sbdcsierra Chapter 11 Establishment of Fengchi Digital Studio
Chapter 11 Establishment of Fengchi Digital Studio
After Lin Feng and the core members of the music club finished their meeting, it was already past nine o'clock at night when they came out of the third teaching building.
Instead of returning to his dormitory, he went alone into the football field, wanting to be alone and quiet.
A few people were jogging on the football field at night.
A fat man ran over, panting heavily, his flesh jiggling.
Lin Feng lit a cigarette and sat down on the stands.
The night breeze was cool, making his mind exceptionally clear.
The mobilization meeting was over, and the members' enthusiasm was mobilized. But organizing a successful music festival is not that simple.
The digital music festival was a test for him from Teacher Zheng. It tested whether he could organize an event from scratch and create something innovative without the school's resources.
This time, however, Lin Feng wasn't just considering how to organize a successful campus event. He wanted to use the digital music festival as a platform to take his business to the next level. He wanted to turn the campus event into a "business extravaganza."
Reselling MP3 players was the first step in his entrepreneurial plan: to make quick money and accumulate capital. But Lin Feng's ambitions went far beyond simply becoming a "campus reseller."
Organizing a digital music festival is the second step in Lin Feng's entrepreneurial plan. It must become a springboard—a springboard that allows him to leap from a "campus reseller" to a "legitimate businessman."
How do you jump?
Lin Feng took a drag of his cigarette and gazed at the night sky in deep thought.
He needs an identity, an identity to conduct business with, and he can't keep doing business under the guise of a college student.
It needs a title.
Even if you're just a manager of a small studio, things are different when you go out to discuss business. At least people won't treat you like a child.
An idea popped into my head: register and set up a studio.
From now on, all business activities—including negotiating deals, signing contracts, recruiting employees, and paying taxes—will be conducted openly, compliantly, and legally under the studio's name.
After some thought, Lin Feng named his soon-to-be-established studio "Fengchi Digital Studio." The character "Feng" was taken from his name, and "Chi" conveyed a sense of drive and momentum.
When Lin Feng thought about setting up a studio, he suddenly remembered that around 2003, the country had introduced policies to encourage college students to start businesses, which included simplified procedures and tax and fee reductions.
Back in dormitory 407, Lin Feng started searching online for policies on college student entrepreneurship.
really.
2003 marked the beginning of a new policy for college student entrepreneurship.
The General Office of the State Council issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job in the Employment of Graduates of Regular Institutions of Higher Learning in 2003".
"College graduates are encouraged to start their own businesses and engage in flexible employment. College graduates engaged in self-employment will be exempt from all registration and management-related administrative fees for one year from the date of approval by the industry and commerce department, except for industries restricted by the state. In areas where conditions permit, local governments will determine whether to provide small-scale entrepreneurial loans and guarantees to college graduates through existing channels."
With policy support, it will be much easier for Lin Feng to set up his studio.
The next morning, Lin Feng went straight to the college's office building and found Teacher Zhang.
Lin Feng poured Teacher Zhang a glass of water: "Teacher Zhang, I don't want to do anything small at this Digital Music Festival. I want to take this opportunity to do something big."
Teacher Zhang took the water and laughed, "You've got quite the nerve. Tell me, what do you plan to do?"
"I want to make the 'Digital Music Festival' a signature event for our school. Not only will students participate, but I also want to invite professional singers."
Teacher Zhang raised an eyebrow: "A professional? Who will you hire? Na Ying or Sun Nan?"
"Not the kind of big-name celebrity," Lin Feng smiled, "but it'll definitely be the kind that makes college students scream. If we make a big scene, the media might even come."
Imagine the effect of a newspaper article like "Xichuan University of Technology Digital Music Festival Held Grandly, Thousands Revel"!
At that time, media reporters will be vying to interview you, Mr. Zhang, the instructor of the Digital Music Club, the organizer. You'll have to make time to deal with the media…
"Hahaha! You're really good at fooling people..." Teacher Zhang couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Lin Feng couldn't help but want to laugh, but his face remained serious. He deliberately sighed, "What a pity..."
"What's a pity?"
"It's a pity our Digital Music Club isn't an official club; we don't even have a badge," Lin Feng said helplessly. "When we go out to solicit sponsorships, people ask, 'Which organization are you from?' and I say, 'Sichuan University of Technology student.' When they ask, 'Are you in the student union?' I say, 'No.' The way they look at us is like we're scammers."
