I am a master in India

Chapter 289 Private Television Station

"Boss, are you sure you want to add this much water?"

Trust me, you won't go wrong!

Ron snatched the kettle from Ashish's hand, and then Kuku poured water into the metal pot in front of him.

He stopped halfway through the spill. Then, amidst the strange looks from the crowd, he extended his middle finger!

"Boss" Ashish couldn't bear to look at him.

“Shut up!” Ron ignored him.

He nonchalantly flicked his middle finger backwards and then stuck it into the metal pot.

“Almost there.” Ron continued pouring water.

He straightened up and shook his hand when the water level just reached the first joint of his middle finger.

"You've all memorized it, right? I'll only demonstrate it once."

"Is this...is this okay?" Ashish's face was full of doubt.

"You don't know anything. This is the core technology of Sulphur rice cookers."

Looking at the long, fragrant rice and the glistening bottom of the pot, Ron smacked his lips in satisfaction.

He missed that feeling so much; after mastering this skill, even a teenager could cook a pot of fragrant rice.

That's right, the person surrounded by a group of senior executives from Suer Electric Appliances was the upcoming new product – a rice cooker.

Its chubby body has two ears for easy lifting. Below the nose-like plastic module is a protruding tongue.

Ron pressed a button lightly, and click! The indicator light above lit up.

It's simple, very simple. It's easy to use and has a simple design.

Suer Electric's first rice cooker was an old-fashioned mechanical style, without any smart system.

Press the switch to start cooking rice, and when it's done, the tongue will pop up on its own.

The two indicator lights at the top represent cooking and keeping food warm, respectively.

Even an illiterate person knows how to use it; no instructions are needed.

Hmm, the Sulphur rice cooker is quite fancy. The outer shell is painted a beige color, which is a color that Indians like.

Besides these, there are also cartoon drawings representing the sun, which are both playful and beautiful.

How can the vast majority of Indian people not have their own sun?

"Remember, when promoting your product, always emphasize how simple and easy it is to use."

"Understood." Ashish wrote it down.

"Just use the trick I just used, one knuckle is enough to cook a pot of fragrant rice for you."

"what?"

"There is no simpler or more effective way to promote this."

“I understand.” Ashish made up his mind that he would definitely invite a Bollywood actress to shoot the commercial.

"We're stocking up on more this time, because rice cookers will be something every household needs in the future."

"Boss, don't worry. None of the parts need to be imported. We can produce as many as we want."

"That's right. As long as the promotion is done well, the future profits will be no less than those of television sets."

India certainly has rice cookers now, but as mentioned before, most of them are imported.

The cheapest ones cost over $45, while the better ones can cost over $100.

The Sulph rice cooker is priced at $30, which is about 1200 rupees.

Yes, the rupee has depreciated again, with the exchange rate jumping from 1:31 to 1:40, which has led to a rise in prices.

Fortunately, the parts for rice cookers don't need to be imported, which is good news.

The cost of an old-fashioned mechanical rice cooker was extremely low; the cost of a single unit manufactured by Suer Electric was approximately $9.

After deducting channel commissions, the profit per unit is $16, totaling 640 rupees.

It's not a lot, but it's plentiful.

Rice cookers are positioned as high-volume products, and almost all urban residents are potential users.

It's possible that in two years, its profit margin could rival that of television sets.

As Ron and his friends were discussing their next marketing strategy, the fragrant rice was cooked with a snap.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” Ron said eagerly.

He picked up a wooden rice paddle, lifted the pot lid, and large plumes of steam rose upwards.

"Wow!" Everyone sniffed.

The rich aroma of rice fills the air, making one's mouth water.

Ron filled a small bowl for himself, then scooped some out with a spoon and put it in his mouth.

Mmm, the texture is delicate, smooth yet with distinct grains.

Indian basmati rice is a perfect match for a rice cooker.

"Delicious!" Ashish grabbed a handful.

Others also reached out, as they were used to this style of eating.

Tsk, Ron was practically tearing his teeth at the sight, not even bothering to stop himself from getting burned.

"Boss, you're amazing! Your middle finger technique is incredible!" Ashish said, chewing as he flattered him.

"Now you know how powerful this move is, right?"

"Yes Yes."

"Once the inventory is almost ready, we can start selling, and advertising will follow suit."

Would you like to take a look at the juicer too?

"That's simple, the motor and blades just need to be similar. You can send one to my house, but I'm busy today, I'm busy with other things."

Besides Suer Electric, another core business of Ron in Mumbai is Sun Entertainment.

Located in India's entertainment capital, right next to Bollywood, how could Sun Entertainment not be involved in the entertainment industry? Sun Entertainment now owns a film production company, a talent agency, and a bi-monthly entertainment magazine.

This is a new trend that Mary and her team have come up with, mainly reporting on Bollywood entertainment news, and occasionally publishing some fashion trends as well.

