Traveling back to 1966, starting by living in a cowshed.

Chapter 157 Brokerage Company 2

When Zhang Manli walked out of Lin Zhou's office, her steps felt like she was walking on clouds.

The notebook in her hand was slightly deformed from gripping it so tightly. She had never expected her promotion and raise to come so quickly and suddenly, and she was completely unprepared.

She stood by the elevator door waiting for it to come up, then looked down at the notes she had just written in her notebook.

The advanced operational concepts Lin Zhou had mentioned were still swirling in her mind—artist tiered contracting system, differentiated development path, fan operation system, crisis public relations plan...

Each word is like a key, just enough to unlock those long-standing puzzles in her past work.

Hong Kong's entertainment industry is currently in a stage of extensive development. Artists' agents are mostly dependent on television stations or record companies, and resource allocation depends entirely on personal connections and luck. There is no systematic planning to speak of.

Just like after the hit TV series "A Step into the Past" became popular, Zhao Yazhi's ending theme song also became a hit, and she received a mountain of endorsement offers.

The TV station was in charge of inviting GG, while the record company was in charge of commercial performances. The communication between the two sides was not smooth, and an endorsement deal with an international brand almost slipped away.

"So that's how it can be done."

Zhang Manli muttered to herself, her gaze sweeping over the words "balancing commercial value and artistic pursuit," a flash of understanding appearing in her eyes.

Having worked her way up in the TV station's talent department for so many years, she has seen too many talented artists who either have their talent endlessly drained by commercial interests or cling to their artistic aloofness and are ultimately forgotten by the market.

Lin Zhou's words undoubtedly pointed her to a win-win solution.

She composed herself, put away her notebook, and quickly stepped into the elevator to go downstairs.

When she returned to Zhonghua TV Station, she passed by the break room and found several colleagues chatting together. The topic inevitably turned to the popularity of "A Step into the Past" and the rapid rise to fame of its lead actors.

"I heard that Maggie Cheung turned down another GG endorsement, saying it didn't suit her image. It's a pity about that astronomical fee."

"That's right. And then there's Zhao Yazhi. Her record company wants her to do a commercial performance, while the TV station wants her to film a snack movie. They're arguing fiercely, and she's been worried about it for days."

"Ultimately, it's because there's no one coordinating things. If this continues, even the best endorsements will be ruined."

These words reached Zhang Manli's ears, making her feel even more that Lin Zhou's decision to establish an independent brokerage company was truly visionary.

She didn't interrupt, but simply quickened her pace.

Pushing open the door to the artist training department he managed, a cacophony of noise instantly flooded in.

A dozen or so people are taking an acting class with one teacher.

She took a deep breath and announced, "Everyone, please stop for a moment. I have something to announce."

The lecture abruptly stopped, and everyone's eyes turned to her.

Zhang Manli walked to the center of the office, a smile on her face, but her tone was unusually solemn!

"President Lin just talked to me. He has decided to establish an independent agency, with me as the general manager, to oversee the management of all artists under Zhonghua TV and Zhonghua Records."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the office.

"An independent brokerage firm? Really?"

"Manager Zhang is going to be the general manager? Congratulations!"

"So, will we have to go to the new company too?"

Various voices rose and fell, some surprised, some envious, and some with a hint of anticipation.

Zhang Manli raised her hand to quiet everyone down before continuing:

"Preparations for the new company officially begin today. As for personnel, I will allocate them according to everyone's strengths."

In addition, from now on, all film and television offers, GG endorsements, and commercial performances for artists will be handled by me temporarily. If you have any relevant information, please organize it and submit it to me as soon as possible.

As soon as she finished speaking, a junior assistant named Zhou, who had recently started working as Tony Leung's assistant, raised his hand excitedly and said:

"Manager Zhang, I have Tony Leung's schedule for the next week. I'll go and compile it right now!"

"I have several other artists' schedules here that haven't been finalized yet. I'll bring them to you right away!" Another teacher responsible for liaising with the artists quickly responded.