Teacher Zhang couldn't help but laugh again: "So?"
"So I want to register a studio." Lin Feng took out a printed policy document. "The government has policies to encourage college students to start businesses. I've checked, and the procedures can be simplified, and a lot of fees can be reduced."
Teacher Zhang took it and flipped through it: "You little rascal, you came prepared."
Lin Feng chuckled: "Isn't this all thanks to what you taught me? Never fight a battle unprepared!"
"A war is being fought here?" The two of them laughed.
Joking aside, Teacher Zhang is really good to Lin Feng.
That same day, Teacher Zhang took Lin Feng to the school's career guidance center and found a teacher named Zhou whom they knew.
After listening to Lin Feng's introduction, Teacher Zhou took out a "Recommendation Form for College Graduates to Start Their Own Businesses" from his drawer.
"Fill this out, and the school will stamp it as proof. Then go to the Industry and Commerce Bureau and use the green channel for graduates; it will be faster."
"Thank you, Teacher Zhou!" Lin Feng accepted the form with both hands and carefully filled it out.
The next day, he took the certificate issued by the school and went to the business registration hall.
The staff at the window accepted the materials and told him to go back and wait for further notice.
It only took 10 days for "Fengchi Digital Studio" to obtain its business license.
Individual business owner, operator: Lin Feng.
Business scope: Digital product sales, technical consulting, digital music copyright services, cultural event planning and organization, etc.
The business premises are registered at an address provided by the school's business incubator.
With the business license in hand and the studio up and running, Lin Feng immediately convened a meeting with the group leaders and key members of the music club.
It is clarified that before the music club becomes an official club, Fengchi Digital Studio, as the organizer of music festival activities, shall conduct all external communications and contracts in the name of the studio.
Lin Feng gave Liu Qian, a member of the music club and a sophomore in the School of Accounting, a red envelope, and temporarily let her work as the studio's accountant.
Lin Feng's MP3 business remains booming these days. The third batch of 50 units is almost sold out.
He began preparing for his next plan: to launch customized MP3s for digital music festivals.
The following day, Lin Feng went to Taisheng South Road again.
When the stall owner, Lao Liu, saw him, he was even more enthusiastic than last time, offering him a cigarette and respectfully addressing him as "Boss Lin".
"Don't laugh at me, Mr. Liu, it's just a small business." Lin Feng took the cigarette. "I'm here this time to discuss a new business with you."
"you say!"
"I'd like to make a batch of MP3 players with our school's 'Digital Music Festival' logo as souvenirs and limited-edition merchandise. The casing needs to be printed with text, and the packaging also needs to be changed. Can you do this kind of customization?"
"Customization?" Old Liu looked troubled. "Your idea is good. But I'm just a distributor. If you want to customize products, you have to find upstream manufacturers to modify the molds or add text. That has to be the source."
Old Liu was telling the truth. The merchants on Taisheng South Road in Chengdu are essentially middlemen; they buy goods from Huaqiangbei in Shenzhen and transport them to Chengdu to sell. They simply can't do custom orders.
"Mr. Liu, which manufacturer did you get your goods from? Could you introduce me? I'd like to go directly to the manufacturer and order this batch of goods. Of course, you won't be shortchanged on your share."
Upon hearing this, Old Liu's eyes flickered, and he waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Oh dear, Boss Lin, you're putting me in a difficult position..."
He leaned closer, adopting a candid tone: "The manufacturer is in Shenzhen. You're a college graduate, going there without knowing anyone. Forget about doing business; you'll be lucky if you don't get ripped off. Take my advice: custom orders are time-consuming, laborious, and expensive. You're better off just selling generic molded machines; it's safer!"
Lin Feng looked into Lao Liu's eyes and saw through the man's scheme perfectly.
Distributors all want to keep their customers in their own hands and don't want customers to go directly to the source.
He was afraid that Lin Feng would become too independent and leave him, the middleman, behind.
"Okay, Mr. Liu, thanks. I'll think of another way."
Watching his retreating figure, Old Liu called out, "Boss Lin, come find me anytime you need more goods!"
Lin Feng didn't even turn his head, just waved his hand.