Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 221 Laying the Foundation for Great Ross

General Manager's Office, 16th Floor, Building B, Yuancheng Building, Longhua, Shenzhen.

Zhao Tiezhu casually sat down on the set of sleek white sofas in the reception area and leaned back.

My gaze swept over the bustling industrial park below, and then looked at the faint city skyline in the distance, and I couldn't help but grin.

Seeing Chen Mo walking towards the tea table, he immediately joked, "Brother Chen! You really know how to pick this place. It has a great view and the decor is impressive. I don't want to leave now that I'm sitting here!"

Chen Mo smiled and shook his head, then skillfully began to scald the cup, take the tea, and brew it. The fragrant aroma of tea quickly filled the air.

“If you don’t want to leave, sit a little longer!” he said casually, then changed the subject: “Let’s get down to business! Last December, the Great Ross Market officially opened to the public.”

I want to take advantage of the fact that this eighth largest market in the world has just opened its doors and is full of opportunities to go there and establish our direct sales channels for oranges.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tiezhu raised an eyebrow.

In his mind, Great Ross was always a place with incredibly strong heavy industry, but relatively weak light industry and consumer goods market.

Now that they are proactively opening up the market, it is indeed an opportunity that Orange, a smartphone brand that focuses on cost-effectiveness and innovative designs, cannot afford to miss.

However, as a key figure in market development, Zhao Tiezhu remained cautious.

"Brother Chen, our direct sales channels in the domestic market, such as the Southwest and the West, have only just been stabilized, and we haven't even started to establish a presence in the coastal areas yet!"
Isn't it a bit too hasty to divert resources to overseas markets now?

"Haha!" Chen Mo chuckled and pushed a cup of tea in front of Zhao Tiezhu: "The domestic base, the lower-tier markets in the southwest and west, are already quite stable!"
This year, we can steadily develop one more new area as planned.

In coastal areas, competition is fierce, so we need to improve our technological capabilities and achieve breakthroughs through technological differentiation.

Look, this year's key project, Orange 3OS, not only continues to focus on UI adaptation for minority languages, but I also had Jiang Gong specifically instruct the software team to adapt it to the Great Russian language.

This is not only for Great Rus', but also for the future, we can try to extend the direct sales channels to the Middle Land region where Great Rus' language is spoken.

In this way, we can initially establish a direct logistics channel framework from east to west, connecting our southwest and western hinterlands, as well as the vast Dongou market.

Zhao Tiezhu pondered for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Strategically speaking, it's a good thing!"

But Brother Chen, we're completely clueless about things in Great Russia; we have no connections or resources there.

"Trying to force our way through like this will likely lead to setbacks and significant losses!"

“That’s right!” Chen Mo nodded, confirming Zhao Tiezhu’s concerns: “So we need to find a ‘guide’.”

"I remember that many of the 3G base stations used by the major telecom operators in Great Russia were provided by Huawei."

We can ask General Manager He to help make the connection and introduce us to the head of their Ouzhou branch, so that they can act as a bridge.

Initially, we don't need to expand too much; we only need to establish a flagship store in Mosk, the capital of Great Russia.

After all, 75% of the population and purchasing power of Greater Russia are concentrated in the Eastern Gull Plain, where Moscow is located.

If the market response is really good, then we'll consider building a second flagship store in St. Petersburg.

Zhao Tiezhu thought for a moment, still a little worried: "Brother Chen, I understand the reasoning!"

"But I always feel that people in the Russians are naturally more accepting of American and European brands than we are. This mentality of 'worshiping foreign things' isn't unique to us!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo's smile became even more composed.

"What are we afraid of? Even in the worst-case scenario, if the directly operated stores don't take off, at most we'll only lose the cost of decorating the flagship store and some of the logistics costs."

But I have an even more important purpose in setting up this flagship store: to recruit talent!

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice: "As you know, graduates from the top universities in the country either go into the system or are snapped up by a few giants."

"We'll take advantage of the open market in Great Russia and the abundance of opportunities to recruit technical talent from their top universities, such as Moscow State University and St. Petersburg State University, to contribute to our own scientific research. It's a worthwhile deal no matter how you look at it!"

