marginal Revenue (MR): The additional revenue gained from selling one more unit. It’s the change in TR divided by the change in Q. Average Revenue (AR): TR divided by Q. It’s the revenue per unit sold, essentially the price of…

[gutsby]

Wants and Needs

Pairing: Sugar Daddy!Joel x Reader

Summary: Bills are high; your dad’s boss wants to help. How you pay him stays between you and him—for now.

Warnings: 18+. Protected piv. Explicit power imbalance in an exchange of sex for money, so dubcon, technically. Soft dom!Joel. Sex toys. Squirting. Oral (f!receiving). Overstimulation. Daddy kink. Age gap. Praise kink.

Note: Bohanan’s is a steakhouse in San Antonio, TX.

Word count: 8.4k

You wanted a car. Joel needed to cum.

It wasn’t the arrangement a girl your age should’ve made, but what could you do? Your dad drank half of your college funds away, and your mom was long gone.

The next best thing was Mr. Miller, your father’s boss. He’d understood better than anyone what money could buy. What it might do. For him, it was pleasure. For you, it was a future—or what little remained after bills and loans and exorbitantly-priced car repairs bled you dry.

You took the job at the firm on a whim. You didn’t want to be a lawyer anymore, though your dad and Joel were. You didn’t want to be done with law school, though 3L had already long since ended, and that dreaded so-called ‘minimum competency’ test was drawing close on the horizon. In short, you couldn’t afford to pay for bar prep.

With Joel, you could.

It was true that tax law paid pretty well, but a part-time job would never really be enough when your family was treading water at all times. Your dad liked to gamble and drink, and your brothers got all of their brains from him.

You got the short end of the stick, plus the receiving end of another. Lucky for you, Joel’s felt pretty good going in.

Today you were somewhere south of Austin. Your truck wouldn’t start last week, so you’d agreed to come along on this business trip knowing full well what you planned on asking your boss as soon as you had a moment alone.

“CDP hearing at…9:45.” You checked the itinerary twice.

“Alright.” Joel nodded.

“Lunch with Javier, Ezra, and Dave at twelve.”

“Mhmm.”

“Phone call with Revenue Officer Acacius at 3:30.”

“For the…?”

“Martells.”

“Okay.”

“I finished Lucien Flores’ Form 433-F for your review and left notes—” You stopped to tap your finger on a short white pile of papers between you and Joel on the desk, “—in the margins. Still need bank statements from him.”

“Lovely.”

Joel eyed the stack at first, but his gaze strayed a little.

“You should probably plan to talk strategy with my dad before Mayor Garcia’s audit tomorrow, too. Looks like a couple non-cash contributions are being disputed now.”

For a second, your eyes flitted up to him, too. It was brief.

“Sure. When’s your daddy free?” he said.

You blinked, then scanned the schedule.

“Looks like five…or six, maybe. He’s got a consult with—”

“I wasn’t talking about your father.”

You looked back up. Joel was smirking, of course. His hand had drifted a comfortable, innocent distance past the papers and across the table, to you. The pair of you happened to be in one of the glass-paneled conference rooms nearest the hotel lobby, so he had to be discreet.

He never let his fingers stray too long on yours in public. Presently, his thumb grazed your knuckles extra slow.

Posing a question, maybe.

You didn’t have the time to be tactful now, unfortunately.

“I need $2,700.”

Joel, your boss, your daddy, whatever, had to pause at that. He didn’t move his hand immediately, but he did stare harder. Longer. He searched your face for the joke.

“$2,700?” he repeated.

“Yes sir,” you answered out of habit, wincing only a little, “My truck stopped running last week, and it’s just…a lot.”

The cost. For Joel, it wasn’t even a drop in the bucket, but in your world, it was a make-or-break, fuck-your-whole-budget-for-the-next-six-months kind of bad. Suddenly, your cheeks felt warmer than they did before, and you forced yourself to look away. Peering out across the wide and gently rolling terrain of San Antonio and trying to pretend there was something thrilling to see. You’d almost forgotten how much you hated asking this.

“I can make the deposit tonight—” Joel started.

“No,” you interrupted. You wanted to turn but couldn’t. You just shook your head and kept staring out there, “Not now, I mean…I need to earn it over time, I just…”

You stumbled over the words. It was like your lips, your tongue, and your teeth were all suffering from the same sort of embarrassment pervading the brain, and you couldn’t bring your mouth to form the sentences right.

I’m not asking for a handout. I need to earn the money.

However ‘earning’ may have been grossly misconstrued in the context, it was a labor all the same. You didn’t love it, but you didn’t hate him, either. Joel was nice, albeit old enough to be your father, and it didn’t seem that he was nearly as predatory or perverse as he could’ve been. You’d been working for him for two months now, and the idea had been your own when the cash had gotten tight.

Back in April, you’d explained to him, calmly, that you couldn’t take the bar exam unless you got some extra money quick. That you wouldn’t accept his charity, but you’d pay him back in other ways. Joel had been against it at first—you were the daughter of his best friend, after all—but eventually, his carnal needs won out over his sense, as every other man would’ve done, you guessed.

At first, you’d started slow, but that hadn’t lasted very long. You fucked him regularly now, though never had you asked for an amount of cash this big out of nowhere.

Joel blinked and put a hand on his hip, like he always did when he wasn’t sure what to say. The silver in his soft, dark locks shone more in this light. He’d lost the smirk.

“You’ve done…plenty.” Now sounding sheepish.

You tried to protest again; Joel stopped you.

“I mean it. Hey, look at me,” he said next.

You did, hesitatingly. You turned from the window, and out of instinct, folded your arms over your chest. Joel paced closer to you and then he was watching. Pausing.

Brushing your arm with his and glancing once over your shoulder to make sure no one else was around to see.

He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to your temple.

When he pulled away, your skin was practically ablaze.

“Mr. Miller—”

“Joel,” he corrected, quiet, “And you’ve done enough. Let me cover the car just this once, okay? Sweetheart?”

You didn’t realize you were pivoting again. That your gut was doing somersaults and your heart was ready to climb up and out of your throat. Your neck was burning.

It wasn’t even anger you sensed was simmering under the skin until you turned back to him, and your eyes flashed with ire before the words were even spoken.

“I don’t need your pity, Mr. Miller. I said I want to pay.”

“It’s Joel. And I said you’ve done enough, so—”

Ire morphed to something more in a blink.

You didn’t mean to say it, but you did.

“Fine,” you huffed, suddenly exasperated, “If you’re so fucking opposed to me paying my way for this one simple thing, I’ll get another guy. Forget I asked.”

It was a low blow, for sure. Joel knew how badly you’d wanted this to stay between just you and him—and he would never dream of seeing you ‘earning your keep’ with anyone else. His expression said as much as soon as he’d heard your words; his whole face hardened at once.

But then you’d turned to leave. You didn’t care what he wanted to tell you, and if you did, you certainly weren’t brave enough to stick around to hear Joel say it then.

So you left. He had a full, busy day ahead of him anyway.

You woke up wet.

In an effort to avoid your boss, you’d run errands all day. Buried your nose in a sea of Civil Procedure notes as soon as you got a second alone, almost vomited seeing the Erie Doctrine, and went back to your hotel room to try and study there. Once you had, you napped instead.

Now your clothes stuck to your skin; the sheets around you were soaked. You peered over the big white duvet holding your body interred and saw smoke overhead.

Or steam.

Yes, definitely steam. It was drifting from the bathroom, where the door was thrown open. You shifted up to sit.

“Tess!” you yelled, “Shut the goddamn door, I’m boiling.”

As a law clerk, you weren’t afforded the luxury of a suite to yourself, so you shared it with the other new grads on work trips like these. Tess Servopoulos loved long, hot showers and never closed the fucking door. You groaned.

And, feeling depleted of all energy from your studies and the stress and the steam searing every inch of your skin, you flopped back in the bed. You kicked the covers off your legs. You’d just lifted a hand to wipe the sweat from your forehead, when an awful, fresh realization dawned.

You glanced at the clock—3:37.

“Fucking hell,” you hissed.

You were supposed to meet your dad at two to get some paperwork signed. You needed to have that filed with the court by four. He was probably engaged somewhere else by now, whether it be a client, a conference, or a couple white lines in the bathroom of a partners-only club downtown, and you wouldn’t have a hope of reaching him here. You rubbed your face and groaned again.

You’d set an alarm for 1:30—you knew you had.

Where the hell was your phone? Why was it so warm? What if he’d called? Aw fuck, he’s probably blown that thing up to hell and back by now. Maybe he was drunk. He had to be. Where was Tess? Where were your pants?

You’d made it up to your feet, clumsily, and faced a full-length mirror. Your bottoms were gone. You closed your eyes and screamed inside, remembering why they were.

“Glad you’re getting some use out of this.”

The second you heard it, your lids flew open. You turned.

And, standing in the warm yellow glow of the bathroom light—holding the culprit, your vibrator, like a prize—was Joel. Naked as the day he was born, save for one thin towel around his hips, and grinning. Moisture glistened on his chest and pooled about his feet, and his hair was smooth, tamed, and combed back neatly from his face.

He waved your silicone toy in the air, and immediately, you regretted giving him your room key the other day.

“I thought we agreed you’d wait for me—”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Your voice was thick with sleep. Joel’s own was slow, dulcet, and kind as it always was, even when teasing. When you grit your teeth, he just set the toy aside.

“I’m sorry. Bad timing. I saw your—”

“No.” You threw up both hands at once, suddenly out of breath and fucks to give, “You know what? I don’t care. You need to go. I have to be down at the courthouse—”

In twenty minutes. You cut yourself short and hurried off to find shoes. You could wear other pants. Ask another attorney to sign the forms if you couldn’t reach your dad. Forget that his boss and yours had just caught you with the vibrator he’d bought you last month and try not to feel too humiliated knowing he knew what you’d been doing. It didn’t matter—Joel didn’t matter. You slid on a mismatched pair of slacks and set off toward the door.

Then you had to stop. Joel beat you there, quick as ever.

“Listen. Hey.”

“Will you stop?!”

You pushed at his big and wet, stupidly broad chest. You felt the small grey hairs on his pecs tickle your palms, and for a second, you thought you heard a chuckle.

“You’re gonna make me late—”

“Hey, hey,” Joel said again. Of course it sounded fatherly, “I already signed the POA for Morales, hon, you’re good.”

You’re good.

“You what?” You stared at him in disbelief. How did he even know you needed Frankie’s power of attorney signed in the first place? You figured your dad would’ve mentioned it, but still, it wasn’t really Joel’s form to sign.

“The case is mine now,” he clarified, reading that look, “Wasn’t my first pick, but it is what it is. And your dad—”

Your dad was probably lagging wildly behind on his own caseload, so he’d pushed one off on his friend. Again.

“You can’t keep picking up his slack,” you gritted out, “One of these days it’s gonna bite you both in the ass. You know he shouldn’t be forcing these jobs on you.”

“I offered.”

“You caved.”

“He’s my best friend, what do you expect me to do?”

“Not let him use you! He’s making you feel bad for him.”

“And what if I did? What if I did pity the bastard?”

You scoffed. Then winced, inwardly.

