My American magical life
Chapter 375 - 375 32 Who is the right person for this job

375: Chapter 32 Who is the right person for this job?

375: Chapter 32 Who is the right person for this job?

Dongxin’s large conference hall bustled as CEO Cheng presided over a strategic communication meeting with Shanhaiguan Media’s staff.

Shanhaiguan Media, being a startup, naturally underwent strategic adjustments at a rapid pace; small boats turn easily, and Cheng Daqi was confident in his own maneuvering.

The grand conference hall, located on the fifth floor of Dongxin Building, could accommodate over four hundred people at once.

For Shanhaiguan, barely breaking a hundred employees, the hall was indeed a bit too spacious, but its grandeur had its advantages, at least in terms of prestige.

Moreover, the majority of the employees Shanhaiguan Media was recruiting were from Lu Island, who possessed a profound understanding of Dongxin.

Though there was no intention to deceive them, CEO Cheng couldn’t stop the imaginative assumptions of his subordinates.

Judging by their spirited demeanor, it seemed their minds were full of ideas.

In reality, Shanhaiguan was independent of the Dongxin system; Brother Sun had generously invested a large sum and even provided the overflow of elite talent from Dongxin, without demanding much control in return.

However, Dongxin’s trade business in America was entangled in many complexities, and now, with the situation growing tense, things were challenging…

As Yang Yuan concluded his speech, the employees’ applause snapped CEO Cheng out of his thoughts, and he smiled, nodding his thanks to President Yang.

Yang Yuan stepped down from the podium, and this new deputy president bowed before Cheng Daqi, inviting CEO Cheng to continue speaking.

——————

“Today, I mainly want to discuss three matters.

The first one is the curriculum training system that Xiao Cao has been working on.

We’ll be spinning off this operation into a separate subsidiary.

The new company’s internal hierarchy is only half a level below Shanhaiguan, with the general manager reporting directly to me, equivalent to a deputy general manager at Shanhaiguan.

The opportunity is right there; I look forward to your performances.

The second matter is what President Yang just mentioned, our ‘Co-creation Mentor’ model and the optimization of the signing system.

This is the internal strength of Shanhaiguan.

What is internal strength?

Internal strength is the foundation of all techniques!

Everyone must take this seriously and persistently improve and optimize it.

Its form as a core competitive edge may change in the future, but by engaging deeply in the system’s construction efforts, you will be able to keep pace with the company’s strides through its many transformations.

The third matter is something I would like to emphasize personally.”

Cheng Daqi paused here, scanning the employees below with an intense gaze.

“Regarding content diversification and our self-incubation model, these have been principles I’ve conveyed since Shanhaiguan’s inception.

We aim to compete across the entire track from the start.

Previously, Shanhaiguan’s focus has been on two categories: foreigners in China and Chinese people abroad.

We’ve achieved notable results, I mean relative to the time spent.

Soon, we’ll hold a signing ceremony with Dongxin for a funding round of fifteen million.

Given the current situation…”

The company is raising fifteen million?!?

This news, striking like thunder, interrupted CEO Cheng’s speech as roaring applause erupted.

He smiled, gesture with his hands to quiet down, before continuing.

“This money will be invested entirely in creating diversified content and expanding our presence across the track.

I’ve set several simplistic quantifiable targets: establish two photography locations on Lu Island, sign a thousand newcomers…”

With a five-year informational advantage, and crystal-clear insight into the future trends of the short video industry, CEO Cheng wielded his foresight like a third eye, freely shaping the design of Shanhaiguan Media.

Shanhaiguan Media was like a painting unique to him; he could choose how to paint it and he knew the correct answers, which is why he pursued the highest score possible.

But Cheng Daqi did not mention the possibility of Shanhaiguan going public the following year.

The public offering was the last resort CEO Cheng would consider for personal investment in the company, only if the second round of financing failed to go smoothly.

If given the choice, he preferred to trade a portion of equity for second-round financing money in the primary market.

Although the second round would dilute the equity, it was still better than using personal funds to start a business.

Furthermore, adjusting the company’s equity structure was beneficial for its long-term health and development.

In a commercial society, there are close business dealings between companies, and while not all accept the concept of a win-win cooperation, adhering to it generally poses no issues.

CEO Cheng’s business affairs were intertwined with many, above and below, past and present; more than seventy percent of the profits were distributed, yet business thrived, sprinting toward earning hundreds of millions a year.

Companies that sought to monopolize until the end often perished the quickest.

For Shanhaiguan Media to go further, CEO Cheng had to consider introducing a more diversified equity structure.

As for the dilution of equity affecting future profit expectations, CEO Cheng hardly gave it a second thought.

Or rather, he considered it, but did not mind.

Money is a fascinating entity, but once it reaches a certain amount, whether it doubles or not becomes less significant.

For instance, an entrepreneur who constantly claims not to understand the concept of money.

There is a huge difference between one dollar and a hundred thousand, but is there really a big difference between five billion and ten billion?

Cheng Daqi had always held Sun Dongxin in high regard, whose assets were in the range of tens of billions but not quite a hundred billion.

But had this prevented Sun Dongxin from wielding influence in Lu Island for over a decade?

Many so-called A-share listed company bosses couldn’t match Brother Sun’s ferocity.

The only reason Dongxin hadn’t gone public was that Sun didn’t need to—I could make plenty of money without it.

