Page 89 - James Caan - The Real Deal

8 · Aisha

‘We’re interested in your idea for a boutique, so if we were to
consider your shop, what would you want to do here?’
To my amazement, Aisha came up with a brilliant pitch. I
worked with the best salespeople in the country at the time, so I
knew a good pitch when I heard one.
‘All shopping centres and high streets today are dominated by
the same brands and every high street is the same. What I think
they need is individuality, individual designers. Customers need a
choice. Let’s face it, Miss Selfridge, BHS and Chelsea Girl all sell
pretty much the same thing. I think what I can do is bring a new
dimension, be different, be creative. Here’s my portfolio . . .’
She also showed them excellent references from her college
which went a long way to convincing them that she would be a
good tenant. I just sat there without saying anything and watched
how the manager was really engaging with everything she was
saying, and I was very impressed. If I’d bothered to save any of my
earnings and had accrued any money in the bank, I had no doubts
that I would have invested in her like a shot. I liked her already,
but I was really falling for her now.
‘Well, Aisha, I think you’re exactly what this place needs. A bit
of individual design could really work for us. We’ll have a think
about it and get back to you.’
As we walked to lunch, Aisha was really positive. She couldn’t
stop talking but I was quiet. At the back of my mind I was
thinking: they might just run with this. I’d still not really given any
thought to what would happen if she asked me to come good on
my offer.
So, of course, two weeks later Aisha rang me up and was
absolutely ecstatic: they’d offered her the shop!
‘Wow, that’s incredible, amazing, well done!’
I don’t know if my voice betrayed what I was really feeling, but
when I put the phone down all I could think was What am I going
to do now? All of a sudden, what had started out as a jokey

79