Entertainment mogul: Starting his business with the internet

Chapter 282 Soaring Stars
As February arrives, the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival grows stronger, and the streets and alleys of Beiping are decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, exuding a strong sense of the New Year.

The doors and windows of Tengda Culture are already decorated with festive couplets and the character "福" (good fortune), and the employees are eagerly anticipating the company's holiday in just a few days.

Inside the conference room, Tengda Culture's middle-level managers and several artists were all present.

At the center of the stage, Zhang Zhao, beaming with pride, reported on the company's operations:
"The company's total revenue in 2009 was 10.27 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 51.29%, and net profit was 2.17 million yuan... The company's outstanding operating results are inseparable from the efforts of everyone present."

At this point, Zhang Zhao paused, a smile spreading across his face: "I have some good news to share with everyone in advance!"

The company received top marks in the group's performance evaluation, and everyone's year-end bonus will increase by 30% on top of the original amount.

As soon as the news was announced, thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Everyone was beaming with joy, and the entire conference room turned into a sea of ​​laughter.

After letting the noise from the audience linger for a while, Zhang Zhao gestured with his hands to signal everyone to be quiet, and then continued, "In addition, there are a few other things I'd like to inform you about."

Mr. Yu has been promoted to President of TT Video and will take office after the New Year. Therefore, today's meeting is also a farewell party for him. Now, let's hear a few words from Mr. Yu.

"General Manager Zhang, General Manager Zhuang, and fellow colleagues, thank you all for your support of my work over the past few years..."

As Yu Xin delivered his farewell speech, he was filled with emotion, feeling that he had finally made another significant step forward.

With video websites booming, if I can achieve something after taking office, the future will surely be bright.

Zhuang Liqi sat to the side, looking at his spirited colleagues with envy. Several members of Tengda Culture's leadership team had been promoted, and he secretly thought that he also had to seize the time to seek advancement.

After Yu Xin finished speaking, Zhang Zhao continued the previous topic: "After General Manager Yu was promoted, a vice general manager position became vacant in the company, and the leadership decided to hold an open competition for the vice general manager position within the group."

Specific requirements will be published on the group's human resources department website. Those who feel they are qualified can participate in the competition.

Upon hearing this, the directors in the audience immediately became interested.

Zeng Jia, in particular, was burning with enthusiasm. She felt that her work in the artist management department was outstanding and that she was fully qualified to compete for the position of vice president of the company.

After announcing several more things, Zhang Zhao adjourned the meeting, leaving only the two directors and deputy directors of artist management and several artists from the company.

Tengda Culture currently has seven signed artists, not counting Qiao Zhengyu, who has already opened his own studio and is semi-independent.

Wang Kai, Chen Xiao, Zhang Songwen, Wang Luodan, Lü Yi, Zhao Liying, and Yang Mi—three men and four women—are not a large number of artists compared to the size of Tengda Culture.

Zhang Zhao glanced at the handsome men and beautiful women in front of him and directly ordered, "It's like this, to celebrate the revenue exceeding 200 billion, the group will hold its annual meeting in a few days."

The office specifically requested that our company produce two programs. You guys discuss it and submit two.

After waiting for a while and seeing that no one spoke, Zhang Zhao couldn't help but urge, "Why aren't you saying anything? You're all in the entertainment industry, shouldn't you be able to sing and dance with ease?"

All group leaders will be attending this annual meeting. Opportunities to showcase yourselves in front of the entire senior management are rare, so make the most of them.

"Mr. Zhang, I'd like to sign up. I can find a dance troupe and do a dance." Lu Yi thought for a moment. Recently, his presence at the company had been a bit low, so he needed to make a name for himself.

Zhang Zhao smiled with satisfaction: "Not bad! Counts as one."

After some deliberation, Qiao Zhengyu realized that although he had opened his own studio, the company was still the major shareholder. As Tengda's top artist, he still needed to perform well in front of his superiors.

So he chimed in, "I'll sign up too. I wonder which junior sister would like to sing a duet with me on stage?"

"Me!" Yang Mi reacted quickly, raising her hand high almost the instant she finished speaking.

Seeing Qiao Zhengyu nod at him, he couldn't help but think, "It's just performing a show, a piece of cake. Besides, singing with Qiao Zhengyu will basically guarantee a trending topic."

With two big stars performing on stage, the lineup was impressive enough, so Zhang Zhao immediately made the decision: "Then it's settled. Just choose a festive and appropriate song, and someone from the office will contact you about the rehearsals."

Zhao Liying sighed slightly. She had also wanted to perform on the same stage as Qiao Zhengyu, but Yang Mi beat her to it.

Among all the artists in the company, I am the least famous and have the lowest status, so I should seize every opportunity.

