At a local community center, a group of four preteens, Max, Fred, Jacob, and Bernard were creating bracelets that they sold to make some extra money over the summer. The supplies they got from donations by their local arts and craft stores. In the lobby, they operated a one stop shop. Jacob and Fred were making bracelets while Max and Bernard manned the table where they would sell their prepared/custom bracelets being priced from two to five dollars depending on their products appeal. The two groups would switch for each day to share responsibilities. The business only started this summer and sales seems to be steady but with little to no growth. The average customers were adults, most consistently middle-aged women who appeared to be very sympathetic to their little enterprise. They wanted to make more income to feel like they were using their time wisely this summer. Little did the group knew, a solution was coming their way.
A teenager walked into the community center to sign up for the local township soccer league in the upcoming fall. Not noticing it walking in, but seeing it before he walked out to leave, he saw the groups bracelets and immediately came up with an idea to make some money off these kids. "Hey." The teenager grabbed the groups attention. "Oh, hey Adam. What can we do for you?" Max asked him. "Actually, it is what I can do for you. I noticed these amazing looking bracelets and I was wondering if I can help you guys make some more money?" Bernard interjected, "How exactly would you help us Adam?" Adam formed a small smile, "Well Bernard, I was thinking that I could take over the marketing and sales portion of this operation with you and Max helping Fred and Jacob with bracelet production. I have a massive following on multiple social media platforms, so I can bring about multiple scores of people to your little shop and we can all make extra money. When I saw your bracelets I was impressed, these are not crap, they are beautiful. If we work together, we will both end up successful. So, what do you think?" The group of four huddled up and talked in private. "I think we should do it guys." Fred stated. "I want to get a Nintendo Switch before the new school year starts." Jacob added. "If business increases, more money will fill our pockets, and we do not have to worry about manning the table anymore." Max incurred. "I don't know guys. I feel like having a new addition will be a bad idea." Bernard said. "Let's be fair and put it to a vote." Max stated. The vote was three to one with Bernard being the only dissenter, but he went along with it anyway. Max was glad, "It is settled then." Max left the huddle and went to Adam. "Okay we agree to your proposal, as long business increases and you pull your weight, it's a deal." Max pulled out his hand. "Believe me Max, you won't regret this." Adam pulled out his hand to shake Max's hand, making the deal formalized (as formalized as minors can make it).
The following Tuesday the group showed up with more than a day's supplies of materials at eleven in the morning and were surprised to see Adam already at the table with a market banner covering it, business cards placed at a corner of the table, a collection box next to his chair. Adam jumped out of his table and help the group of four set up before the day got started. Once everything was ready, Adam placed a small 'OPEN' sign near the front left edge of the table. "Now, this is the start of a beautiful partnership." Adam stated. Throughout the first day with Adam, traffic increased with Adams wide social network of friends from middle school and high school, ranging from individuals from the locals towns around, adults within the communities, and authority figure like EMS responders and firefighters. The custom bracelets sold far more than the already made ones. This caused strain for the group of four as one took the custom order, one cut the different types of materials, one assembled the pieces together, and the other inspected the product for quality. Each day a person worked a different shift and helped each other out if they could not keep up with the demand. Adam on the other hand, merely sold the already made ones which did not sell much and collected the money from all sales. Over time he would become more casual, spending copious amount of time on his phone, talking to his friends that would show up and ignore customers causing the group members to take extra responsibilities. Adam would also take numerous breaks, and often leave early without helping to clean up. Adam would take twenty-five percent of the profits from all the sales justifying it with fact that he brought in more customers, which he did. It created tensions between Adam and the group, with members believing that they were doing the hard parts and working like dogs to get orders fulfilled. No matter how much more money came in, resentment was growing.
By the second week of July, tensions between the group and Adam boiled over. At the end of Thursday, Bernard noticed something unusual under the table. "Why are there two collection boxes?" Bernard asked as he pulled it from under the table. Before Adam could stop him, he opened it and found four hundred dollars inside. "What is the meaning of this?" Max asked furiously. Adam had a nervous look on his face. "Explain yourself!" Fred screamed. Adam tried to play this off. "Okay fine you caught me. It was a rainy-day fund I created from our sales just in case this operation was going to blow over. I was going to put it in a bank account for protection and give you guys a slice if it occurred." Bernard didn't believe him one bit. "You are lying, you were going to keep that money for yourself!" Max put his foot down. "That's it, Adam, you are being let go. All in favor say aye, those opposed say nay." It was four against one. "It is settled then; you are fired Adam." Adam began to laugh. "If it wasn't for me the four of you would not have made nearly the amount of money you did. I can ruin your business' reputation with my platform and influence unless, you accept my request." Adam requested to be bought out for the gains he brought to the groups operation if he was going to leave, along with the agreement not to interfere with the groups business indefinitely, as insisted by Max and Bernard. The group of four voted unanimously in favor of dissolving the relationship and agreed to Adams request. They all shook hands. Bernard took the collection box and divided a quarter of the profits that Adam secretly siphoned from the sales since the beginning of the partnership. Bernard handed the share to Adam with disdain. "Leave you greedy piece of shit." Bernard yelled. "Gladly." Adam stormed out of the community center with a wad of cash and a smug smile. The group overall felt relieved to cut off what they now consider to be a cancer to their collective operation. Only a few weeks left until the new school year began yet, there was still time left to make more money and get to divide it up equally between the four again. Max spoke out to end the silence, "From now on, just the four of us, we make, we sale, we share the fruits of our labor equally, agreed?" "Yes." Said Fred. "Of course." Said Jacob. "Dam straight." Said Bernard. All four decided unanimously to pack up for the day and take the rest of the week off to reset and then come back to the community center next Tuesday, knowing that they would have full control of their start-up once again.