————————

“CEO Cheng…” Xiao Cao came in again, holding a tablet.

“Stop, you always bring no good news when you enter like this, sigh.”

Cheng Daqi chuckled bitterly as he interrupted Xiao Cao’s chanting.

He wasn’t trying to avoid anything; he just didn’t want to listen to what Xiao Cao was saying.

The situation had already become tense enough to spike one’s blood pressure, and having it shouted out loudly made it even more overwhelming.

Opening his tablet, Cheng Daqi was startled by the news headlines.

“Cheng Daqi’s Secondary Evolution, the Joker King among Jokers”

“The Lawyer’s Bluff Is but a Joke, Ai Guobei Exposes Unknown Sides of Cheng Daqi”

“The Furthest Distance in the World Is Cheng Daqi’s Scheme, How a Liar Full of Lies Became a Top Online Celebrity”

Each headline was more sensational and sarcastically biting than the last; after all, those who studied journalism also had to scrape for traffic mercilessly.

Scrape who?

Whoever is trending, of course!

The current online frenzy over the mutual biting case between CEO Cheng and Ai Guobei was at its peak, with netizens not yet tired of their aesthetic, the content still rich in melon-sized dramatic fights, and both parties being big internet celebrities.

Scrape as they might, it doesn’t stop the marketing accounts from pretending to take the moral high ground, writing these shoddily made, exaggeratedly titled, incendiary articles with a hypocritical outsider’s facade.

The show had gone on so long that Cheng Daqi himself was beginning to loathe these performances.

Everything he and Ai Guobei had done was unrelated to justice; it had all been for the sake of traffic.

Frowning as he finished an article that was not so idiotic, Cheng Daqi gained a preliminary understanding of the changes in the situation.

Ai Guobei had released a recording of his phone conversation with Accountant Jia, where Ai Guobei was asking if Accountant Jia really knew CEO Cheng.

This move, well, CEO Cheng struggled to find an appropriate adjective on the spot.

It was as if for the first time, CEO Cheng felt that Ai Guobei wasn’t so honorable.

“CEO Cheng, the recording is quite unfavorable for you, what should we do now?”

Seeing that Cheng Daqi had finished, Xiao Cao asked.

Recordings…

CEO Cheng lifted his hand and feigned a tap on Xiao Cao, saying helplessly,

“Xiao Cao, from start to finish, you seem to think I’m about to be hung up and beaten by him, but in actuality, I have never been at a disadvantage.

Ai Guobei has been shouting online for days, my account’s followers are skyrocketing, video traffic is exploding, everything is going smoothly, so what are you always worrying about?”

CEO Cheng’s words enlightened Cao Yueyue.

At first, the girl felt a bit panicked, having been called out by the boss, but then she realized the situation was indeed a bit peculiar.

When two armies fight, how come you end up fattening up?

Something’s off here, isn’t it, CEO Cheng?

“But this new recording that’s come out, after people heard it, they all think your legal letter is, um, quite embarrassing,” Xiao Cao quietly reminded him.

“If you have something to say, just say it boldly.

Is it not just a slap in the face, haha.”

Cheng Daqi laughed as calmly as ever.

It was merely turning a crushing game into a high-level match, after all.

Choosing the battlefield himself and facing an enemy riddled with weaknesses, CEO Cheng thought things would go smoothly.

But Ai Guobei truly gave him a little surprise; he had the nerve to release the phone recording outright.

How could he continue to mix in the media industry after that?

Who would dare to tell him the truth now?

Accountant Jia may have fled abroad, but he was a big shot who could stand toe-to-toe with the tycoons on the island; Ai Guobei’s move was utterly foul.

“CEO Cheng, what should we do next?” Xiao Cao was very pragmatic; she only hoped the boss wouldn’t be overconfident.

In Xiao Cao’s eyes, excessive confidence is arrogance, and even the most capable person can make mistakes and come to ruin once arrogant.

“Fake can never become real, and real can never become fake.

Just watch, hahaha.”

CEO Cheng laughed heartily.

Ai Guobei, oh Ai Guobei, I used to hear how weak you were, and I somewhat looked down on you for it.

Now I admit it was I who underestimated the heroes of the world; you have quite the nerve.

“Are you saying that this recording is a fabrication by him?”

Cao Yueyue’s eyes lit up.

“I didn’t say that; I just believe in justice, believe in the law, and believe in the unbreakable friendship between me and Accountant Jia.

You, on the other hand, should get back to work early and not fuss over these matters unrelated to your job.”

After being suppressed by the capitalist, Xiao Cao left in a huff.

As for CEO Cheng, he took out his phone, opened the contacts, and looked at that bunch of numbers, hesitating over whom would be suitable to handle this matter.

Ai Guobei, oh Ai Guobei, just the day before yesterday, I used to wonder if the setup of this game was too grand, so I deliberately controlled its impact.

Unexpectedly, you are so generous, giving me your face to punch, afraid that I won’t reach high enough, won’t climb fast enough, using your spine as a footstool for me.

Old Ai, you don’t understand.

I mix it up on the West Coast, mainly around Saint Rodu.

What a coincidence, right?

Accountant Jia’s Faraday Future is also in Saint Rodu.

You play the villain here, trying to strain my relationship with Accountant Jia.

Wouldn’t it be fitting for Accountant Jia to come out and say a few words?