Reinventing the Millennium

"Brother Fan, sit down."

"I asked you to come here today. I have nothing else to do. I mainly want to talk about your friend's funds."

In Yike's New York office, Fang Zhuo, in a suit and leather tie, poured a glass of water for Fan Xiong, who was a little embarrassed.

"Mr. Fang, are there any fund problems?" Fan Xiong felt like he was ecstatic about picking up money this month, and it was even more satisfying to bring this joy to his brothers.

"There's only one problem. The amount is too low and too fragmented." Fang Zhuo held Fan Xiong's financial statement dumbfounded. "It says thirty-two thousand on it. Brother Fan, do you think I have a bank deposit here?" ?”

Fan Xiong said in shock: "Isn't this and this total three hundred thousand?"

Previously, Fan Xiong took out the principal and profits from two profits and brought together three brothers to collect US$1.5 million. The money was told that it had tripled and could be delivered at any time.

That’s a full $3 million!

This time, he was informed that he could add money to enter. Fan Xiong expanded the scope of his brothers and raised 300,000 US dollars.

Fang Zhuo sat directly on his desk and said with a smile: "Private equity funds have capital thresholds. I told you last time that your 30,000 to 20,000 yuan is not enough to make my procedures cumbersome."

"Besides, one of your friends wants to deliver the profits from the last round, but you and the other two friends are not moving. It's too troublesome."

"Brother Fan, your chamber of commerce and I have a one- or two-year closed period. Now I will relax it to half a year, and you can choose freely after that."

"Also, you pool up the money of these brothers and friends, and put two hundred thousand dollars into one person's name, and one million dollars is the entry threshold."

"is that OK?"

Fang Zhuo reached for the tea cup.

Fan Xiong understood the meaning, which was to put together a small amount of money into a big sum of 200,000 yuan, and then collect another 5 big sums to put it into a private equity fund.

This time the total is only 300,000, and we still need to raise another 1 million...

"Mr. Fang, none of our brothers have much money. This..." Fan Xiong was a little embarrassed.

"Huh?" Fang Zhuo said in surprise, "I think your Chamber of Commerce is very rich. Last time I invested five million. This time I said I must get another five million, and they readily agreed."

Fan Xiong grinned but said nothing.

After a while, he opened his mouth and continued to complain. People who are in the world have no idea of ​​saving money. They usually spend money lavishly, either in casinos or on women's bellies.

"I'm not discussing with you, I'm informing you." Fang Zhuo said calmly without any emotion about this.

Fan Xiong suffocated and suddenly realized that someone was playing with him.

"Then I'll think of a way." He said helplessly.

"This kind of good thing still takes so long." Fang Zhuo shook his head and said disappointedly, "Just forget it if you can't get it within this week. The fund is not waiting all the time."

Fan Xiong quickly assured: "There will definitely be no problem this week. I'll let the brothers join in."

He decided not to limit himself to 23,400. He could try to scrape together 23,400, or look for a red stick that usually had less traffic. The opportunity to make a fortune was right in front of him.

Fang Zhuo glanced at Copper Pea, said "Yeah", and waved to him: "Go out."

Fan Xiong's mind was filled with "money, money, money", so he got up and left in confusion.

He didn't feel anything was wrong, but he suddenly remembered something before going out: "Mr. Fang, what is the name of this private equity fund? I want to tell my brothers."

A client who has done this three times didn’t even think of asking for his name until now, which goes well with the casual private equity style.

"Peace \u0026 Love, referred to as PL Private Equity Fund, according to our abbreviation habits, you can call it a beautiful fund." Fang Zhuo said, "My partners and clients all hope that its performance will be better."

Fan Xiong was a little stunned, muttered to himself, turned around and left.

After the copper pea left, Kong Yu, the head of fund affairs, came in from the president's office.

"Mr. Fang, can PL bring in six million US dollars this week?"

"Absolutely." Fang Zhuo nodded, "The one who went out just now has a very positive attitude and can contribute one million."

