Chapter 1671
Make a Deal with Me
Zhang Yuan was naturally very interested in the proposal from the two founders of Xiaohongshu.
But after a moment's thought, he finalized his strategy.
I can't show that I'm interested.
Firstly, by showing interest, you make the other person think that you are someone who "listens to advice."
Those who listen to advice will leave the other party with the impression that they are easy to bully and manipulate.
Of course, I am not Lao Tzu.
I occasionally listen to advice, unless what you say happens to be the same as what I think.
Secondly, if you want me to be your spokesperson, how many shares will you give me as compensation?
There definitely won't be too many.
The other party kept emphasizing that after financing, the company's market value is now tens of millions and is still growing rapidly.
Nowadays, endorsement fees on online platforms are not that high, far less than those for traditional consumer brands and luxury goods.
At most, they'll give me a few million, which doesn't amount to much in shares.
He decided to put on an act.
"You mean you won't pay?"
“Use my image rights for free.” He began to feign ignorance, but a hint of anger crept in.
"No, no, no, they are different settlement methods."
"With your star power, how could you possibly use my image rights for free? That doesn't make sense," the female boss quickly explained.
"So, you mean I'm endorsing you but won't get any cash compensation?" he pressed again.
“We will reward you with shares,” the male boss explained.
“You haven’t answered my question directly; you’ve been beating around the bush.” Zhang Yuan’s attitude hardened, and he leaned forward.
Since you all praise me for understanding investment, I'll now talk to you with the air and demeanor of an investor.
The two men quickly sensed his firmness and seriousness.
“You never clearly stated the purpose of bringing me here from the beginning.”
"Should we find an artist or an investor?"
“You’ve been hiding things from me, and your current way of communicating isn’t sincere enough.”
"This is something I'm not entirely satisfied with."
He expressed his dissatisfaction.
Whether as a big star or an investor, I have the right to express my dissatisfaction.
And you dare not turn against me, because you have ulterior motives.
That's my confidence.
Even though the two founders have seen a lot in life, they are under immense pressure at this moment.
"If this has made you uncomfortable, we apologize now."
"It was indeed our employee's fault for not explaining things clearly to you."
"We, as managers, also have a responsibility."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuan decided to use the employee as a buffer zone.
Okay, you've got the air of a boss.
"It's good that you admit it." Zhang Yuan gained an even greater psychological advantage.
My phone just happened to vibrate, and I wanted to show that I didn't care about the company and was indifferent to it.
He took out his phone.
"Excuse me."
"It's alright, you go ahead with your work." The two of them waited like that.
It wasn't a phone call, it was a text message.
"You said you're going to Shanghai, right?"
The girl who had just broken up with him last night sent him a message.
"Yes, how are things on your end? Is work going well?"
"Great, I just missed you."
Zhang Yuan blinked a few times.
He then quickly replied.
"Then I'll come find you tonight."
"Okay."
The agreement was made in just a few simple words.
I looked up at the two of them again.
The two of them were discussing things while he was busy.
This person is clearly not the kind of artist I imagined who hasn't had much education and isn't very bright.
The pressure they felt was even greater than that felt by ordinary investors.
The two were fooled by his performance and thought he was really angry.
We've decided to hold off for now; we can't rush things, or things might fall apart.
First, establish a personal relationship.
Are you done with your work?
“Yes, please continue.” He gestured with his hand.
We thought you must be very tired after your long journey.
"And we should do our duty as hosts."
"How about we have dinner together tonight, and chat while we eat?"
Zhang Yuan knew what they wanted to do.
Perfect timing... I have plans for tonight.
"No, I don't have time." He told the truth: "I'm quite busy, I have to go out of town in a while."
"Well..." The two felt they couldn't continue the conversation.
Refusing to talk or eat—is this an attitude of non-cooperation?
Zhang Yuan wanted to tell them that whether or not to talk, the initiative lay with him, not them.
"Alright, you can prepare yourselves."
"Prepare well."
"I'll come back tomorrow morning. You'd better give me a reason and a solution that can convince me."
That's all for today.
Hit and run, that's so exciting...
After he finished speaking, he stood up and left the startup company without a trace of regret.
Play hard to get, give them a little push.
I need to get you into the rhythm I'm familiar with.
After leaving the house, I went to visit miHoYo.
They all had a smooth time; they got a new office, and their team expanded to more than a dozen people.
The division of labor was clear: the art team designed the character appearances, the copywriters created the character backgrounds, and the technical team rewrote the game engine and integrated in-app purchase features.
