Deal-making Daredevil Mugs

'Nobody gets to the point quicker than Ron!'

"And need I remind you, the 'art of the deal' is the lifeblood of this company."

'When we get there let me do the double talking.'

"That's Paul, he's our head of partnerships..."

'We're making progress. I just got a firm 'maybe'.'

'I'm 60-40 in favor of the 60.'

'A hostile takeover just wasn't feasible, so we agreed to a hostile merger.'

It's a deal. You give me five analysts, three pundits, seven technicians and a soothsayer. I give you six experts, five professors, four consultants and a prognosticator.

...and if the Chairman rings, find out who he is.

'No hostile takeover bids beyond this point.'

"Can you believe those guys? We tell them absolutely, positively no further negotiations, and they stop negotiating!"

Businessman at the deep end.

"Heads, we go with the analytics. Tails, we don't."

"The Oaths of the Venture Capitalists."

"I'd prefer a win-win solution – but I'm open to just a win."

'The trick is to be gentle yet firm in negotiations. I prefer soft money and hard liquor.'

"Remember, negotiating is like buying fruit. You don't know what you'll get until you squeeze 'em a bit."

'He's chasing the market.'

"Don't go there, it'll cost you an arm and a leg to lose the shirt off your back."

"I came, I saw I takeovered."

'Then it's agreed - we all keep our arms raised until someone blinks.'

'Everything is negotiable, including my integrity.'

We're looking at a six figure return. Unfortunately, they're all zeros.

"Don't anybody move: this is a merger."

'I hate long meetings so in order to save time can we agree to talk at once?'

"Grandma is included in the purchase price."

"From now on we’ll no longer pay your trucking company for driving for us. We’d like to be paid by you because you’re allowed to transport our great products!"

Garage Sales Anonymous

'Sorry for interrupting. I didn't realize you were still trying to hammer out an agreement.'

'So, anyone have any idea how we go about explaining how we made a hostile takeover bid for one of our own subsidiaries?'

" know a bargain when I see one!"

"And this graph illustrates how our merger talks are going with Behemoth Industries."

'Make it seven beans and you got yourself a deal.'

Market analyst at the Circus