My American magical life
Chapter 669 - 669 117 Meeting

669: Chapter 117: Meeting 669: Chapter 117: Meeting CEO Cheng disappeared these past few days to avoid disaster, but also to arrange a backup plan, and yet many of his associates are unaware.

As the actual controller of more than a dozen companies, CEO Cheng’s routine work had recently been disrupted.

Apart from his remote power struggle with Achilles, his business couldn’t afford to be neglected.

Especially since MAS and UCLA had just established a partnership; their West Coast Breakthrough Media Research Institute, which cost Fifty Million Dollars to launch, was overseen by Lisa, but CEO Cheng needed to step in when necessary.

The name West Coast Breakthrough Media Research Institute sounded quite impressive, backed by the UCLA brand; CEO Cheng was very optimistic about the potential of this platform, so he integrated his own ADE (American Dream Education) short video content creation training into this platform.

This is what’s called empowerment, but as for whether there’s actual empowerment, that is a question that cannot be answered.

MAS was already the most successful MCN agency on TIKTOK, and the West Coast Breakthrough Media Research Institute established by Cheng Daqi was even the first institution in America focusing on short video broadcasting and content.

Due to these factors, the array of companies and models under Cheng Daqi had become representatives of the most advanced in the short video field.

Of course, building and maintaining a system requires costs.

Cheng Daqi had splashed out Fifty Million Dollars for this so-called reputation and authority and planned to invest even more in the future.

But it was worthwhile, considering the extremely broad prospects for short videos—and the costs wouldn’t necessarily all be borne by himself.

Today was the official launch day of the West Coast Breakthrough Media Research Institute, and CEO Cheng brought Lisa to the old factory gifted to him by Chief Glu.

“Out of the Fifty Million Dollars, you spent thirty million on renovations, Chan.

You really know how to spend money.

If those UCLA people knew where the money went, they definitely wouldn’t come as eagerly.”

“Lisa, you don’t understand.

The environment is also very important.

In the future, I plan to continue investing here.

It can serve as a creative center and as a laboratory for a media research institution.”

The old factory had been transformed into a beautiful art creation center.

At the moment, a young and academically ambitious UCLA professor was presenting his project onstage, while Cheng and Lisa were killing time in the audience.

“Continue investing?

How much more are you going to burn?”

Lisa didn’t handle the company’s finances, but as MAS’s housekeeper, she knew that every penny of the company’s money was accounted for.

“MAS is in a period of rapid expansion, Chan.

I understand your expectations for this place, but why not wait for the next round of financing or until the profits are more stable before expanding the investment?

As for academic research and exploration, they don’t have much to do with a small company like ours.

Even OC just borrows the name without really putting in much money.”

Lisa’s thoughts were actually spot-on; so-called specialization, authority, and technical prowess sometimes aren’t that important in business.

MAS, like OC, wasn’t a giant and wasn’t yet at the stage of exploring the frontiers of technology.

“It’s not me spending.

What do you think about the advertisers?

I think there’s a good opportunity for the West Coast Breakthrough Media Research Institute to collaborate with them.

I set the stage, they put in some money, and everyone watches the play unfold.”

“Advertisers do have this need.

You spent two million to get UCLA’s endorsement, and now you’re selling it to the advertisers, letting them chip in too…

Chan, you’re really cut out to be a capitalist!”

Lisa was aware that Cheng’s idea actually had a lot of practical value.

After all, top-tier advertisers also highly value professionalism.

As the party B institutions, they need professionalism to gain the favor of party A.

One to take the blow, and the other willing to strike, Cheng Daqi seemed truly able to freeload successfully this time.

“Ms.

Lisa, you’ll need to put in extra effort in contacting those advertising companies, hahaha.”

Lisa made a face.

The presentation onstage asking for money had just finished, so she said to Cheng.

“There, the fellow is asking for a budget of two hundred thousand dollars.

Today, there are over forty people; Chan, it’s just two million, how will you divide it?”

Another person from UCLA took the stage and opened their PPT.

Cheng Daqi gave a wry smile and replied.

“Let’s first choose a few that look somewhat interesting, give them some seed money to work with, and we’ll continue to raise funds.”

Lisa couldn’t help but complain.

“We still have to recruit graduate students, and the graduate students have projects too; they need money as well.

Chan, this way of operating is putting a lot of pressure on our cash flow.”

The Breakthrough Media Research Institute was a partner institution with UCLA, and Cheng’s MAS, as the main collaboration partner, was just a not-so-large company.

Normally the Breakthrough Media Research Institute wouldn’t be able to recruit graduate students, but Cheng Daqi had snatched some spots from UCLA, intending to cultivate talent for his own company.

But the money would have to come out of MAS; UCLA wouldn’t contribute a dime.

With the housekeeper speaking up, Cheng Daqi dared not be reckless.

He was the one pushing MAS to speed up expansion and naturally had to take responsibility.

“We can still burn for at least three more months; don’t worry, we’ll casually pull in a few tens of millions for MAS when the time comes.”

Cheng Daqi gave Lisa a reassurance pill, but judging by the blonde’s expression, she didn’t seem very assured by it.

—————–

“He said he would give me Fifty Million Dollars, but I haven’t seen a dime yet.

He’s been stringing us along to take down Forbes, and it turns out those Forbes people were brought in by that female fiddler.

Jax, thankfully, it was Eris who made the move.”

“Hahaha, now he tells me Niu Sen might not save me; what is he thinking?

I guess he’s panicking or maybe scared by someone.

Those two gunmen were useful; even if they didn’t take him out, they at least made him realize his own strength.”