---
title: Logistics & Inventory Crisis — Fee Restructure Proposal
type: article
created: '2026-01-30'
updated: '2026-01-30'
source_docs:
- raw/2026-01-30-weekly-call-w-karly-118655524.md
tags:
- doodla
- logistics
- inventory
- amazon
- fee-restructure
- action-items
layer: 2
client_source: Doudlah Farms
industry_context: food-beverage
transferable: false
---

# Logistics & Inventory Crisis — Fee Restructure Proposal

Discussed during [[wiki/internal/meetings/2026-01-30-weekly-call-karly|Weekly Call w/ Karly — 2026-01-30]].

## Overview

Doodla's logistics and inventory management has reached a breaking point. Jason (Doodla's primary operator) is stretched across farming, B2C fulfillment, wholesale, and Amazon — with no additional staff. The result is chronic stockouts, delayed Amazon shipments, and an unsustainable administrative burden on Asymmetric's team. The current 4% fee does not compensate for the operational overhead being absorbed.

A "come-to-Jesus" call with Doodla leadership is being scheduled for early the week of Feb 3 to propose a restructured engagement model.

---

## The Problem

### Operational Chaos
- Jason is the sole logistics operator, responsible for: farming, B2C shipments, wholesale deliveries, Amazon fulfillment, and product cleaning/processing.
- He is at capacity. Amazon orders are being delayed by weeks (earliest Feb 12 shipment at time of call).
- Karly spent **over an hour** manually splitting a single order into 10 shipments and organizing labels/folders for Jason.

### Stockouts Are Killing Revenue
- Doodla ran out of inventory in late November (post-Thanksgiving), causing a significant revenue dip that lasted through December.
- The same pattern is likely to repeat without structural change.
- Jan 2026 revenue is projected at ~$138k, generating ~$9,500 in fees for Asymmetric at the current 4% rate.
- That fee is insufficient given the actual time and administrative load being absorbed.

### Root Cause
- No one at Doodla is in charge of inventory planning or logistics coordination.
- Product is being packed and stored at the farm (garage-scale), which cannot support the current or projected order volume.
- Bags, cleaned product, and packaging materials are frequently unavailable when needed.

---

## Proposed Solution

### Fee Increase: 4% → ~10%
- Current: 4% of revenue (~$9,500/mo at $138k revenue)
- Proposed: ~10% of revenue, plus the existing marketing retainer (~$4k/mo)
- Rationale: Asymmetric would take on full logistics management, eliminating the operational bottleneck

### New Scope: Asymmetric Manages Inventory & Packing
- **Hire 2 packers** at ~$15/hr × 40 hrs/wk × 4 wks = ~$5,000/mo in labor (before taxes/overhead)
- **Secure warehouse space** in Edgerton (negotiate ~1,000 sq ft, pallet racking)
- Product flows: farm → warehouse (never back to farm) → packed → shipped
- Asymmetric controls the packing schedule, label prep, and Amazon shipment coordination

### Why This Makes Sense
- Stockouts directly reduce Asymmetric's revenue (percentage-based model)
- The logistics chaos is a reputational and operational risk for both parties
- Doodla has the product; the bottleneck is purely logistical
- Month-over-month revenue growth has been strong when inventory is available — the upside is real

### Alternative (Lighter) Option
- If full logistics takeover is not agreed to, minimum ask is fee increase to 6–8% in exchange for more structured inventory oversight (without hiring/warehouse)

---

## Current Revenue Context

| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Jan 2026 projected revenue | ~$138,000 |
| Asymmetric fee @ 4% | ~$9,500 |
| Daily revenue rate | ~$4,400–$4,600 |
| Amazon daily profit (approx.) | ~$1,700 |

Revenue growth trend is strong month-over-month when inventory is available. Organic unit sales are healthy, keeping ad costs controlled. The constraint is entirely operational.

---

## Related Opportunity

The [[wiki/clients/current/doudlah-farms/bean-vivo-ohio-order-opportunity|Bean Vivo Ohio Order Opportunity]] — a potential $50k–$100k wholesale order (40k–80k lbs of black beans) — makes resolving the logistics situation even more urgent. That order cannot be fulfilled reliably under the current model.

---

## Action Items

- [ ] **Karly** — Schedule "come-to-Jesus" call with Doodla (Lucy + Jason) for early week of Feb 3; include Mark
- [ ] **Karly** — Schedule internal prep call with Mark and Lucy before the Doodla call to align on the proposal
- [ ] **Mark** — Model out the fee restructure math (4% vs. 10%, labor costs, warehouse costs, break-even revenue threshold)
- [ ] **Mark** — Explore warehouse space availability in Edgerton

---

## Key Quotes

> "We need to have another come-to-Jesus conversation… you know, first of all, we're doing much more work than we anticipated. And even the little 4% we're getting, it doesn't amount to anything when you compare it to the amount of time we're spending." — Mark

> "I see the train wreck about to happen, and I feel like there's nothing I can do." — Karly

> "They've got the beans and they've got the popcorn. They've got it. The problem is the logistics." — Mark