The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Absolute Monopoly

Brent’s heart stirred as images of noblewomen and young ladies purchasing cosmetics and then casually adding a hat or a pair of shoes to their carts flashed through his mind. He couldn’t help but admire the Crown Prince’s remarkable business acumen.

Beside him, an elderly man wearing glasses suggested, “Your Highness, nearly half of yesterday’s customers were noble ladies from the Palace of Versailles. Should we consider opening a branch there?”

“There’s no need for that,” Joseph replied with a smile and a shake of his head. “Forcing them to travel all the way to Paris to make their purchases only enhances the exclusivity and irreplaceability of Paris Angel’s products. Furthermore, when Parisian nobles see them frequenting our flagship store, they’ll naturally follow suit.”

After discussing the product sales, Brent added, “Your Highness, in recent days, six individuals—including Count Albrau, Duke Lavallière, and Marquis Montes—have expressed interest in franchising Paris Angel. What are your thoughts on the matter?”

Indeed, from the very beginning of planning his exclusive stores, Joseph had intended to expand Paris Angel through a franchise model!

Opening stores one by one on his own would be slow and labor-intensive. Before long, shrewd capitalists would likely imitate his success and become competitors.

Although Joseph held a monopoly on salicylic acid, a core technology, and wasn’t afraid of competition, such rivalry would inevitably siphon away a portion of his clientele.

Thus, his plan was to use franchisees to rapidly dominate the cosmetics market across France and Europe. From product efficacy to promotional campaigns to market reach, he aimed to leave no room for competitors. After all, this era had no concept of anti-monopoly regulations—what better way to embrace the gifts of the times than to establish a monopoly?

Moreover, with the astronomical profits of his cosmetic products, which ranged from 800% to 1300%, allocating one-fifth of those earnings to franchisees was entirely acceptable. For the franchisees, it would still be a fortune worth dreaming about.

Lastly, through Paris Angel’s network of agents, he could construct a comprehensive distribution channel. This would allow him to rapidly roll out and recover costs for future ventures.

Joseph nodded and instructed Brent, “The matter of the franchisees is entirely in your hands. All the terms and negotiation strategies are detailed in the documents I’ve provided. I trust you’ve memorized them by now. Once the deals are finalized, just bring the agreements to me for signing.”

Joseph never underestimated the intelligence of people in this era. They simply lacked the vision and concepts of the future. Once these were taught to them, they could accomplish just as much as people of later generations.

This was especially true for specialists like Brent.

Joseph was well aware that his future efforts couldn’t be wasted on the day-to-day operations of Paris Angel. Therefore, it was crucial to train subordinates and delegate authority to them as soon as possible.

“Thank you for your trust,” Brent said, bowing with a hand over his chest. “I will not disappoint you!”

...

Rue de Sébente, Paris

On this day, the headquarters of the Paris Angel Company welcomed several prominent guests.

Among them were Count Albrau, Duke Lavallière, and Marquis Montes. Some were old-money nobles with vast family wealth, while others were nouveau riche capitalists who had earned fortunes. Regardless of their backgrounds, all of them were influential figures in Paris’s commercial circles.

Their purpose for gathering here today was singular—to discuss franchising opportunities with Paris Angel.

Brent began by giving the visitors a tour of the company’s production workshop, which left these commercial elites in awe.

This wasn’t merely a workshop—it was a luxurious villa in disguise!

The workers’ uniforms were spotless, and they worked leisurely while seated on ornately carved chairs. The raw materials storage and filling stations were made of premium oak, intricately designed and impeccably clean.

After the tour, Brent led the group to the conference room. There, he unveiled a massive oil painting depicting the company’s flagship store and declared, “Franchising is quite simple—it allows you to own such a unique and extraordinary store!”

With a slight smile, he continued, “I know some of you may worry about achieving such exceptional results. Rest assured, the design and layout of new stores will be entirely handled by Paris Angel Company. You’ll receive a ready-to-operate store.”

“From store managers to clerks, you need not concern yourselves. Paris Angel Company will provide training and oversight, right down to the uniforms for your employees!”

“In other words, all you need to do is sign the franchise agreement—and then count your money.”

Count Albrau, Duke Lavallière, and the others exchanged knowing smiles.

Brent seized the moment to add, “Allow me to share a secret. Our flagship store on the Champs-Élysées achieved a record daily sales figure of 126,000 livres.”

Even for seasoned business elites accustomed to handling vast sums of money, this revelation left them wide-eyed with astonishment.

“A single day’s sales,” Brent continued, “outpaced the monthly income of some of your largest factories.”

He went on, “Across Paris, the company will open only three franchise stores, each separated by no less than half a league.”

A league was four kilometers, ensuring the stores wouldn’t compete for customers.

“For the first franchisee, the company is offering a special rate of 150,000 livres. Subsequent franchises will cost 180,000 livres. Outside of Paris, the fee will be 110,000 livres.”

The commercial elites began whispering among themselves.

Admittedly, the franchise policy and its potential were highly enticing. They had witnessed firsthand the remarkable success of the Champs-Élysées store. Yet, franchising was a novel concept to them, and they harbored reservations.

Duke Lavallière, his face etched with deep lines, remarked, “Mr. General Manager, the current economic climate is unpredictable. Today, sales may reach 120,000, but tomorrow they might plummet to 1,200. I’m skeptical about its profitability.”

“Your Grace, you underestimate ladies’ devotion to beauty. They would rather go hungry than neglect their appearances. I can assure you that Paris Angel will have no off-season.”

“In that case, I’d like the freedom to sell additional products in the store,” Count Albrau proposed.

“Oh, now you’re making things difficult for me…” Brent replied, feigning hesitation.

While the group debated terms, a young man seated in a corner clenched his fists.

His name was Baudouin. He had inherited his family’s textile business just three years ago. However, last year, the French government signed a trade agreement with the British, slashing tariffs on industrial goods to near zero.

The influx of cheap, high-quality British textiles had devastated his factories. Within a year, he had lost most of his fortune and was forced to sell his remaining dozen textile mills in a painful bid to cut his losses.

Initially, Baudouin had no intention of franchising Paris Angel. He had come at the insistence of a friend. But now, he recalled an advertisement for Paris Angel’s franchise: Pessimists may always be right, but only optimists can make a fortune!

Suddenly, he stood up and declared to Brent, “Mr. General Manager, I’ve decided to franchise. As the first franchisee, I’ll take advantage of the 150,000-livre offer and invest 300,000 livres to open two stores!”

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