Story Four: The Duvalier Foundation

A Business Proposition for Sebastian Duvalier

Sebastian knows full well that money is no good if it is not spent. He grew up stealing money to learn this, and in a sorts that was what happened this time, as he and Chip used magick to win the lottery, then furthered that with bets on the first Tyson/Holyfield fight. Regardless of how he got it, he knows he needs to do several things:

He needs to stablize and increase his income
He needs to spend it in ways to aid the Ascension War
He needs to establish himself in the Detroit community to influnce matters in regard to the above statement
He needs to achieve his other goals by building legitimate businesses

So by describing the latter, the former three should fall into place. Sebastian and Chip share about $100 million. That gives Sebastian about $50 million. However, reports have surfaced about money missing, no doubt a Syndicate raid. So let us assume, he has somewhere between $40 and $50 million, most likely towards the latter, because in the matter of months, taking even one million dollars out of an account, no matter how large, is highly vulgar.

Although, this is net income. They bought a house, a few cars, assorted other things, so they must have blown at least 10 million already (this includes feeding money into the Harbingers' accounts), so that's five a piece, leaving Sebastian $40 or $45 million. The initial move before any other action must be to put this amount in a new bank, preferably a small one, and stress how important it is, that no one interferes with these funds, hinting that another bank was unreliable (when of course, it wasn't really their fault). This will set up Sebastian's own account. Also, he must pay off all debts outstanding, including loans from Krayvis.

The next logical thing to do is to hire Fernando. He was the Harbingers' manager and financier. It would be wise to put him on a very healthy salary, full of contract incentives. This will bring him into the family further and give him a reason to be around. He basically knows what his friends have become, and if he's given a little training into the details of the Ascension War, then give him incentive to work harder (i.e. "I don't know, the Syndicate guys are mages, do you really think you can outmaneuver them . . . "); hopefully this will spurn him to be a diligent agent.

The next action is to name Fernando Chief Financial Officer and President (Sebastian CEO) of the Duvalier Foundation. He will then hire a team of lawyers and financiers to go to work; they will rent out a beautiful office downtown for this. They will immediately begin diversifying and investing Sebastian's money. $10 million will funnel into stocks and mutual funds, never to be touched, but always to make returns. $5 million will go into a savings and a checking account, which is for Sebastian's spending money. The interest alone should make enough for him to pay the bills. The remaining $25-30 million will go into the availability fund of the Duvalier Foundation. It of course will not all be spent at once, but will eventually be incorporated into a network of investments and businesses that will be worth much more. The Foundation is also authorized to take out loans for any venture that they deem necessary to do so for.

The previously owned comic book store, Valhalla, will come under their immediate jurisdiction. Sebastian wants this store to expand. He would like to try and rent out either of the spaces adjacent to the current mall store, to expand, or even the one directly across the hall. He wants it to encompass not only comic books, role-playing games, the coffee shop, and the occult books, but a wide selection of other books also. However, if he cannot get the space, then he will forget the books, and go with what he already has. On the same store, he wants to begin two new franchises, both super stores with everything he wants in it. These he doesn't want in a mall (although maybe a plaza), and he wants them to triangulate the city, so they are fairly well available to Detroit no matter where you live.

Second, he wants to open a restaurant in a good part of town, called The Quarter, an authentic New Orleans restaurant. He wants it to have a large variety of foods, almost all Louisianan in heritage, whether it's Creole, Cajun (his favorite), or just plain Southern. He wants to hire authentic cooks, and make the recipes as good as possible. As with all his businesses, he pays his employees a dollar or two an hour over average rates. The dinner plates range from $10 to 24$.

Another important factor is to include a nightclub called Electrica. It is a big nightclub. It is large enough to attract bands, but small and intriguing enough to not just be a big open space. It has a busy bar, full of nightly specials to attract new crowds. The bartenders and other employees are paid well as always. It is always open late at night. Sebastian plans for certain Kindred to keep the bar supplied with blood, and other ghouls to work the bar, so they can distribute it. It has underground passages where patrons can go also. This underground section promotes blood-drinking and love-making. Sebastian does not either promote nor disallow drug sales in his place, and dealers know this. He is also lenient in alcohol sales. If he has too, he'll pay off cops to lay off (if they snoop).