Zhao Tiezhu's eyes lit up, and he finally understood Chen Mo's deeper meaning.

"So that's what they really meant! Brilliant, Brother Chen, absolutely brilliant!"

He slapped his thigh and then asked, "Brother Chen, have you decided who to send to take charge of the expansion of Great Russia? This is no easy task!"

Chen Mo smiled and said confidently, "Don't you have the 'Four Heavenly Kings' in your marketing department?"

Zeng Baifang has gone to work on Zhicheng's centralized procurement. Lin Xiaoxia will take over your job after you go for further studies.

"The remaining two are Fang Zhihui, who's currently in charge of the supply chain and liaising with contract manufacturers, and the other one... I think his name is Song Kaixuan, he does content marketing, right?"

Zhao Tiezhu nodded in confirmation: "Yes, Song Kaixuan was one of the original 20 people in the founding team. He was an undergraduate intern at the Communication University of China and later became one of the '54 Orange Granules'."

Now he's the head of the operations team, mainly responsible for producing KOC (Key Opinion Consumer) content and videos for Orange Mobile on both online and traditional media platforms, as well as planning content for offline promotional activities. He's quick-witted and full of ideas.

Chen Mo nodded: "One is familiar with the product and supply chain, and the other is good at marketing and content."

"Hmm..." He pondered for a moment and made a decision: "Here's what we'll do. Tell them to get ready and come hiking with me at Yangtai Mountain nearby at seven o'clock tomorrow morning. I want to see how they perform in person!"

Health is the foundation of everything; only those with ample energy are suited for pioneering and arduous tasks!
Zhao Tiezhu immediately understood that Brother Chen wanted to observe and test the two candidates up close in a natural environment.

He nodded emphatically: "Understood, I'll go and inform them right away."

Zhao Tiezhu walked out of Chen Mo's office, which was like a viewing platform, and took the elevator down to the open-plan office area on the 15th floor where the marketing department was located.

He walked straight to the junction of the supply chain group and the operations group and called out, "Fang Zhihui, Song Kaixuan, come to my office."

Seeing that the two powerful team leaders in the department were called away by the supervisor, the employees in the two teams immediately started whispering among themselves.

"Boss seems to be in a good mood. Is there something good that he called the two team leaders over?"

"With the Lunar New Year approaching, could it be that they're letting off some steam about the year-end bonuses early?"

A new young woman curiously asked a senior employee next to her, whose workstation was impeccably tidy, "Sister Wang, how much was the company's year-end bonus last year?"

The veteran employee known as Sister Wang was one of the "54 orange pieces" left behind after the "September storm".

She smiled shrewdly, dodging the question: "Our Orange's benefits have always been pretty good, you'll see when the time comes!"

The little girl persisted, tugging at her arm and pleading, "Sister Wang, just give me a little hint!"

Sister Wang remained tight-lipped, smiling and patting her hand.

"I won't let you down, so just focus on your work!"

She knew in her heart that although she was just an ordinary employee with no outstanding abilities, she held the company's equity incentive plan by virtue of her status as a core team member and her persistence.

According to the tiered employee stock ownership incentive plan originally set by Gong Yun, she would receive 0.01% in the first year and 0.03% in the second year, totaling 0.04%.

Yuancheng's revenue this year is about 480 billion. Based on industry valuations, even if we take a conservative market value of 1200 billion, a 5% equity pool would be 60 billion. Her 0.04% would be worth 240 million!
This money will be partially paid out next year, so how could she easily tell a new girl her real "year-end" expectations?

In the marketing department manager's office, Zhao Tiezhu also kept a fish tank, just like Chen Mo, only on a much smaller scale.

The office space, the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the sofa in the reception area were all smaller than Chen Mo's, and there was no separate lounge.

The overall layout is more like an upgraded version of Chen Mo's previous office in the North China Strong Electronics Building.

"Boss!" Fang Zhihui and Song Kaixuan called out in unison as they entered the room.

The marketing department's atmosphere, influenced by Zhao Tiezhu, carries a bit of a rough-and-tumble,江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) vibe. Even someone like Song Kaixuan, who has a formal education, has picked up a lot of the straightforward style.

"Sit down, everyone sit down. We're brothers, no need to be so polite. Help yourselves to some water!" Zhao Tiezhu waved his hand, as casual as ever.