After arranging the urgent matters, Zhang Zhao looked at everyone and asked, "I've been busy with my performance review lately and haven't had a chance to ask about everyone's schedules for the first half of the year."

"Mr. Zhang, I'd like to give you an update. Zheng Yu is currently filming the movie 'King of Guns'."

Chen Xiao is on the set of "Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame". Director Teng's film "Love is Not Blind" is scheduled to begin filming after the New Year, with Wang Kai and Luo Dan cast as the male and female leads.

Mimi is filming "Detective Dee: The Prequel," a job she took on before joining the company. Zhang Songwen is filming "Before Dawn."

Zeng Jia recounted the situation of several artists one by one, and finally looked back and forth between the remaining two: "Lü Yi and Li Ying have not yet joined the crew."

Lu Yi glanced subconsciously at Wang Luodan sitting opposite him, a bitter feeling rising in his heart. He and Wang Luodan had joined the company at almost the same time, but now his career development had completely fallen behind Wang Luodan's.

At this moment, I can't help but feel a little regretful, thinking that my decision to switch to serious dramas was a mistake.

Zhang Zhao nodded slightly, listening while mentally planning some of the projects the company would be launching this year:
"The company is about to collaborate with Benshan Media on a movie called 'The Laughing Hero'. The male lead will be Xiao Shenyang, and the female lead will be Liying."

Happiness came a little suddenly, and Zhao Liying was stunned for a while before she came to her senses. Her voice trembled with excitement: "Thank you, President Zhang! I will definitely perform well."

Yang Mi looked on with envy. She had always dreamed of acting in a movie, but she never expected that the round-faced boy would get such a good deal this time, as he was acting alongside Xiao Shenyang!

Shen Yang was the most popular and hottest person in the entertainment industry in 2009. Working with him on a movie would instantly generate a lot of buzz.

Lu Yi looked at Zhang Zhao in surprise. She didn't expect the general manager to give such a good opportunity to Zhao Liying, who was less experienced than her.

It's one thing if I'm not as good as Wang Luodan, but am I really not as good as the later round-faced Xiao Huka in the eyes of the leaders?
As he pondered, a look of distress appeared on his face, and he felt more confused and worried about the future.

Zhang Zhao remained impassive, clearly seeing the shock, disappointment, and confusion on Lü Yi's face. He understood that Lü Yi must be unhappy about giving Zhao Liying the lead role in "The Laughing Swordsman".

However, he had his own considerations. The lead role in this movie was simply fulfilling a promise he had made to Zhao Liying.

Lü Yi is introverted and doesn't complain even when she's wronged. As her agent, Yang Tianzhen naturally had to step forward and fight for her interests.

"Mr. Zhang, what do you think about arranging things for Lü Yi? She hasn't received any good scripts lately, so I'll have to trouble you to take care of her."

“We’re all company employees, so I naturally won’t favor one over the other. The drama ‘Temptation to Go Home,’ which the company is investing in, will start filming after the New Year. Let’s give the lead role to Lü Yi.” “Thank you, Mr. Zhang.” Lü Yi thanked him repeatedly. She had heard about the drama the company was investing in.

It's an urban melodrama. Although I don't like this genre, it's better to have a female lead than to have no roles at all.

After arranging everything properly, Zhang Zhao gave a few more words of advice before the meeting ended: "I'll say it again, the company's resources will definitely be given priority to our own people."

But I don't object to you taking on acting roles outside of acting. Ultimately, making a living in the entertainment industry depends on talent. If there's nothing else, let's adjourn the meeting. I wish everyone a Happy New Year in advance.

Upon hearing this, everyone offered their New Year's greetings, and the meeting appeared to be a happy occasion for all.

As Zeng Jia was leaving the conference room, he had just stepped over the threshold when he heard Zhang Zhao's voice behind him.

"Zeng Jia, stay here for a moment."

Zeng Jia then turned around and sat back down in his seat.

Although Zhao Liying was curious about what the two were going to talk about, she cleverly closed the door behind her as she left the meeting room and didn't linger.

The huge conference room suddenly became empty, leaving only Zhang Zhao and Zeng Jia.

Zhang Zhao didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point: "Zeng Jia, you're also attending the group's annual meeting. Afterwards, come with me to meet COO Wang and report on your achievements in artist management over the past two years."

Zeng Jia's eyes lit up. He understood the implied meaning behind the song and realized that the general manager intended to promote him. Unable to hide his excitement, he quickly said:

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang. I will definitely prepare well and report the company's achievements in artist management to Mr. Wang."

Zhang Zhao pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the inside pocket of his suit. He had been resisting his craving for cigarettes during the meetings, but now that they were discussing business privately, he didn't need to worry about anything.

He skillfully pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.

Zeng Jia quickly got up, brought over an ashtray, and gently placed it in front of the leader.

