Chapter 111 - A Bold Gamble
During the four years he diligently worked at Union Yue Kee Ceiling Fan Factory, Liu Luanxiong gradually realized that the rigid adherence to traditional mindsets insisted upon by the elders could no longer satisfy his inner yearning for innovation and change.
This experience, though full of challenges, tempered his willpower and made him even more determined in his direction.
"Ah Xiong, my decision to invest in you was truly a stroke of genius. Your performance has far exceeded my expectations!" Lin Haoran praised sincerely, his approval of Liu Luanxiong growing even stronger.
After leaving the small workshop that had shackled him for so many years, Liu Luanxiong seemed like a fish leaping into a vast ocean. With no financial worries, he could fully spread his wings. Every decision he made appeared effortless, and his career flourished as a result.
Facing Lin Haoran's praise, Liu Luanxiong couldn't help but reveal a modest yet confident smile. That sense of fulfillment radiating from within was the best proof of his relentless efforts.
"Miss Lai, could you please provide me with last month's financial report for review?" Lin Haoran turned to the finance supervisor Lai Meihui.
Lai Meihui's loyalty not only remained unwavering but had even strengthened with time, making Lin Haoran trust her even more.
He knew that with Lai Meihui's steadfast loyalty, it was impossible for her to be swayed by external temptations or to engage in actions detrimental to the company, such as being privately bribed by Liu Luanxiong to falsify financial data — an assumption he completely ruled out.
It was precisely because of this absolute trust that Lin Haoran could delegate the critical task of supervising the company's finances to Lai Meihui without any worries.
"President Lin, I'll get it right away!" Lai Meihui responded promptly, accurately retrieving a file from her orderly desk and respectfully presenting it with both hands, every detail revealing her professionalism and dedication.
"The company actually achieved a profit of 3.68 million Hong Kong dollars last month?" Lin Haoran flipped through the numbers on the financial report, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.
Thinking back, it had only been just over a month since they relocated from the small workshop at Hong Kong Tsai.
The financial report he was reviewing was for Aimeigao Company's operations in November.
Unexpectedly, in the very first full month after the move, they had already earned over three million Hong Kong dollars.
In fact, the capital Lin Haoran had invested into Aimeigao, excluding the one million Hong Kong dollars he lent to Liu Luanxiong, was only about 1.2 million U.S. dollars.
In other words, in just one month, his initial investment had already been recovered.
No wonder that in his previous life, Liu Luanxiong was able to start with just tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars and, in just over two years, accumulate over a hundred million in assets — it was incredibly profitable.
Of course, part of the reason was that the small workshop had initially restricted his growth. Had that not been the case, the figure might have been even higher than a hundred million.
Then again, the electric fan manufacturing industry, when judged by gross margins, wasn't exactly extraordinarily profitable.
It was simply that the volume of orders was so massive that small profits accumulated into a large fortune naturally.
In this world, because Lin Haoran had intervened early, they were well-prepared before the oil crisis hit. Barring any accidents, he would undoubtedly earn even more in just two or three years.
Of course, with greater earnings, Lin Haoran, as one of the major shareholders, would also see his returns multiply accordingly.
"Haoran, regarding last month's profits, I'm considering not distributing dividends for now. After all, I just secured a huge order, and the current factory capacity is clearly insufficient to meet production demands.
Therefore, I plan to lease the first and third floors as well and accelerate the recruitment process, aiming to add a thousand more workers within a week. That would push our total workforce past two thousand, which should be enough to meet this sudden market opportunity. Haoran, what do you think about this plan?" Liu Luanxiong explained enthusiastically.
"I completely support your decision, Ah Xiong. This oil crisis-driven market shift won't subside in the short term. Now is the perfect time for us to expand our production capacity and seize the opportunity.
As for the one million Hong Kong dollar loan, there's no rush to repay it. The most important thing now is to capitalize on this window period and aggressively develop the North American market," Lin Haoran agreed wholeheartedly.
"Haha, Haoran, we're truly on the same wavelength! I was worried you might have differing views, but it turns out our thinking is completely aligned. Having a partner like you is my greatest fortune!" Liu Luanxiong laughed heartily, full of genuine admiration and gratitude toward Lin Haoran.
At this moment, he felt even more fortunate to have Lin Haoran as an extraordinary partner.
Thinking back to his previous experiences at the Hong Kong Tsai workshop, he recalled that he had had a partner there too.