Kong Yu was surprised: "Are all the gang members so rich?"

Fang Zhuo shrugged and did not answer the question.

Kong Yu waited for a few seconds and continued to ask: "What is the strategy this time?"

"PL will buy NetEase and Sohu first, and keep them below the quotation line. Don't let the fund trigger announcements. The extra money will be invested in U.S. real estate stocks, and the style will be conservative." Fang Zhuo said.

Two requirements.

Kong Yu heard three meanings, which were to stay below the sign-raising line...

He considered his words and said tactfully: "How will the profit and gain be reflected in the contract?"

Fang Zhuo glanced at the fund manager lightly and emphasized: "PL should be more private equity, with management fees and performance compensation added, and the terms should be more flexible."

Kong Yu understood instantly.

Private equity funds are opposite to public equity funds. One very important difference is transparency.

What is more private equity?

Be more opaque!

"Don't have any problems with the contract written in black and white." Fang Zhuo said again.

No matter how clear Kong Yu is, he must be more opaque and protected by law!

MIGA Fund currently holds shares in three portals, and many actions must be announced. PL Fund must avoid this situation so that it can better control its customers.

In particular, the funds that PL absorbs come from gang groups, the kind of people who are not familiar with the terms of the contract.

Kong Yu clapped his hands and exclaimed: "Boss, this is a win-win situation. They make money and we make money too."

Fang Zhuo nodded in surprise. Yes, Lao Kong understood it very well.

Regarding the new fund shell, in addition to helping cultivate the financial management concepts of gang groups, it will also be used to test the waters of real estate subprime mortgages in the United States and actively participate in the current wave of real estate economic prosperity.

The current funds are still small, but Li Xinyue and Fan Xiong still have great potential. Behind them is the Chamber of Commerce, and behind the Chamber of Commerce is Chinatown. And there is more than one Chinatown in the United States?

…

As time passed in November, Yike, under Fang Zhuo's instruction, contacted Apple for the second time and conducted active acquisition discussions.

Apple recognizes the market value of Yike, just as it acquired SoundJam MP, the predecessor of iTunes, and also wants to use funds to gain Yike's market share and iMusic, which has been praised by users.

Compared with the US$200 million negotiated last time, Apple was not stingy and tried to finalize the acquisition as soon as possible.

There are frequent reports of progress from both sides.

However, to Fang Zhuo's dismay, Sony Music remained calm and conducted infrequent courtesy communications with the previous negotiating team.

One side is cold, the other side is hot.

Seeing that the negotiations between Apple and Yike were getting smoother and smoother, the marketing director couldn't sit still.

On November 6, Yu Hong went straight to the president's office after hearing the results of another negotiation.

"Mr. Fang, you didn't really sell Yike while talking about it, did you?"

Fang Zhuo was a little funny: "How do I remember that you asked me this last time?"

Yu Hong said confidently: "Because the situation is always changing, Apple has bid higher."

After a week of contact, Apple's acquisition price was discussed at US$280 million, and other conditions such as independent operation of other sub-brands, proportional stock exchange, and management retaining their positions were not erased.

Apple is quite sincere.

Yu Hong clearly felt this.

"Yes, Apple recognizes our value more and more." Fang Zhuo shook his head slightly and sighed, "Sony, why doesn't Sony open its eyes?"

Yu Hong sensed her mood from her tone and said with a relieved smile: "Yes, Sony, open your eyes quickly. If you don't open your eyes, the bride will get on someone else's sedan chair."

The two were chatting and laughing in the office. The plan to use Apple to put pressure on Sony Music had come to an end. It was now decided that CEO Fang Zhuo would attend the meeting the day after tomorrow.

If the real process is followed, this acquisition will be a success in which the president shows up to express his stance and then signs the deal.

Therefore, Apple will also have President Steve Jobs appear at the November 8 meeting. They believe that it is now a matter of shaking hands between the two presidents.

Fang Zhuo plans to pass this news to Sony Music - by the negotiation team notifying the other party that they will no longer continue negotiations and contact.

