Rebirth 03: Starting a Business After Giving Up a Secure Job

Chapter 138: Concluding Before the New Year

With only ten days left until the Spring Festival, Fengchi Digital Technology Company on the sixth floor of the International Building in Pidu District is busier than usual, instead of relaxing.

As soon as Lin Feng arrived at the company, he called Zhou Zhongcheng, Tan Zhao, and Xu Qiang into his office.

As soon as the door closed, Lin Feng began to follow up on the progress of talent recruitment and other related work.

Zhou Zhongcheng opened the personnel statistics sheet in his hand and reported the recruitment progress to Lin Feng:

Of the 85 positions at Rongcheng Station, 78 were filled before the Lunar New Year, accounting for 92%.

The heads of the four major sectors—housing rental, talent recruitment, second-hand goods, and housekeeping services—have all taken up their posts.

Zhou Hai, the person in charge of the housing rental section, has worked as a real estate agent for five years and has some knowledge of the Internet.

Sun Ke, the head of the talent recruitment section, was poached from the Chengdu Talent Market and had six years of experience in recruitment.

Liu Fang, the person in charge of the second-hand goods section, previously worked as an operations manager at a chain of second-hand appliance stores.

Liao Ping, the head of the domestic service division, has been working in a management position at a domestic service company for five years.

All sixty positions for field promoters have been filled, including twelve recent graduates who joined the company before the Lunar New Year. Xu Qiang is currently leading them on a field training exercise in Hongguang Town.

Lin Feng nodded in agreement: "What about the other newly planned cities?"

Zhou Zhongcheng continued his report:

Guo Jian, a candidate for station manager of Beijing Railway Station, faxed over an employment confirmation letter yesterday. He had already completed his resignation and handover process with Jinghua Information Network before the Lunar New Year and officially started his new post on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year.

Three of the four department heads have been selected, and the remaining head for the housekeeping department is still being screened. Guo Jian has recommended several people through the Beijing Community Service Center, and they are currently being evaluated.

Xu Guoliang, a candidate for station manager of Shanghai Station, faxed his employment confirmation letter three days ago, and he will start work on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year.

He said he could finalize two of the four department heads before the end of the year, and he would also handle the recruitment department himself. He added that the Tianping Road Subdistrict Community Service Center had already been contacted regarding the housekeeping department, and they would connect directly after the New Year.

Liu Zhigang, the candidate for station manager of Jiangcheng Station, previously worked as the operations director at a local portal website in Wuhan for six years. Zhou Zhongcheng conducted a background check overnight; the resume was genuine, he had led a team of thirty people, and last year their local services segment saw a 40% increase in revenue. He's preparing to offer him the job today.

The confirmation of the heads of the four major sectors in Jiangcheng will take a little longer. Zhou Zhongcheng will confirm the list of heads of each sector with Liu Zhigang after Liu Zhigang is confirmed to have joined the company.

Regarding Huicheng Station, Wu Wenjie's overall idea is that the heads of the four major sectors will initially be concurrently the heads of the various sectors in Shenzhen. Later, they will be promoted from among the top performers in each of the Shenzhen sectors, which will also motivate the team.

"Okay! Do as Wu Wenjie says in Huicheng! Speed ​​things up in Jiangcheng," Lin Feng instructed.

"Understood," Zhou Zhongcheng reported.

Next, Lin Feng listened to the preparations for the office areas in the four newly entered cities.

Tan Zhao then reported: "I have finalized the office locations in the four cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Huizhou."

He took out a list, which was filled with addresses, areas, rents, and delivery dates.

"The Beijing office is located in the HD district, which is close to the university area, making it convenient for recruitment and campus promotion; the Shanghai office is located in the PT district, which is convenient for transportation and the rent is lower than that of Jing'an and Huangpu; the Jiangcheng office is located in the Wuchang district, which is also a concentrated area of ​​universities; and the Huicheng office is close to the Shenzhen office, which is convenient for Wu Wenjie to coordinate."

Lin Feng looked at the list carefully.

Tan Zhao added, "All offices are simply furnished and ready to be put into use, with water, electricity, and internet access. Once the staff arrives after the New Year, they can start working immediately. I've already had Wu Wenjie check out the Huicheng office area in advance, and it's confirmed to be correct."

Lin Feng leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the desk: "The office doesn't need to be luxurious, but it must be formal and convenient."

Stable. You've done a very thorough job in that regard.

Tan Zhao smiled and said, "Of course. Every penny should be spent wisely."

Xu Qiang concluded by reporting on the specific preparations for the Chengdu station: "Boss, I've compiled all the operation manuals, on-the-ground promotion scripts, and information verification standards for the four major sections according to the Shenzhen version, and sent them to Zhou Bin. The technical department is updating the backend in sync. Once the key personnel from Shenzhen arrive after the holiday, they will be trained directly according to the standard procedures."

"Excellent! These management standards will be promoted and implemented in other newly entered cities in the future to form a unified management system," Lin Feng emphasized.

