Starting from a Bar to Sign Internet Celebrities

Moreover, companies in the low-alcohol beverage industry, like Ba Run Shares and Xianjin Health Company, were being given market valuations at a 30x multiple.

For example, Ba Run Shares, with 700 million in annual profit, was given a 21 billion valuation. Xianjin Health Company, with over 1 billion in annual profit, was given a 33 billion valuation.

’If Second-Life Star Soda succeeds, it should be no problem to generate several billion in profit within a year. The valuation won’t be low, so I can easily raise a round of funding and issue dividends.’

’Combined with the profits from Second-Life Star’s influencer marketing, I’ll have a terrifying amount of capital at my disposal.’

’In 2019, to completely defeat Tiao Yin, Kuaishou held a Series F funding round at a 200 billion valuation. They ultimately raised 3 billion USD, with Yunfeng Fund, Temasek, and others acquiring a 20% stake.’

’None of those funds offered many channels that could help Kuaishou grow. Kuaishou simply had the upper hand and wanted to quickly crush Tiao Yin, accumulate capital, and then move forward with its IPO.’

’After all, going public was where the real money was.’

’If I can just seize this Series F opportunity and acquire a chunk of Kuaishou’s shares...’

’Furthermore, if I leverage my connection to Boss Lei and even shoot a great commercial for Huawei Phone, Kuaishou will definitely take my investment proposal seriously. And if I promise to jump ship to Kuaishou at a critical moment...’

’As Tiao Yin’s number one influencer—especially with Tiao Yin’s e-commerce promotions imploding and the platform facing a crisis—my defection would be seen as a fatal blow.’

’If I can get that 20% stake, I could even try suggesting a plan to Kuaishou for how to defeat Tiao Yin.’

’However, I know that with President Chen’s grand vision and mindset, he would never listen to me.’

’More importantly, if he actually listened and defeated Tiao Yin, how could I execute my ’Python and Sparrow Swallowing Dragon’ plan?’

’I have to remember that when Kuaishou went public, its market cap peaked at 1.8 trillion. At the time, its daily active users were ostensibly higher than Tiao Yin’s, and its shares were nearly impossible to acquire.’

’But no one could have predicted that in just six months, Kuaishou would make a fatal mistake, allowing Tiao Yin to grow stronger and turn the tables. Its market cap plummeted to less than 300 billion, the person in charge resigned in disgrace, and there were even rumors the company was for sale.’

’It’s just that no one was willing to take it over then. Otherwise, even as the founder, that President Chen would have been helpless. After multiple rounds of financing, his combined Class A and Class B shares only amounted to about 8%.’

’His combined voting power from both share classes was only 25%.’

’So, if I could get that 20% stake from the Series F round and sell it at the peak market cap... how much money would that be?’

’The share lock-up period is a nuisance, though. I’d either need to find a sucker willing to sign a contract to trade after six months, holding the shares through the lock-up period...’

’...or I’d have to sell before the IPO based on its pre-listing valuation. And before the IPO, based on its daily active users, Kuaishou’s private valuation was already estimated in the trillions!’

’The 1.8 trillion peak market cap clearly far exceeded that estimate.’

’Either way, after six months, when the head of Kuaishou resigns and the calls to sell the company grow loud with no buyers in sight, I would have the capital to buy Kuaishou.’

’Then, I could integrate my short-form drama platform into Kuaishou and replicate the strategies Tiao Yin uses in the years after 2021. Even if Kuaishou can’t beat Tiao Yin, it can still secure the number two spot.’

Of course, this was all just his speculation. No one knew if the final outcome would be as he envisioned.

He would only know by trying.

If he did nothing, he would get nothing.

’And the first step in all of this is to build up the soda product. The short-form drama platform also needs to be developed properly. And I need to make myself even more important.’

’Otherwise, it’s all just empty talk.’

"Boss, I’ll arrange for a batch of our soda to be sent to the Extreme Bar right away." After receiving his orders, Wang Yuan immediately called over a manager from the distillery and had him arrange for a shipment of the soda to be loaded.

The manager came over and immediately started staring at Chen Jincheng.

Everyone knew their new boss was the famous web influencer; he just hardly ever visited.

After making the arrangements, Wang Yuan asked, "Boss, are we heading to the Extreme Bar now?"

"Yeah, we’re going there to shoot the commercial. Let’s hurry." Chen Jincheng nodded and then led Cai Xiaoyi toward the Extreme Bar.

Wang Yuan naturally followed along. After all, as a representative for the product, he had to be there for the commercial shoot.

Before long, the group arrived at the bar. Ah Pao was already waiting at the Extreme Bar, accompanied by several heavily tattooed, burly men.

When he saw Chen Jincheng arrive, he respectfully led his men forward to greet him. "Boss!"

The tattooed men all did the same. They knew this famous web influencer was their boss, and their livelihoods now depended on him.

Ah Pao made the introductions. "Boss, these are the security captains for our branch locations. The bar we bought before has been renovated and reopened. It’s turning a profit every day. We’re also in negotiations for three more and should be able to close the deals soon!"

"Good. Secure them as soon as possible," Chen Jincheng nodded. The bar they had previously bought was the one that Crying Bud Chen Xiaoying’s family had been forced to close.

Creating a chain of low-end bars had been his idea, which he had tasked Ah Pao with executing.

After all, the Extreme Bar had a unique advantage. For one, having Chen Jincheng, the famous influencer, as the owner was a huge draw.

Another was its lineup of influencer singers and DJs.

Although these low-end venues didn’t require top-tier talent like Wang Qiqi or Cen Ning, Second-Life Star now had over 300 artists, many of whom had started their careers in bars.

There were plenty of influencer DJs and singers besides the likes of Wang Qiqi and Jiang Xiaobai.