How can you become a star without money?

Chapter 131 You can't leave, the house is too easy to collapse.
"Sister Zhang Meng shouldn't be an artist in your company, but she seems to be quite familiar with President Wang. Have they known each other for a long time?" Huang Shengyi asked casually.

She had assumed that the last time they met was at Hu Mei's private banquet, which was the first time they had met.

Zhang Tianai blinked. She had just joined the company and knew nothing about the situation in Shanghai, so she could only eat her sashimi in silence.

Ever since Wang Yao mentioned that she was thin, she has started to intentionally gain weight, but she doesn't dare to eat too many carbohydrates or fried foods, so she can only eat seafood and high-quality protein to slowly build muscle.

As a company veteran, Nazha felt she had a lot to say: "It seems like we haven't known each other for very long. Our first meeting was probably at the dinner table with Director Hu."

"Later, Sister Zhang Meng became very close to your CEO Wang?" Huang Shengyi felt a dull ache in his heart.

It seems that at the last dinner, I not only missed the opportunity to invest in Kanpianer.com, but also missed the chance to ride on Wang Yao's coattails.

This damn married woman status!

“I’m not too sure about that, but they probably didn’t see each other at least throughout February, since we were together most of the time.” Naza said with a hint of smugness.

Zhang Tianai almost choked upon hearing this, and gave Nazha a strange look.

Is this something you can just say all the time?

Huang Shengyi also remarked with emotion, "Your brother is so good to you."

"President Yang is very good to you. He even made you the group's president. You can film whatever movies you want from now on," Nazha said naively.

The news of Yang Zi and Huang Shengyi's marriage was not officially announced. Although the media speculated about it, the two never admitted it until 2015. It was the second longest secret marriage in the entertainment industry, comparable to Andy Lau.

Therefore, in most people's eyes, Huang Shengyi is the leading lady heavily promoted by Yangzi Company, but only the person involved knows the truth.

Huang Shengyi didn't know how to answer, so he could only smile wryly and poke the salmon with his fork.

"That's because Sister Saint Cloth herself is capable and valuable, which is why the company gave her such great authority." Zhang Tianai seemed to sense something was amiss and subtly smoothed things over with a sentence.

“Tian’ai is right. Value is the main reason why others are good to you. Value is important in all aspects, but I now think that career value is indeed more important.” Huang Shengyi nodded.

"My brother texted me to pick him up, wait a moment." Naza got up and ran out in her slippers.

"What a carefree and lovable age," Huang Shengyi said with a hint of envy.

Zhang Tianai blinked and continued eating in silence.

A short while later, Nazha led Wang Yao and Zhang Meng into the private room, chatting and laughing.

"Mr. Huang, this place is quite nice," Wang Yao said with a smile, looking around the private room.

"A friend of mine opened this place, and it just so happens to be nearby. I was worried it might spoil the atmosphere of our team dinner, so I brought my two younger sisters here for a private meal. Let's see what you'd like to eat," Huang Shengyi explained, handing over the menu.

"Just eat whatever you like," Wang Yao waved his hand.

"I need to control my figure. The buffet was too oily, so I didn't eat any. I'll order some sashimi instead." Zhang Meng took the menu and called the waiter to take her order.

Naza and Zhang Tianai both looked at Zhang Meng's figure with envy.

"What does Mr. Huang think of the program?" Wang Yao asked.

"It's quite interesting. Although some details of Director Goryeo's expression are a bit difficult to understand, the overall style is still very original, and the script doesn't have many obvious contradictions," Hwang Sung-yi replied truthfully.

"As long as the investors are satisfied," Wang Yao smiled.

"I've seen Sister Zhang Meng working like a spinning top these past two days. Shouldn't President Wang send more people to help?" Huang Shengyi said with a smile.

Zhang Tianai narrowed her eyes upon hearing this. Although she hadn't spent much time with the two of them today, she had already vaguely sensed a subtle atmosphere between Huang Shengyi and Zhang Meng.

At first, I thought it was just big stars indulging in their own little world, but now it seems there's some competition involved.

Zhang Meng, who had just ordered her food and sat down, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "That's right. It's really a bit overwhelming for me to organize so many things by myself. President Wang can't just order around an honest person like me."

“I want to run this show for several seasons. You hosts will definitely need to be involved personally so that you can have a deep understanding of the brand, users, and products. Naza and Tianai also need to show the sense of responsibility of hosts, not just as show guests,” Wang Yao said seriously.

