He is Already a Tycoon at a Young Age! - Chapter 11



Only Krnovel

Episode 11

Episode 11 – Jazz it up!

They say that people who can actually count their money are not truly rich.

Richter and I spent a week lavishly spending money, but our money didn’t decrease at all.

If you calculate the interest, it would actually increase.

‘So this is why they say money makes money.’

When we got tired of flirting with girls at the club, we decided to start a company.

“I didn’t know caviar could be so tasteless. You have to eat it on the back of your hand instead of with a spoon.”

“I, I threw the rest away after eating half of it. The canned food I ate in the trenches was tastier.”

“Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?”

We stopped in front of the building.

Not very tall, but has an old-fashioned feel.

“It’s better than I thought. This entire building only cost 700,000 dollars?”

“Oh, it’s a four-story building like Morgan’s headquarters. Of course, the price is much cheaper than the corner store.”

Located not far from the heart of Wall Street.

It was easy to access as it was right in front of the road.

If I’m bored, I could go to Broadway and see a play.

The building was undergoing renovation.

The laborers moved busily, carrying desks and typewriters.

The workers who came to install the telephone lines passed by.

“Mom, I’m going to make it as similar as possible to how it was when I worked at Morgan. I’m also going to hire a few computers.”

“Computer? Do you have a computer machine?”

I blurted out words I knew were familiar.

“No, I mean the women who do the math. Women are better at doing those kinds of calculations.”

Oh, so this is the etymology of the word computer.

Women who calculate numbers.

Didn’t you say that even during the Manhattan Project, scientists’ wives took care of all the calculations?

“So, Alf, what exactly are you trying to set up? An investment firm?”

“Investment holding company. It’s almost the same.”

My role model is Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

Buffett acquires companies by purchasing stock, but does not directly manage them.

‘We guaranteed maximum management rights to the CEOs of affiliated companies.’

Anyway, I knew which technologies and companies would be successful.

If we make Disney and several other companies affiliates…

I can’t even imagine how much money this will cost.

The money you have now may seem like small change.

‘I don’t need to interfere with the management every day.’

It would be impossible to individually manage dozens of companies.

I don’t have that ability in the first place.

Management can be left to experts proven by history.

All I provide is funds.

“It’s going to be hard to make money by investing in odd jobs. Let’s try investing for the long term.”

As the capital grew, it became more difficult to put in and take out.

There is a high possibility that my investment will have a butterfly effect.

Richter scratched his head.

“Well, then I guess it would be more important which company you choose… Well, I guess it wouldn’t be a problem if it was you, Alf.”

“Don’t worry. Even if you run out of money, you’ll still get something from Morgan.”

If you leak me some information about the future, I’ll give you a lot of money.

We went into the building.

“How about a simple company name like Hitler & Richter?”

“Please, leave out my name. I don’t want to be harassed by reporters my whole life. I’m having a hard time right now.”

“If you work for my company, you’re going to get attention, whether you like it or not?”

There have been reporters following me since I started trading stocks on the stock exchange.

‘The numbers have definitely increased recently.’

Did your work at Morgan Bank get leaked?

“To be honest, I thought you were going to retire with a million dollars.”

“I was wondering how long you’d be successful, Alf. You’d be like a parasite, taking money from me.”

“Not a parasite, but a slave.”

I said with a smile.

By the way, it’s Hitler Company.

The feel is so weird.

What if there was a company with this name in the 21st century?

‘It would have been socially buried before the company was even founded.’

As we went up to the fourth floor, large windows greeted us.

The view is absolutely stunning.

“Then let’s start preparing for our first business.”

On the floor were scattered bottles of cola that the workers had left behind.

I can’t just hand over a lump of money like that.

“Now that we’ve made a lot of money, should we try contacting Coca-Cola? It’ll be a good start for our first business.”

“Nose, Coke? Will that really work?”

Richter said, scratching his head.

“Alp, there’s no guarantee that the prohibition will be enforced as you say.”

“Prohibition will happen. It’s already happening in most states.”

This prohibition law was implemented nationwide starting in 1920.

It was abolished only after President Roosevelt took office.

“Even after Prohibition ends, cola will remain popular.”

“Well, well. If that’s the case, I don’t think Americans will be secretly drinking alcohol.”

Richter said.

“Well, even during the last war, only American soldiers weren’t supplied with alcohol.”

“And we drank a lot of alcohol from the nearby town. Americans are people just like us.”

Has there ever been a policy in history that failed as much as Prohibition?

‘I didn’t even touch alcohol until Prohibition began.’

As one poet once said, Prohibition actually increased alcohol consumption.

The more you ban something, the more people want it.

Music banned by the government.

A film banned by the government.

Games banned by the government.

Pornography, etc. banned by the government.

“For example, let’s say there’s a novel. The government banned its publication because it was too obscene.”

“however?”

