The Genius Grandson of the Loan King - Chapter 42 (42/840)
< First Investment. >
#42
First Investment.
"By the way, why did you come to see me?"
Anderson, who was still on guard, asked.
"I came to have a conversation. It will be good for you too, Anderson."
"I don't know what could be good for me... I don't have anything to talk about with you."
His wariness was higher than expected.
Ignoring this, I continued to smile and spoke.
"Let's have a simple meal and talk. I'll pay. I heard you like Chinese food, right?"
His eyes changed slightly at the mention of Chinese food.
Indeed, the best thing in the world is a free meal, no matter where you go.
"If you have a favorite place, I'll follow you. How about it?"
"It's... quite expensive, but it's fine, right?"
"Sure, no problem!"
He had a brief conversation with his friend and then started walking ahead. We followed behind.
We arrived at a nearby Chinese restaurant, found a seat, and after placing our order, we continued our conversation.
"You're the one who developed Mosaic, right?"
"Oh! You know Mosaic?"
Mosaic, which was released at the beginning of the year, accelerated the popularization of the internet.
However, by this time, the relationship between Anderson and the school had already deteriorated due to differences of opinion.
In the end, the owner of Mosaic was the school's research institute, and Anderson had no rights.
"Of course I know. Although no one in Korea knows yet, it's the web browser that opened a new world of the internet."
Praising Mosaic, the last bit of Anderson's wariness crumbled.
He was, after all, a computer science student.
"Right? I made it because I was so frustrated. I didn't sleep for days with this guy, and we really suffered..."
So, the person next to him must be Eric Bina?
The food we ordered arrived at the perfect time.
We continued our conversation while eating.
"Are you satisfied with the current Mosaic?"
"Satisfied? It hasn't even properly started yet. There's so much I want to do..."
I saw an opportunity in his regretful expression.
"No matter how hard you develop and update, it still belongs to the research institute, doesn't it? You both did the development, but the research institute reaps the benefits. Plus, they don't provide good support, do they?"
"Damn, I don't even have the energy to talk about those damn university guys anymore. If they just invested a little, we could make it so much better, but they make so many excuses whenever it comes to money..."
While Anderson was venting, Eric Bina, a research institute employee, was scratching his head, looking troubled.
"Eric! Say something."
"Whoa, whoa. Mark, calm down."
I smiled slightly and said to Anderson.
"Anderson. Why don't you think about doing it properly after graduation? You won't need to stay at the school after getting your master's degree next year, right?"
Anderson sighed deeply at my words.
"That would require money."
"Then, if you had the money, could you make a web browser even better than Mosaic?"
"Of course! I'm Mark Anderson!"
His confidence and excitement were the same even then.
After receiving his master's degree, he went straight to Silicon Valley, where he met a venture capitalist and founded a company.
But this time, I planned to be the investor. It's a guaranteed big win, with a market capitalization of $8 billion after going public in 1995.
"I'll invest. I'll provide the money, and you'll create the product."
"Then it won't be my company, right? What's the difference from the research institute?"
I shook my head at Anderson's indifferent reaction.
"No, it will be your company. You create it and name it—Mark Anderson's company. I only plan to invest. The management and development will be done by you, Mark. As for the shares... I'll take 40%."
Anderson fell silent, deep in thought.
Eric Bina was watching Mark closely from the side.
It was time to deliver the final blow.
"I have no intention of interfering with the management."
I stopped eating and waited for his response. Anderson rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
After a while, he finally spoke.
"How much do you plan to invest?"
"Whatever amount you want. Tell me what you need."
He flinched at my confident response.
"1 million dollars. I think that should be enough to do everything I want. Is it possible?"
I suppressed a smile and replied.
"5 million dollars. In return, you won't accept investments from others. This must be clearly stated in the investment contract."
He was momentarily stunned by the enormous amount of 5 million dollars, then shook his head in disbelief.
"5 million dollars for 40% of the shares? Is that it? Are you some kind of philanthropist?"
"In return, I'll leave when the company goes public. I'll give you the right to buy my shares. My shares must not be diluted before that."
"Of course. 5 million dollars... Well, what do you see in me?"
Indeed, if someone I just met offered such a large investment, I would be surprised too.
It was fortunate that he didn't think I was a scammer.
"I see the future in you. I plan to invest in that future. So, will you sign the contract with me?"
"This is a sure thing. We just need to prepare and go to Silicon Valley next year. Hey! Eric! You should come too. I'll give you better treatment than working at the research institute. No, I'll give you shares."
Eric, who had been listening to our conversation with his mouth open, immediately responded without hesitation.
"If Mark goes, I'll go too. We're the parents of Mosaic, aren't we?"
"Indeed, my partner."
They looked at each other and laughed heartily, then turned back to me.
