Rebirth of the 92 Business Tycoon

Cantalupo put down the newspaper he had just picked up, smiled and shook Hastings's hand, "Hello,"

From the look in his eyes to the expression, he didn't mean anything to be upset.

For a person like him who is so mature, it is impossible for ordinary people to see his true emotions from him.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cantalupo," Hastings naturally wouldn't mention anything about me waiting downstairs all morning. "Excuse me, excuse me,"

Cantalupo didn't mean to ask him to sit down, and Hastings didn't ask for his permission, so he sat down.

Such high-end clubs receive regular customers. He knows that Cantalupo cannot be demeanor in front of these old friends of his club. "I believe you have also heard of Netflix and me. I take the liberty to interrupt today. I want to express an attitude to you and McDonald’s. Netflix is ​​also very interested in redbox, and we are confident that we can do better than Coin Star, and we are the best partner of redbox."

He didn't talk nonsense, he directly expressed his intention and attitude when he came up.

To say that the country is easy to change, but the nature is hard to change? Although he came to ask for cooperation in such a situation, Hastings's words were still confident and somewhat arrogant.

Coin Star is the best partner of redbox? That being said, Cantalupo and the board of directors are unanimously optimistic about Coin Star, which of course is a mistake.

"Thank you Hastings for your kindness," Cantalupo folded the newspaper carefully, "Yes, I know you and your Netflix are both excellent, and thank you very much for your recognition of redbox, just , I don’t think now is the time to talk about this,"

"I believe you have seen our announcement. At the same time, since yesterday, we and the Coinstar team have been discussing the specific terms of the agreement. This cooperation, approved by the board of directors of our two companies, is currently proceeding smoothly, so , I can only say sorry,"

"I saw the announcement, Mr. Cantalupo," Hastings clasped his hands on the table and sat upright, "but that was just a movement, I also noticed that both of you said in the announcement , Whether this cooperation can succeed or not, there are still certain risks. Netflix is ​​willing to be the reason for this."

He really did it.

Cantalupo’s expression became serious. It wasn’t that he became serious, but that he was a little impatient and disliked. He talked with Feng Yiping, the top person in charge of the two companies several times, and he himself became a director of the company. For a few days of work, if you suspend it, you suspend it, and you say you give up and give up?

"Why should we choose Netflix?"

"Because, in the field of DVD leasing, we at Netflix have the most extensive experience,"

"In the field of DVD rental, Blockbuster, the new release, and Hollywood video are not more experienced?"

At this time, the Blockbuster was not the Blockbuster that lingered.

In 2001, the total amount of DVD leasing business in the United States broke a record of 10 billion U.S. dollars, reaching 10.26 billion U.S. dollars, and traditional DVD leasing companies accounted for most of the tens of billions of dollars, and more than 70%.

With sufficient inventory and thousands of chain stores across the country, Blockbuster occupies most of the majority, with a total of 10.26 billion. The revenue of Blockbuster’s family reached 51 US dollars. Just occupy half of the country.

Although Netflix is ​​growing rapidly, compared with Blockbuster, the gap is not obvious, but rather vacant.

Hastings could not deny this, nor could he deny it.

"It's just the last glory," Hastings shook his head disdainfully. "You and I all know that in this era of rapid Internet development, the traditional format of opening a store in a place like Blockbuster has been eliminated and Spit, it will be sooner or later,"

"We always believe that the Internet can't help us do everything. Physical stores have existed for thousands of years, and they will continue to exist for thousands of years."

Cantalupo also doesn’t like to hear what Hastings said. According to Hastings, McDonald’s is also a traditional format, but for Cantalupo, their branches all over the world, It is precisely their advantage.

"By your standards, our redbox is also a traditional format," Cantalupo continued.

Moreover, in essence, Kantalupo, who has been working in traditional fast food all his life, is also a traditional person. For all the things that some people promote, he will use the Internet in the future. He is not very cold.

The biggest advantage of McDonald's is offline.

"Sorry, I don't mean anything else. We all know that the industry is different, and the standards are naturally different. There is a big difference between the catering industry and the DVD rental industry. The physical store is still very important," Hastings also realized What I said was wrong.

He had to explain again, "To be precise, redbox should be a new format in the traditional format. This model has many original advantages."

"Mr. Cantalupo, I want to state that I don't think that all businesses that have little to do with the Internet are traditional businesses that will be eliminated."

"I'm not talking about how advanced Netflix's model is. I just want to say that Netflix is ​​a company that is not afraid of pressure. Our company's development history strongly proves this.

"We have been closing down frequently and now we have become the fourth largest leasing company in the industry, which is enough to illustrate this point."

"In the competition with strong rivals, we have accumulated very rich experience and established the most complete resource bank. At the same time, we have also cultivated a large number of loyal users, and these are not provided by CoinStar. of,"

"Online and offline integration will result in one plus one greater than two. Therefore, I still ask you and McDonald’s to seriously consider my proposal. Is it beneficial to cooperate with a company that has not been involved in this field before, or to cooperate with a company? Is it more advantageous to cooperate with companies with rich experience?"

"I think the answer is obvious," Hastings explained with persuasion, and said a big deal.

"Online DVD leasing is not a new format now. As far as I know, Wal-Mart, which has caused your company's headaches, has developed rapidly in its online leasing business? There is also Blockbuster’s online leasing, which is also in preparation So, the advantage you mentioned is not unique to you."

"In addition, it is obvious that we will cooperate with Coin Star to quickly install tens of thousands of rental machines in supermarkets across the country, and each stand-alone machine can earn tens of thousands of dollars a year."

No matter how well Hastings said it, he was not as attractive as Feng Yiping's simple calculation.