“A publisher who was trying to ease regulations brought the book in from abroad on purpose, but it was confiscated. It was later made known to the public through a public trial.”

“…”

“And as the trial continued, the media and public interest grew. How obscene must it be for the government to ban it?”

The name of the book is Ulysses.

Events like these made Ulysses one of the best-known books of the 20th century in America.

The content itself is extremely difficult to understand.

Would it have been that popular if the pornography controversy hadn’t occurred?

“Prohibition will fail. But while it’s in effect, cola sales will continue to rise. And they will continue to rise afterward.”

The sweetest sugar syrup ever created by humans.

Should I go buy some Coca-Cola?

＊＊＊

The head of the Coca-Cola investment group was a man named Woodruff.

A surprised look on his white hair.

“You want to invest five million dollars? Five million dollars…”

He looked at me and Richter with a blank expression.

“Then Mr. Hitler will own a total of 20% of the issued shares. There is no need to recruit more investors.”

Woodruff said, adjusting his glasses.

“Congratulations. Mr. Hitler will become the largest shareholder, provided the existing investors agree.”

“Thank you. I wonder why you would sell such a profitable company.”

“The family members who inherited the company are not very interested in running the business. And…”

Woodruff hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“As you may have already researched, Coca-Cola sales this year have fallen for the first time ever. Sugar prices are also fluctuating due to the end of the Great War. Many investors are anxious.”

“Coca-Cola will continue to grow. It will continue to grow for a hundred years or so.”

“A hundred years. It’s a time that’s hard for me to imagine.”

Instead of answering, I gave a faint smile.

It’s hard to imagine now, but it’s true.

Even in the 21st century, no carbonated beverage can beat Coca-Cola.

In countries like Mexico, people drink more Coca-Cola than water.

Even Soviet officials smuggled Coca-Cola and drank it during the Cold War.

“With the right marketing campaign, you can increase your sales as much as you want.”

“Mr. Hitler, you know a lot about advertising.”

“You could say that.”

Without realizing it, my shoulders straightened.

I studied marketing for several years.

Although it was short, I also had some practical experience.

“Once the acquisition is completed, I will first review the magazine and radio advertisements. I will not interfere with production or management issues.”

“It’s a radio. Are you going to use it for advertising?”

“Of course, radio…”

Oh, I see.

It is now 1919.

This was before radio became popular.

RCA (Radio Corporation of America) was founded this year.

I recalled the chronology in my data notebook.

“Let’s discuss this again later. If you have any further questions, please feel free to come to my office at any time…”

I escorted Mr. Woodruff out and spoke with Richter.

“Radio? Are you talking about the wireless telegraph machine used during the war?”

“Yes, transmitting voice wirelessly.”

In fact, radio was widely used even in this era.

It was thanks to radio that over 700 passengers were rescued when the Titanic sank.

‘But there is no radio industry aimed at the masses.’

It was a time when the very concept of listening to songs or broadcasts through a radio receiver was unfamiliar.

“In a few years, radio will be spread all over the world. People will sit at home and listen to music, news, and dramas.”

Hitler and Goebbels actively used this type of radio for political propaganda.

Singers like Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong also came to prominence thanks to radio.

Wasn’t the 1920s America the age of radio?

If you move first, you can make huge profits.

Development of radio broadcasts and receivers for the public.

“I think it’ll take about 20 more years for that to happen. Isn’t that a bit far-fetched?”

Richter said.

“And Alf, you and I aren’t engineers. Investing in stocks and running a factory are two completely different things. Those are all done by professionals.”

“That’s true.”

I worked hard to make notes, but I didn’t include radio schematics.

Establishing a research institute, developing products, and even producing and distributing them is not an easy task.

‘I know the direction in which development should be done.’

What I need now is…

A professional CEO with experience in the production development process.

Running a company, setting up a corporate research center, and even handling distribution and public relations.

“What if I get help from such an expert?”

“Me, an expert? Who?”

“What about the person who made it? Or should I say he improved it?”

I pointed to the ticker the workers were carrying.

Stock quote indicator.

There are incandescent light bulbs, electric generators, movies, tape recorders, etc.

The person who ushered in the electric age.

“What about Thomas Edison?”

“Would that famous person accept our request? It would cost us a lot of money. In the first place, there must have been many other people who made similar offers.”

“It would be difficult if you just tempt them with money.”

Edison probably doesn’t have money problems. He wouldn’t be easy to recruit even if you offered him a billion dollars.

Something more than just money was needed.

“What if we approached it from a different perspective than money?”

“What, other parts?”

“For example, there is a brand.”

Thomas Edison.

He was not just an inventor.

A man who spent his entire life developing the Edison brand.

I guess I’ll have to attack that part.

No matter how rich you are, there are bound to be desires that cannot be fulfilled.

“Let’s think of an offer Edison couldn’t refuse.”

Family using a rock radio (receiver)

Alan Douglas (1995) Radio Manufacturers of the 1920s – Public Domain