"Kacy, there's a meeting at 4 PM. Send out the notifications now," Nick said, walking into his office with a wiped-out expression.
"Understood, sir. Would you like a ten-minute warning?" A clear, melodic female voice floated from the speakers tucked in the corner of the room.
"Make it twenty minutes," Nick said, sinking into his desk chair.
"Got it! Sir, sensors indicate your heart rate is elevated. I suggest taking a breather; health is the ultimate foundation for success."
Nick sat up at that, glancing at his monitor. "Kacy, open your voice settings interface."
"Settings open, sir. Are you dissatisfied with my performance?"
"The voice sounds too young. Dial it back a bit—make it sound more mature."
"How about this?" the speaker asked. The pitch shifted to a slightly crisper, more professional tone. "I am your private assistant, Kacy. It is a pleasure to serve you."
"Still too sharp. Lower the register," Nick said, shaking his head.
"I am your private assistant, Kacy. It is a pleasure to serve you."
Nick still wasn't quite there. "Add some warmth, a little more magnetism. Think 'sophisticated older sister' vibe."
"I am your private assistant, Kacy. It is a pleasure to serve you."
Nick shivered. "No, that's too seductive. Keep it clear and professional." That last one was a bit much; listening to that all day would definitely send his blood pressure through the roof for the wrong reasons.
"I am your private assistant, Kacy. It is a pleasure to serve you."
Hearing this version, he finally smiled. "Perfect. Save that as Voice Profile 2 and set it to active."
"Profile updated. It is a pleasure to serve you."
"Increase humor levels by sixty percent," Nick added, testing the parameters.
"Sir, I suggest purchasing an inflatable companion. It would be an efficient way to release your physical stress."
"Uh... decrease humor by fifteen percent!"
"Sir, you still have some time before four o'clock. I recommend a short power nap."
"Fair enough." Nick's brow finally relaxed. He leaned back in his chair. "What's on the docket for today?"
A soft voice immediately responded: "Sir, you have nine pending items today. I recommend prioritizing these five. First, you received a notification from your mobile carrier. Your personal account is past due. I recommend a payment as soon as possible to avoid a service interruption."
"Pay it now. Put five hundred dollars on it," Nick said, pulling out his phone.
"Understood. Five hundred dollars has been applied to your wireless account. Please use your fingerprint to authorize the transaction."
After tapping the sensor, Nick asked, "What's next?"
"The International Tech & Innovation Expo has sent an invitation for this year's convention. Would you like me to read the full email?"
"No need." Nick shook his head. "Draft a reply. Tell them that due to our current production schedule and upcoming launch, I won't be able to attend. Express my regrets and wish them a successful event."
"Understood. I have generated a polite refusal. Would you like to preview the text?" A document popped up on his screen, showing the draft Kacy had composed based on his instructions.
Nick skimmed it and smiled. "Send it."
"Email sent."
"Next?" Nick took a sip of water.
"HR sent an internal memo. All employees are scheduled for their routine spring physicals next Monday. Please be on time. It also reminds you to eat light the day before, fast after midnight, and ensure you get enough sleep."
"Got it," Nick said.
"Sir, does this require a response?"
"No, keep going," Nick said.
"Understood. Your..." Kacy paused. "Sir, Mr. Tyler is calling."
"Put him through," Nick said, sitting up and grabbing his phone.
"Hey, Nick."
"Hey. How's it going out there?" Nick asked immediately.
Tyler's exhausted face appeared on the screen. "Don't even ask. It's a long story. These people are a nightmare to deal with."
"Haha, they're all old pros. You're just a fresh-faced kid to them; they're probably putting you through the wringer," Nick teased.
Tyler immediately started venting. "That's exactly it! I'm telling you, these guys see your age and think they can bully you. Their quotes are astronomical, and their attitude is incredibly arrogant. If I didn't need this contract, I would have told them exactly where to stick it."
"Just hang in there. The day will come when they're the ones begging us," Nick said, offering some grounded comfort.
That was the reality of the startup phase; without established status, you don't get a seat at the big kids' table. Their arrogance was backed by their massive manufacturing capacity. To earn their respect, you had to deliver results. Once the product was a hit, those same people would be wagging their tails to get a piece of the action.
"Trust me, I bit my tongue, but I really wanted to deck that one guy. He's got a punchable face." After venting, Tyler got to the point. "I've got the primary agreements negotiated, but the manufacturer wants a deposit up front to secure our spot on the assembly line."
"How much?" Nick asked.
"Twelve million."
Nick frowned. "That's steep."
Tyler let out a bitter laugh. "That's after three rounds of haggling. They started at eighteen million. I think twelve is actually a fair middle ground. They have their own risks—they have thousands of workers to pay. If we cancel the run, they're stuck with an idle factory and a massive payroll. I get why they're twitchy."
"Fine. I'll have Finance wire the funds immediately," Nick decided.
Tyler's voice dropped an octave, sounding worried. "Won't that leave us a little short? Between raw materials, production, and the marketing blitz, our accounts are going to be pretty lean."
"It'll be fine. The thirty million from the research institute's joint project fund is hitting our account any day now. We've got enough runway to carry us through the launch," Nick said with a confident smile.
"That's a relief. I've been sweating it the last few days. We're burning through cash so fast—nearly two hundred million is already out the door."
"If we run out, we'll just earn more," Nick said, keeping his tone light and encouraging. "We're spending it now so we can dominate later. That's the game."
It was true—even with the windfall from the drone project, the costs of building a company from scratch, setting up high-end labs, hiring elite talent, and R&D for the next big thing meant that money was always a finite resource.