For a moment, Zhang Zhao puffed out smoke to relieve his craving, and then continued, "Zeng Jia, I know you are an ambitious person."

But that's alright, Tengda has a stage large enough for him to showcase his talents. Yu Xin also has ambition, but he has the ability to rise to the top, so it's not enough to just have ambition; you also need the matching ability.

You're one of the older employees who worked with President Wang in the early days, so after much consideration, I decided that rather than having the group send an unknown deputy, I'd rather recommend you for the position.

At least I'm quite familiar with your situation, and you're also very familiar with Tengda Culture. Knowing you inside and out makes the work go smoothly.

"Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Zhang. No matter what, I will always be one of your men."

Zhang Zhao shook the ashes out of the ashtray and said, "I won't beat around the bush with you. Tengda Culture was founded by President Wang, and the other leaders in the group also have a tacit understanding to give President Wang face."

He basically doesn't interfere with personnel arrangements; the company is essentially Wang's personal fiefdom. As for Chairman Song, he rarely interferes with deputy positions, so as long as Wang approves, your promotion is practically guaranteed.

"Mr. Zhang, I won't lie to you, I also report my work to Mr. Wang and Director Jiang more often during holidays and festivals, and the leaders have a pretty good impression of me."

Zhang Zhao nodded: "That's good. You should communicate with your superiors more often. When you become the vice president, you will gradually learn about the group's situation. I need to give you a heads-up."

Zeng Jia immediately straightened his back and sat up formally: "Please enlighten me."

Zhang Zhao took a few more deep drags on his cigarette, then forcefully stubbed it out in the ashtray, his expression turning serious.
"Where there are people, there are conflicts. For a large group like Tengda with annual revenue of tens of billions, conflicts of interest are inevitable. Just for stock options, the presidents and general managers of various departments are fighting tooth and nail."

Zeng Jia suddenly recalled the wealth-creating frenzy when Huayi Company went public a few months ago. This was just a small film and television company, and its revenue was not even comparable to Tengda Culture.

She couldn't even imagine what kind of wealth creation myth would emerge if Tengda Group went public. It was understandable that the group's senior executives wanted to have more stock options.

Zhang Zhao ignored Zeng Jia's change in expression and continued, "We are all on President Wang's side. If we ever have to argue with other leaders in the group, we can't be biased; we must stand firm."

“Mr. Zhang, I understand. People who play both sides will not have a good end.” Zeng Jia’s expression tightened, and he immediately expressed his loyalty.

Zhang Zhao waved his hand: "Don't be nervous, things aren't as exaggerated as you think. With Chairman Song at the helm, everyone is generally working together."

However, the group's internal resources are limited. If other departments take a bite more, we'll take a bite less. As long as we unequivocally support President Wang when it matters most, that's enough.

Zeng Jia kept Zhang Zhao's words in mind, but she didn't dare to believe them completely. She would only know the true extent of the group's affairs after she took over and figured things out. She wouldn't take any risks before she had a clear understanding of the situation.

After saying goodbye to Zhang Zhao, Zeng Jia returned to his office and saw Yang Mi lingering in the corridor in front of the door: "Mi Mi, is there something you need to talk to me about? Come in and talk."

Yang Mi pursed her lips and nodded, then followed Zeng Jia into the office, where she began to complain as soon as she entered.

"Sister Jia, I've been with the company for almost half a year, and I haven't gotten any resources yet!"

"You're not available, are you? You just finished filming 'Beauty's Rival in Palace,' and now you're going to film 'Detective Dee.'"

Yang Mi was furious when she thought about how Rong Xinda had forced her to sign several more films before her contract expired, essentially exploiting and squeezing her money.

"But everyone else gets company resources, and I don't. That's not fair."

"Don't rush, sit down and talk."

"I won't sit down. Sister Jia, if you don't give me an explanation, I'm not leaving."

Seeing that Yang Mi was still relentless, Zeng Jia could only try to calm her down, after all, he was the one who had strongly advocated for her to join the company. After thinking for a while, he suggested:

"Honey, how about this? I'll talk to Mr. Zhang and give you the second female lead role in 'The Temptation of Going Home.' The second female lead has quite a few scenes in this drama. But this means you'll have to take on multiple roles at once."

Yang Mi thought about it. She had only been with the company for a short time and hadn't made any significant contributions. She was still paying off her debts from her previous company. During this period, Tengda was essentially supporting her for nothing. Getting a supporting role in a drama would be great. She should focus on securing the resources first.

"It's just filming multiple projects at once, so what! I don't care about the hard work, I'll still play the second female lead."

Seeing that Yang Mi had no objection, Zeng Jia nodded: "Then let's arrange it this way. I'll go and report to President Zhang right away. You'll be playing the second female lead in 'The Temptation to Go Home.' Just relax and prepare."

(End of this chapter)