The purpose is to make the final statement: Hey, Sony Music, I really want to sell myself to Apple, surrender, and achieve personal financial freedom!

How can I put it, anyway, Yike's business negotiation team all talked about the point where they thought it would be inappropriate not to sell.

If Sony Music remains indifferent the day after tomorrow, President Yi Ke can only announce the collapse of the acquisition again because of "temporary changes in shareholders"...

This will inevitably be strongly questioned by Apple.

But as the president, Fang Zhuo could only put aside his business ethics and conduct cunning pressure tests.

Fang Zhuo and Yu Hong stopped discussing Cao Chuan's borrowing-arrow acquisition pressure, and instead talked about the recent professional managers selected by headhunters.

Yike not only needs a professional manager responsible for the US market, but also needs one to develop the European market.

M1 and P1 have proven with quality and price that they can still have an advantage in the market of developed countries like the United States. As Europe has similar consumption habits, Yike has no reason to give up.

If the US market is gradually weakened due to music copyright, the European market can still breathe a sigh of relief with its hardware products.

Just as the marketing director was about to leave after chatting with managers from different backgrounds, the mobile phone on Fang Zhuo's desk suddenly received a call from China.

"Xiao Yu, wait."

Fang Zhuo called to Yu Hong, rang the phone and said, "This is from Zhou Xin."

Yu Hong stopped.

"Hey, Brother Fang, are you busy?" Zhou Xin's voice was calm.

"I'm not busy. I'm chatting with Mr. Yu." Fang Zhuo asked, "What's the matter? Is there something going on on the registration website?"

"No, it's a private matter, Brother Fang. I plan to get married at the end of the month, and I wanted to ask about your schedule." Zhou Xin remained calm.

Fang Zhuo's eyes widened, and he once suspected that the flow of time abroad and at home were inconsistent. If he remembered correctly, he asked this person about his relationship status before going abroad...

He rarely lost his composure: "Uh, get married? At the end of the month? Did I hear it wrong?"

"No, she likes me quite a lot, and I think she's pretty good too." Zhou Xin recounted, "Besides, I have to be responsible."

Fang Zhuo: "..."

He was silent for a few seconds, turned on the external voice of his phone, and said congratulations: "Xiao Zhou, congratulations. It's a good thing to start a family and start a career. Well, you're just a little impatient. If it's someone else, forget it. I have nothing to say to you. Marriage must be carefully considered and not impulsive.”

"I have thought it through very clearly." Zhou Xin said with a smile, "Is Sister Yu here too? Then please inform me that I am getting married on the 30th of the month!"

Yu Hong: "..."

After being shocked, she hurriedly said congratulations.

When the phone call ended, the president of Yike and the marketing director were speechless. They both knew that Zhou Xin's previous relationship ended hastily. This one...is it about starting a new stage of life with responsibility?

"I'll ask him later." Fang Zhuo could only tell Yu Hong, but according to what little he knew about Zhou Xin, he was going to attend his wedding at the end of the month.

Yu Hong: "Okay!"

The marketing director left in confusion. She felt that it was very strange... wonderful to see a friend's emotional process like this.

Fang Zhuo was also confused, but he still had many things to deal with.

Five million U.S. dollars from the Li family of the Anliang Chamber of Commerce arrived, and one million U.S. dollars from the Copper Pea Brothers Group arrived.

Neither of these funds will enter the MIGA fund but will be operated through the PL fund.

Formal private equity, written in black and white, no bully.

However, compared with the MIGA fund, the PL fund has set its profit upper limit for some customers at the beginning of its birth. With such a number, we can then consider how to disburse the funds.

For now, the stock prices of Sohu and NetEase are hovering below US$2, and the room for appreciation is still quite high. This is something that will have an immediate impact with the Q4 financial report.

On November 8, Yike President Fang Zhuo, who looked particularly energetic in a formal suit, led his team to Apple.