“But I’m good at running errands and relaying messages, but I’m not good at managing people. I was never even a class representative when I was in school.” Naza scratched her head awkwardly.

“I can give it a try. I used to work as a behind-the-scenes production assistant on film sets,” Zhang Tianai volunteered.

“Okay, then from now on, Tian’ai will be in charge of the main production with me, and Nazha will be responsible for communicating with the other main production team members, artists, and guests.” Zhang Meng smiled gently.

Seeing that they had finished dividing up the tasks in just a few words, Huang Shengyi became anxious and said, "Actually, I can help too."

"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for President Huang?" Wang Yao raised an eyebrow.

“As an investor, Mr. Wang, you’re being a bit too polite,” Huang Shengyi said seriously.

“It would be a waste of your talents for you to handle miscellaneous tasks on the project. How about we ask you to help with liaison work with the media or TV stations in the future? After all, besides Mr. Wang, you have the most influence,” Zhang Meng said with a smile.

The work of liaising with third parties is quite important. Although it is just a formality and a procedure, the status of the representative is very important, as they are the face of the program.

Huang Shengyi never expected that Zhang Meng would give up such an important position.

"That reminds me. Mr. Huang is indeed very suitable for this. Will it be troublesome?" Wang Yao asked Huang Shengyi.

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all. If Mr. Wang trusts me, I can give it a try." Huang Shengyi looked a little excited, as this was the first time she had taken on such an important behind-the-scenes role.

"It's not about trying, it's about doing it well. Of course, you can let me know if there are any problems," Wang Yao said seriously.

"Don't worry." Huang Shengyi pursed her lips and made up her mind.

During the subsequent casual conversation, she seemed much more positive and cheerful. However, Yangzi kept calling to urge her to go home, which annoyed her. Eventually, she got fed up with the nagging and had to leave early.

"President Huang is very dedicated to the program," Zhang Meng said with a smile after watching her leave.

“After all, we invested money,” Wang Yao said with a smile.

"But I didn't expect Juli to invest in our program. Has your relationship with Yangzi improved?" Zhang Meng asked curiously.

“She voted on it herself.” Wang Yao shook his head.

"Huh?" Zhang Meng was taken aback.

What do you mean?
Did Huang Shengyi secretly vote for Wang Yao's show behind Yang Zi's back?
what is this?
Zhang Meng was one of the few people who knew about the conflict between Wang Yao and Yang Zi. She originally thought that Huang Shengyi was representing Juli to show goodwill to Wang Yao and invest, but now it turns out to be a private transaction.

Why does it feel so strongly immoral?
"And you, you're now fully committed to me, doesn't the company have any objections?" Wang Yao asked with a playful smile.

"What do you mean by 'wholeheartedly dedicated'? I'm just someone who takes things seriously." Zhang Meng's face flushed slightly.

Having participated in the entire process of building Wang Yao's clothing brand during this period, and witnessing the scale of the online store, she wavered considerably in her desire to become an actress.

After all, dozens of online stores that rely on reselling second-hand surplus goods can generate a daily turnover of 300,000 to 400,000 yuan, with profits as high as 50%. Compared to the entertainment industry, this level of income is at least something that only top-tier celebrities like Sun Li can achieve.

Most importantly, it doesn't require much worry. You only need to hire a few employees to handle it, and it's very stable. Zhang Meng personally witnessed how Wang Yao's little cousin recruited and trained people. She even tried it herself once and felt that even someone as computer illiterate as herself could do it.

She herself majored in fashion design and had previously run a clothing store, but lost money. However, the costs and profits of online stores made her realize that times have changed.

During this period, the company also found her a good opportunity to act as the female lead alongside Huo Jianhua, but she hesitated for a while before declining the offer.

Wang Yao's comment at the time, asking how much longer she could act at her age, did indeed cause her considerable anxiety. Coupled with the impact of online store revenue, she now genuinely wants to collaborate more deeply with Wang Yao.

After all, acting is a hobby, but if it can't be turned into a career, you still need to find a stable backup plan while you're young.

"I have a great liking for people who are serious about their work." Wang Yao's gaze was gentle. "So, Sister Meng, what kind of collaboration are you planning to have?"

"What formats has Mr. Wang prepared?" Zhang Meng asked in return.

“Brand owners can collaborate, just like Gulnazar and the others. They can sign with me, and the company will be responsible for your artist resources related to brand exposure. In addition to income such as film and television fees, there will be a 5% year-end bonus from the brand, but there will be no equity,” Wang Yao said, outlining the first option.