I don’t need your pity, Mr. Miller.

From the look on Joel’s face, he seemed to be remembering the same. He shook his head.

“That’s not…” he trailed off. He rubbed his jaw with his hand and started to move from the door, deflating some.

His other arm extended to you, wordlessly, and already anticipated what was sure to follow. You swatted him off, then walked to the bed. You considered sitting but didn’t. Instead, you crossed your arms like you always did and turned away, facing the window with a cool, flat affect.

By now, Joel knew better than to take that for what it seemed. He crossed the room to you, treading softly.

His voice turned gentle again, like an apology: ��Honey…”

But your gaze was already fixed outside. You frowned.

“Darlin’,” Joel continued, undeterred, “Come on.”

And you didn’t need to see his face to hear the rest: ‘Look at me, please,’ with eyes all comfort and warmth.

“Don’t you have a phone call with an R.O. or something?” Briefly, you recalled Acacius and a stream of other items from the checklist you’d covered that morning, and you had to stop yourself then from straying too far. You blinked once, just as Joel was approaching from behind.

“I cancelled,” he said.

You sighed, “Mr. Miller…”

You knew he hated doing that.

“Joel,” he pressed. Adding, “Something came up.”

You wouldn’t even ask. You shouldn’t care. You felt him standing there, fanning hot breaths across the nape of your neck, and you really couldn’t have taken that worse. You visibly tensed, hands balling into fists at your sides, and—hell, he wouldn’t quit moving now, would he?—Joel bent down. He hesitated, as if gauging your reaction in time, then descended further. He kissed your shoulder.

You cracked; it never took much from him.

For all your inane, ancillary plays at feigning indifference, one movement of Joel’s mouth and your resolve was lost. You clung to words, weakly, but all the rest fell away.

“We don’t…want your charity. Me or my dad. Alright?”

“I know.”

Joel kissed your skin again, then pulled at the strap of your blouse. It fell limply away, and his lips reattached.

Exactly when he’d walked you back to the bed, you couldn’t be sure. By the third or fourth kiss, your stomach was tight, knees weak, and your eyes drawing closed; it didn’t matter to you or to him what had passed before. Your bodies found the bed and blended together.

Tangling, in a way. Tearing blindly at clothes and not saying too much apart from Joel’s soft, sweet words:

“That’s it.”

“I know.”

“Good girl.”

Good girl when he kissed you. Good girl when he stripped you bare. Good girl when his hands roamed the broad, naked expanse of your body and let your own do the same to him. Good girl when your fingers hooked the outline of the towel and tugged it away, your vision filled with a sight you’d come to like more and more each day.

“That’s my girl,” Joel murmured. He cradled your head while you gripped his base, “‘S’yours, baby. All yours.”

Yours. Mine. You weren’t sure you had the sense or self-possession to even know what that meant, especially here. Joel wasn’t a boyfriend. He wasn’t a lover, at least not in the traditional sense. He wore dark wool suits like your father and worked from dawn until dusk every day, practicing law for longer than you’d been alive. Still, the smile above you was sweet. It coaxed you gently as you slid your hand up and down his length, like he sensed this was more like a lesson for you. Learning experience.

“Remember, spit a little first,” he instructed. Then, to demonstrate this point, he brought his fingers to his mouth and wet them quickly. He slipped his touch down to yours and met your gaze while he joined you there.

He rubbed and slicked himself up and he did it with ease. You followed his lead and watched his face contort—crow’s feet pinching even tighter at the sides of his eyes as pleasure began to pool in his gut. He looked pretty. You’d never thought to tell him this, but Joel really had an unparalleled face. It was an old and beautiful thing. For this reason, you couldn’t bring yourself to tear your gaze away, maybe to wet your own fingers. Instead, you slipped your hand between your legs, where his hips had come to rest. You worked a slow, light touch against your folds; you were drenched, and it didn’t take long for your fingers to be, too. You moved them back to Joel’s cock.

“Like this?” you ventured.

The man answered with a grunt, at first. Then a grin.

“Yeah. Yeah,” Joel nodded, quiet but emphatic. Trying not to smile too big as he let your touch take over for his, “Just like that, sweet pea. Get it nice an’ wet for daddy.”

You wanted to whimper at that. Something must’ve flashed in your eyes at the intonation of the last word, and the look must’ve suffused your whole expression, because the next thing you knew, Joel was lowering his body to yours. Petting your hair, letting you rub on his shaft as fast as your soft, lithe hands could manage.

“Feel that, baby? Feel how much daddy missed you?”

You did.

Your brow pinched, and you wanted more of that. More from him: those tender, edifying words of praise being mumbled your way while your touch worked him over. Maybe you could’ve helped it, but then again, in this state, maybe you couldn’t—you whimpered for him.

Wriggling your hips against the bed to get your warmth pressed flush with his own, and squeezing him tighter:

“In me, daddy. Please.”

You angled his cock in your trembling grip to plead as much. You knew he liked being the one to push in the first time, so you didn’t move too far with that push, but you begged him with your gaze. You felt him tense a bit.

And just when you sensed he might let you have your way, he moved off. Down. Sliding his torso away from your own, to go lower on the bed, and smirking again.

“I think she needs my tongue first, doesn’t she?”

You wanted to nod. Instead, you flinched. You crawled away from his hold before it could secure itself firmly on either one of your legs, and you had to snag your bottom lip between your teeth to contain that blossoming need. It almost spilled from your mouth in a moan before Joel’s could reach your lower half. Then you scrambled to sit up

“No,” you choked out.

This wasn’t new. While you shook your head, Joel lifted a brow and stood from the bed. He reached behind him.

The night stand.

You closed your eyes.

“This isn’t…supposed to be for me.” you sighed.

In a second, Joel was back where he started, and you didn’t have to steal a glance through your lids to know what he was holding. Slotting himself gently into place.

“Don’t,” he started, sharp, “—say that. I mean it.”

You knew he meant it, but you also knew better than to accept at face value what he said, moving down on you.

This wasn’t part of the deal. Joel’s money was meant to serve his pleasure, not yours. Letting him take you any other way seemed to blur the lines between transaction and affection, and though you’d done this before, it still didn’t feel right. You couldn’t bear having his focus here.

Evidently, though, he could. He’d snatched your vibrator from the night table and lowered his torso to your legs, lips twitching the tiniest bit. ‘Open up. Let me see her.’

Joel was on his stomach, eyes glowing with intrigue.

“Let me see how much she’s missed me, baby.”

The grey matter in your brain might’ve trickled through your ears—the whole thing went to mush at his words. You pushed at his hands, then the top of his head, but clearly, your will was weak. You wanted this. Needed it.

“That’s a good girl. Let daddy have it,” Joel drawled.

You wanted to cry. Or maybe hide. His index and middle fingers prodded at your folds, pulling them apart, and for a moment, you could’ve sworn you’d stopped breathing. Joel kissed the slope of your mound with a quiet kind of reverence. The salt-and-pepper stubble on his chin brushed your clit, and your back arched reflexively. Then, remembering why you’d come to this arrangement in the first place, you felt a wave of guilt supplant that pleasure.

You clawed at his head and shook your own, weakly.

“No. W-wanna make you feel good,” you choked out.

Not me.

Not here.

Just let it—

“Fuck,” you keened through your teeth. Joel’s lips made contact with your slick, drooling cunt and, in a second, sucked your nub in between them. He flicked his tongue.

Joel groaned, then pulled away to meet your gaze.

“Feels plenty good f’me,” he assured you in a murmur. Eyes glossy, “She’s so fuckin’ sweet, honey. So pretty.”

Then, as if to punctuate his point, he slid his tongue down the whole wet mess of your slit, and he moaned. He curled the muscle and invaded your sticky, sensitive, precious warm flesh with vigor and force—maybe a little desperation—and you whined at the feeling. Your toes curled tight. It was doubtlessly a sight to see: Joel’s old and weathered head against your young and supple skin, the wiry greys of his chin rubbing your cunt like no man’s his age should’ve been. He took you gently. Forked his fingers over your folds to hold you open for him and then, over and over and over again, just licking stripes. Squelching noises only seemed to goad him on while he buried his nose and savored your taste without reserve. Your stomach clenched with that pleasure, then swelled.

“That’s my girl—so good for me,” Joel said, as though reminding you, gently, it was okay to relish the feeling.

Once more, he suckled your clit in his mouth, rubbing the tip of his tongue in a quick back-and-forth motion, and the next sensation hit without a breath of warning.

Your belly twisted again, then flushed with hot pleasure.

“My— fuck,” you cried, shuddering with a climax you didn’t know was coming. You held his head and whined.

Joel’s tongue didn’t stop. Your vision blurred. Whatever reprieve you might’ve hoped to find came in the form of his lips drawing back, momentarily, only to sponge little kisses on your still-pulsing heat. Your body jolted back.

“I c— I’m done. I’m done,” you blurted out.

Joel nodded against you. Humming through his kisses:

“I know. Keep going.”

Keep going.

So simple.

Still, you couldn’t breathe. Your sight was inundated with stars. You felt Joel’s stubble on your slit again, only this time, the pleasure was tripled. Your legs trembled, and your hands made fists in his hair. Joel kept on kissing.

And kissed again, again, and again, until your fingers in his locks pulled taut to the roots and your hips were bucking up in his face: ‘Too much, t—oh fuckfuckfuck.’

Then came a buzz. Skirting your legs in a blink, before diving to meet Joel’s mouth on your clit. You shrieked.

“I know, I know,” Joel joined, as though soothing a wound while he maneuvered the vibrator. Lifting his head and then kissing your thigh, “I know. You’re alright.”

You wanted to sob; you felt ready to burst. You trusted Joel’s judgment but had never been subjected to this sort of pleasure. What if it was more than you could take?

“I’m here.”

Joel’s words were slow to crawl off his tongue, but their intent was clear. You writhed once more, and he was kissing your skin, rubbing your thighs, and taking the toy to your clit with a warm, devoted touch. He wasn’t cruel.

He had a glint in his gaze when you met it, like he knew you wouldn’t accept this feeling alone—but he wanted you to. He wanted the indulgence to be your own and an end in itself. There was care in his touch, tender praise with every caress, and you guessed this was intentional. Joel needed you to know this was more than only his.

You felt more naked than you’d ever been: soaking the sheets with your last release, fresh arousal trickling out, Joel’s spit mixing with your nectar and sweat and pressing you down in the bed. And nudging you, gently.

“‘S’okay, baby. You’re alright. That feels nice, doesn’t i—”

“Kiss me.”

It came out faster than you could even try and stop it. You weren’t sure why you said it. The words were acerbic on your tongue—you hated ever sounding needy—but then your mind and your mouth and your worries were all silenced at once when Joel came clambering up for you.

His lips were wet and grinning as he kissed you. He held the vibrator hostage between your legs while his body pressed tight against yours. His movements slowed.

Then, as if he’d crawled in your head and read your mind:

“It’s okay to need me, baby. It’s okay to want this.”

His hips made that assurance even clearer. Joel reached down and took the vibrator again, increasing the friction between your groin and his while he pressed the buzzing toy to your clit. You whined into his mouth at the feeling.