However, disagreements were frequent, and constant disputes over decision-making severely hindered their progress, causing them to miss many golden opportunities.
Now, with Lin Haoran as his partner, everything was different.
Most importantly, his ownership stake had not diminished because of the partnership. On the contrary, thanks to Lin Haoran's involvement, he enjoyed greater respect and autonomy in decision-making.
Most of the company's daily affairs were under his control, while Lin Haoran provided strong support with his exceptional strategic vision but rarely interfered with operations.
This mutual understanding and trust gave him a profound sense of what it meant to have the "perfect partner."
Lin Haoran was not only a highly capable partner but also a wise leader who knew when to delegate and how to listen.
Now, with the substantial profits from last month, they could confidently expand production without needing further capital injections from shareholders.
"Ah Xiong, given our strong profits last month, I propose that we continue holding off on dividend distribution for the next two months as well.
You're probably not in urgent need of cash right now, are you? I predict this oil crisis will last at least another one or two years.
During this time, fan products will continue to sell like hotcakes."
"Therefore, go all out with expansion. Take every order you can get. Increase capacity. I'm looking forward to the day when you can proudly tell me: 'Haoran, our Aimeigao Company has become the number one fan manufacturer in Hong Kong!'" Lin Haoran continued, laughing heartily at the end.
According to Lin Haoran's memories from his previous life, the second world oil crisis had indeed lasted for more than two years.
In that timeline, it was this prolonged crisis that quietly allowed Liu Luanxiong to accumulate his first huge fortune, laying the foundation for his later business empire.
Now, Lin Haoran had seized this historical opportunity to have Liu Luanxiong practically working for him, helping him amass a fortune for free.
When the fan market eventually reached saturation, Lin Haoran already had his next move planned.
He intended to strike while the iron was hot, pushing Aimeigao Company toward a public listing.
With the power of the capital markets, he would further consolidate the company's market position.
Later, he would cleverly time his exit, selling off his shares for an enormous profit, thus achieving another leap in wealth — perfect!
"Exactly! Aside from necessary business negotiations and supply chain matters, I'm practically glued to the factory nowadays. Personal consumption is not my priority at all.
I'm focused entirely on seizing market opportunities.
The duration of the oil crisis is uncertain, but even without it, the North American fan market was already growing well — just not at today's explosive rate.
Thus, expanding production is inevitable.
Haoran, since you've given me this confidence and support, I'll bet everything on this.
I'll accept every order, whether from North America, South America, or Europe.
I believe that as long as our products and services win customer trust, Aimeigao Company will become the leading fan manufacturer not only in Hong Kong but globally!" Liu Luanxiong grew more and more animated, his eyes sparkling with boundless ambition.
The past half year's experience at the small workshop had taught him that small-scale operations would never lead to greatness.
Now, with the massive changes underway, he truly understood how astonishing the speed of wealth accumulation could be when production capacity matched market demand.
He no longer satisfied himself with slow and steady growth.
He was determined to take advantage of this opportunity to achieve explosive development.
Moreover, Liu Luanxiong had already decided not to venture into the Middle Eastern market.
Even excluding that region, the global demand for fans remained immense, especially in developed areas like Europe and America, where strong consumer purchasing power ensured broad sales opportunities and substantial profit margins.
Against this backdrop, he naturally preferred to sell to high-end markets rather than compromising on price in the Middle East.
"In that case, I suggest we establish a dedicated market expansion department.
You're very familiar with North America, but the world is vast, and opportunities abound elsewhere too.
No matter how energetic you are, you can't cover everything.
It's better to delegate market development to a professional team, offering them a share of profits as incentive.
This way, our operational efficiency will significantly improve, and our order volume will naturally soar as our market coverage expands," Lin Haoran advised thoughtfully.
"You're absolutely right, Haoran. I hadn't realized that before.
Building a marketing department and letting professionals handle professional tasks would allow me to focus more on production and supply chain management.
I'll get started on it right away!" Liu Luanxiong nodded in agreement.
At that moment, Liu Luanxiong deeply appreciated the importance of teamwork.
He had realized that as the company grew, individual strength alone would no longer suffice.
Only by relying on the power of a team could they achieve long-term, sustainable development.
Lin Haoran's simple suggestion had undoubtedly pointed the way forward for the company's future.
The mindset for business management could no longer be as limited as it had been when running a small workshop.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1