Training the Heavens

Chapter 82 Making Furniture

"What factory?"

"Furniture factory! Now the number of private houses being vacated is increasing year by year. To vacate the houses, new houses have to be built. In addition to the new houses built by the units, so many units are moving into new homes, so they have to buy some new furniture, right? So this is a huge market, and it will get bigger and bigger in the future! Opening a furniture factory at this time is definitely a sure win!" Gao Jialin revealed the answer.

The 1980s was an era when supply could not keep up with demand. At that time, you could make money no matter what you did. As long as you could produce the products, you didn't have to worry about sales. As people's living standards improved, the demand for furniture would continue to increase. This business had a bright future.

With connections like Xie Chao, Gao Jiawang also knows a little about furniture making, and now is the perfect time for him to do this.

"Shanghainese people are very particular about fashion. I went south before and collected a lot of furniture styles from Hong Kong. They are much more beautiful than those made by old carpenters. Even if the price is high, there are still many people who buy them!"

"You work at the housing exchange. No one in Shanghai knows better than you who has moved into a new house and whose family is well-off and can afford these fashionable furniture. Isn't your brother-in-law still unemployed? When the furniture factory opens, let him come over to help and be responsible for finding these high-value customers. Jiawang can then take the picture album to show him. How can our business be bad?" Gao Jialin emphasized the word "our".

Even when there are clear regulations in the future, this kind of thing can't be stopped, let alone now? The restrictive policy has not yet been introduced, so even if someone knows about it, it won't matter.

Gao Jialin was not worried that Xie Chao and the others had any other ideas. First, Gao Jialin had met their families and they were not greedy people. Second, the core of this furniture factory was those fashionable furniture styles, and these styles were all in Gao Jialin's hands.

He took out a stack of blueprints and handed them to Xie Chao to look at. These blueprints were drawn by someone based on his own memories of later life, scenes from Hong Kong videos, and the current living conditions in Shanghai.

Even if someone buys furniture and produces it themselves, Gao Jialin can quickly come up with more fashionable alternatives to always maintain the leading position of this furniture factory.

"These furnitures are so beautiful!" Xie Chao's heart was already moved when he just heard the word "we". When he saw these furnitures which were much more fashionable than the products of the old furniture factories in Shanghai, how could he resist?
"Come over to your brother-in-law. I'll pay him 200 yuan a month, and he'll get commissions and bonuses for every client he brings in." Gao Jialin took out some concrete stuff.

"Two hundred yuan? My monthly salary is only over a hundred yuan!" If Xie Chao's child was not still young, he would have wanted his child to take over in advance, and then he would come to work for Gao Jialin.

"As long as the factory can be opened, the salary is actually a small part of the income. The bonuses and commissions will definitely be higher than the salary. By then, it will not be uncommon to earn several thousand or even tens of thousands of yuan a year."

"If I find a customer based on the information you provided, I will give you 10% of the selling price as an introduction fee. This money is your private money. I will hand it to you personally when the time comes, and no one else will know about it." Gao Jialin continued to tempt.

Xie Chao's heart beat faster. No Shanghai man could resist the temptation of private money. His salary and bonus were fixed, and his wife knew exactly how much he got every month. As for the commissions, he would say how much he wanted, and he would give part of it to his family, and the rest would be his.

Gao Jialin was indeed generous; what cadre of that period had ever witnessed such a test? Xie Chao gave in without much mental struggle. "Just tell me what you want me to do!" "I have a book to write, and Jiawang doesn't know the ins and outs of paperwork, so you'll have to take care of this factory's paperwork. Take Jiawang with you, tell him what to do and who to contact, and try to get the paperwork done as quickly as possible!" Gao Jialin wasn't polite either. This money wasn't going to be given for free; if he wanted the money, he had to work.

"No problem. I have acquaintances in the Industrial and Commercial Bureau and the Tax Bureau. Just invite them to dinner and the procedures will be completed!" Xie Chao assured, patting his chest.

He'd worked at the housing exchange for so many years, helping so many people successfully switch houses. What a huge favor! How could these people refuse him if he brought Gao Jiawang with him? If he could also treat them to a nice meal, the deal would be even better.

"It's time to treat guests, and it's time to give out cigarettes and alcohol. The most important thing is to get things done as quickly and properly as possible! The sooner we open the factory, the sooner we can make money! Jiawang just came from the countryside, so you should teach him more!" This was a good opportunity for training. After Gao Jiawang followed the whole process, he already knew how to deal with people in the management department.

"I know that. He's usually in charge of the factory, and he's the one who deals with all those people. I'll definitely teach him well!" Xie Chao nodded and asked another question, "The factory location is easy. I know a few suitable places. I'll take you and Jia Wang to choose one. What about the workers?"

Gao Jialin held up two fingers and said, "Two ways. Since the educated youth returned to the city, many skilled workers in the furniture factories have retired early to allow their children to come back and take over their jobs. It's a waste for these people to stay idle at home. If we invite them to work in the factory, they will definitely be willing. Also, more people are moving into the city now. We can find some who have done carpentry or painting work, or are hardworking and down-to-earth, and have them help the old workers."

"Then after choosing a place, I have to treat people to a meal and help them get temporary residence permits." Several familiar faces appeared in Xie Chao's mind.

"Also, it's not easy for lumber mills, transportation companies, paint factories, and hardware factories to buy materials now. They all have to find someone to make a living first." Without Gao Jialin's reminder, he counted on his fingers which channels he needed to open up to start a furniture factory.

After dinner, Xie Chao returned home and told his wife about this. His wife immediately became excited. She had been worried about her brother's job, and now she finally found an opportunity to solve it. Although it was not a formal job, the salary of 200 yuan a month was higher than hers. She let him do it first, and then find an opportunity to change to a formal job.

Let my brother save the money he earns from work, so that he will have enough money to pay for finding a job when the time comes, right?
She immediately rushed home and told her brother the good news.

As soon as he got to work the next day, Xie Chao started making phone calls, contacting his connections, testing their attitude, and then making arrangements for dinner.

After get off work, he brought his brother-in-law to Tai'an Road and found the Gao Jialin brothers. Without his introduction, Gao Jiawang took the initiative to extend his right hand to Xie Chao's brother-in-law and said, "This is Xiangdong, right? I'll trouble you to take care of the factory's affairs from now on."

"If you have any tasks in the future, just tell me to do them directly, and I will do my best!" Qian Xiangdong had been anxious for more than a year at home and now that he had received instructions from his sister and brother-in-law, he was naturally very obedient.

"Okay, let's work hard and try to bring more money home for the New Year this year!" The four people held hands together.

(End of this chapter)