Your eyes rolled back, and the pleasure soared. This morning, you might’ve bristled at the words he’d just spoken, but here, in this bed, it felt okay. It felt safe.

Joel felt safe, for once, and you weren’t sure how to keep that idea from sticking—how to reconcile the notion of swapping sex for cash with a man for months on end, and then this. Your stomach churned. He held your face and kissed you more, and your clit throbbed and ached. Before you could ponder your thoughts a second longer, a white-hot pleasure washed over, and you came again.

“Good girl,” Joel cooed.

Throbbing even more this time.

“That’s a sweet girl. That’s my baby.”

All but aching with desire. Feeling it double.

“Cum for daddy, that’s it. Keep going.”

Feeling it trickle down your legs.

“She’s feelin’ real good, huh?”

You could barely breathe.

You whined. Felt something splinter between your thighs and then more of it, more of you and that slick, oozing pleasure and Joel’s groans, overjoyed—‘Making a fucking mess’a daddy, isn’t she? She feel that good?’—and by ‘that good’ you guessed it was more than normal.

This was more warmth than usual. Somewhere in the midst of your own mind-numbing pleasure, you’d let out a spurt, sticky and wet. It now coated the hairs on Joel’s tummy, and while his skin shone, his eyes were brighter. He flitted a look to you, gaze flaring, and slid down. Low.

Back to where he was before. Moving the buzzing pink bullet aside and letting his mouth assume its place.

Of course, you yelped.

“Joel!”

You winced, both from saying his name and feeling so raw. Joel grinned at the sound and suckled your clit.

It was drenched. You and Joel, too, were doused all over and practically gleaming under the rays of late afternoon sun then pouring through the window. For a second, you cast a look outside like you had before, but it was only to brace your body for the bliss at hand. You stared and felt a crude, carnal shockwave seize you head to toe. It traveled fast and made you release, again, or else just continue the same flow as before—and this time, into Joel’s waiting mouth. He lapped at you feverishly now.

He squeezed your legs and licked you dry. He worked in merciless circles, like his life might have depended on making you stay at this peak. All the while, you were tearing at his hair. Riding his face as your body fell apart.

That was alright. This pleasure was yours for now, but there was still time yet to make it worth his while, you reasoned in a half-intoxicated state. Your legs vibrated as you started to crawl—limp—back up in the bed and, numb with elation and a desperate need to please, you stretched your arm toward the night stand. You huffed.

You reached blindly but got it. The box. Weak fingers found the first plastic strip and tore yourself a square. Then, lifting it to Joel, you ignored the last stabs of pleasure between your legs. This was fun, but still his.

“Go on,” you told him, breathless, “Fuck me.”

Joel quirked a brow. He took the condom, still panting himself. He brought the latex to his tip out of habit, then:

“Yeah? Are you sure?”

“Uh-huh.”

Your head was swimming. Somewhere entrenched in the furthest recesses of your brain you could feel it, that dizzying, self-centered pleasure. You pushed it back.

You suffocated it, and you spread your legs wide for him. You let him lay you down and tug the rubber over his cock, then nudge at your hips to situate himself in just the right way. How he liked it. He seemed to be content, and your heart swelled. In this airy, buoyant state, you felt more at ease to speak, sure that he’d understand.

“This should cover some of it, right?” you panted out.

Joel slowed.

“What?”

You sucked your bottom lip between your teeth, eager to keep going. But you steeled yourself, just barely, then.

“Sex. Now,” you said, “It’ll cover some of my car repairs.”

Instead of nodding like you’d expected, Joel only blinked. Then you opened your mouth to speak again, and his body stopped you cold. He planted a hand beside your head on the pillow and raised his hips; you felt his heat leave with it. You reached for his backside immediately, to try and pull him back into that pre-missionary position he’d held, when Joel brushed you off. His face was hard.

“Money?” he quipped.

“Yeah,” you started, then remembered how you talked outside of the bedroom, when he seemed more serious, “We’ll go again. All week. You can even put it in my—”

Joel balked, like you’d just slapped him across the face.

“No,” he said, sharp.

“No,” he repeated, more to himself this second time. Almost as though he couldn’t believe what you were suggesting—and making him guilty by association.

Joel clenched your pillow like a vice and shook his head.

“You’re not getting paid for this,” he finished, and when your gaze penetrated his, confused, he squeezed harder.

“Thought you wanted it.” Joel added, almost shamefully.

“I do! I do…I just—” you sputtered.

“What? Think you need to offer up a week and a half of fucking to make it worth my time? Is that what this is?”

Well, in a way, maybe.

You weren’t sure what to say. Former dizzying bliss was dwindling fast, and now you were facing him cold. Sober.

Increasingly irritated, again.

“I just need money, Mr. Miller—”

“It’s Joel, hon,” he bit back, for the fourth time that day. His eyes flared with something more, maybe annoyance, but then he was tempering it just as fast. He ran a hand through his damp grey hair and shook his head, pausing, “It’s Joel. I know you need the money, baby, but it’s—”

“It’s what we agreed,” you protested, “What I need—”

“Well it’s not what I want!” Joel barked.

Anger surged again, and this time, evidently, the feeling was harder to keep at bay. He was scarcely able to rein in his features, settling on a grave little scowl instead of a frown, and he sucked in shorter, shallower breaths through his nose. You felt him let your pillow go.

“Forget it—the cash.” Joel grit his teeth even tighter, “Forget these payments and the goddamn allowance I’ve had you on. I can’t do that anymore. It’s not right.”

Your heart sank.

You didn’t know what to say.

Luckily, Joel’s voice resumed on its own.

“Whatever you want, whatever you need, sweetheart…”

He stopped. Silence followed, then stretched on for one full, terrible minute. In that interim, you could see his chest rise and fall fast. He was trying to slow it down.

“Whatever you need paid off, I’ll do it. Anything. You don’t have to touch me again. It was wrong of me to allow that in the first place,” he rejoined, tone cooling.

Sounding guilty, too.

Above you, Joel didn’t seem keen on holding your gaze, so he fixed his stare someplace on the headboard instead. Then he moved off your body, slowly.

In spite of the distance he attempted to give, he was still crowding your space. Looming large and bare and weary as you’d ever seen him, knees shuffling back awkwardly through a mass of cotton sheets while his eyes shifted low. Away. The rest of him filled your lungs with a heady cologne scent and your stomach with a thousand tiny blades—you were hurt that he wasn’t sticking to his end of the bargain. You were mad that he was trying to claim the moral high ground now, after everything you’d done.

Mostly, though, you were just upset that you felt like you were losing someone close. That Joel Miller was more of a confidant, friend, and father figure than your own dad had ever been, and that got all fucked up over money. Your lips pursed, and something stung behind your eyes when you reached for him again. Your throat stung, too.

“The reason I agreed to do this,” Joel went on, and the ache in your head worsened when he winced from your touch, “was ‘cause I didn’t want you getting ‘help’ from anyone else. I was selfish. And that’s not an excuse…”

He started to move off, hand dropping from yours.

“…but it’s the truth. I’m sorry.”

At length, Joel found your gaze, and the eyes said it all over again: I’m sorry. You might’ve believed them, too.

But you were you, and you couldn’t help but press:

“Why?”

Your voice was small. Joel was trying to stand from the bed, but you grabbed at his hand again and made him meet your eyes. Confusion was painted across his own.

Kneeling in front of him, curious, you tried to clarify.

“Why’d it have to be you?”

Judging from Joel’s expression as soon as you did, you got the sense that this question made him feel dumb. He frowned, but he held your stare and answered anyway.

“Because I wanted you first,” he replied, “Before all this.”

Your stomach twisted. He did?

You didn’t need to ask twice to know what that meant. What he’d said, in words and with a look, was enough. Still, it was always in you to know more, to be sure, so you crept a little closer. You let your hands roam up and—

“No,” Joel said, as soon as your fingers reached his side.

You’d just wanted to feel him, maybe prod him further on what he’d just said through acts that didn’t require verbal articulation, but he refused. He backed up in bed.

“This isn’t about—” he started, low.

“Sex. I know,” you answered for him. Then your touch grazed his thigh, and you were dying to have more. To be told in a way you both knew and understood. To touch, “You want me to believe you really…liked me before?”

“More than you know.”

There was that blunt, open pragmatism in the Joel you’d always known. Perhaps guided by natural inclinations, or else your hand on his leg, drawing higher. Moving closer.

Showing skepticism through your eyes and the hint of a playful, disbelieving smile starting to curl at your lips.

“When you met me?” you teased.

You’d known of Joel for years, and had met him a couple times as a teenager at various firm holiday functions. You probably hadn’t exchanged more than ten words altogether before starting law school a few years back.

“Hell no,” Joel answered, fast, “When you started work.”

His gaze was timid again. It was fixed on his thigh where you’d started to slide your index up the warm, muscled expanse of his skin, and though you could tell he was more than hesitant, you wanted to know. Wanted to feel.

It wasn’t so easy convincing a man you’d been working for—and fucking, largely without feeling—to pay bills that you wanted him here and now. But you needed to try.

That maybe, somewhere along the way, you’d come to want him, too. That cash wasn’t the only thing at stake.

You crawled between his legs, then straddled his hips.

Your lips smiling still as you did: “How much?”

Joel blinked back. Dazed.

“What do you m—”

“How much did you like me? When did it start?”

Joel sighed when your heat rubbed his. He tried grabbing ahold of your hips, when you glanced down and saw he’d already discarded the last condom. You couldn’t have that if you wanted to continue this talk.

You reached back and grabbed another.

“Darlin’,” Joel said, strained, “We shouldn’t…”

“Says who?”

You’d already worked the rubber halfway down his length when his heavy-lidded gaze locked with yours. You saw lust there, mixed with worry. Curiosity. You kept going.

“Says your dad, if he ever finds out what I’ve done to his little girl,” Joel replied, closing his eyes at the feeling.

You had the latex worked down to the base of him when you smiled. Felt him seize your hips, lids fluttering open to find you in their soft, glossy stare, and you felt better. Like clockwork, you went together and joined, at last. You felt Joel squeeze your backside and groan when you first sank down to take him whole. You shuddered, too.

But you tried to steady your voice as you spoke.

“Semantics, Miller,” you told him, only faltering a little, “Things you are ‘doing’ to his little girl. Not just ‘done.’”

There, you had a point. Surely your father would have had some choice words for his business partner and best friend if he knew how far Joel’s cock was currently stuffed inside your tight, wet cunt. It might even piss him off, if he weren’t too drunk to receive the news himself.

Joel blinked hard, signaling that he knew this too, and presently watched your body swallow all eight inches at once, after you’d raised yourself up to just the tip and sank back. Your ass fell to his groin with an obscene sort of squelch, and your walls involuntarily clenched. You both let out sounds of pleasure, and held on tighter.

Your hands on his chest for stability, while one of his own held your hip and the other fumbled around for your clit, gliding through the sheen of your arousal on his front. You rocked your hips and felt how much it really was—how you’d drenched his whole abdomen with your last release. You smiled at this and stared, pleased with the pretty, sticky display you’d laid bare all over Joel’s belly.

When Joel wasn’t watching you ride, he stared there too.