A vibrant and beautiful scene, where all things flourish.
He specially ordered takeout from a large restaurant for a luxurious lunch, which he shared with all the new and old employees.
Whether in China or abroad, eating is always one of the most effective ways to communicate feelings.
Because eating is not only an instinct, but it can also bring pleasure to humans.
Most company employees don't even earn enough per month to afford a meal like this, so it's naturally quite enjoyable.
They also had a good impression of him, a relatively unfamiliar investor in the company.
After eating, we got in the car and headed straight for Hengdian, which took about three or four hours.
Yesterday she made a special trip back to the capital to see me, and today I made a special trip to Hengdian to see her, so we've evened things out.
The long journey gave him time to think.
Besides its future market value and promotional functions, he felt that Xiaohongshu had other uses for him.
First, I have partnerships with shopping platforms.
Li Jing's company is Lefeng.com.
However, Lefeng.com is too small, and Li Jing is ultimately a host by training, whose abilities are far inferior to those of the two founders of Xiaohongshu, who come from Fortune 500 companies.
For Fan Bingbing, expanding the influence of her cosmetics business is inseparable from the help of Xiaohongshu.
In the face of Taobao, I am always just a dispensable "little trick".
This unequal relationship is not very secure.
It's safer to control your own platform.
Moreover, cosmetics and Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) are compatible.
In addition, there's also cooperation with the Olsen family!
Zhang Yuan considered that Xiaomoushu (a popular Chinese social media platform) should focus on female consumers, especially at this stage, by offering cross-border consumption guides and products.
Similar to the online shopping agent model.
Later on, they will have their own warehouse management, inventory, and even their own product lines.
This platform is a master at promoting overseas brands!
They've made a bunch of previously unknown imported cosmetics and health supplement brands famous.
In particular, several brands from island nations and Australia have transformed from mid-tier brands into international giants in the Chinese market.
The Olsen Sisters' brand fits the three criteria of being a bourgeois brand, imported, and for women.
The China market strategy I devised for them was already biased towards online channels, and with the support of Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), it will definitely be twice as effective with half the effort.
The Olson family also needs the influence they have in North American business and political circles.
Cooperation should benefit everyone.
Perhaps this platform will serve other purposes for him. He thought about it and realized it was all a good thing, which put him in a good mood.
This pleasure was so obvious that it could be seen at a glance.
"You look so happy."
After arriving at the destination, I went straight to the hotel to meet up with Sisi, who had just finished get off work.
"Of course I'm happy to see you."
"You're so good with words." She shook her head happily.
"More than that."
"The business trip to Shanghai went very smoothly."
"Tell me about it."
Zhang Yuan told her everything that had happened that day without holding anything back.
"So, are you planning to accept this proposal or not?" she asked after listening, resting her chin on her hand.
His earnest expression was like that of a sapling waiting for rain to nourish it, eager to understand everything about it.
“What if it were you?” he countered.
“As for me…” she shook her head: “I don’t like such complicated ways of cooperating.”
"It is full of unknowns and uncertainties."
"I imagine completing each job as if it were a work of art, and then receiving compensation, whether it be spiritual or financial."
She doesn't like making things complicated, so naturally she doesn't like this kind of cooperation model that she doesn't understand and is prone to worrying about.
Zhang Yuan thought to himself that this was aimed at the style of veteran artists, and the way they did things was nothing like those sophisticated and charming female stars of today.
“But you’re different from me. You like adventure, right?” she said, then frowned slightly.
"Before you came, I got the hotel's food and beverage menu, planning to have them deliver the food later."
"After looking at you for a long time, I still don't know what you like to eat."
"I feel like such a failure, I know so little about you."
Seeing her worried expression, Zhang Yuan raised his hand and gently rubbed her eyebrows.
"I like to eat very simple things, nothing special," he replied nonchalantly.
"Actually, I'm not particular about food and drink; I'm fine with any of the eight major cuisines."
"I just can't stand a table full of pickled vegetables and kimchi."
At that moment, Zhang Yuan recalled his past being dominated by Korean "feasts".
"Just do it the way you like."
"That won't do. Getting along requires cooperation from both sides, and sometimes we have to cater to your tastes."
After listening, Zhang Yuan looked at her for a while.
"What's wrong?" She touched her face.
"It's nothing, I just feel like you've grown up."
“I don’t think it’s a compliment.” She leaned closer.
"But I've been thinking about it recently."
"Although we have had some disagreements, these issues will be resolved as long as they are addressed."
