A Question of Trust

Inés had never felt so uncertain about a business decision. She and her friend Leo had been planning to open a bakery for two years, and now, with the lease ready to sign, they disagreed about almost everything. They wanted different locations, and they also had different ideas about prices.

“It isn’t the rent that worries me,” Leo said. “It’s the fact that you never listen.” Inés looked at the contract. “What I want is a place people can find easily,” she replied. “And you were the one who suggested the cheaper street.”

They had two options: a large shop on the main road and a smaller one near the university. Neither was perfect. Both were expensive, but the second was far cheaper than the first. “The more we argue, the less likely we are to agree,” Leo sighed. “We’re not as different as we think,” Inés said. “We both want the same thing.”

Just then the phone rang. It was the owner of the main-road shop, who was offering a three-month discount. “We shouldn’t sign today,” Inés said. “I’ll decide only after we’ve compared the numbers.” Leo nodded.

They spent the evening with a spreadsheet. By midnight, neither of them was angry any more. What surprised them was how similar their figures were. In the end, the smaller shop won, because it offered more than they had expected: lower costs, steady students and a big window for the bread.