“Not so ‘little’ anymore,” he mused quietly. Then he looked up to find your eyes, seeing them as glazed as his, “And I ‘like’ you, hon. Present tense. Not just…‘liked.’”

Alright.

“How much?”

You wanted to say it with some confidence. Nonchalance. Then Joel’s cock nicked a particularly sensitive ridge inside your walls, and that thought was gone as quick as it had come. You gripped the flesh of his upper chest and rolled your hips harder. Let out your breaths in little fractured whimpers while you rode him more. Another sweet feeling twisted low in your gut.

With just a glimpse of that, Joel moved his hand from your heat up past your hips and waist, to squeeze one of your breasts. His fingers were wet. You could feel them, equal parts warmth and wanton yearning as the pads pinched your nipple and gave it a firm tug. He grunted.

Clearly, there was more to it than just the touching and feeling for him—Joel’s eyes drank in the sight of your skin as it glistened with the arousal he’d just smeared. He thumbed at the wet, stiff peak and swallowed. And, just as you were about to adjust the rhythm of your hips bouncing on him, his free hand joined the first and pulled you down. You cried feeling his cock wedge deep; your hands fell to either side of his body when he yanked your face down to his. He fucked up into you from underneath

You squealed, soft, “Joel!”

He kissed your open mouth. Made you lay flat overtop him while he fucked your dripping hole. You whimpered.

“Joel—” Again.

“I like you so much, sweetheart,” he said, in answer to your last question, lips close, “Does she like me too?”

As if to save him the trouble of a swift reply in words, your body told him instead. You squeezed around his cock, and with another desperate cry, bit his shoulder. He hammered your poor, aching pussy with a groan of his own, and he held your body down to his. Grinning.

Kissing the side of your head while he pounded away. Stroking your hair, “Is that a ‘yes’? She like her daddy?”

Drool was bound to slip out of your mouth any second. Your lips were locked in a permanent ‘o’ while he drilled from under you on the bed. Still, you managed to nod.

“Uh-huh—oh, fuck, fuck, da-ddy. Yes, daddy.”

You squeezed your eyes shut as another blistering wave seared your insides. Joel was relentless with his thrusts now, driving himself in and out without stopping or slowing. He must’ve known you were close. He was too, judging by the sounds of his grunts and hushed tone.

“Let daddy take care of her then, baby. All of her. OK?”

His words trickled through your ear as sweet as honey. His cock was less kind, but that was okay—you liked it.

You loved him here. Taking care of you. Her. Everything.

And, in this half-coherent state of fuckdrunk pleasure, you were tempted to give in to whatever he begged.

It would be so easy. Joel cradled your face in his hand, practically beaming with pride while he fucked you over and over, and your legs were spread, walls were stretched, eyes practically rolling back, and you felt more secure than you’d been in ages. Joel could care for you.

He rubbed his thumb over your cheek and hummed.

“Daddy’s got you,” he said, voice all warm assurance.

Nudging you closer and closer to your peak—and perhaps some other form of surrender. Release.

Submission?

Joel wouldn’t be so bad for that.

He could fuck you well and leave you content. Make you forget what it meant to be strapped for cash and saddled with guilt and worry over bills every month. Joel could provide, for now. His eyes said as much; his fingers threaded through your hair and rubbed your scalp. He cupped your face, all fifty-six years in his own looking as handsome as they’d ever been. He felt good. He felt safe.

You were hot. Your legs trembled and ached.

“Is that something you’d want?” he pressed.

And, still holding Joel’s gaze with a heavy-lidded, fucked out look of your own, you surprised yourself by nodding, slowly. Your body was spent, but the curve on your lips, then his, was sincere; Joel nodded back as he grinned.

“Yeah? You mean it, sweetheart?”

He flipped you both over and got on top, never breaking apart. You wound your legs around his back and let him cup your cheeks again, and from this angle, you felt it. You wouldn’t try and fight it now; you just kissed him.

Then you came for a third time, walls clenching and squeezing and gushing again, smearing Joel’s front as he fucked you right through it. His groans were a little more subdued than yours, but in their timbre, you could hear his desperation. He emptied himself inside you, in the condom, and kept holding your face all the while.

You felt a low pulse between your legs. Then another. And another. And another. Joel’s hips began to still, his hefty greying belly bumping lightly against your skin while he drained what was left in his balls, and you swore that his bones might’ve creaked from the sheer force of those final thrusts. He seemed exhausted. Somehow, though, the man looked even better in this state—haggard and worn as he was, the face above your own was soft. Smiling, faintly, and kissing you constantly.

You couldn’t pretend you didn’t enjoy it; you were far too tired and fucked out of your mind to protest right now.

Joel trailed a path with his lips from your chin to your ear. He kissed the hinge of your jaw and sank himself deeper.

“Mr.—” But you caught yourself, shortly, “…Joel.”

He lifted his head, not apologetic in the least.

“Maybe just one more—” he started.

“No,” you finished for him, sharp.

Still smiling, but with your eyes on him in a thinly veiled threat. Joel accepted that and kept his dick where it was.

What followed was gradual but natural enough. A little awkward as you broached that uncharted territory of remaining in the other’s presence after the deed was done, but Joel didn’t seem like he wanted to leave the bed, and you had nowhere else to go until dinner with your dad at eight. There was a moment you wanted to separate your body from Joel’s, if only to slip off to the bathroom by yourself, but the man just held you closer.

“You think your old man will mind if I joined tonight?”

Here the fuck we go.

“He’ll kill you.”

You pushed hard against his hold without getting so much as an inch of give. Joel had to fight back a chuckle.

“Oh, yeah? Why?”

“Because,” you began in a huff. Wriggling with very little success in his arms, while you were pinned in missionary, “I smell like you. You smell like me. My dad’s a drunk, but he can sniff stuff like that out in a heartbeat. Too risky.”

You punctuated those words with a still more serious look, but before you could nudge at his chest again or say something more, you were forced to swallow a scream. Joel’s grip tightened even more, and he moved to stand up from the bed—with you still in his arms and impaled on his cock. He started to walk to the bathroom.

“Great. Shower’s got plenty of room for the two of us.”

“Joel!”

“Glad I don’t have to keep reminding you of my name.”

His voice was smug. Your gaze was hard. Joel was still hard himself, amazingly, and you almost groaned when you felt the head of his cock bump somewhere soft and sensitive inside. He toted you into the big, bright room.

“If not tonight, how ‘bout tomorrow? Just you and me.”

He would never stop this shit. He reached for the faucet.

“Still too dangerous. You know that,” you chided. Your resolve only wavered a little when you felt the hot water start to pelt at your back. Joel closed the glass door, “Besides���I need to focus on figuring my shit out right now. Work and bills and getting myself a rental car soon.”

Joel paused. He turned, still holding you.

Then, just as swiftly as he’d stepped inside, he carried you right back out of the shower. You whined in protest.

He took you over to the bed and set you down. He left to find his wallet and keys. You might’ve been tempted to voice your displeasure in some other way—namely, by marching back to the bathroom, locking the door, and bathing alone—but before you could speak a word, Joel was back. He looked down at you and held out his fist.

“What’s—”

“Your dad and me’ll be up to our eyeballs in bullshit working the Garcia audit tomorrow—and I know you don’t want him seeing us leave together anywhere—so we can meet at Bohanan’s at six. How does that sound?”

You blinked.

“I don’t…have a car.”

Joel opened his hand. Keys dropped out.

In a single glance, you could see they weren’t his.

Joel drove a garish Super Duty F-450, not an Audi. The cogs were quick to turn in your head, but clearly not fast enough, because Joel was closing your fingers over the keys before you could breathe so much as a syllable to him. When you did, it came out more like a stutter. Palpably mad but far too rattled to get much out:

“Joel, I-I can’t—”

“I’ve been meaning to buy one anyw—”

“You’re insane,” you started to push the keys back, and for some reason, your heart was thudding extra hard as you did. You went on, unblinking, “You don’t…need to.”

“I want to.”

Joel’s hands were warm when he pressed both of his palms to secure yours between them. He could probably feel the way it shook a little, but he didn’t seem to care. His gaze was too busy trying to find, and hold, your own while you swallowed and stared and racked your numb brain for any words of defiance. At length, nothing came.

All you could do was meet that look. In the soft brown irises above, you could see it all—the need to comfort, and care, and provide where he could, offer better than the hand you’d been dealt and maybe, interspersed with those feelings somewhere, a simpler need in him to give.

For once, you wanted to believe it.

Fun fact: This fic was inspired by true events‼️💯 My life 😫🤪😤😈 Like reader, my truck is also busted as SHIT and needs $2,700 in repairs!!!! Unlike reader, I will not be sucking and fucking Joel Miller to recoup my losses (not asking for donations, just wanted to give y’all a giggle at my misfortune LOL)

[vote-democrat-president-congress]

Trump Ignores the Ruinous History of Tariffs

By Steven R. Weisman; July 26, 2024 Mr. Weisman, a former correspondent and editorial writer for The New York Times, is vice president for publications at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Donald Trump’s economic panacea is to impose over-the-top tariffs on all imports, potentially generating enough revenue to eliminate the federal income tax. It is hardly an innovative idea. On the contrary, if enacted, it would return our postmodern economy to that of the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, to economic policies favoring the wealthy over the poor and middle class, when tariffs were the main source of government revenue.

That tariff-dominant era ended with the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1913, which facilitated the adoption of a graduated federal income tax. The income tax, not tariffs, has been the main source of federal revenue ever since, and for good reason.

Tariffs are a tax on imports, the functional equivalent of a sales tax, imposing a proportionately bigger burden on those with modest incomes. As my colleagues at the Peterson Institute for International Economics point out, Mr. Trump’s proposal for a 10 percent tariff on all imports (which totaled $3.1 trillion last year) and a 60 percent tariff on imports from China would cost a typical middle-income household at least $1,700 in increased expenses each year.

Mr. Trump’s radical “all tariff policy” would be self-defeating. It could not possibly fund our modern national security and social welfare needs, because tariff rates would have to rise impossibly high to yield the $2 trillion generated by individual and corporate income taxes. The resulting tariff war, when countries inevitably retaliate, would shrink imports and reduce tariff revenues. And it would discard or marginalize the one tax we have that requires people to pay their fair share.

Following the Revolutionary War, the national government did indeed rely almost entirely on tariffs, as pushed by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton to avoid distasteful excise taxes and encourage the new nation’s infant manufacturing sector. The Civil War quickly proved their inadequacy. To meet the resulting fiscal crisis, Abraham Lincoln persuaded Congress to pass the very first income tax in 1862, essentially a tax on only the very top earners.

That was phased out after the war, returning the United States to its reliance on tariffs and the chaos and class resentment they created. In 1889, Thomas Shearman, a prominent lawyer, wrote a widely disseminated essay titled “The Owners of the United States” that listed families including the Astors, Vanderbilts, Rockefellers and Morgans who presided over untaxed fortunes from railroads, factories, oil refineries, mines and banks.

Overreliance on tariffs helped foment an era of economic shocks. The Panic of 1893, at the time the worst depression in American history, was set off by business and bank failures but aggravated by foreign creditors demanding payment in gold, which only encouraged the U.S. Treasury to push for even higher tariffs to curb imports.