All three major tasks that Lin Feng arranged before the Spring Festival have yielded results and been implemented.

Lin Feng confidently stated, "From MP3 players to ringback tones, and then to the local life services website, we've laid the foundation for a year. Now, the company's business has a basic structure and a rudimentary team. We're just waiting for the order after the New Year to launch simultaneously in five cities."

The three of them straightened their backs at the same time, full of energy.

Lin Feng then instructed, "The three of you, before the New Year, sort out the matters at hand and ensure everything is implemented effectively. Sign all the contracts that need to be signed, pay all the deposits that need to be paid, and notify all the people who need to be notified. There can be no mistakes at any stage."

"yes!"

The three agreed in unison, turned around and walked out of the meeting room, each throwing themselves into their work.

Lin Feng picked up a pen and wrote the names of six cities on a blank sheet of paper: Shenzhen, Huizhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu.

Jiangcheng.

Six points, connected to form a network.

Lin Feng plans to acquire these six cities within six months after the Spring Festival. At that time, the business depth and value valuation of Tongcheng Life Network will reach a new level.

In 2005, the local services market was still in a chaotic, unregulated phase. In the previous version, "58.com" was only established at the end of 2005.

No one would have imagined that a college student entrepreneur from Chengdu would complete the creation of Shenzhen as a model city before the Spring Festival in 2005 and quietly launch a strategic layout in first- and second-tier cities across the country.

By the end of 2005, when Yao Jinbo was scammed while renting a house and had the idea to start "58.com", "Tongcheng Life Network" had already spread to their doorstep and had millions of users in major cities across the country.

Thinking of this, Lin Feng drank a cup of coffee and a smile appeared on his face.

Just as Lin Feng put down his pen and paper, Tan Zhao returned with a car purchase list in his hand.

"Boss, I've prepared the plan for the car purchase you asked me to make."

Lin Feng gestured for him to sit down and said.

"The company purchased a total of three vehicles before the Lunar New Year," Tan Zhao reported, item by item.

"The first vehicle is a Buick GL8 business van, a new 2005 model, available now; the second is a Wuling Sunshine van, practical and durable for on-the-ground promotion, visiting merchants, and transporting materials; the third is an Audi A6 for your daily driving."

Lin Feng had no objection to this arrangement: "What about the price?"

"All the way up, the GL8 costs about 320,000, the Wuling costs 43,000, and the Audi A6 costs a little over 560,000, totaling less than one million."

"Okay." Lin Feng made the decision immediately. "Go and handle the formalities, and pick up the car as soon as possible."

Tan Zhao agreed and was about to leave when he remembered something else: "Boss, you don't have a driver's license yet, so you can't drive the car even after you get it. Would you like me to arrange a driving school for you so you can get your license as quickly as possible?"

Lin Feng had planned this all along.

In his previous life, he drove for over ten years, a driving experience longer than many people's ages. However, in this life, he has been too busy to take a driving test.

Now, if you need to drive back to your hometown or run business, a driver's license is indeed unavoidable.

"You arrange it for me, a proper driving school," Lin Feng said calmly. "I don't need to study anymore. I'll just take the exams directly and try to finish all four parts this week."

Tan Zhao was stunned. He subconsciously wanted to advise him that getting a driver's license is not easy, and many people fail the second and third parts of the test several times.

But the words caught in his throat. Could he question his boss? No!

Having followed Lin Feng for so long, he had long understood that his boss always kept his word.

"Okay, I'll contact them right away."

That afternoon, Tan Zhao completed all the registration procedures for the driving school, even arranging the medical examination. Lin Feng spent two hours there, and the information entry, medical examination, and file creation were all completed in one go.

He practiced the driving test questions at home several times that night and got full marks every time.

The next morning, Lin Feng went directly to the examination hall to take the exam.

He sat down at the computer, and within the forty-minute exam time, he finished in fifteen minutes, handed in his paper, and left. The score immediately appeared on the big screen: a perfect score of one hundred.

Driving in the driving range (Part 2) and driving on the road (Part 3) are things he is very familiar with.

Shifting gears, starting, reversing, parallel parking, and hill start—the movements are smooth, precise, and executed in one fluid motion.

The instructor stood by, not saying a word the entire time. After the test, he patted him on the shoulder and said, "You're an experienced driver, aren't you?"

Lin Feng passed the final subject, the safety and civility test, with a perfect score once again.

From registration to receiving the certificate, it took less than a week.

When Lin Feng received his C1 driver's license, he glanced at it and casually put it into his wallet.

What others find incredibly difficult—the driver's license test—is nothing more than a formality to him.

Upon hearing the news, Tan Zhao was filled with admiration and completed all the paperwork for the three cars that very day, driving the new cars directly to the company building.

A black Audi A6 was parked in front of the building. Its streamlined body and composed demeanor made it a head-turner on the streets of 2005.