Today is the default process for both companies. The president meets with the president, confirms each other, and then announces the final acquisition intention.

"Otherwise, I might as well just sell it to Apple. I'm really embarrassed to regret it in person." Fang Zhuo sat in the car, holding his cell phone and joking to himself.

"Only Mr. Fang from the top of our Yike team is qualified for this job." Yu Hong expressed both disparagement and praise.

Fang Zhuo let out a disdainful "ha" and put the phone back into his pocket.

The company's news was passed to Sony Music, but until now there was no movement. I'm afraid the other party really didn't pay much attention to the new music ecosystem. This was really beyond Fang Zhuo's expectation.

But he was unwilling to give up directly, thinking that he would come to meet Jobs when the decision was made.

After the first acquisition negotiation broke down, Jobs once criticized competitors in the media and denounced Yike's products as soulless.

Fang Zhuo decided to ridicule and question today what is the soul of a product.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Yi Ke and his team arrived at Apple.

Only then did Fang Zhuo really meet Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Sitting on both sides, the two CEOs exchanged polite greetings.

However, before the greetings ended, the cell phone in Fang Zhuo's pocket suddenly vibrated strongly.

Fang Zhuo's heart moved, he took out his phone and saw a call from Sony Music.

He apologized to Jobs and walked out of the conference room with his phone in hand.

The caller was Stringer, president of Sony Music.

"Mr. Fang, I think there is a lot of room for cooperation between Sony Music and Yike. Yike has obtained the music copyright, which is enough to compete with Apple. Sony Music has undergone model transformation and has future development."

Stringer's voice was extremely steady.

"Mr. Stringer, don't you think it's a little late for you to call at this time? I'm already standing outside Apple's conference room." Fang Zhuo didn't let go.

Stringer said: "Mr. Fang, would you rather achieve something great or just watch others become great?"

Fang Zhuo: "Well..."

"I fully believe in Mr. Fang's ability. Sony Music is also willing to make concessions on previous business negotiations. Apple's acquisition is nothing more than some immediate benefits. Mr. Fang is a person with a listed company. He must know that the greatest benefits will be achieved by going public. ." Stringer persuaded sincerely.

"I'll think about it again." Fang Zhuo sighed, "The main thing is that I've already reached an agreement with Apple, so I can't ignore business ethics."

"There is a saying in China: Those who achieve great things do not stick to trivial matters." Stringer spoke faster.

Fang Zhuowei said: "But the valuations of Sony Music and Apple on our Yike are too different. If I walk into the conference room to sign now, Apple will immediately pay US$280 million."

Stringer showed the determination of the CEO of the giant: "We also recognize the value of Yike, and we can discuss copyright issues based on this valuation. Moreover, with copyright cooperation, the value of Yike will immediately increase."

"Let me give you a number, Mr. Stringer. Let's calculate the valuation of Yike at US$300 million. If it works, we can discuss it further. If it doesn't work, I will go in and shake hands with Steve Jobs." Fang Zhuo gave a number.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Fang Zhuo counted silently in his mind, 1, 2, 3, 4...

5.

"Okay." Stringer agreed immediately, "I believe that Yike and Sony Music are a match made in heaven!"

"Well, I think so too." Fang Zhuo has already thought so!

That ended with a phone call from the president of Sony Music.

Fang Zhuo walked into the conference room again.

He walked towards Jobs, whom he met for the first time, and extended his right hand.

Jobs shook hands with some surprise.

"Sorry, Mr. Jobs, our negotiations are over." Fang Zhuo said regretfully, "One of the company's shareholders strongly objected. I really can't ignore the interests of shareholders. This goes against my business ethics."

Steve Jobs: "..."

Fang Zhuo shook his head regretfully and turned around to leave without hesitation.

Yi Ke and the others all stood up and disappeared from the Apple conference room with the president.

Jobs looked at this scene in astonishment, astonished at Yike's repentance again, and strong and complicated emotions arose in his heart. It's not that Yike's products have no soul...

It’s the CEO of Yike who has no soul!