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This was Li Han's first venture beyond his big data app investment. Though initially motivated by his growing interest in Wang Man, he had no intention of losing money on this venture.
Armed with big data insights, he could pinpoint the issues and create targeted solutions.
"Since the decline in business is mainly due to the absence of students during vacations, the solution is to introduce more products favoured by customers from other demographics," Li Han said, laying out the core of his strategy. "Across the street is an office building filled with young professionals. They're an untapped market we could target."
Turning to Wang Man, he continued, "You'll need to create desserts that appeal to them specifically."
"Like what?" Wang Man inquired. "I think my current desserts are already pretty good."
Li Han glanced at the office building across the street and accessed the afternoon tea big data of the people, and a quick comparison made it clear.
"It's not just about the quality, but the overall appeal," Li Han elaborated. "White-collar workers usually look for something a bit more upscale. To start, we should introduce hand-ground coffee. After the funds are transferred, you can invest in a high-quality coffee grinder and put together coffee-centric packages, complemented with sophisticated desserts like macarons."
Li Jia seemed concerned. "Wouldn't that increase the overall prices in the shop?"
"Sure, but that's not a problem," Li Han assured her. "The coffee packages are aimed at a different clientele who are willing to pay a bit more for quality. And let's face it---kids don't usually go for coffee. This way, we offer something for everyone."
He continued, laying out his strategy. "Before the student vacation starts, we'll offer these coffee packages at a discounted rate. This will help the professionals in the area get into the habit of coming here. Then, when summer rolls around and the students are gone, we can phase out the discounts and begin reaping the benefits.
"But initially, this will require some extra spending, right?" Li Jia asked. "These desserts have a limited shelf life, and if we're increasing our variety, we'll need to adjust the proportions of all the desserts. It'll take time to work out the kinks."
"That's what my investment is for," Li Han replied, grinning.
"Fantastic! Boss, should we draft the agreement right away?" Li Jia asked, eyes bright with anticipation.
Wang Man crossed her arms and shot Li Han a scrutinising look.
"Put in the work and make me more money," Li Han teased, patting her on the shoulder.
Wang Man rolled her eyes, shooting him a chilly glance before disappearing into the kitchen.
The next day, Li Han took a half-day off to finalise the investment with Li Jia, promptly transferring the agreed-upon funds to her.
But his motivations weren't solely about helping Wang Man; he had his own goals in mind.
With his 200,000 yuan investment in the shop, Li Han also secured the power to influence its operations. When he utilised big data to shape the shop's business strategy, the resulting profits would continuously feed into his big data points, enhancing his analytics and investment capabilities. It was a win-win, both for his personal life and his big data pursuits.
If this approach worked, Li Han could keep replicating it. He could invest in other businesses, guide their development, and continually accumulate data points.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement: he made money and gathered valuable data points, while the companies he invested in could also grow and thrive.
Over the long term, this strategy could free him from a lifetime in sales. As long as his investments remained profitable, he would continuously amass both data points and capital.
It was, in his view, the best method he'd devised yet for gathering significant amounts of big data. The only downside was that it would take time and effort to establish.
"Interesting, very interesting," Li Han mused, excited by the possibilities.
To realise this vision, he needed sufficient funds, data points, and influence, meaning every step had to be carefully planned.
After signing the agreement and finalising the financial aspects, Li Han and Li Jia returned to the cake shop. Wang Man was busy in the kitchen, crafting another cake.
"You're not like the guys who've chased after Wang Man before," Li Jia remarked, half-hiding her face behind the freshly inked contract. "I have high hopes for you."
"What were those guys like?" Li Han inquired.
"They'd swagger in, saying things like 'you won't have to work; I'll take care of you,' acting like they were God's gift," Li Jia said, rolling her eyes. "There was this one guy who came by and invited Wang Man to dinner and a movie. When she said she was busy with the shop, he bought every cake we had and then smugly asked, 'Are you free now?'"
"And then? What did she do?" Li Han asked, intrigued.
"Little Man just baked more cakes for him to buy, right up until her shift ended," Li Jia recounted with a smile. "We had great business that day, but sadly for that guy, he couldn't win her over."
"If this had happened back in junior high, she probably would've thrown something at him," Li Han said, laughing.
"Did she ever throw anything at you?" Li Jia's eyes lit up.
"Uh, well," Li Han looked slightly embarrassed. "We had a disagreement about something---I can't remember what it was---but she was eating an apple at the time. She ended up hurling the half-eaten apple right at my face."
"Haha!" Li Jia burst into laughter. "That sounds just like my Little Man!"
"You know, to be honest, I didn't really like her much back in junior high," Li Han admitted with a sigh.
"Then why are you interested in her now? Is it because she's turned out to be so beautiful?" Li Jia probed, her eyes twinkling.
"It's not about her looks. She was even more beautiful back in junior high---bright and lively. But I still wasn't interested," Li Han explained, smiling. "It's just that, through her cousin's introduction, I've come to realise I didn't really know her at all. She seems to have her own set of challenges, and I'd like to understand her better before making any judgments."
"Hmm?" Li Jia looked at him for a moment, a playful smile forming on her lips. Then she said mysteriously, "Actually, she does have some family secrets. She told me not to tell anyone, but I don't think she'll be too upset if I do."
"Are you sure you want to share that with me?" Li Han hesitated. "I'd rather hear it from her."
"I think you're a good guy, so it should be fine..." Li Jia said, taking a deep breath.
Just then, Wang Man walked in holding a plate of freshly baked cookies. "What are you two whispering about?"
Li Jia looked startled, while Li Han wore an innocent smile. "Oh, we were just talking about some confidential family matters."
"Traitor!" Li Jia shot Li Han a glare through clenched teeth.
But you said she wouldn't mind too much," Li Han whispered back.
Wang Man's eyelids lowered slightly, betraying a hint of annoyance. Li Han was more captivated by her long, delicate eyelashes than her expression.
"It's not a big secret," Wang Man finally said, her tone measured. "My mom has chronic kidney failure."
Chronic kidney failure? Li Han felt his heart skip a beat at the revelation.