I pointed to Han Kyung-eung, who had been quietly observing the atmosphere.
"The person next to me is James Han, who will handle the American investment for me. You'll probably see him more often than me. He will also draft the contract."
Han Kyung-eung and Anderson exchanged glances.
"Let's sign the contract tomorrow. There's a lawyer at the school, right? You can bring him, or I can bring a lawyer. The choice is yours, Mark."
After I finished speaking, Anderson and Han Kyung-eung exchanged greetings.
"I'm James Han."
"I'm Mark. Nice to meet you."
"Ha ha ha. I just do what our boss tells me. Isn't that right, boss?"
Han Kyung-eung winked at me.
We all finished the meal with satisfied smiles, having made a mutually beneficial deal.
"Let's meet again tomorrow."
I paid the bill and went outside, giving them space to talk.
"Hey, why did you offer 5 million dollars when he asked for 1 million? Do you have extra money?"
As soon as we parted ways, Han Kyung-eung, who couldn't understand, asked for an explanation.
"Bro, do you trust me? Trust me one more time. That 5 million dollars will come back as tens of millions."
"You're crazy. Speak sensibly."
I just smiled and got into the car.
Arriving at the hotel in Chicago, I explained the details to Han Kyung-eung.
"Do you know a lawyer?"
"Lawyer? I do know someone who helped with setting up the company. Should I call him?"
"Yeah, tell him to come to Chicago tomorrow and help us draft the contract."
"Okay."
I repeated the points I had emphasized to Anderson.
"Did you hear that? Insert in the contract that no other investments will be accepted. If more investment is needed, we have the right of first refusal, and my 40% shares must not be diluted. The lawyer will know more about these things."
"Is that all?"
He nodded.
"Don't worry about the rest. They are better at handling things on their own than we are."
"Hmm... I'll do as you say, but it seems like a waste of money."
To Han Kyung-eung, who doesn't know the future of the internet, it probably doesn't make sense.
But he will understand in just one year. And when the company goes public in 1995, he might even be shocked.
"Trust me! And if I lose 5 million dollars, you'll make it back, right?"
Han Kyung-eung laughed, unable to stop me.
Han Kyung-eung went to his room, and I looked at Ma Seokdae.
"Can we talk in my room for a moment?"
"Sure."
Ma Seokdae and I headed to my room.
I opened a can of beer and offered it to him, but he shook his head.
I took a different can and brought it to my mouth.
"Mr. Ma, do you still think I'm not good enough to serve you? I think I've shown enough. I will take my own path, not the one passed down from my grandfather. Now, show me your heart. Only then can I trust and continue to work with you."
Ma Seokdae's eyes slightly raised, but his gaze remained unchanged.
"If you don't answer by the time I return to Korea, I'll look for someone else. I can't have a non-loyal person as my 24/7 secretary."
The cold beer went down my throat, and my tired body relaxed a bit.
Then, Ma Seokdae, who had been silent, spoke.
"Can I answer before we return to Korea?"
"Sure. But whether you choose me or not, what happened on this trip to America must remain a secret. Can you do that?"
"Understood."
"Go and rest."
I watched him leave and finished the remaining beer.
"I wonder what choice you'll make. I like you. I really want to have you."
I muttered to myself and got into bed.
The next day, I went to the University of Illinois with the lawyer who flew in from New York to draft the contract and meet Anderson again.
I saw him entering the restaurant in front of the university with someone who looked like a lawyer.
"This is a lawyer who supports student startups."
"Oh, nice to meet you."
After a brief greeting and taking our seats, we immediately handed the contract to Mark.
The lawyer, who had been reviewing the contract for quite a while, whispered something to Anderson.
Then he looked at me and smiled.
"I've met many investors, but this is the first time I've seen such a contract. The conditions are so good for Mark that I was surprised."
"Ha ha, is that so?"
"However, there are a few things that need to be adjusted."
"Sure, discuss those with our lawyer."
I signaled to our lawyer, and the lawyers moved to another table with the contract.
Anderson's face was already filled with excitement.
"Charlie! Thank you so much! I feel like I can do everything I want. I won't let you down."
"Don't mention it. You can do anything."
We looked at each other and smiled deeply.
He was incredibly excited as he described the company he dreamed of in a warm atmosphere.
A little later.
The lawyers returned to our table after finalizing the details of the contract.
After explaining the revised contract to their respective clients, we each received a copy.
"Let's sign it."
We signed and exchanged the contracts.
"The investment will be deposited into your account on the day you leave the school. You can contact James here for any issues or if you need more investment. However, the shares will increase accordingly."
"Charlie, thank you."
As he stood up, Anderson, who was extremely happy, even hugged me.
'I should be the one thanking you.'
This way, I brought the Netscape, which would spark the dot-com bubble, into my hands.