"Change companies? My penalty for breach of contract is quite low." Zhang Meng blinked.

"The company can advance the payment for you, and deduct it once you make a profit. I can't guarantee anything else, but Yunshang, as a mid-range luxury brand, should have no problem averaging over 100 million RMB in revenue within three years," Wang Yao smiled slightly. You poached me, and I have to pay the breach of contract penalty myself?!

Zhang Meng's mind raced. That was a stable annual dividend of 500 million! That was quite a lot. If it were someone else, it might be just empty promises, but coming from Wang Yao, she believed it.

"The second option is the partnership model. I have re-established an international apparel company, which temporarily needs a legal representative and CEO. I expect to complete the IPO within two years. Fairy Fan and Yunshang are among its brands. My expected valuation is around 20 billion."

"If you're willing, I can give you 5% of the shares, valued at 5 million RMB, as a private pledge based on the third round of financing. You'll receive those shares whenever you raise the money." Wang Yao offered his second collaboration.

Zhang Meng trembled slightly upon hearing this. This meant she had directly signed a contract that would leave her with a debt of 5 million yuan? And she would have to work for free during the process?

Is this about finding a business partner? Or finding a sucker?

However, if the company's future valuation does reach expectations, then acquiring 5% of the shares would definitely be a huge gamble.

From an annual income of 5 million to a debt of 500 million, it all happened in the blink of an eye.
"Mr. Wang, are you serious? What do you think makes me worth so much money?" Zhang Meng swallowed hard, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

She's long past the age of daydreaming like a little girl, and she knows her own limitations very well.

Moreover, no normal person would choose the second path, which seems high-risk, and it is indeed high-risk.

“It’s not about how much I think you’re worth, but how much you think our company or business model is worth. You can take your time to think about it, there’s no rush.” Wang Yao’s smile was subtle.

"What am I even thinking about? I'm not crazy." Zhang Meng couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"This kind of choice, which can change one's destiny with a single thought, is something you only encounter a few times in a lifetime, so you must think it through carefully." Wang Yao shook his head meaningfully, "Consider the timeframe until the second episode of the program airs."

"Why?" Zhang Meng blinked. It had been almost a month.

"Nonsense, of course we look at the revenue after the show airs. I'm recruiting partners, not trying to scam anyone." Wang Yao chuckled.

Seeing Wang Yao's sincere expression, Zhang Meng was actually starting to look forward to the second option. What was going on?
Even after getting home, Zhang Meng was still thinking about this uncertain matter.

To put it another way, it's not about incurring a direct debt of 5 million. After all, if the company's IPO fails or doesn't meet expectations in the future, we can simply give up these shares.

The only loss is that all these years of working for Wang Yao have been for nothing.

Based on the estimate in point one, at least 10 million in profits will be lost over two years.

But if choosing the second option actually works out, the returns could be dozens of times greater, allowing you to retire almost instantly.

Gambling your future with two years of youth?

Hmm, when you look at it that way, it seems quite reasonable.

Now Zhang Meng finally understands why Wang Yao gave her so much time to consider.

This is just tempting the greed deep within your own heart.

Zhang Meng felt she was going to have insomnia.

"That bastard!"

Having a presentable and well-known company spokesperson is very important; in the future, this will be called a 'founder's IP.' Just this person alone can generate more buzz in the capital market, such as Lei Jun, Zhou Hongyi, and Yu Chengdong.

In fact, the same principle applies to Huang Shengyi's relationship with Juli Company and Zhang Zetian's relationship with JD.com. As long as it is managed well, it can bring great benefits to capital operations. At the very least, it will be of great help in terms of private equity financing.

The apparel industry is a business that cannot completely escape offline operations, and all offline physical businesses cannot escape the franchise model. As long as they expand rapidly, they must 'franchise'. The chaos of franchising can be managed through direct investment models, but how to quickly recruit enough franchisees is indeed a technical problem.

This tests the project's prospects and the founder's brand strength, especially in the apparel franchise sector, which has already been dominated by domestic brands like Metersbonwe, 361 Degrees, Yishion, and Anta, in addition to the competition from strong foreign brands like Adidas.

The only thing Wang Yao could think of was to use online public opinion marketing combined with offline founder IP franchising to overtake competitors.

Zhang Meng is a very suitable candidate. With a little packaging, she can create an image of an entrepreneurial female celebrity and hold a few franchise conferences with thousands of people. In a short period of time, she can definitely expand to hundreds of offline franchise stores.