The print run was so-so, it was just for fun. But since the two girls liked this kind of thing, Ron let them be.

The real bulk of the revenue comes from film production companies and talent agencies.

Since its establishment in 93, Sun Entertainment has invested in six or seven films of varying sizes, making more money than losses.

Why? This all started with the rescue of Sanjay Dutt.

That incident not only made Duterte owe them a favor, but also established connections with film families like Chopra and Chandra.

With their help, Sun Entertainment successfully entered Bollywood's financial circles.

Some high-quality investment projects are difficult for outsiders to get involved in, but Mary and her group can easily obtain a share.

In just over two years, the film production company's net profit reached more than 100 million rupees.

The talent agency is a bit lacking; without big-name stars, they earn only hard-earned money, though they still make tens of millions.

Sun Entertainment currently has about 200 million rupees in its accounts, and Ron and Mary did not receive any share.

One is not short of money, the other has bigger ambitions.

Ron came here today to discuss the future development of Sun Entertainment with them.

These two girls have completely integrated into Indian life. They speak Hindi, eat Indian food, and act in Indian movies; you could easily mistake them for Indians.

Mary and Lena had largely decided to stay in Mumbai for the long term, so Sun Entertainment became their foundation, and they valued it more than Ron.

With ample funds in hand, it's only natural to continue expanding; it's the instinct of capital.

However, before discussing business, they first discussed several very large projects.

Yeah, the kind where you're not wearing clothes.

Ron has given a lot; he's exhausted; he's gone through the most difficult period since he started his business.

"Tell me, what good ideas do you have? As long as we can't let Sun Entertainment sell milk tea," he said, panting.

"We're not food connoisseurs, so why are we selling milk tea?" Lena asked, puzzled.

“You still don’t understand India,” Ron laughed.

In this country, textile manufacturers can build cars, oil companies can sell luxury goods, and rice sellers can eventually run amusement parks.

Nothing is impossible; the only limit is your imagination.

In the era when licensing systems existed, the barriers to entry for every industry were extremely high. Even driving a pedicab required a license, let alone running a legitimate business.

You're in the textile business. You started with polyester, but later wanted to switch to all-cotton. Sorry, you need to reapply for a license.

Many businessmen, struggling with the numerous constraints on expansion, simply venture out in all directions, applying for various licenses for cross-industry businesses one by one.

They just do whichever business gets approved, without any planning whatsoever.

As a result, bizarre cross-disciplinary behaviors have emerged one after another, which seem completely nonsensical and extremely unscientific to outsiders.

But that's India; everything that seems irrational eventually becomes logically consistent.

The cunning and greedy nature of Indian businessmen has further fueled this cross-border ecosystem.

Take Ron for example. He originally worked in the electronics business, but then suddenly ventured into the cement business.

This is not surprising in India; there are many companies that are far more outrageous than his.

Sun Entertainment can make movies, so why can't it sell milk tea? It's not that it can't.

"Do you remember what our business classification was when we registered Sun Entertainment?" Mary asked him.

“A media company, huh?” Ron dribbled the ball with his hands as usual.

“Hmm.” Mary nodded.

"Oh," Ron suddenly realized, "you guys want to go into media?"

"Yes, we're in Bollywood, we have those resources, don't we?"

"So that magazine..."

"No, it's not a magazine, it's a TV station."

"Wow!" Ron sat up abruptly in bed. "You mean setting up a private television station?"

"Yes, this business is booming now. Since 92, Mumbai has seen the addition of more than a dozen private television stations."

We have an advantage over them; we are insiders in Bollywood and can easily acquire the film rights to many companies.

You know, during the years when ANA was the dominant television network, Bollywood film rights were practically worthless.

Sun Entertainment could build its own copyright library and then broadcast it on television; I think there would be users willing to pay for it.

When the time is right, we can also produce our own TV series.

In this way, production companies, talent agencies, and television stations can be connected, and resources will be fully utilized.

"Wait a minute!" Ron got up and paced back and forth on the balcony. "We've essentially connected the entire supply chain?"

“It’s very feasible, right? We have the advantage in resources.” Mary was also very excited.

"I must say, this plan is very promising. The key is that by controlling the media industry, one controls the channels of public opinion."

Ron's business needs public opinion to protect it; every giant should have its own mouthpiece.

Especially in India, this magical country, you never know when you might need to engage in a magical battle.

"I'm investing in this project!" he said, waving his hand dismissively.

“I knew you’d agree.” Mary gave him a seductive glance.

“I’ve already thought of a name: Sun TV,” Ron said with a smug smile.

Now the people of India can truly enjoy the sunshine.

“We think the same thing, but this name probably won’t work right now,” Mary reminded her.

"Why?" Ron asked, puzzled.

“Because someone beat me to it.” She shrugged.

(End of this chapter)