"Not only will it not affect the relationship, but it can also enhance mutual understanding."
"For example, I've learned about some of your shortcomings." She made a helpless expression: "I don't like them, but I'll try to accept them."
“I don’t like arguing because of my parents…you know.” She experienced her parents’ discord when she was very young.
"Let's all learn from this experience and make sure the same thing doesn't happen again."
"OK." Zhang Yuan nodded. "I'll do my best."
"Should we eat first, or...?"
Finally, we had a meal and the business was settled.
At the other party's request, he stayed overnight.
The next morning, they woke up together, had breakfast together, and then he took a car back to Shanghai.
When I returned to the Xiaohongshu office, they were even more enthusiastic than yesterday.
Even the drinks have been upgraded; the tea is noticeably better than yesterday, it seems they went out of their way to buy it.
Seeing that the other party had "corrected their attitude," Zhang Yuan was quite satisfied.
She proactively handed him detailed company information and even showed him a PowerPoint presentation explaining the company's goals and future plans, unlike yesterday when she only talked about it.
"Okay, I think I understand."
He was in a good mood, especially after spending the night with the girl yesterday.
It's not just that he's in a good mood; as Brother Qian said, with no worries about the rear, he has more motivation and confidence to do things.
The other party could tell that this person looked much more relaxed than yesterday.
"But I have a question."
"Please speak," the CEO said, immediately turning to him.
"According to your plan, you're going to do cross-border e-commerce, similar to Amazon in China, right?"
"It's just that Amazon does everything, and Taobao is the same."
“Your target market is more accurate.”
"Yes, you're absolutely right," the man praised.
"I know that doing e-commerce requires a lot of capital."
"As you said yesterday, the angel round received several million Chinese yuan in investment."
"This money won't last long."
"Based on my experience and the goals you've set, the fund pool will be drained in less than a year."
"So what's the next step?"
"If we run out of money, and I become a shareholder as you say, how will you guarantee my interests?"
"We will continue to raise funds," the CEO replied quickly.
"What if fundraising doesn't go smoothly?" Zhang Yuan smiled and glanced at the two of them: "90% of startups die because of fundraising."
Can you guarantee that you will successfully raise funds?
"I am confident."
“Every entrepreneur has confidence, but 99 out of 100 end up battered and bruised,” Zhang Yuan pressed on relentlessly.
“Any market fluctuations, such as financial crises, policy changes, or international relations, can create financing risks.”
Are you confident you can change these things?
The person being talked to was speechless.
I thought to myself, "This isn't right."
I hired you as my spokesperson, but you seem more like the boss than I am...
Every word hits right in the lungs.
"It's impossible, unpredictable, right?"
“But these risks were not mentioned in the plan you gave me.”
“Simply stating expectations without mentioning risks is not a plan; it’s just singing a hymn of celebration.”
“So,” Zhang Yuan emphasized, “I can now state this clearly.”
"I can accept your offer of exchanging shares for endorsements."
"But the prerequisite is that you provide a detailed and feasible solution to the financing problem and ensure that my returns will not be affected."
"This..." the two hesitated.
"I said it yesterday, I don't like beating around the bush."
"Whether this plan exists or not, whether it has been considered or not, I need you to give me a clear answer right now," Zhang Yuan pressed further, using both words and force.
The business world is like a battlefield, very bloody, and you can't solve everything by laughing and having a few drinks.
Unless there are special historical periods and special relationship backgrounds.
"Yes or no, please answer." He repeated the question.
As Sisi said, she didn't like Zhang Yuan bringing his controlling nature into his life and relationships, but he was quite effective at work.
"Not at the moment," the other party replied dejectedly.
"Okay, it's good that you acknowledge the problem."
"Only by identifying problems can we solve them." Zhang Yuan clapped his hands.
"Coincidentally, I have a perfect solution to this problem that involves significant risks."
Qu Fang didn't understand, but Mao Wenchao, who had experience with private equity, seemed to grasp it a little.
"what do you mean?"
"If I invest in you, I can ensure there won't be any financing risks!"
This is called "using reform and disaster relief to resolve the dilemma."
You don't want to spend money? No problem.
I even added some!
However, it is mentioned in both Chinese and Western traditional stories.
Making a deal with the devil comes at a tiny, insignificant price.
Of course, I'm not a devil.
I don't want your souls either.
What would I do with such a dirty thing...?
What I want are just shares, a voice, voting rights, and management rights—these seemingly insignificant little things. (End of Chapter)