I’m in Hollywood

Eric was only a short stop at Ventura Airport and completed the handover with Steve Ballmer. The Boeing 747 took off again to Australia.

From the East Coast of the United States to Australia for a total of 16 hours, Eric spent most of his time reading the img information that Cindy handed him last night. As the understanding deepens, Eric is increasingly interested in this comprehensive agency.

It can be said that the entire img group is a perfect agent brokerage industry chain from the lowest level of personnel training to the most end product distribution.

The img group started out as a sports star agent.

In the 1960s, Mark McCormack, the attorney of the lawyer's img, became acquainted with some well-known golfers because he liked golf. Occasionally, the idea of ​​setting up a professional brokerage company to help these golfers conduct business operations was created, and img was created.

After more than 30 years, img has grown step by step.

Although he can't get involved in the star sports of mainstream sports such as rugby, basketball, and football, img runs the most successful sports stars in the world in terms of relatively small golf and tennis. Even if he is not interested in sports such as golf and tennis, Eric can recognize the sports stars such as Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi and Anna Kornikova from img's agent list.

Moreover, img has established a comprehensive sports college with an area of ​​more than 500 acres in Florida. With img's own brand to recruit students to achieve profitability, the company also explores potential talents through the global sports scouting network and cultivates them personally. .

Russian tennis star Anna Kournikova is the most typical case of img.

The Russian girl, born in 1981, was discovered by img's sports scout at the age of ten and then trained at the Nick Politani Tennis School under the img sports academy.

Under the careful packaging of the img group, Anna Kournikova, who is just 18 years old this year, is not the most powerful tennis player, but with the beautiful appearance and the operation of img, it has become the most valuable tennis player. One of the stars, with an annual income of more than 10 million US dollars.

Although starting late, in the fashion agency, img model company's performance is still strong.

Take the list of supermodels that Forbes has launched in recent years. Although the members of the Vimi Army have completely occupied the top ten positions on the list, in terms of behind-the-scenes brokerage companies, compared to the elite elites, The img model company with only about 300 agents has the same number of people who are crowded into the supermodel annual income list.

Moreover, unlike the legal 10% of the Hollywood brokerage firm, the commission rate of the star and the model can reach 30%, which undoubtedly greatly increases the income level of img.

Img's talent agency business is so strong, mainly because of the sports events and fashion events owned by img University (img-college). Unlike the img sports academy, img University has nothing to do with education, but a subsidiary that represents hundreds of sports fashion events around the world.

In addition to countless college league tournaments, the world-renowned fashion sports events such as the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, the World Golf Championships, the Miss Universe contest, and the Miss America contest all have close involvement of the img group.

Through the hundreds of various types of events around the world every year, img Group can not only directly obtain rich undertaking income, but also rely on these platforms to promote its sports fashion and even music stars very conveniently, and rely on its own brand advantage. Sponsors of major events have won more endorsement contracts for their stars.

In addition, img Media has further explored the commercial potential of related events by making a large number of documentaries of sports fashion events, fully realizing the benefits of the img group.

Whether it is for Hollywood or the Internet, Eric pursues a concept of a whole industry chain layout, which can be said to be the personal investment concept he has formed over the years. The img group happens to be in full compliance with Eric's pursuit of the ultimate model of a company.

Therefore, on the plane, Eric once again contacted Cindy of New York to discuss whether he could buy the entire img group in addition to the McCormack family.

There is a 14-hour time difference between the east coast of Australia and the east coast of the United States. Eric took off from Long Island Airport on the morning of August 7. After 16 hours, the private plane landed at Canberra International Airport. The local time is August 8. No. 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

The woman and the children have lived in the Kensted district in the north of the city of Hini for more than two months. However, on the plane, Eric learned that everyone had already rushed to the Perisher ski resort in southern Canberra. I temporarily changed the itinerary and chose to land in Canberra.

August is the best time for skiing in Australia. The executives of the firefly system are held at a private resort near Perisher. Unlike the previous ones, the top executives of each company are dragging their mouths. Come on, it’s a party and a vacation.

The Perisher Ski Resort is only over one hundred kilometers from Canberra. However, due to the hustle and bustle of the mountain roads, Eric’s trip to the destination is already dark.

The official event of the party will begin tomorrow, and most people have arrived in advance. The private resort, which is separated from the Perisher snow field by a hill, was also covered by the firefly system.

When Eric’s party arrived, everyone had prepared a barbecue party in the resort in advance.

The first ran to meet the gimmicks forcibly kissed, and Eric picked up the son who had been born, and then greeted everyone.

Firefly Group, Yahoo, Nokia, Cisco, Qualcomm and other fireflies system core executives counted family members, this time came over hundreds of people.

It took just over ten minutes to just chill.

After simply setting up, everyone gathered in the open space of the resort center to have a barbecue.

Although it is winter, the resort is surrounded by hills on three sides. More than 100 people are surrounded by bonfires and do not feel too cold.