Fang Zhihui didn't take his words seriously. Instead, he picked up the celadon cup on the table and poured water for Zhao Tiezhu and Song Kaixuan.

Song Kaixuan, unable to contain his curiosity, asked impatiently, "Boss, did you call us here because you have something important to tell us?" Fang Zhihui, who had just handed over the water, also looked calmly at Zhao Tiezhu.

Zhao Tiezhu smiled and said without keeping everyone in suspense, "It's a good thing, but also a challenge."

Brother Chen plans to expand Big Ross's direct sales channels and wants to send someone there to build a flagship store first!

"And by the way," he lowered his voice, "bring back some technical talent from Great Russia!"

Upon hearing this, the young man Song Kaixuan's eyes lit up, and his face was full of eagerness.

Challenges bring opportunities!
Fang Zhihui remained silent, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, as if he were thinking quickly.

He recalled that when Lin Xiaoxia was sent to the west for training, the boss had privately hinted that President Chen intended to groom Lin Xiaoxia to take over the marketing department.

The opportunity to expand into the territory of Great Russia is undoubtedly an excellent springboard for these "team leaders" to advance further.

After a few seconds of silence, Fang Zhihui tapped the celadon cup lightly with his fingertips. His gaze swept over the excited Song Kaixuan before returning to Zhao Tiezhu, and his tone was calm and to the point.

"Boss, we need to clarify three key points about this matter first."

First, do we have any preliminary data on the foreign investment direct operation policy in the Greater Ross area, the rental costs in the core business district of Mosk, and the logistics links and timeliness from China?
We can't just jump in based on the word 'exploration' alone.

Second, how do we "harvest" technical talent?
Is it about poaching key personnel from specific companies or research institutions, or about negotiating collaborative projects with top universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg?
Relevant visa policies and competitive salary systems also need to be investigated in advance.

Third, who is more suitable to go, me or Xiao Song?
Is it a one-person team that takes full charge, or is it a phased, rotating system?

After all, once they arrive, they'll have to take charge independently; responsibilities and available resources must be clearly defined beforehand.

Zhao Tiezhu looked at Fang Zhihui, who was usually quiet but always able to hit the nail on the head at crucial moments, and his eyes showed admiration.

He stood up with a smile, walked to the window, and pointed to the lush Yangtai Mountain not far away.

"See that mountain over there? Tomorrow morning at seven o'clock, put on your hiking gear, and Brother Chen will take you two for a hike. He will personally decide who goes."

The two followed his finger and looked at Yangtai Mountain, its outline clearly visible in the morning light. A glint of light flashed in their eyes, a light that yearned to be chosen and to shoulder heavy responsibilities.

When Fang Zhihui got home from get off work, he put his young child to sleep as usual.

But tonight, instead of immediately going into the living room to study, he returned to the bedroom and found his wife tidying up her clothes.

Fang Zhihui's wife is an outgoing person who complements his calm and introverted personality. When she saw him come in, she glanced at him with some surprise.

She joked, "Hey, did the sun rise in the west today? You don't need to struggle with your English vocabulary anymore, aren't you worried about losing your title as one of the 'Four Heavenly Kings' of the marketing department?"

Instead of his usual shy smile, Fang Zhihui earnestly told his wife about his desire to compete for the position of head of market development in Great Ross.

The smile on his wife's face froze instantly. She opened her mouth, wanting to say, "Can't we not go?"

Since Fang Zhihui established himself at Orange Company, his family's life has been getting better day by day, and they are about to be able to redeem the equity incentives next year, which will be enough to make the whole family financially free.

She really didn't want her husband to take the uncertain risks and work hard in a foreign country thousands of miles away.

But seeing the long-lost flame of ambition in her husband's eyes, she swallowed back the words she was about to say.

Finally, she lowered her head, blinked hard at her sore eyes, and when she raised her head again, she forced a smile.

She said softly, "The child is still young. You...you must remember to come back at least once a year. I'm afraid he'll forget what his father looks like if he stays away for too long."

Fang Zhihui felt a pang of sadness, stepped forward, and hugged his wife tightly, remaining silent for a long time.