Out of this crisis a new star of the Democratic Party arose, William Jennings Bryan, the “Great Commoner,” who warned against America crucifying itself on a “cross of gold.” He also crusaded against protectionism by holding up clothing and kitchen utensils at his rallies and declaring that tariffs drove up their cost by 50 percent.

Bryan as the Democratic presidential nominee lost the 1896 election to William McKinley, a favorite of Mr. Trump’s (he calls McKinley “the Tariff King”). But Bryan’s ideas lived on. By 1912, a Democratic free-trader and income tax supporter, Woodrow Wilson, the reformist governor of New Jersey, had won the White House.

The income tax was enacted in 1913 in Wilson’s first year in office. Once again, it was war and the urgent need for money, rather than political ideology, that proved the impracticality of relying on tariffs. To fund the mobilization for World War I, Wilson raised the top marginal income tax rate to 77 percent. (Since then, the top rate has fluctuated up and down, rising above 90 percent in World War II and now at 37 percent.)

The Democrats’ defeat after the war brought traditional Republicans with their high-tariffs philosophy back into power and they raised tariffs throughout the 1920s. That culminated in the infamous Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which was enacted in the misplaced belief that tariffs could protect American industries and farmers after the 1929 stock market crash. Instead, they fueled a catastrophic global trade war, strangled commerce, unleashed competitive currency devaluations and intensified a worldwide depression that contributed to the rise of Nazism and worldwide war.

The advent of President Franklin Roosevelt, a free-trader who had served under Wilson as assistant secretary of the Navy, buried the outdated notion of equating tariffs with prosperity. Indeed, his secretary of state, Cordell Hull, a former Tennessee congressman, had helped enact the income tax and lower tariffs a generation earlier and went on to become an eloquent postwar champion of international trade to save the world from another global crisis.

American politics have a way of flipping the policies of parties. In the modern era, beginning with President Ronald Reagan, it was Republicans who led the way to lower trade barriers as a boon to economic growth. Reagan, the conservative, had in the 1960s demonized the progressive federal income tax as a Marxist plot. He believed its confiscatory rates in the 1940s discouraged work, recalling that in Hollywood he stopped making films halfway through the year when the top marginal rate meant he would turn nearly all his additional income over to the government.

But though Reagan negotiated “voluntary” export curbs with Japan, he never advocated higher tariffs. That opposition fell to organized labor and partly to the Democrats, most of whom have opposed trade deals ever since.

Turning away from President Reagan and his successors, Mr. Trump is the first major Republican of the modern era to enact sweeping higher tariff barriers to protect American industries and farmers. In his first term, he instituted several disparate tariffs. They failed to reduce trade deficits and instead incited Europe, Canada and China to retaliate, forcing his administration to pay $23 billion to bail out farmers when China hit back with tariffs on U.S. agriculture products.

For his potential second term, Mr. Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, would bring the country back to its protectionist past at a time when large segments of the economy depend on trade and foreign investment, not to mention immigration for high-end tech jobs and low-end jobs in services and agriculture.

A case can be made for selective tariffs to protect national security and sensitive supply chains, and encourage green technologies. The Biden administration has pushed for these steps while keeping Mr. Trump’s tariffs largely in place, incurring many of the same costs. The long historical record demonstrates these are borne not by other countries, as Mr. Trump keeps insisting, but by American consumers and industries.

Tariffs may provide a marginal help to some domestic producers, but only up to a point. Steel manufacturing may gain, but manufacturers that depend on imported steel will lose. Tariffs on solar panels and electric vehicles from China, pushed also by President Biden, may help domestic interests, but they are making it more expensive to adapt to the energy transition.

Economic policies come with trade-offs, and tariffs are no exception. An across-the-board tariff policy would take us not to a prosperous future but to a reactionary past that stopped working in the 19th century, when it nearly bankrupted the government, aggravated class conflict, provoked instability and favored the wealthy over everyone else.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/26/opinion/trump-tariffs-biden-ev.html

[thelostexperiment]

27. for Collin

Usually, Collin was the one who set surprises for everyone, for better or worse. But he wasn't expecting the store-bought tiramisu cake with a #5-shaped candle on top to be placed on his desk as he was reviewing his company's profit margin.

“Surprise!” Susan cheered with her hands giving a jazzy wave as his attention shot towards her. "Happy fifth anniversary, Mr. C!”

Collin blinked confused for a moment. "Fifth anniversary...? Of what?”

His assistant pulled back and her arms gestured to their surroundings. "The company, Ruppells' Poultry."

"OH! Five years already? I didn't even notice... I...", he trailed off as he ruminated on what they've done over the half-decade.

Five years ago Ruppells' Poultry was just an idea he came up with once he stumbled upon the foreverglade fountain in the lost library and found out its water's youth restoring and aging properties. The original reason for the business was just to cultivate a stable revenue for him and Susan while he reshaped his identity, both intrinsically and physically thanks to the de-ageing powers of the fountain water. Now that he looks back on it after all the work, planning and resources that brought them this far it's hard to believe it's only been five years, so much has changed.

His gaze went back to the cake, pensively looking at the transparent reflection of himself in the clear plastic dome protecting the confection. While he was reflecting on how far he'd come since the Lost Library Susan spoke up again as she slid some papers in front of him. “An', more good news— I got the new stock report an' we're actually in the top of the food industry! Ain't that cool? I mean we're actually number two but pretty close, right? At least when it comes to meat products, I mean, we're no Scrooge McDuck but—”

Collin quietly read through the new documents with a deadpan stare of surreality as his assistant rambled on, slowly but surely a small smile started to form as his emotions caught up with the occasion. Pride was swelling in his chest as he reread the document glanced up at the cake and reread it again, his energy bubble as his knee started to shake under the desk. Out of his expansive vocabulary only one word escaped his throat in a horse little whisper— "wow..."

"Right?" The duck woman enthused back, "Ah, Mr. C, I'm just so happy for you. Congrats, really."

Collin rocked forward in his chair, now with a big gaping grin while his eyes swapped between the paper and the cake. His assistant's hype was finally rubbing off on him.

This has to be his proudest moment yet.

"Wow. I've actually gotten us this far—" He said in amazement before, pausing for a little ego check and looked up at his assistant, "I mean we've gotten us this far, of course."

Susan humbly waved him off, "Aw Sir, you're the one doing all the big business stuff I'm just the secretary."

"You're still a great help, Ms. Spruce, to me and this company." He reassured her, standing up, moving around his desk towards her and laying a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Susan."

She couldn't resist hugging him for that which he reciprocated.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Wage rule key to Brazil government cost-cutting plan, experts say

Economists advocate for ambitious measures amid challenging global conditions

Changes to the rules linking health and education spending to revenue, as well as adjustments to the current formula for increasing the minimum wage, are deemed crucial by economists for the fiscal adjustment package the government is expected to present in the coming days.

“If expenses need to be 70% of revenue [in the new fiscal framework] and there are two major areas [health and education] that grow with revenue, others will have to grow much less,” said Joaquim Levy, director of economic strategy and market relations at Safra and a former finance minister, during an event hosted by Warren Investimentos on Monday (18) in São Paulo.

Overall, Mr. Levy noted, these adjustments do not mean cutting expenses, but allowing them to grow slightly less, “with effort, maybe one percentage point less.”

The rule for real minimum wage increases, which is currently tied to GDP, also “affects pensions on the margin,” said Mr. Levy. Therefore, any indication of change in this formulation would also be an improvement, in his view.

Continue reading.

[gesrelblog]

Revenue Models for Social and Non-Social Enterprises: Insights from Mr. Karl Fajardo, Co-Founder of Serial Disruptors

By: Gesrel Manuel

In a recent lecture as part of the Technopreneurship and The Entrepreneurial Mind series, Mr. Karl Fajardo, Co-Founder of Serial Disruptors, explored the different revenue models that can drive growth and sustainability in both social and non-social enterprises. Social enterprises, which prioritize social or environmental missions alongside profit, often rely on impact investment and hybrid models, where they combine commercial revenue with reinvestment into their mission. For example, a social enterprise focused on renewable energy might attract investors who are not only interested in financial returns but also in generating positive environmental impact. On the other hand, subscription-based and freemium models offer a way to build long-term engagement and recurring income, especially for services in education or healthcare.

For non-social enterprises, traditional direct sales and advertising models remain highly effective. These businesses, typically profit-driven, can focus on selling products or services directly to consumers, leveraging high-margin sales or gaining revenue through advertising and sponsorships, especially in digital platforms. Freemium models, often used by tech companies, offer basic services for free while charging for premium features, helping to quickly build a customer base while generating revenue from those willing to pay for added value. Additionally, wholesale and distribution models allow businesses in manufacturing and retail to scale quickly by selling products in bulk to other companies or retailers.

Mr. Fajardo emphasized the importance of aligning the chosen revenue model with the enterprise's mission, whether for social impact or profit. Entrepreneurs should carefully assess their target market, the scalability of their product, and the long-term sustainability of their model. As the landscape of business continuously evolves, adaptability and leveraging new technologies are key to thriving. By embracing innovative revenue models that not only generate financial returns but also support broader social goals, both social and non-social enterprises can navigate the challenges of the modern business world and achieve sustainable growth.

[forblogmostly]

One Point One Solutions Limited Reports Robust Growth in Q2 FY25

November 12, 2024, marked a significant milestone for One Point One Solutions Limited, a leading name in next-generation Business Process Management (BPM) services. The company, headquartered in Navi Mumbai, released its financial results for the second quarter ending September 30, 2024, showcasing exceptional performance and notable year-on-year growth across key financial metrics.

The quarterly report highlights One Point One Solutions' continued trajectory of success, with the company recording substantial revenue growth, improved margins, and impressive profit after tax (PAT). The results are a testament to the company's effective strategies and its relentless focus on expanding its footprint across domestic and international markets.

Financial Performance Highlights For Q2 FY25, the company achieved a revenue of ₹62.48 crore, reflecting a remarkable 56.68% growth compared to the ₹39.88 crore revenue recorded in Q2 FY24. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) rose to ₹18.57 crore, a 25.22% increase from the ₹14.83 crore recorded in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal year.

Profit after tax (PAT) surged by 41.32%, reaching ₹8.38 crore compared to ₹5.93 crore in Q2 FY24. This exceptional performance also saw the company maintaining robust EBITDA and PAT margins at 29.71% and 13.42%, respectively.

Strategic Wins and Global Expansion Beyond the numbers, One Point One Solutions announced several strategic achievements that underscore its growing global presence and operational excellence. Key highlights include:

The signing of a non-binding term sheet to acquire a 100% stake in a BPO firm in Latin America, marking a significant step toward South American market penetration. Securing a strategic client in Tampa, Florida, a leading medical device company, strengthening its U.S. operations. Winning a major contract with a publicly listed Swedish company, with operations in Sweden, India, and the U.S., further expanding its reach in the European market. Its subsidiary, ITCube Solutions, achieving a prominent client win specializing in AI-driven brand threat mitigation tools, showcasing the company’s ability to harness cutting-edge technology. Management Insights Commenting on the results, Mr. Akshay Chhabra, Managing Director of One Point One Solutions, expressed optimism about the company’s growth trajectory. He attributed the strong quarterly performance to successful client acquisitions in Europe and the U.S. and announced plans to operationalize an additional 750 seats in the financial year 2025-26. This expansion is expected to drive a 25% revenue increase.