"Along the cable car in the north, there is a ski resort in the mountains. Everyone has already played, Eric. Guess who among us is the best skier?"

Eric and Kasenberg, Ian Gnil and others sat around a campfire, still holding Kevin on his lap, and holding a tray with barbecue in his other hand. The guy is eating, listening to Kasenberg, saying, "Is Frank, sure?"

Although he is over 60 years old, Frank Wells is a very adventurous person. If it wasn't for Eric's 'butterfly', Frank Wells should have been skiing a few years ago. He died because of a helicopter crash.

"Yes, I suddenly found out that these young people are still not as good as an old man. Everyone was frustrated these two days," Kasenberg said with a smile, looking at the little guy in Eric's arms and laughing. "Kevin, you are already a little man now, it’s not good to always be with your father."

When I first came over, Eric noticed that Vigilina took the initiative to push Kevin to her side and understand the woman's mind, so she kept holding her son until now.

Between Kevin and Hawaii, because of Joanna’s sake, many Jewish high-ranking officials on the Hollywood side have always shown a certain sense of identity to Hawaii. The habit of this active group between the Western ethnic groups is very common, and the Jews are the most obvious. Eric can't change anything.

Moreover, due to the superior IQ, Hawaii has unwittingly won the favor of Jeff Bezos, Steve Mitnick and even Chris and other fireflies.

It is conceivable to follow this line of thought. As the heir to the Williams family, Kevin will have almost no competitiveness in addition to a gender advantage in front of Hawaii, but Westerners are not so concerned about the gender of the heirs. .

Now, Cindy is about to bring another little guy to the Williams family, and the insecurities in Virginia can be imagined.

Looking forward to a distant view of what Hawaii and Jeff Bezos discussed, and Emma, ​​who played with several little girls of the same age, Eric smiled and walked with Karsenberg The words of the grid looked uncomfortably and looked down at his son. He touched the head of the little guy: "Go to your mother. After a few days, Dad will accompany you to ski."

Ian Garnier smiled and said, "I am too ignorant of the children who are sensible," looking at the little figure who walked away politely and did not say goodbye to Eric.

Eric picked up a bunch of barbecues in the tray and said, "It’s better to grow up. I used to be like this when I was young."

Everyone chatted for a while, Eric finished eating the barbecue on the plate, got up and walked to the grill. Kasenberg also took the opportunity to come over and said: "Eric, I saw you let Caroline draw up The profit distribution plan is a thing. I think we can completely cancel the dividend, which will just support the group's next expansion plan."

Carolyn said that Caroline is the chief financial officer of the Firefly Group, Carolyn Eliot.

Eric took some food on the grill and played it in person. "In fact, I am still hesitant now. Everyone has just discussed it in recent days."

According to the established plan, the next major expansion target of the firefly system is the operator system, which mainly includes telecom operators and cable operators, respectively, to compensate for the shortcomings of the firefly system in the Internet, mobile communications and cable TV.

However, the development of the firefly system to the present, it is impossible to want to leak again.

The two major carrier systems in the plan, no matter which one, need tens of billions of dollars in real investment. Adding the two together, if the equity acquisition is not considered, the size of the capital needed to be used by the firefly system will reach hundreds of billions of dollars.

In this respect, the tens of billions of dollars of capital that the clover fund has just cashed out of the new technology market is simply not enough. After all, in the next few years, in order to continue to consolidate its roots in the Internet industry, the firefly system also needs to continue to inject large sums of money into various new technology companies.

Moreover, Eric also began to have another concern.

The scale of the firefly system is already very large. In addition, the layout of the firefly system in the Internet industry has not been completely stabilized. At this time, it continues to expand without limit. Once the enterprises that have been eaten can not be digested smoothly, the entire firefly system may be Being affected, even into chaos.

Therefore, in recent times, Eric has been considering which part of the firefly system will be more secure next.

Kasenberg also selected a few skewers of barbecue on the grill and said: "I recently heard some news that at-t has planned to split the telecommunications distribution, and Comcast just happened to show it again. The intention to expand its size. If we don't, At-t is likely to sell telecom to Comcast."

Comcast and telecom are arguably the two largest cable operators in North America. Eric’s memory has only a few impressions about Comcast, and there is basically no understanding of telecommunications. Listening to Kasenberg, it is generally understood that in the past, remote communication was probably annexed by Comcast.

The flipping motion paused for a moment, and Eric asked: "At-t gives a quote?"

"The official offer is not yet available," Kasenberger shook his head. "However, the industry is estimated to be between $40 billion and $50 billion. If we participate in the bidding, the price is likely to exceed $50 billion. ”

Eric remembers that Comcast's market value was only about $30 billion a year ago, and the peak period between the previous paragraphs was only $60 billion. The scale of telecommunications is smaller than that of Comcast, and its valuation is now more than $40 billion, apparently affected by a new technology bubble that has not been completely exhausted.