In a prominent merchant area, he also wants to create a music super-store. This will be called The Grind. He wants to carry records, tapes, cds, posters, music-related clothing, and sheet music. He also wants to sell music instruments and offer lessons. He will offer the best prices in town. Taking less profit to better the economics of his customers. His employees are of course paid well and treated well. He always features his favorite bands with big displays, bands like the Magnetic Dog Boys and Alice In Chains.

He also wants to start a law firm which works closely with the Duvalier Foundation (DF). These lawyers have been mentioned above. The eldest, most experienced we can get (which should still be sort of young, because they should have experience, but not seniority—that offer will lure them to Sebastian's offer) will have their names on the law firm. The name Duvalier should not be on it, except the hidden link to the DF. (For reference, we shall assume it will be called Mayfair, Kant, and Fehnstein.)

The Duvalier Foundation itself should also become a reliable investment firm. Besides managing Sebastian's money and investing it in stocks and bonds and other purchases that will keep him rich, they want to begin gathering other clients, to make them (and Sebastian) more money. A small real estate company is feasible also.

The Foundation will also award several thousand dollars a year for the most innovative students in Detroit. (Determined by applicants' resumes). The DF will also offer patronage to those artists and writers that prove innovative and counter-culture. This includes musicians and those that offer a way to breach normal thinking (such as writers like Burroughs, and musicians like Rage Against the Machine). This particularly encompasses areas which promote Ecstatic like mantras, such as pro-Narcotics and freedom of sexuality passages and themes. The DF will also give generous amounts to various charities.

Duvalier Foundation Ethos

Pay your employees more than any other competitors and treat them well; accomodate their needs
Treat your customers well, offer them the lowest prices available (or in the case of the restaurant, a variety of prices for high quality)
Never do anything half-assed, always use the highest quality products, even at less of a profit
Engage in heavy advertising, because that is what draws people to your place: radio, newspapers, magazines, television, and the internet; all of his enterprises have their own web pages
In attempting to hire employees, the DF wants the best: the best managers, the best bartenders, the best cooks, etc. This is done for the satisfaction of the customers

The Future of the Duvalier Foundation

Sebastian knows this is just the beginning, but it is an ambitious beginning nonetheless. He estimates that the above ventures should use about $20 of the $30 million available to the Foundation. The remaining $5-10 million will sit in an account and wait to be accessed in the future. The Foundation first wants to see how successful these investments are, along with the Foundation's Law firm and their financial investments. They hope to see early returns, although they are not likely to see the full return for a while.

Sebastian would like to form some larger ventures with Chip in the future, combining their forturnes. He would like to:

Open a bank: If they can ever return their capital to the $35-70 million, and form solid contacts, they should be able to both reap large profits, and establish a quality and important name in the area.
Both a coffee house with poetry readings, and a small play house should be in line for the next set of expansions.
Start their own line of Cars. The name can be decided later. However Sebastian's idea involved the hiring of almost exclusively twenty-something engineers, for an influx of new ideas and innovations. Hiring older people, only for their knowledge of actual factory operations. This would require substantial money however, and would probably only be attempted after the bank's success. They would start out like Lexus, with limited model runs. However, instead of introducing two cars, we would go with three: a cheaper, available model, a mid-range car, and a luxury car; all vehicles would be the highest quality for very affordable prices.

All of these ideas have been duly supplemented and put into action effective January 2nd, 1997, with of course the exception of the future ideas. So things have been moving, how far they've gotten, though, and how successful they end up, only time will tell.

Note To Reader: As of the present date, none of these future suggestions have been implemented by the Duvalier Foundation (see the related story, "Harbinger Associated," for the next evolutionary step of the DF).