If someone else had spoken those imposing words, Old Oswald would have probably thrown them out immediately to spare himself from listening to such ear-piercing nonsense. But when it was his precious granddaughter speaking, the genius director who had repeatedly worked miracles, it made him ponder deeply.
"Are you sure?" The old man's expression grew solemn. Becoming the world's number one was not an easy feat. It might be something unattainable in a lifetime, let alone within a year. Leaders needed confidence, but if that confidence became blind, it would prevent them from seeing the path ahead.
Leila curled her lips, smiling mysteriously. "He doesn't have to believe me. After all, it's not me who'll suffer any losses."
Her words made the old man pay more attention to what she was saying. At least he knew she wasn't joking. With her personality, once she had spoken, even if she hadn't said something as impressive as she claimed, it would still have a significant impact.
"Very well! I will convey your words to him. Whether he has the determination to proceed or not will be up to him!" The old man sealed the deal with finality.
Businessmen value profit. Victoria's Secret was indeed doing well at the moment, but it was just that – doing well. Presenting the alluring title of becoming the world's number one was likely something few could resist. It wasn't just anyone saying this; it was the brilliant young director, Moran, who had successfully orchestrated several promotions. Even the backer of Victoria's Secret, Les Wexner, would take her words seriously.
Stepping out of the study, Leila entered the living room to watch television with her grandmother. Even though her focus was on the TV, she occasionally responded to her grandmother's words. However, most of her mind remained fixed on the words "Victoria's Secret."
As someone reborn, she naturally knew how the brand would develop in the future. Declaring it the world's number one was a way to make them carefully consider her words. She didn't possess the money-making abilities of those novel protagonists who profited from financial crises or stock trading. She also didn't know how to make money in those ways. But benefits like those offered by Victoria's Secret were too tempting to refuse.
While 5% of shares might not seem significant now, as the brand developed, it would likely bring in billions in just over a decade.
Billions of dollars – a number that would drive anyone crazy, regardless of the era. However, for Leila, that number wasn't as impressive. With her abilities and knowledge of the future, making a few billion dollars from movies within a year was achievable. So, she took on the attitude of "if you want my help, you need to give more," and it depended on whether Mr. Les Wexner had the courage for it.
As it turned out, he did.
Being able to build a commercial empire from scratch wasn't something simple. After receiving Oswald's response, Les quickly provided his answer.
20% of the shares! And these shares wouldn't be diluted over time.
This meant that no matter how much further investment was made in the brand, her percentage of ownership wouldn't decrease due to changes in investment amounts.
But these 20% weren't simply handed over. Leslie offered a contract. If Victoria's Secret achieved its goal of becoming a leading brand in the world lingerie industry within a year, she would receive the 20%. If the target was achieved within three years, she would get 10%. If it took five years, she'd receive only 5%. And if it took more than five years, sorry, her planning wouldn't be needed anymore.
How did they define a leading brand in the lingerie industry? It was based on sales and profits. If Victoria's Secret's sales exceeded those of other brands within a year, Leila would become the owner of 20% of the shares.
This showed that Leslie was an ambitious and audacious person. He was willing to offer a fortune upfront, potentially losing billions, but he would gain even more if the plan succeeded.
To put it simply, imagine owning a company worth $10 million. To foster its growth, you're willing to give away 20% of the shares as an incentive to someone who can contribute to the company's development. At first glance, your $10 million is reduced to $8 million. But when the company grows from $10 million to $10 billion, your 80% ownership would be worth $8 billion. Your initial investment of $2 billion becomes a fantastic deal.
Was it a good deal? Absolutely! It was an incredibly profitable transaction.
Leila couldn't help but be impressed by Les Wexner's swift decision. It wasn't surprising, given that he was capable of building a future company of such scale.
Since they were offering money upfront, Leila wasn't about to be coy. She contacted Walton, a lawyer, to review the contract. Once everything was in order, she added her signature. She had her conditions, too – the promotional efforts in the coming year would have to be fully coordinated with her. If losses occurred due to a lack of coordination, she wouldn't take responsibility.
News of Leila taking on the contract with Victoria's Secret spread quickly. While outsiders might not know the exact details of the agreement, they were well aware that she would be orchestrating a new round of promotional campaigns for the brand.
This shifted countless eyes, particularly those in the fashion industry, onto her.
Many people knew that her promotional materials had helped Janet's Morand brand achieve successful sales and that her strategies had transformed Burberry, making it a luxury brand favored by young people.
Several consecutive successes weren't coincidental. Regrettably, she was difficult to hire, even though her skills were evident. They knew she was difficult to engage, especially since those willing to pay her less couldn't meet her standards, and those offering more were wary of losing out.
Now, Victoria's Secret had been fortunate enough to seize this opportunity. Everyone was eager to see if the genius, Moran was truly as exceptional as claimed. If she succeeded, they would seek her assistance with their strategies, even at a substantial cost.
Before she could start planning for Victoria's Secret, Leila had some matters to attend to. Once she delved into the campaign, she might be away from Hollywood for an extended period. If she didn't arrange things properly now, she might have to return unexpectedly. She was not a fan of flying, after all.
First, she needed to meet with Wan Ziren(James Wan), who would be directing the sequel to SAW. The former mastermind behind the Saw series was intrigued by Leila's version of the movie. He believed it had inspired him in many ways, giving shape to some vague ideas he'd been harboring. Although he was sure he would have executed it differently, there was no doubt that her approach was exceptional.
Thus, even though it was a bit presumptuous, he wanted to meet with Leila to discuss the project and address some lingering questions.
"Director Moran, why did you entrust such an important movie sequel to me?"
In a café during their meeting, after exchanging pleasantries, Wan Ziren finally couldn't hold back his curiosity and posed the question.