If you can wait another one to two years, the Nasdaq index falls to the bottom, Comcast plus telecommunications, the total market value of the two companies may be only 60 billion.

However, once the two companies merge, the Firefly Group wants to initiate an acquisition. Whether at the capital level or the anti-monopoly level, the difficulty will definitely increase.

After thinking for a moment, Eric said: "We will follow suit secretly, and don't do anything for the time being."

Kasenberg nodded and said: "Would you like to continue to pay dividends?"

If Comcast really wants to initiate a telecom acquisition, the Firefly Group can only enter early.

After all, the entire firefly system, ae TV network, ffm TV station, espn TV station, showtime TV station, braov TV station, e! entertainment TV station and even several cable TV stations on the Fox Group, such a huge cable TV industry layout, if there is no operator platform Relying on it, future development will certainly be subject to more and more constraints.

In contrast, the layout of the firefly system for telecom operators is not so urgent.

Of course, this is only relative.

Eric's fancy goal is the sprint group, which is the easiest target for the Firefly system to acquire.

In the next few years, it happened to be a crucial period for the transition of 2g communication networks to 3G networks.

If you can't keep the sprint in your hands and fully invest in the layout of the 3G network, the sprint is likely to be opened by the more powerful at-t and verizon operators. Once it is opened up by other competitors in this critical communication network update process, the sprint will fall into an infinite loop of backward steps, and it will be more difficult to catch up with competitors.

In the final analysis, Eric wants to expand the firefly system for the camp, but in the era of this technology explosion, he did not have enough time.

"Cancel the dividend plan," Ericker made another decision without much hesitation, and then smiled and said to Kasenberg: "However, the work of notifying the shareholders of this decision will be handed over to you."

Although detailed financial information has not yet been released, the news that the Shamrock Fund has successfully cashed in large sums of money has already been heard.

Among the small shareholders of the Firefly Group, whether it is accustomed to extracting dividends from the shareholding companies and investing in Berkshire Hathaway, the State Street Global Fund, which has suffered heavy losses in the stock market and is in urgent need of additional funds, is looking forward to the Firefly Group. Perform dividends.

Now, suddenly cancel the dividend plan, these shareholders will not be able to make a mistake.

For the rejection of others, the character of the strong Kasenberg is obviously the most appropriate.

"No problem," Kasenberger nodded with a smashed die, and quickly put away his expression, seriously: "Eric, there is another thing, my bonus this year is also All stay in the clover fund, and in the next acquisition, I hope to be able to replace the company's stock."

Kasenberg's salary contract is a fixed annual salary of $750,000 plus a 2% net profit dividend per year for the Firefly Group.

Under the contract, he will be able to receive a huge dividend of $800 million from the Firefly Group's total profit of $40 billion this year, which is enough to recreate a salary peak for professional managers.

Now, Kasenberg has voluntarily given up this salary and chose to replace the stock of the Firefly Group in the future, which is equivalent to completely tying his own interests to the Firefly Group.

After all, the Firefly Group is not a listed company. Once you choose to buy shares, it will be very difficult for Kasenberg to cash out. If the company's performance declines, the stock will depreciate sharply. Moreover, Kasenberg's own shareholding ratio may not affect Eric's absolute control over the entire Firefly Group anyway.

It can be said that this has a meaning of a name.

A deep look at Kasenberg, Eric said: "So, you really decided?"

"Of course," Kasenberg smiled and nodded. "Unless there is something wrong with you."

"I am very happy."

Eric said, his left hand clenched his fists to the side, and Kasenberger slammed his fist and gently touched Eric.

Put some charred meat skewers in front of the plate, Eric said: "Actually, I have another important thing to discuss with you this time. I plan to set up the Williams Trust Fund recently. Although I will not inject too much assets into the Foundation for the time being, I still have to determine the board members of the fund in advance, Jeffrey, I hope you can join in."

Kasenberg has some accidents, and even depressed some voices: "Eric, is this necessary, you are less than thirty?"

Although there are many kinds of life trusts in the West, Kasenberg understands that Eric’s upcoming trust fund must be a heritage trust. In other words, once Eric happens, his personal assets will be transferred directly to the trust fund.

Involved in the inheritance of huge wealth, many rich people often set a will, and there will still be unexpected situations such as various children's competition and even the wealth being divided by outsiders. The pre-life trust model can minimize the possibility of asset inheritance after the trustee.

However, under normal circumstances, only the old rich who have spent years in Lei Shidong and Murdoch will start to set up family trusts.

Feeling the tone of concern of Kasenberg, Eric is very calm, saying: "Jeffrey, you should understand that the wealth I have now is completely different in this world. If no one is saying this It’s totally impossible to produce cockroaches. So, I hope that even if something unexpected happens, the entire firefly system will not collapse. So, Jeffrey, are you willing to join the board?”

Kasenberger completely forgot the grilled meat skewers that he had baked in front of him. He looked solemnly and said: "Eric, I promise you."