America: My Time

Chapter 78 Investment Consulting
Chapter Seventy-Eight Investment Consulting

"Acquisition? All you know is acquisition! Can you manage a winery? Look at the state your grandfather has become!"

“Grandpa isn’t bad, he’s just too stubborn. I don’t need to manage the winery myself. The original staff will be retained, and Grandpa can help me keep an eye on things since we’re all in Bordeaux! If I had my own winery, I would invest a lot of money to buy up the top wines from this year’s wineries, ideally buying them all up. The grapes this year are excellent, so the wine will definitely be great!”

"You're insane! You're absolutely insane! How could you become like this after just one trip to Bordeaux? You're almost like your grandfather!"

“Alright, honey, don’t be like that. It’s a good thing that John has his own hobbies. Since it’s his hobby, we should respect it. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with buying a winery. At least we won’t have to spend money on our own wine!” As a father, Smith agreed with John’s idea. There’s nothing wrong with a man liking wine!
"Dad, thank you for your support. Once I acquire the top Bordeaux winery, I'll buy all your wines!"

"Haha! Good, that shows filial piety. I hope your hobby can be fulfilled!"

"It's definitely possible. These days, all luxury goods companies in the world are having a tough time, and wineries are no exception. I believe Grandpa won't let me down. I just don't know how many wineries are willing to sell!"

“John, you really need to consider acquiring a few more wineries. Do you have the time to manage them? If it's just for your own collection and consumption, one winery is enough! Just like your mother said, there's no need to waste money on this!”

"Father, don't worry. I know what's important. Although things are tough for luxury brands right now, everything will get better after the economic crisis and the economy recovers. If Morgan's plan can be realized, I, who control Universal and NBC television networks, can naturally use the power of the media to increase the promotion of my winery. At that time, there will be no losses, it's just a matter of how much profit I make!"

Seeing John's unwavering determination to acquire the top wineries, Smith and Anna could only shake their heads and offer no further advice. John's persistence was futile; persuasion would only be a waste of breath. With John's current resources, acquiring a few wineries was no big deal, and there was no need to be overly concerned.

After booking his flight, before leaving the United States, John first went to the Consulate General in San Francisco to inquire about the current investment situation in China, hoping to see if he could establish his own garment factory there. The result was somewhat disappointing; at that time, China's management of investment was still very strict. Unable to change the overall environment, he could only leave his contact information with disappointment, hoping to be notified if the investment environment in China changed.

"It's such a pity that such young foreigners want to invest in China, but they have to give up due to investment restrictions. Why are all these foreigners like this!"

"He is indeed very young, but don't assume he has no money. Do you even know who he is?"

"Xiao Wang, do you know that young man who wanted to invest in China?"

"Consul General!" Upon seeing the Consul General's arrival, the faces of the staff members who were talking instantly changed.

"Okay, don't be nervous. I'm not blaming you. If you know him, tell me what makes him different!"

"Consul General, this young man is no ordinary person. He is currently the most famous billionaire in the United States, and also the youngest. He is a well-known entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. He owns the gaming world and Dreamworld, and he is also a media mogul. Legendary Entertainment is also one of his businesses!"

"A Silicon Valley entrepreneur, so he wanted to invest in high technology in China, then why did he give up? Was it still because of investment regulations?" "It was indeed because of investment regulations, but what he wanted to invest in wasn't high technology, but clothing. It seems he has clothing that needs to be produced. However, it looks like he's different from other investors; he genuinely wants to invest in China, and he even left his contact information!"

In the 1970s and 80s, many foreign investors had to abandon their investment plans in China due to restrictions in investment regulations or other issues. These investors could not accept these conditions, and many of the initial foreign investors withdrew their capital within a few years, causing considerable disruption.

Foreign companies that want to invest in China are almost all companies that need to relocate their production. They make this choice to reduce their production costs, not to find partners.

In the 1980s, a large number of American manufacturing companies relocated overseas, including contract manufacturing giants like Micron. The reason they chose Southeast Asian countries instead of China was largely due to investment regulations. Capitalists pursue profit, not profit sharing!
"It seems we need to change our working methods. Xiao Wang, since you know this gentleman, pay more attention to his information in the future. If possible, we can communicate with him more, do more work, and try to win him over!" At this time, the cadres were all patriotic and devoted themselves to the growth of the motherland.

John needs to travel frequently around the world, and he feels he needs a private jet to avoid wasting a lot of his time. However, his finances are currently very tight; otherwise, buying a private jet would be much more convenient.

Thinking about private jets, John had an idea. Airlines were also a good investment. There were many opportunities in the US aviation industry in the 1980s. Pan Am, Continental Airlines, Trans World Airlines, and West Air were all acquired and restructured in the 1980s.

Not only in the United States, but also in Europe, many airlines were established in the 1980s, especially low-cost carriers. Many of them were established in the 1980s. Moreover, in the 1980s, Rolls-Royce in Britain began to be privatized, and Fokker in the Netherlands was even acquired!
"Damn, what's wrong with me? I originally just wanted to buy a private jet, but I've thought about all this. But if the timing is right, it's indeed a good business opportunity. I need a private jet now, and I can't wait until 85. That's too long. I must buy one as soon as I get the funding. This needs to be pre-ordered!"

If people knew what John was thinking at this moment, they would all say he was crazy. To buy an airline, an aircraft manufacturing plant, and an engine manufacturing plant just for his own convenience, he thought it was insane!

What constitutes the right timing? Naturally, it's waiting until after the Plaza Accord, when you have sufficient funds. That's the perfect time to acquire an aircraft. If handled well, you can earn a large amount of US dollars just from currency exchange rate fluctuations! Aircraft manufacturing takes time, and pre-ordering is a necessary procedure! Of course, you can also acquire a used aircraft.

At this time, John was unaware that he had attracted the attention of the consulate. Unfortunately, the current economic climate did not allow it, and he was powerless to do so. Many investments were restricted, especially in semiconductors. The only investments he could make were in food and clothing, but these were also subject to investment regulations!
Next year, he will be making a new round of acquisitions, and car brands are one of them. If he can get investment approval, John is willing to cooperate with Chinese car companies to build a car factory, after all, the market is too tempting!

Now, John's focus is on Hong Kong, increasing the production capacity of the Hong Kong garment factory to cope with the upcoming sales increase of Forever 21 and Victoria's Secret! Although there are many countries in Southeast Asia to choose from, he ultimately gave them up. He didn't have time to accept that unfamiliar investment environment. In comparison, Hong Kong is the most suitable for him.

Because of the tight schedule, John accelerated the handling of Hong Kong affairs. The garment factory issue was easy to resolve. Originally, the Hong Kong factory was only intended as a contract manufacturer, but after some understanding and consideration, he felt that things could not be handled in this way. Now it could be a contract manufacturer, and as time went on, the contract manufacturer would inevitably shift to the mainland.

In the long run, it would be a waste to just be an OEM manufacturer in Hong Kong. Creating your own brand is the best choice. You can do OEM manufacturing in the early stages, and once you have experience, you can innovate on your own.

Based on these considerations, John registered the factory as 'Daphne', both for OEM manufacturing and to prepare for 'Daphne's' future expansion. 'Daphne' aims to be more than just clothing; it will also include footwear, becoming a comprehensive apparel, accessories, and footwear company. Similar to Victoria's Secret, 'Daphne' is now launching its own women's shoe brand!

During this trip to Hong Kong, John was no longer under pressure from HSBC, as if everything had ended and John himself had no time to care.

(End of this chapter)