Mr. Chhabra highlighted the company’s efforts to strengthen its global footprint by incorporating a wholly-owned subsidiary in the U.K. This strategic move positions One Point One Solutions as a significant player in the European market. Additionally, the company is actively exploring acquisitions in Latin America, particularly in Colombia, Mexico, and Costa Rica, to tap into emerging opportunities.

The company is also prioritizing digital transformation by collaborating with AI-focused enterprises. These partnerships aim to enhance operational margins and drive innovative solutions that add value to clients worldwide.

About One Point One Solutions One Point One Solutions Limited is a comprehensive solutions provider in the BPM, IT, and KPO sectors, delivering services across multiple domains including technology, analytics, and process management. With a team of over 5,600 professionals and a global presence spanning the U.S., Europe, and Asia, the company serves diverse industries such as banking, retail, healthcare, and e-commerce.

Recent strategic moves, including the acquisition of ITCube Solutions and the establishment of its U.S.-based subsidiary, have solidified One Point One Solutions’ position as a global leader. By leveraging next-gen technologies such as Generative AI and intelligent automation, the company continues to provide tailored, impactful solutions to its clients.

A Promising Future As One Point One Solutions Limited looks ahead, its focus remains on delivering exceptional client value through organic growth, strategic acquisitions, and cutting-edge technological innovation. The company’s robust financial performance and ambitious global expansion plans underline its commitment to becoming a leader in the BPM and IT services industry.

[christianlindmark]

Should health systems monetize patient data? - Christian Lindmark

-Christian Lindmark

Christian Lindmark - Thursday, October 3rd, 2024

Health systems have a large amount of patient data through EHRs and other digital platforms managing administrative tasks and clinical care. 

The de-identified patient data is useful for creating large language models, precision medicine, drug discovery and more. There are opportunities for hospitals and health systems to commercialize patient data and monetization could be valuable for hospitals with thin margins. But is it ethical?

Four healthcare leaders addressed the question during a panel at the Becker's Health IT + Digital Health + Revenue Cycle Conference Oct. 1-4 in Chicago. 

"Monetizing data comes up somewhere between every seven or nine seconds in healthcare, and it depends on what you mean by data," said Richard Zane, MD, chief innovation officer, UCHealth. "If we're going to see 500 patients who are a certain age with specific clinical genomic issues, and we're going to sell that data set, we can't do that, but can we optimize algorithms? Can we use clinical data in drug discovery? Those things are happening every single day."

Donna Roach, CIO of University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City, said her institution is conservative on commercializing patient data. She said much of the ethical discussions are focused around how datasets for particular patient populations are used and whether the patients consented.

"If you have a need and the consent isn't there, you may have to do the honors task of going back and getting consent, but once the consent is there, we can move forward," she said. "We sometimes jump to the conclusion that EHR data is so rich and why can't we generalize their consent to be in the EHR, but they've not consented for commercialization of their data. That's the balance and tug of war right now."

Academic medical centers in particular are poised to advance healthcare research, drug discovery and large language models. But organizations need to ensure they aren't exploiting patient data or unnecessarily risking HIPAA violations.

Christian Lindmark, vice president and chief technology officer at Stanford Health Care and School of Medicine, agreed most health systems and physician groups have taken a conservative approach to patient data commercialization, but cautioned non-traditional entrants without the same hesitation could reap the benefits. Startups offering a data-driven model for primary care are poised to collect and commercialize data quickly.

"They would probably be more on the forefront and I would assume we'd get some legal precedent around that if we went that route," Mr. Lindmark said. 

Sarah Poncelet, chair of strategy execution at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, said the health system isn't in the business of commercializing patient data, but instead aims to back or create solutions that would reduce time spent in the EHR. She also craves more longitudinal data.

"Over time, ideally it would be great if the patients owned their own data and we had ways for them to be able to consent and allow for us to have new findings," Ms. Poncelet said. "It's more around having the new findings so we can accelerate research through application and within our Mayo Clinic Platform, we have a lot of groups who are consenting to put their data into a shared cloud."

Researchers can access the patient data through a de-identified blockchain to accelerate findings of early hypothesis research and advance medicine.

"It's not about commercializing patients' data, it's about leveraging the information to accelerate findings."

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited, one of India's leading producers of industrial & mining chemicals and fertilisers ("DFPCL" or the "Company"), announced its results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. The company reported a remarkable 237% year-on-year surge in net profits.Consolidated Financial HighlightsConsolidated (INR CR)Q2FY25Q2FY24*YoY ChangeQ1FY25QoQ ChangeH1FY25H1FY24YoYChangeOperating Revenue2,7472,42413%2,28120%5,0284,7376%Operating EBITDA49428673%4646%95956769%Margins (%)18%12% 619 bps20%(237) bps19%12%710 bpsNet Profit21463237%2007%414177134%Margin (%)8%3% 518 bps9%(96) bps8%4%449 bps*Q2FY24 includes the impact of NBS subsidy on channel inventories of Rs. 106 Cr and Rs.87 Cr on account of stabilization of Ammonia PlantKey Highlights for Q2FY25EBITDA Margin Growth: Improved to 18% compared to 12% year-over-year.Record Sales Volume in Bulk Fertilizer: Achieved an 83% year-over-year increase in sales volume of manufactured bulk fertilizer, marking the highest sales in a quarter.Anti-Dumping Duty Implementation: USD 217 per metric ton Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) on IPA for a period of 5 years.In-House Capture of Ammonia Price Hikes: Increases in global ammonia prices are now fully captured internally.Capacity enhancement of approximately 10% resulting from debottlenecking of the TAN plants, delivering an additional 50 KTPA and bringing the total TAN capacity volumes to 587 KTPA to support the growing needs of India's Mining sector.Debt Reduction: Prepaid Rs. 200 crores in debt, improving the Net Debt to EBITDA ratio from 2.66x to 1.64x.Change in key RM Prices in Q2FY25: Ammonia: ~11% YoY; MOP: ~40% YoY; Gas: ~9% YoYCommenting on the performance, Mr. Sailesh C. Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director said, DFPCL has shown impressive performance in Q2 FY25, achieving a 13% growth in revenue. This growth was primarily driven by the Crop Nutrition business, which experienced an 18% YoY increase in revenue, while the Chemical business grew by 8% YoY despite a lean quarter for the chemical sectors. Fertilizer and Chemical businesses acted as a natural hedge, enabling the company to deliver consistent and improved performance.There has been a consistent increase in the proportion of revenue from specialty products, along with an overall rise in revenue, driven by the strategic move of transitioning from commodity to specialty.Crop Nutrition Business (CNB) achieved a remarkable 83% YoY increase in sales volume of manufactured bulk fertilizer, which is highest ever sales.Mining Chemical: Monsoon is a lean period due to slowdown in mining activities. Accordingly, we had taken a planned shutdown of Technical Ammonium Nitrate (TAN) plant for maintenance and capacity enhancement of 50 KTPA, taking total capacity to 587 KTPA.The Industrial Chemicals business experienced a healthy revenue growth of 9%, despite marginal decrease in volumes. This performance underscores our strategic shift from commodities to specialty chemicals, which has effectively mitigated price volatility.The ammonia plant has enabled all our businesses to reap substantial benefits from backward integration, effectively mitigating supply chain risks and price volatility. As a result, we are now able to capture the increases in global ammonia prices within the group.As India continues to grow, the chemical and fertilizer sectors are poised to thrive. The demand outlook for the Crop Nutrition, Mining Chemicals, and Industrial Chemicals Business is well aligned with India's growth story, providing strong and positive tailwinds. We are actively working on the execution of the TAN Project and the Nitric Acid Project in Gopalpur and Dahej, respectively, to capitalize on future growth.Chemicals ReviewMining Chemicals (Technical Ammonium Nitrate): In Q2 FY25, our premium product LDANs sales volume soared by 16% YoY and rose by an impressive 20% in H1 FY25 compared to H1 FY24Overall sales volume was down by 21% YoY in Q2 due to a planned shutdown and lean seasons due to monsoon.