Seeing the crowd's enthusiasm, Zhang Manli's tense smile finally softened a bit.

These people all have a strong desire to achieve something great.

Now that they have a new platform, their enthusiasm has naturally been ignited.

"Don't rush, everyone. Let's take it one step at a time."

Zhang Manli said with a smile, "The selection of the new company's office location and the formulation of rules and regulations all take time."

"Let's first clarify our current artist resources, especially the main actors of 'A Step into the Past,' whose commercial value is at its peak, and we can't afford to delay them in the slightest."

After handing over her work, Zhang Manli returned to her office. Just as she sat down, the phone on her desk rang.

She picked up the receiver, and Lin Zhou's secretary, Chen Man, gave a clear, crisp voice.

"Mr. Zhang, Mr. Lin asked me to bring over the endorsement materials I prepared earlier. Is now a convenient time for you?"

Zhang Manli was slightly taken aback before realizing that the title "President Zhang" referred to her. A warm feeling welled up in her heart, and she quickly said:

"It's convenient, thank you for your help."

About half an hour later, Chen Man came in with the documents, placed them on the table, and said with a smile:

"Mr. Zhang, these were all specially compiled by Mr. Lin. Some key points are marked in them. You can take a look."

"Thank you, you've worked hard." Zhang Manli stood up and thanked her.

Chen Man waved her hand, then took out a few sheets of paper from her bag and handed them to Zhang Manli: "This is what President Lin asked me to give you. It contains some case studies of brokerage firms. He said you might find it useful."

These sheets of paper contain operational experience of brokerage companies from later generations, which Lin Zhou compiled and printed out from his spatial computer and mobile phone.

Zhang Manli accepted it, her gratitude towards Lin Zhou deepening even further.

Lin Zhou not only provided her with a platform, but also shared his experience and ideas with her without reservation. This trust made her feel an even greater sense of responsibility.

After Chen Man left, Zhang Manli sat back down at her desk and opened the document.

Lin Zhou's red-pen markings are clearly visible: "Tony Leung's image leans towards the refined and scholarly, making him suitable for high-end watches and menswear brands; he should be cautious when choosing personal care products."

"Maggie Cheung possesses a lively and charming temperament; she could try endorsements in the beauty and fashion industries, while also considering opportunities in art-house films."

"Carina Lau has a powerful aura and is highly suitable for commercial endorsements"...

Each annotation accurately pinpointed the artist's characteristics, and Zhang Manli became increasingly alarmed as she read them, realizing Lin Zhou's sharp eye even more.

She took out her notebook and wrote down all the annotations, while simultaneously beginning to outline the framework of the new company in her mind.

First, there's the personnel allocation. Some of the people in the artist training department are good at artist management, some are skilled in resource coordination, and some have a lot of experience in fan management. They can form the core team of the new company.

Next is the choice of office location. It cannot be too far from the TV station and record company. Ideally, it should be located between the two companies to facilitate resource sharing.

There are also rules and regulations. A tiered contract system for artists needs to be formulated as soon as possible. Based on an artist's status, potential, and development direction, different levels should be defined, and different resource allocations and profit-sharing ratios should be given accordingly.

With this in mind, Zhang Manli took out a new notebook and began drafting a preparation plan for the new company.

After what seemed like an eternity, Zhang Manli finally put down her pen and rubbed her sore eyes.

It's already three full pages long, covering everything from personnel structure and resource integration to operating model and development plan.

She picked up the phone and dialed the number in Lin Zhou's office; the call was quickly answered.

"President Lin, I have drafted the preparation plan for the new company. I will bring it to you for review first thing tomorrow morning."

Regarding the office location, I've initially chosen an office building that's very close to the TV station and record company. When would you be free so we can go and check it out in person?

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by Lin Zhou's hearty laughter: "Okay, I'll wait for your proposal. As for the site selection, we'll go take a look together tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay, Mr. Lin," Zhang Manli replied, hanging up the phone with a relieved smile on her face.