"Sorry, if there is nothing else, I will have dinner," Cantalupo said.

Hastings can't give this guarantee. In fact, for him, if he can cooperate with redbox, it is actually Netflix.

Since it is a lease, it involves "one loan and one return." In the borrowing link, Blockbuster and Netflix have their own advantages, but in the return link, the redbox model is used by all leasing companies. The most convenient and fast, and the most cost-effective, this is why Hastings thinks about it, the more he feels that he can't make the coin star.

"Mr. Cantalupo, apart from other conditions, we can give McDonald's redbox a higher valuation for the existing business, and we can also accept a lower stake in the new company,"

His own advantages are not attractive to McDonald's, Hastings turned to talk about money.

Cantalupo smiled, "Our McDonald's has been established for so many years, so we are more patient than other companies, and we also value long-term benefits more."

"McDonald’s has an advantage that other companies can’t compare. Do you know what it is? We generate huge cash flow every day. So, several million more or less than a few million is not too big for us. significance,"

Of course, if the rental machines they currently operate and the valuation of this model can be tens of millions or more higher, Cantalupo is also very welcome.

Although it is still impossible to cooperate with Netflix, you can use this as a condition to get more benefits from Coin Star.

However, can Netflix add tens of millions of dollars in premium to the valuation of Coin Star? impossible.

Netflix is ​​a company founded by Hastings, but not his own company. In his head, he also has a board of directors, and he is also responsible for investors large and small in the market. Unlike Coin Star, which has just completed the overall acquisition Feng Yiping, in the board of directors, can also decide in one word.

"You know, Mr. Cantalupo, we can also issue cooperation proposals to the McDonald's board of directors," Hastings resorted to the last resort.

"Hehe, this is your right, and we welcome it too,"

Cantalupo heard what he meant by this. Doesn't it mean that as the president of McDonald's, he rejected a higher offer from a potential third party, thus questioning his professional ethics?

But this trick has no deterrent effect on him, because this time, redbox is not for sale, but for cooperation with other companies, even if Netflix mentioned in the document sent to the McDonald’s board of directors that he rejected Hastings’ offer, It doesn't have much influence on him.

If it is a one-off transaction, the pursuit is definitely the highest quotation, but since it is cooperation, the pursuit is naturally long-term income, not the highest quotation, which has the most advantage.

"By the way, after reaching a cooperation with Coinstar this time, Netflix is ​​welcome to cooperate with the new redbox. It is a very thoughtful team. I believe they can also provide some help to Netflix,"

Cantalupo's words, more or less, kind of responded to Hastings's series of actions that could be called rude and questioned his professionalism.

He didn't know that his words happened to poke Hastings's most worried thing.

After Hastings heard this, he became very angry. When your cooperation is completed, even if I don't go to them, I'm afraid they will recruit me too, okay?

…………

Hastings, who had reached a deadlock with Cantalupo, flew back to Silicon Valley with great frustration. Whether or not to send a cooperation application to McDonald's? Now this is no need to consider, it must be sent. In short, it can create more interference. It's not a bad thing.

However, as a listed company, he himself did not occupy the majority on the board of directors. Therefore, before bringing interference to Coin Star, he himself faced great interference.

He did two tasks at the same time. While eagerly persuading the board of directors, he was unprecedented and very sincere to call the CEOs of the top companies in the industry, including Blockbuster, whom he regarded as the thorny one.

Talking to Cantalupo to that point, he understands that this time he can at most only bring some interference to the cooperation, but if Blockbuster and the others can also participate, it might really be disturbing. Huang this cooperation.

From his point of view, whether it is Blockbuster or the other companies that have reached cooperation with McDonald's, it is always less pressure than the idea of ​​Coin Star.

The results are mixed.

Under his persuasion, Netflix’s board of directors also agreed with Hastings’s proposal with the same mentality that it can at least add to the problem. On September 10, it officially announced the decision to the public and sent someone to formally Made relevant proposals to McDonald's.

However, Hastings placed high hopes on other colleagues, and unanimously responded indifferently to his proposal.

After Netflix’s announcement, Hastings once again took the initiative to call his old friend, Blockbuster, and the person to whom the call was made was Antioco, who refused to buy him at the time.~www.wuxiaspot.com~Antioco, please consider How is it? Are you interested in acting in concert with us? "

What he said is not quite right.

It's as ridiculous as a small domestic e-commerce company later said to Taobao, "Come on, act in concert with us".

At this time, Blockbuster, as the leader in the industry, is at the peak of the day, how can it be possible to act in concert with the younger brother Netflix? Netflix is ​​about the same as it has been acting.

"Hastings, oh, you said that, let's just say it, your suggestion, I have not passed the board of directors, for a company like ours, is it unnecessary to develop the business of redbox? "

"Are you sincerely advising us, or are you trying to cause us trouble?" ⑧±妙(.*) pen ⑧±阁⑧±, o

"We always welcome all people and compete head-to-head with us. Other methods and cleverness should not be shown in front of us. I can warn them. Such a plan will not succeed."

The phone was hung up over there, Hastings dropped the phone.

It's really unnecessary. What can I say to these stubborn guys? It is better to expect McDonald's to change your mind if you expect them to recognize this threat!

…………

Naturally, McDonald’s will not change its mind. Soon, on September 12, Netflix received a letter from the McDonald’s board of directors, “After the careful study of our board of directors (in just one day, it is not prudent to look at it), the directors unanimously agreed , Cooperating with Coin Star is more beneficial to the development of our redbox."

"Thank you very much for your proposal, and I look forward to other opportunities for cooperation in the future,"

Ironically, the person who signed the signature below was indeed the chairman of McDonald's, Cantalupo.