Chapter 5 A New Life: Jessica's Successful Career

JESSICA'S POV.

5 YEARS LATER.

I sat at the end of the conference table, trying to focus my attention on the projector screen that flashed slides of the new boutique branch's business plan.

In this room, my staff were looking at me expectantly, waiting for my direction, but while I seemed calm on the outside, on the inside, my mind kept turning to the responsibilities that seemed to be piling up.

"So," I began in a voice loud enough to break the silence, "we've got an agreed location in the city center, right?"

Chelline, the head of marketing, nodded quickly while flipping through the documents in front of her.

"Yes, Mrs. Jessica," She give her words a pause

I'm waiting for her with my antusiasm feelings.

"The location is strategic, close to office areas and shopping centers. The market potential is huge, especially for the upper-middle segment which is our target," said Chelline.

I nodded, trying to digest. But secretly I felt proud of one of my staff who showed great performance.

"Good. But make sure the interior of the boutique is in line with our brand. I don't want it to be too rigid or too luxurious to be unfriendly to new customers."

Andre, who is in charge of interior design, smiled slightly.

"Relax, Mrs. Jessica," She said, trying to make me calm with her warmth smile.

"We've taken references from the main branch. The concept will still be elegant, but with a modern touch to make it more appealing," She continued her words.

I nodded again, feeling a little relieved. "Okay. What about the stock of goods? Are we ready for the opening?"

Paula, the head of logistics, interjected. "We've already prepared the main stock."

"What about the shipments from supplier?"

"It's already scheduled, estimated that all goods will arrive no later than next week."

"Make sure there are no delays," I said firmly. "I don't want any problems on opening day."

They all nodded in unison, but I could feel the tension in the room.

Maybe they know how much pressure I feel to make this new branch a success.

I glanced at the schedule in my hand. I frowned and grimaced a little because it was so tight.

"We have less than two weeks until D-Day. I need daily reports to make sure everything is going according to plan," I replied, trying to remain calm.

I looked up, staring at my staff with a small smile.

"If there are any obstacles, I want to know immediately, don't wait until the last minute," I said firmly.

"Yes, ma'am," they replied in unison.

I sighed, trying to ease the tension in my body.

"One more thing. For the opening ceremony, I want something different, something that can attract attention," I said.

"What is it, Mrs. Jessica? Do you have ... something that you want?"

"Maybe a collaboration with an influencer or a small event for the first customers?" I guessed.

Chelline immediately replied, "Oh! I know you'll like that ideas!"

Then, Chelline open another document and show it to me.

"This! We already have a few names of local influencers who fit our brand image. Wait ..."

She paused her words again.

"... take a look for it, Mrs. Jessica. I can put together a proposal for their collaboration today, if you agree," said her.

"Good," I said with a small smile. "We'll discuss the details in the next meeting."

The meeting was finally over, and one by one the staff left the room with their respective tasks.

I remained seated in my chair, observing the documents and notes scattered on the table.

I may seem like a woman who knows exactly what to do, but in reality, every step of the way is filled with doubt.

However, I just couldn't let them see that.

This new branch must be a success, not just for the company, but for myself. I won't let failure be part of my story.

The knock on the door finally sounded. I looked up, seeing Paula enter with a folder in her hand.

I opened the folder, immediately wide-eyed to the numbers. Instantly I was frozen for a second of time.

That number was... incredible.

Our net profit had increased dramatically-higher than I could have imagined.

"Paula..." I stared at her, making sure I wasn't looking at it wrong.

"This is correct?" I ask her, feeling unbelieveable.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"It is, ma'am. Sales of the new branch exceeded our target, especially after yesterday's opening event," She said full of enthusiasm.

"And the promotions from the influencers we invited, the customers became even more curious about our products."

I looked at the report again, confirming every detail.

There was nothing wrong.

Everything seemed make sense, and those numbers were the result of our hard work so far.

It felt like the heavy burden that had been crushing my chest had finally been lifted.

"This is amazing," I muttered, half in disbelief. "I knew we would grow, but I didn't expect it to be this fast."

Paula smiled, seemingly satisfied at my reaction.

"We all worked hard, Mrs. Jessica. But, it's also because of your clear direction," she praised me.

I chuckled at her words.

"If it wasn't for the new marketing strategy and the targeted boutique design, it probably wouldn't have turned out this well," Paula continued, making my cheeks heat up.

I let out a long breath, this time with an overall sense of relief.

It's not just about the numbers on the financial statement; it's proof that effort never betrays results.

***

The glow of the studio lights felt warm on my face, even though the room was cool thanks to the air conditioner that was constantly on.

In front of me, a young journalist sits with an enthusiastic face. A tape recorder and notebook were open on his lap, ready to capture every word that came out of my mouth.

The name of the magazine was quite famous, and I was still a little surprised when they contacted me for this interview.

"Thank you for taking the time, ma'am," he said, starting politely.

"We're very inspired by your business journey. If

***

The glow of the studio lights felt warm on my face, even though the room was cool thanks to the air conditioner that was constantly on.

In front of me, a young journalist sits with an enthusiastic face. A tape recorder and notebook were open on his lap, ready to capture every word that came out of my mouth.

The name of the magazine was quite famous, and I was still a little surprised when they contacted me for this interview.

"Thank you for taking the time, ma'am," he said, starting politely.

"We're very inspired by your business journey. If I may, I'd like to start with the most basic question: what motivated you to go into business?"

I smiled a little, folding my hands on the table.

"To be honest, it wasn't originally because of any great ambition to become a successful businessman. Back then, I just wanted to prove to myself that I could.

There were many obstacles on this journey, and most of them were doubts-from others, even from myself. But that was fuel for me to keep going."

She wrote something quickly in her notebook.

"That's interesting. So, you feel that the doubts are actually motivation, huh?"

"You could say that," I replied, smiling again.

"I think a lot of women feel like I did-fear of failure, fear of not being good enough. But when I took that first step, I realized that a little courage is more important than fear," I continued.

She nodded, looking amazed. "What about the biggest challenge? Can you tell me one of your toughest moments while building this business?"

I took a deep breath, allowing myself a moment to remember those tough times. There were so many moments when I felt like the world was unfair, when I wondered if my efforts would be in vain.

"Toughest moment?" I repeated her question while looking at her.

"Probably when I had to rebuild my confidence after many early failures. I once almost lost everything-money, time, even hope.

But I learned that failure is not the end, but part of the process. From there, I tried to improve my strategy and strengthen my team."

The journalist looked at me attentively.

"And now here you are, one of the most inspiring successful businesswomen. What's your secret, if you could share it?"

I smiled wider this time. "There is no secret, actually. Just hard work, consistency, and the belief that dreams are achievable. I've also learned not to be afraid to ask for help.

I couldn't have gotten to this point alone. A great team, wise mentors, and the support of those closest to me are all very important factors."

He took serious notes, then looked at me again.

"Lastly, what's your message to the women out there who might be on the fence about getting started?"

I looked straight at him, feeling that this was a great opportunity to speak from the heart.

"To all the women out there, don't let fear stop you in your tracks. Every journey starts with one small step, and it's okay if it feels hard.

Remember, our strength comes not only from what we achieve, but from every obstacle we face and face it with courage."

She smiled widely, closing her notebook.

"Thank you very much, ma'am. This interview was very inspiring. I'm sure our readers will love your story."

I nodded with a smile. "You're welcome. I hope what I've shared can be useful to others."

When the studio lights were turned off and the interview was over, I let out a long sigh. There was a simultaneous sense of relief and pride.