All the promises and determination were contained in this silent embrace.

At seven o'clock the next morning, the air at the foot of Yangtai Mountain in Longhua, Shenzhen, was fresh and carried the moist scent of grass and trees.

Chen Mo was dressed in light hiking gear and looked very energetic.

Fang Zhihui and Song Kaixuan arrived on time, both feeling both nervous and expectant.

Bodyguard Xiao Zheng, as always, followed a few steps behind Chen Mo, remaining vigilant.

The group entered the mountain from the Dalang entrance. The bluestone path and the original dirt path intersected. The mountain forest was quiet, with only the chirping of birds and the sound of footsteps.

As Chen Mo walked, he casually inquired about the status of their respective work groups and their views on developing the Great Russian market.

Chen Mo originally thought that Fang Zhihui, who only had a high school education and had always worked as a warehouse manager at Foxconn, was probably more reliable in execution than in terms of macro-level insights.

To his surprise, Fang Zhihui, though not very talkative, was clearly well-prepared, with practical considerations regarding potential supply chain issues and local policy risks.

You could sense a do-or-die spirit in his words, and every time he spoke, he hit the nail on the head.

In contrast, Song Kaixuan appeared much more active, frequently taking photos of the mountain scenery with his camera.

He spoke eloquently about everything from understanding the media habits of young consumers in Great Ross and social media marketing strategies to how to use cultural elements for brand packaging, offering many refreshing and novel perspectives.

The three walked and talked, and before they knew it, they had climbed several hundred meters.

After traversing a wild path, Lengshuikeng Reservoir appears before you like a sapphire embedded in the mountain ridge. The water reflects the mountain colors and morning mist, and occasionally the roar of the early morning high-speed train can be heard from the tunnel, creating a unique symphony with the natural scenery.

In the afternoon, they entered Butterfly Valley.

Sunlight filters through the dense canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows on the red brick path.

Golden butterflies and blue swallowtail butterflies can be seen dancing among the flowers in the bushes along the roadside, creating a vibrant scene.

Eventually, Song Kaixuan was exhausted, and after the four of them rested for a while, they regrouped and set off again.

Before climbing the last steep slope, Chen Mo seemed to have already made up his mind.

He sent Song Kaixuan to buy a few bottles of water from an old lady selling water at a nearby stall.

Song Kaixuan responded and ran off.

Chen Mo smiled gently, pointed to the viewing platform not far ahead, and said to Fang Zhihui, "Zhihui, come up with me and take a look!"

Fang Zhihui's heart skipped a beat, realizing that the critical moment might have arrived.

He suppressed his excitement and nodded calmly, "Yes, Mr. Chen!"

The two climbed to the observation deck and stood on the slightly suspended glass viewing platform. Below them was a deep valley, and in front of them was a wide view. The Orange Innovation Park in Guanlan Industrial Park and the Pearl River Estuary in the distance were faintly visible in the thin mist.

Just then, Song Kaixuan came running back with several bottles of water in his hand and happened to see Chen Mo and Fang Zhihui standing on the viewing platform.

Chen Mo was patting Fang Zhihui on the shoulder, seemingly giving him instructions, and both of them had calm smiles on their faces as if they had reached a consensus.

Song Kaixuan's smile froze instantly, and the mineral water bottle in his hand fell to the ground with two "clatters".

Xiao Zheng, who was not far behind Chen Mo, showed a rare display of emotional intelligence. He stepped forward and gently patted the dejected Song Kaixuan on the shoulder.

Song Kaixuan snapped out of his daze, his face full of bitterness and confusion. He murmured, "Brother Zheng, tell me, in what way is my plan, my idea, inferior to Brother Fang's? President Chen... why did President Chen choose him and not me?"

Looking at the young man who was a few years younger than him, Xiao Zheng still had that serious expression on his face and gave his observations succinctly.

"You're not ruthless enough! Your will isn't as strong as his."

A mountain breeze swept by, ruffling the stray hairs on Song Kaixuan's forehead and dispelling the last glimmer of hope in his heart.

He gazed at the composed figure on the observation deck, seemingly understanding something, yet also feeling even more confused.

And Fang Zhihui's new journey quietly began atop Yangtai Mountain.

(End of this chapter)