The volumes were down by 1% in H1 FY25 compared to H1 FY24.Business Outlook: The mining and infrastructure is expected to pick up post monsoon as demand for Power (Coal), Cement & Steel is expected to increase thereby providing robust support for TAN demand.Industrial Chemicals: Nitric acid volumes was marginally down by 1% on YoY basis and up by 13% on QoQ basis.The specialty stainless steel grade nitric acid has received positive feedback from customers.IPA volumes experienced a 10% YoY decline due to process constraints and a plant shutdown. However, the recent implementation of an ADD at USD 217 per metric ton for a period of five years is anticipated to enhance both demand and pricing moving forward.Business Outlook: For Nitric Acid, the demand and margins are expected to be stable over the next few quarters. Propylene-based IPA demand and margins are expected to be stable and improve following the implementation of the ADD on Chinese suppliers over few quarters.​Crop Nutrition Business (Fertilisers) ReviewIn Q2 FY25, manufactured bulk fertilizer has achieved highest ever sales volume of 268 KMT, an 83% YoY increase, driven by improved demand from above-average rains, which led to 102% Kharif crop sowing and positive market sentiment across all regions.Sales volume of Croptek surged to 37 KMT, reflecting a 70% YoY growth, with continued focus on providing crop-specific solutions for targeted crops, including cotton, soybean, sugarcane, corn, grapes, pomegranate, and banana.The company has recently launched premium water-soluble fertilizer grades.Sale of specialty fertilizer Bensulf was 9 KMT, up 7% YoY.Business Outlook: Above-normal monsoon rainfall in our core states has significantly enhanced groundwater table as well as water reservoirs for irrigation, which will help promising rabi season ahead.​We expect the acreages under rabi cash crops to go up especially for Sugarcane, Onion, Potato etc.​Company OverviewDeepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd. (DFPCL) is among the India's leading manufacturers of industrial chemicals and fertilisers. With a strong presence in Technical Ammonium Nitrate (mining chemicals), Industrial Chemicals and Crop Nutrition (fertilisers), the Company supports critical sectors of the economy such as infrastructure, mining, chemicals, pharmaceutical and agriculture. DFPCL is a publicly listed, multi-product Indian conglomerate and has plants located in four states, namely Maharashtra (Taloja), Gujarat (Daher), Andhra Pradesh (Srikakulam) and Haryana (Panipat).DFPCL is Leading manufacturer and marketer of Iso Propyl Alcohol (IPA) in India and Largest Manufacturer of Nitric Acid in Southeast Asia. The Company is developing specialised grades of Nitric acid and IPA to meet specific requirements to cater needs of the industry/consumer.DFPCL is one of the leading manufacturers of Technical Ammonium Nitrate in the world, it is the only producer of pilled Technical Grade Ammonium Nitrate solids and medical grade Ammonium Nitrate in India. The Company has commenced best in-class Technical Services to drive downstream productivity benefits for the mining end consumers.CNB Segment (fertilisers) offers a basket of 48 products which include bulk fertilisers, Crop nutrient solutions, specialty fertilisers, water-soluble fertilisers, bio-stimulants, micro-nutrients, and secondary nutrients, catering to every crop's nutrient requirement. Enhanced-efficiency speciality fertilisers are developed basis rigorous R&D efforts and product trials at over 50,000 farmer demo plots. The R&D efforts have shown distinct yield and quality improvements for crops across segments such as cotton, sugarcane, onion, fruits and vegetables. Over last three years, value-added nutrition products have benefitted 6 million farmers. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited, one of India's leading producers of industrial & mining chemicals and fertilisers ("DFPCL" or the "Company"), announced its results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. The company reported a remarkable 237% year-on-year surge in net profits.Consolidated Financial HighlightsConsolidated (INR CR)Q2FY25Q2FY24*YoY ChangeQ1FY25QoQ ChangeH1FY25H1FY24YoYChangeOperating Revenue2,7472,42413%2,28120%5,0284,7376%Operating EBITDA49428673%4646%95956769%Margins (%)18%12% 619 bps20%(237) bps19%12%710 bpsNet Profit21463237%2007%414177134%Margin (%)8%3% 518 bps9%(96) bps8%4%449 bps*Q2FY24 includes the impact of NBS subsidy on channel inventories of Rs. 106 Cr and Rs.87 Cr on account of stabilization of Ammonia PlantKey Highlights for Q2FY25EBITDA Margin Growth: Improved to 18% compared to 12% year-over-year.Record Sales Volume in Bulk Fertilizer: Achieved an 83% year-over-year increase in sales volume of manufactured bulk fertilizer, marking the highest sales in a quarter.Anti-Dumping Duty Implementation: USD 217 per metric ton Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) on IPA for a period of 5 years.In-House Capture of Ammonia Price Hikes: Increases in global ammonia prices are now fully captured internally.Capacity enhancement of approximately 10% resulting from debottlenecking of the TAN plants, delivering an additional 50 KTPA and bringing the total TAN capacity volumes to 587 KTPA to support the growing needs of India's Mining sector.Debt Reduction: Prepaid Rs. 200 crores in debt, improving the Net Debt to EBITDA ratio from 2.66x to 1.64x.Change in key RM Prices in Q2FY25: Ammonia: ~11% YoY; MOP: ~40% YoY; Gas: ~9% YoYCommenting on the performance, Mr. Sailesh C. Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director said, DFPCL has shown impressive performance in Q2 FY25, achieving a 13% growth in revenue. This growth was primarily driven by the Crop Nutrition business, which experienced an 18% YoY increase in revenue, while the Chemical business grew by 8% YoY despite a lean quarter for the chemical sectors. Fertilizer and Chemical businesses acted as a natural hedge, enabling the company to deliver consistent and improved performance.There has been a consistent increase in the proportion of revenue from specialty products, along with an overall rise in revenue, driven by the strategic move of transitioning from commodity to specialty.Crop Nutrition Business (CNB) achieved a remarkable 83% YoY increase in sales volume of manufactured bulk fertilizer, which is highest ever sales.Mining Chemical: Monsoon is a lean period due to slowdown in mining activities. Accordingly, we had taken a planned shutdown of Technical Ammonium Nitrate (TAN) plant for maintenance and capacity enhancement of 50 KTPA, taking total capacity to 587 KTPA.The Industrial Chemicals business experienced a healthy revenue growth of 9%, despite marginal decrease in volumes. This performance underscores our strategic shift from commodities to specialty chemicals, which has effectively mitigated price volatility.The ammonia plant has enabled all our businesses to reap substantial benefits from backward integration, effectively mitigating supply chain risks and price volatility. As a result, we are now able to capture the increases in global ammonia prices within the group.As India continues to grow, the chemical and fertilizer sectors are poised to thrive. The demand outlook for the Crop Nutrition, Mining Chemicals, and Industrial Chemicals Business is well aligned with India's growth story, providing strong and positive tailwinds. We are actively working on the execution of the TAN Project and the Nitric Acid Project in Gopalpur and Dahej, respectively, to capitalize on future growth.Chemicals ReviewMining Chemicals (Technical Ammonium Nitrate): In Q2 FY25, our premium product LDANs sales volume soared by 16% YoY and rose by an impressive 20% in H1 FY25 compared to H1 FY24Overall sales volume was down by 21% YoY in Q2 due to a planned shutdown and lean seasons due to monsoon.

The volumes were down by 1% in H1 FY25 compared to H1 FY24.Business Outlook: The mining and infrastructure is expected to pick up post monsoon as demand for Power (Coal), Cement & Steel is expected to increase thereby providing robust support for TAN demand.Industrial Chemicals: Nitric acid volumes was marginally down by 1% on YoY basis and up by 13% on QoQ basis.The specialty stainless steel grade nitric acid has received positive feedback from customers.IPA volumes experienced a 10% YoY decline due to process constraints and a plant shutdown. However, the recent implementation of an ADD at USD 217 per metric ton for a period of five years is anticipated to enhance both demand and pricing moving forward.Business Outlook: For Nitric Acid, the demand and margins are expected to be stable over the next few quarters. Propylene-based IPA demand and margins are expected to be stable and improve following the implementation of the ADD on Chinese suppliers over few quarters.​Crop Nutrition Business (Fertilisers) ReviewIn Q2 FY25, manufactured bulk fertilizer has achieved highest ever sales volume of 268 KMT, an 83% YoY increase, driven by improved demand from above-average rains, which led to 102% Kharif crop sowing and positive market sentiment across all regions.Sales volume of Croptek surged to 37 KMT, reflecting a 70% YoY growth, with continued focus on providing crop-specific solutions for targeted crops, including cotton, soybean, sugarcane, corn, grapes, pomegranate, and banana.The company has recently launched premium water-soluble fertilizer grades.Sale of specialty fertilizer Bensulf was 9 KMT, up 7% YoY.Business Outlook: Above-normal monsoon rainfall in our core states has significantly enhanced groundwater table as well as water reservoirs for irrigation, which will help promising rabi season ahead.​We expect the acreages under rabi cash crops to go up especially for Sugarcane, Onion, Potato etc.​Company OverviewDeepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd. (DFPCL) is among the India's leading manufacturers of industrial chemicals and fertilisers. With a strong presence in Technical Ammonium Nitrate (mining chemicals), Industrial Chemicals and Crop Nutrition (fertilisers), the Company supports critical sectors of the economy such as infrastructure, mining, chemicals, pharmaceutical and agriculture. DFPCL is a publicly listed, multi-product Indian conglomerate and has plants located in four states, namely Maharashtra (Taloja), Gujarat (Daher), Andhra Pradesh (Srikakulam) and Haryana (Panipat).DFPCL is Leading manufacturer and marketer of Iso Propyl Alcohol (IPA) in India and Largest Manufacturer of Nitric Acid in Southeast Asia. The Company is developing specialised grades of Nitric acid and IPA to meet specific requirements to cater needs of the industry/consumer.DFPCL is one of the leading manufacturers of Technical Ammonium Nitrate in the world, it is the only producer of pilled Technical Grade Ammonium Nitrate solids and medical grade Ammonium Nitrate in India. The Company has commenced best in-class Technical Services to drive downstream productivity benefits for the mining end consumers.CNB Segment (fertilisers) offers a basket of 48 products which include bulk fertilisers, Crop nutrient solutions, specialty fertilisers, water-soluble fertilisers, bio-stimulants, micro-nutrients, and secondary nutrients, catering to every crop's nutrient requirement. Enhanced-efficiency speciality fertilisers are developed basis rigorous R&D efforts and product trials at over 50,000 farmer demo plots. The R&D efforts have shown distinct yield and quality improvements for crops across segments such as cotton, sugarcane, onion, fruits and vegetables. Over last three years, value-added nutrition products have benefitted 6 million farmers. [ad_2] Source link

[tsasocial]

Page Industries Limited reports revenue growth in Q1 FY25

Page Industries Limited, India’s leading apparel manufacturer, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended June 30th, 2024.

In Q1 FY25, the company demonstrated solid financial performance with a notable increase in both sales volume and revenue. Sales volume grew by 2.6% year-over-year, reaching 57.4 million pieces, while revenue climbed to Rs. 12,775 million, reflecting 3.9% growth compared to the same period last year. The company’s EBITDA stood at Rs. 2,433 million with a margin of 19%, showing a sequential growth of 2.5%. Despite significant investments in digital transformation and marketing, the impact on profitability was mitigated by stable input costs and effective operational expense optimization. This resulted in a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 1,652 million, marking a 4.3% year-over-year increase.

Commenting on the results, Mr. V.S. Ganesh, Managing Director, Page Industries Limited said, “I am pleased to announce that our dedicated efforts to enhance the inventory health of our distributors have significantly boosted the overall efficiency of our business. We have successfully maintained strong operating margins while simultaneously advancing several digital transformation initiatives, enhancing consumer engagement, and investing in technology.

Our exciting expansion and developments in the eCommerce space continue to drive substantial growth in this channel. We remain optimistic about the resurgence of demand in the upcoming quarters and are well-prepared to capitalize on it.

[roshmedia]

Owning a franchise 

Owning a franchise, whether it's a pizza chain or a home service business, offers entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to start a business with a proven model and established brand recognition. This business structure comes with distinct advantages and challenges that prospective franchisees should carefully consider.

One of the primary benefits of franchise ownership is the instant brand recognition it provides. A pizza franchise like Domino's or Papa John's comes with a well-known name that customers already trust. Similarly, home service franchises such as Mr. Handyman or Molly Maid benefit from national advertising and a reputation for reliability. This established brand can significantly reduce the time and effort required to build a customer base from scratch.

Franchises also offer a turnkey business model that has been tested and refined over time. This can substantially reduce the trial-and-error period often associated with starting a new business. For instance, a pizza franchise will provide tried-and-true recipes and operational procedures, while a home cleaning franchise will offer established cleaning protocols and customer service procedures. This proven model extends to training and support as well. Franchisors typically provide comprehensive training programs for new franchisees, covering everything from operational procedures to marketing strategies and management techniques.

Another advantage of franchise ownership is the collective purchasing power of the network. This can lead to lower costs for supplies and equipment, which is particularly beneficial in industries with tight profit margins. A pizza franchise might get better prices on ingredients and packaging, while a home service franchise could secure discounts on cleaning supplies or tools.

However, franchise ownership isn't without its challenges. The initial investment required to purchase a franchise can be substantial. This often includes franchise fees, equipment costs, and working capital. Opening a pizza franchise, for example, might require investing in ovens, delivery vehicles, and initial inventory. While a home service franchise might need less equipment, it could require investment in vehicles, uniforms, and supplies.

Ongoing fees are another consideration. Franchisees typically pay royalties and marketing fees to the franchisor, usually as a percentage of gross sales. These fees can impact profitability and need to be factored into financial projections.

The established business model, while generally beneficial, can also be constraining. Franchisees often have limited autonomy to make changes to their offerings or overall business strategy. A pizza franchise owner might not be able to add local specialty items to the menu, while a home service franchise might be restricted in the types of services they can offer. Many franchise agreements also include territory restrictions, limiting where franchisees can operate or expand their businesses.

