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Chapter 18 - The Hidden Windmill

It was a conversation Karthik wasn't supposed to overhear.

He was at the local electrical spare parts market near Mount Road, browsing coil units and fan blades for Celestial's resale line.

That's when an older man, speaking to another shop owner in hushed frustration, said:

"If we don't find a buyer, they'll close by month-end. I worked there 18 years."

Karthik looked up.

"What place?" he asked casually.

The man glanced at him. "You're too young for this."

"I might not be too young to invest."

A Forgotten Factory

Two days later, Karthik stood outside a rusted gate in Ambattur Industrial Estate, staring at a worn-out board:

Southern Breeze Appliances – Est. 1976

The factory was small — two production halls, a storage shed, and a shuttered office. It used to produce table fans and wall-mount fans for middle-class homes, schools, and government offices.

The brand was well-known — once.

Now it was bankrupt.

High raw material costs, management mistakes, unpaid electricity bills.

The machines still worked. But the workers had stopped coming.

"They need ₹90,000 to pay off pending bills and ₹40,000 to restart minimum production," the ex-supervisor told him.

Why It Mattered

To most people, this was a rusting relic.

But Karthik saw something different:

✅ A working assembly line

✅ Known brand with untapped loyalty

✅ Potential to integrate with Celestial for repairs, resale, and branded product manufacturing

✅ And most of all — a chance to own infrastructure instead of renting space

He'd read this playbook in 2035:

Buy distressed but repairable industries. Add process. Add speed. Own the future.

Back at Celestial HQ

That evening, Karthik gathered his team.

"We can't keep selling scraps forever," he said. "This is our chance to step into production."

Sajid raised a concern. "Do we even have that kind of money?"

Karthik replied, "Not yet. But I'll find it."

The Search for Funding

The next few days were a blur.

Karthik:

Checked his stock market gains (still modest — only ₹320 profit)

Visited three local co-op banks to inquire about small industrial loans

Talked to an ex-classmate's father who ran a wholesale fan shop in Koyambedu

Asked Ravi and Mahesh if they had any savings or known investors in their extended families

He wrote everything in a new notebook titled:

Project Windmill

Target: ₹1.3 lakhs to take over and restart a fan unit.

A Real Conversation with His Dad

One night, as he helped his father fix a leaking tap, Karthik asked gently:

"Appa, did you ever want to run a business?"

His dad chuckled. "I wanted to. But I didn't want the stress of failure."

"What if the risk was calculated?"

"Then it's still a risk. But maybe one worth taking."

Karthik looked at him.

"I'm thinking of buying a small factory. It's not fancy. But I think I can turn it around."

His father didn't respond for a moment.

Then: "If your head is calm and your heart is steady — try it. But don't forget your college."

Karthik smiled.

"I never forget the mission."

Preparing the Strategy

By the end of the week:

He had commitments of ₹35,000 from trusted sources

Was eligible for a co-operative loan of up to ₹50,000 (with a guarantor)

Calculated that if they resumed production at 50% capacity, they could hit break-even in 3 months

And with his repair shop, resale counter, and technician team, he already had a distribution network ready.

Final Notebook Entry

"The world waits for those who move.

I won't be a local repair boy forever.

This is my first factory. My first industry.

Not for charity. Not for politics.

But for control.

The future needs wind.

I'm building the blades."

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