When Metersbonwe went public, its market value was nearly 400 billion yuan, and it had 3000 franchise stores nationwide.

Once Wang Yao surpasses 1000 offline stores, plus the online store and brand premium, a valuation of 20 billion yuan is basically guaranteed.

Zhang Meng is the best candidate, but not the only one. However, there are not many female celebrities in the industry who have the qualities of a female entrepreneur.

Liu Tao and Chen Shu are also acceptable, but they are both married women.

The next day, Wang Yao sent Zhao Liying to the "Fairy Robe" program team and handed her over to Zhang Meng as a candidate for a sweet-style guest.

Seeing the dark circles under Zhang Meng's eyes and her tired look that even concealer couldn't cover, I smiled knowingly.

Zhang Meng glared at Wang Yao, embarrassed and annoyed, then pulled Zhao Liying aside and laughed, "This little sister is so cute. President Wang really knows how to pick people."

"Sister Meng, I really love your portrayal of Xiaoyue, but the character's values ​​aren't quite right. Your brother was so good to you, yet you betrayed him in the end," Zhao Liying said with a naive smile.

Zhang Meng had intended to say a few polite words, but she didn't expect Zhao Liying's sweet words to be laced with venom, and her lips twitched slightly.

“You can give her all the scripts that offend people; she can play them, even elevate them,” Wang Yao chuckled.

"No, no, Mr. Wang, I want to go for the innocent and pure image; my public persona can't be too vicious," Zhao Liying quickly waved her hand.

“You can’t get rid of this persona; it’s too easy for it to collapse,” Wang Yao said with a smile.

"Really? Then I'll have to play myself," Zhao Liying said, frowning.

“You could tone it down a bit.” Wang Yao smiled and turned to find PD Li Youting.

Facing Wang Yao, the big boss behind the scenes, Lee Yoo-jung still seemed quite uneasy. Although she had some status at KBS, she hadn't yet become a main star. The production value and budget of the show "Fairy Robe" were absolutely top-notch for her.

Therefore, she was well aware that she had to make good use of all the conditions to create a successful program and prove her abilities, otherwise the consequences would be severe.

"How is PD Lee adjusting lately? Remember to keep Zhang Meng informed if there's anything you need," Wang Yao asked with concern.

Li Youting is 35 years old this year, but because she has some Korean male features, she looks like a tomboy, so she appears to be quite young.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Wang, for leading such a large-scale project for me. I am extremely grateful." Li Youting bowed.

"It's my duty. After all, you were recruited to be the main PD. President Lee highly values ​​your talent, so I hope you won't let him down," Wang Yao said with a smile, offering a moral blackmail.

"I will do my utmost to live up to the expectations of President Wang and President Li." Li Youting's expression turned serious.

“This show might have a Korean version in the future, so I want to do some promotion as soon as possible. The show is aimed at female consumers, so I want to promote it in Korea with the theme of ‘all-female variety show’ and see how it goes,” Wang Yao said.

Li Youting raised her eyebrows slightly. "President Wang's idea is good, but it is also sensitive. Although Korea is relatively open, it is still a male-dominated system. An all-female model may cause considerable controversy."

"It's alright, just consider it a trial run. I wonder if PD Lee would be willing to take the lead," Wang Yao said with a smile.

“Well, it’s generally best for program producers not to take sides like this,” Li Youting said cautiously after a moment of contemplation.

Because she wasn't sure of Wang Yao's intentions, and she was just an unknown PD with no influence in Korean public opinion, she couldn't be a pioneer.

“I have at least three more female-oriented variety shows and dramas of the same level coming up. I admire PD Lee’s ability to portray and showcase female characters. I hope you can specialize in this path in the future,” Wang Yao said frankly.

“Feminism?” Li Youting swallowed hard.

"Not really, it's more like it's geared towards women." Wang Yao shook his head.

"As long as Mr. Wang doesn't put too much pressure on me regarding my position, I don't really care. After all, I have confidence in my work." Li Youting breathed a sigh of relief.

“Sure, if PD Lee has any other friends in the same field, you can introduce them to President Lee. This market has quite potential in Korea.” Wang Yao smiled.

It briefly describes her arrangements as a vanguard in the later stages of her time in Goryeo.

They even specially dispatched a four-person team to package materials for Li Youting. It was the first time that she had enjoyed the same treatment as an artist, and Li Youting had very mixed feelings.

Nothing will happen, right?
(End of this chapter)