There are also distinct considerations depending on the type of franchise. Pizza franchises often require a higher initial investment due to equipment and location needs, and involve more complex operations including food preparation and delivery logistics. However, they offer the potential for high volume sales in densely populated areas and multiple revenue streams through dine-in, takeout, and delivery options.

Home service franchises, on the other hand, often have a lower initial investment and more flexibility in terms of operating location. They provide opportunities to build long-term client relationships but may face seasonal fluctuations in demand for some services.

Regardless of the franchise type, several factors contribute to success. Location is crucial, whether it's a high-traffic area for a pizza franchise or a central location within the service area for a home service business. Exceptional customer service is key in both industries for building a loyal customer base. Efficient operations, including managing costs and maintaining quality, are also vital.

While franchisees benefit from national brand recognition, successful owners also invest in local marketing efforts to build community connections. Consistently meeting the franchisor's quality standards is essential for maintaining brand integrity and customer satisfaction.

In conclusion, owning a franchise offers a unique blend of entrepreneurial opportunity and corporate support. While it comes with its own set of challenges, the right franchise in the hands of a dedicated and skilled owner can be a recipe for business success. Prospective franchisees should carefully research their options, understand the commitments involved, and align their choice with their skills, interests, and local market conditions. Whether it's serving up hot pizzas or providing top-notch home services, franchise ownership can be a pathway to achieving the dream of business ownership with the added security of a proven system.

[allthenewzworld]

Kenya's president withdraws tax plan after deadly protest

Kenya’s President William Ruto says he will withdraw a finance bill containing controversial tax hikes after deadly protests which saw parliament set ablaze on Tuesday.

In an address to the nation, he said it was clear that Kenyans "want nothing" to do with the bill.

"I concede," he said, adding that he would not sign the bill into law.

At least 22 people were killed in Tuesday’s protests, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHRC).

Mr Ruto said he would now enter into dialogue with the young people, who were at the forefront of the biggest protests to hit the country since he was elected in 2022.

The bill was passed by parliament on Tuesday, despite nationwide demonstrations against it.

Protesters broke into parliament, vandalising the interior and setting parts of the complex on fire. The ceremonial mace, symbolising the authority of the legislature, was stolen.

Mr Ruto initially responded with defiance.

He ordered the military to be deployed, saying "violence and anarchy" would not be tolerated.

But he climbed down on Wednesday, following an extraordinary demonstration of people power.

“Ruto bows to Gen Z pressure, withdraws Finance Bill,” read the headline on Kenya’s Citizen TV.

In his second address to the nation in less than 24 hours, Mr Ruto laid out a very clear rationale for why he thought the tax increases were necessary.

The proposed legislation was part of efforts to cut the country’s massive debt burden of more than $80bn (£63bn), which costs the country more than half of its annual tax revenues to service.

Mr Ruto added that his government had made progress and was on course to “assert sovereignty” by repaying its debts.

He said the provisions would have benefitted farmers, students and teachers, but he admitted the people were not behind him.

“I also lead people,” he said, “and the people have spoken.”

It is unclear clear how his climbdown will affect plans to resume the protests, which have largely been organised via social media, on Thursday.

Chatter on social media suggested that it would still go ahead.

The stated purpose of the demonstrations was to force the president not to sign the bill.

But the protesters have begun demanding that he step down, with the slogan “Ruto must go.”

Mr Ruto rose to the presidency after defeating his main rival Raila Odinga by a narrow margin in the 2022 election.

He got 50.5% of the vote, to Mr Odinga's 48.8%.

Mr Ruto won after portraying himself as a "hustler" who was challenging an attempt by two dynasties - the Odingas and Kenyattas - to hang on to power.

He promised a "bottom-up" approach to the economy to tackle the high unemployment rate among young people, and to improve the lives of those less well off.

[digitaltariq]

Right here’s Why This Bouquet of Purple Roses Prices $72 in NYC.

To assemble each final stem and ribbon, Mr. Patrikis is on the telephone continuously, negotiating with 15 distributors to get the very best offers.“In case you don’t know learn how to purchase from the wholesalers, the wholesalers are going to purchase you,” he mentioned.Relying on a stem’s size, the dimensions of the bloom and the nation of origin, a dozen roses in New York Metropolis can value a buyer from $10 from a avenue vendor to greater than $120 from a high-end florist. Mr. Patrikis prefers the Explorer number of pink roses, which he mentioned are likely to have bigger blooms and keep contemporary longer than another varieties.Gross sales within the flower business, the place same-day, native deliveries are widespread, shot up early through the pandemic. So did the worth of doing enterprise, with rising gasoline prices, a flower scarcity and provide chain issues.The elevated costs put stress on longtime florists like Mr. Patrikis, whose store was one among 5 on his block round 2010. Ditmars Flower Store is now the final one left.“We have been by no means busier in our lifetime,” Mr. Patrikis, 37, mentioned about reopening in time for Mom’s Day in 2020 after the earliest closures within the pandemic. “We didn’t sleep for per week.”People spent practically $73 billion on flowers, seed and potted vegetation final 12 months, up 48 p.c from 2019 after adjusting for inflation, based on the U.S. Bureau of Financial Evaluation.However there are indicators of instability within the business.Troy Conner, the president of Kendall Farms, a big flower farm in Fallbrook, Calif., that sells to grocery store chains and wholesalers, mentioned that lots of his prices had skyrocketed, too.Starting final 12 months, he mentioned, demand for flowers had began to degree off. He mentioned he would possibly repurpose some land reserved for rising sunflowers, as soon as a worthwhile crop, to boost goats as an alternative.At Ditmars Flower Store, Mr. Patrikis mentioned, the revenue margin has shrunk because the begin of the pandemic, from 20 to 30 p.c, all the way down to 10 to twenty p.c. The store may need gross sales of $150,000 to $300,000 a month.He mentioned greater gross sales quantity had allowed him to make up the distinction thus far. This 12 months, he expects to promote greater than 100,000 pink roses, his hottest merchandise, up from 70,000 in 2019. On Valentine’s Day, the busiest vacation, he sells 15,000 roses.The Society of American Florists, a commerce group, predicts that the variety of flower outlets within the nation will drop to 11,000 by 2026, partly due to retirements and consolidation. There have been 11,600 in 2021.In final 12 months’s third quarter, there have been 398 florists in New York Metropolis, down from 432 in the identical interval in 2019, based on James Parrott, a director with the Heart for New York Metropolis Affairs on the New Faculty.Mr. Patrikis’s father, John, a Greek immigrant from the island of Nisyros, bought flowers within the subway and ultimately opened his first flower store in Astoria in 1983 earlier than shifting to the present 1,500-square-foot store in 2008.Mr. Patrikis mentioned he felt obliged to remain within the household enterprise. Gross sales stay brisk, largely as a result of he has a broad vary of shoppers — weddings, funerals, Greek Orthodox church buildings. Nonetheless, he worries about client spending habits, now that almost all pandemic-era authorities advantages have dried up.He’s optimistic about his personal future, although, as a result of his household purchased their constructing in 2003.“The one ones who're going to be left are those who personal their buildings,” he mentioned.Ben Casselman contributed reporting.Produced by Eden Weingart, Andrew Hinderaker and Dagny Salas. Improvement by Gabriel Gianordoli and Aliza Aufrichtig. Read the full article

[arjunvib]

KPIT has made it into the Top 10 of Fortune's Next 500 List!

KPIT ranks in the Top 10 of Fortune's Next 500 List: The auto-focused software and engineering firm catapults to the top 10 in The Next 500 list as it bets on end-to-end architecture for global automakers – Team Fortune India

Here's a quick summary from the publication that was originally published by Fortune India

In 2019, KPIT Technologies underwent a significant restructuring, transitioning away from its IT business to focus solely on automotive engineering and mobility solutions. Since then, KPIT has experienced remarkable growth, increasing its revenue from $71 million in Q4FY19 to $149 million in Q3FY24.

"We made a strategic move, banking on the transformations within the automotive sector, with a targeted focus on the top 25 OEMs worldwide," Stated Patil.

Led by CEO and MD Kishor Patil, KPIT, made strategic decisions to align with its new focus, targeting the top 25 global OEMs in the automotive industry. The company's workforce has expanded to nearly 12,000 employees, with a notable increase in core staff. KPIT's EBITDA margin has also seen substantial improvement, rising from 15.2% in FY21 to 20.6% in Q3FY24.

Key revenue drivers include architecture consulting and middleware practice, accounting for over 50% of KPIT's revenue. KPIT collaborates with major global OEMs such as Renault, BMW, Ford, and General Motors, focusing particularly on the passenger car segment, which constitutes approximately 40% of its vertical revenue.

KPIT has strategically acquired companies to enhance its offerings, including SOMIT Solutions in the UK and QORIX, a subsidiary formed from its tie-up with the German-based ZF group. In addition, KPIT has entered the car gaming industry through a stake acquisition in N-Dream, and it has also introduced Sodium-ion battery technology as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries in EVs.

KPIT's focus on automotive engineering and mobility solutions, coupled with strategic acquisitions and technological innovations, positions it for continued growth and success in the evolving automotive industry.

Read The Article more about the Latest media interactions by Mr. Kishor Patil

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RBZ's place in the gem and jewelry sector is discussed by Mr. Shiv Kumar Sehgal of LRO Investment Advisor Ltd., who also highlights important facets of the business model:

1. RBZ's Strengths in Antique Jewelry Production:

 Sehgal emphasizes that RBZ has a strong setup in place for the production of antique jewelry, which involves complexity.

 He notes that having a single technology or product makes a company vulnerable to competition from mega retailers investing in manufacturing.

2. Margins and Moat:

 Sehgal addresses the concern about margins, stating that RBZ can work at a reasonable margin.

 RBZ's moat lies in being an organized manufacturer with strengths in design, inhouse manufacturing, quality control, and modern machinery.

 He argues that RBZ's moat protects against margin squeeze, and the company's balance sheet proves this.

3. Dependency on Top 10 Customers:

 Sehgal explains that RBZ's dependency on top customers is not a concern.

 With the transformation of 40% of panIndia retail into organized retail, there is a greater dependency on organized manufacturers like RBZ.

4. Business Model and Growth Strategy:

 RBZ focuses on volume growth, aiming to demonstrate strong fundamentals.

 Harit Zaveri, representing RBZ, highlights the company's consistent volume growth of 1015%, contrasting with the industry's 2.5% volume growth.

 The company's business model caters to both daily wear and occasion wear segments, with a focus on eventlinked purchases.

5. Revenue Estimate:

 Analysts estimate RBZ's business could reach around Rs 300 crore in topline revenue with a 1012% net profit margin in the next 12 months.

 Zaveri emphasizes the importance of volume growth and mentions RBZ's potential to achieve around 1,200 kg in volume, reflecting the strength of the company.

6. RBZ's Specialization:

 RBZ specializes in occasion wear jewelry, particularly antique jewelry, which involves multiple technologies integrated with handwork.

 The company's focus on complex designs and manufacturing positions it as a strong candidate in the industry.

Investors should conduct thorough research and consider market conditions before making investment decisions. The information provided is based on the opinions and insights of market experts and company representatives.