Next to it is the Buick GL8, exuding a business-like and stable presence; on the far left is the Wuling Sunshine, simple and durable.

The three cars were lined up in a row. When company employees passed by on their way home from get off work, they couldn't help but take a few more glances, their eyes filled with excitement.

The boss has even bought a car, an Audi A6, which shows that the company has truly grown big and strong.

Lin Feng went downstairs and got into the driver's seat of the Audi A6. The leather seats and the solid feel of the steering wheel made the engine start smoothly and powerfully.

He shifted gears and turned the steering wheel with natural and smooth movements, showing no signs of being a novice.

Xu Qiang, Su Wan, and the others stood at the door watching with envy.

"The boss is amazing! He just picked up the car and he's already driving like a pro."

"Of course, what can't our boss do?"

The next day, Lin Feng drove to work.

Having a car makes traveling to different cities after the New Year, returning home for the holiday, and visiting Lin Xiaowen's parents in western Sichuan so much easier.

Upon arriving at the office, Lin Feng called Zhao Ling in.

"Bring me the operating data for the entire year of 2004; I want to see the summary."

Zhao Ling quickly came in carrying a thick stack of reports and placed them on Lin Feng's desk.

Over the past year, the achievements of Fengchi Digital Technology's three major business segments are readily apparent.

The MP3 business started as a campus reseller and gradually built up a nationwide distribution network. By sourcing products from Huaqiangbei and manufacturing them under OEM agreements, annual sales exceeded 120,000 units, sales revenue exceeded 80 million yuan, and net profit exceeded 25 million yuan.

With the phenomenal success of two hit songs, "Lilac Flower" and "Mice Love Rice," the ringback tone business has firmly established itself in the top tier of the industry, generating nearly eight million yuan in revenue and nearly seven million yuan in net profit throughout the year, which is almost pure profit.

Starting from a small office in Shenzhen, Tongcheng Life Network has successfully developed four major sectors: rentals, recruitment, secondhand goods, and housekeeping. Its market share has consistently ranked among the top three in Shenzhen, making it a dark horse in the local life service platform market.

The company's cash flow has steadily exceeded 30 million.

Starting with a capital of 10,000 yuan and a pledge made to his father a year ago, Lin Feng has achieved remarkable success in just over a year, now holding 30 million yuan in cash flow and with three major businesses progressing in tandem.

After reviewing the reports, Lin Feng felt completely calm.

This is the result of him taking advantage of the opportunities of the times and making steady progress step by step.

Lin Feng put down the report and called Zhou Zhongcheng over again. "As previously agreed, select ten outstanding employees for the year."

""

He read out the names: Wu Wenjie, Lin Xiaoqiang, Lin Xiaowen, Zhou Bin, Xu Qiang, Wei Zejun, Xie Xiaodong, Zhang Ming, Zhou Zhongcheng, and Tan Zhao.

Zhou Zhongcheng quickly jotted it down: "Okay, boss, I'll enter the list right away."

"Prepare ten certificates of honor and ten red envelopes. Each person will receive a cash reward of 30,000 yuan."

Zhao Ling paused, then suddenly looked up: "Thirty thousand? Boss, ten people is three hundred thousand—"

In 2005, the average employee's monthly salary was only a little over two thousand yuan, so thirty thousand yuan was equivalent to a year's salary. Lin Feng directly gave each outstanding employee thirty thousand yuan, which was quite generous.

"Yes." Lin Feng nodded. "Everyone has worked very hard this year. These people have performed excellently in their positions and created value for the company. They deserve it!"

Zhao Ling didn't ask any more questions, and looked at her boss with newfound respect for his generosity: "I'll arrange it right away, and make sure everything is ready before the New Year's gathering."

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Lin Feng instructed Zhou Zhongcheng, "There's one last important matter before the New Year: the Spring Festival gathering. Go and prepare for it immediately!"

"Boss, what are your requirements for the Lunar New Year gathering?"

Lin Feng pondered for a moment: "Choose a five-star hotel as the venue. All employees from the Chengdu headquarters will attend, and the outstanding employees from Shenzhen should return in advance. The company will cover their airfare and accommodation. In addition, I will invite singers Tang Lei and Yang Chengang to attend as guests."

After the meeting, Lin Feng called Tang Lei and Yang Chengang respectively. Both singers had achieved significant career breakthroughs after collaborating with Lin Feng. Upon receiving Lin Feng's calls, they agreed without hesitation to fly to Chengdu to attend.

Lin Feng also arranged for the company to book their plane tickets and hotels.

The news caused a sensation throughout the office area as soon as it spread throughout the company.

"A New Year's gathering at a five-star hotel!"

"We also need to invite Tang Lei and Yang Chengang, the original singers of 'Lilac Flower' and 'Mice Love Rice'!"

Everyone's face was filled with anticipation, feeling that the company was thriving and their enthusiasm was several times greater than usual.

Working for a boss like this gives you a promising future and hope!