The next day, Lee Hyun-woo called the heads of each department.
The reason was simple.
It was to inform them about the outsourcing companies he had contacted the day before, and the basic guidelines for operating them.
The points he conveyed to them were as follows:
First, the outsourcing companies will be visiting in the coming days.
Second, Lee Hyun-woo will meet with them and request the necessary parts, and the heads can directly observe at any time.
Third, the purpose of outsourcing is clearly cost reduction. However, it must be understood that this is also a transaction. Therefore, both parties must establish a win-win strategy and sign a contract.
Fourth, sometimes employees from the outsourcing companies may be dispatched. In such cases, they should be treated as equals, not in a hierarchical relationship.
Principles are always comprehensive, but not specific.
Naturally, the content Lee Hyun-woo conveyed will face various examples, but fundamentally, it contained one core point.
That is the mutual growth of Jungle and the outsourcing companies.
Finally, Lee Jung-woo, who received the message, asked with wide eyes.
“It seems really efficient. We can focus solely on the core.”
“That’s right.”
“But I have one concern regarding the dispatched employees.”
“You’re worried about the company’s security, right?”
“I didn’t even mention it, but you figured it out right away. So, you have a plan for it too?”
“Any company’s internal security can only be maintained in one way. That is mutual trust.”
“That’s… true.”
“And from another perspective, it’s almost impossible to completely prevent the use of core technology when someone leaves our company and joins another.”
“Indeed…”
“But I’ll do my best to protect it through contracts. However, as I mentioned earlier, the only way to ensure internal security doesn’t leak externally is through trust. You must remember that.”
“Got it. But why does my brother try to teach me so much these days?”
“That’s naturally because I need someone to replace me when I’m absent or don’t have tasks. Sometimes, leadership and authority need to be distributed. Do you remember what you mentioned last time?”
“Ah… was it about training people so that our company can run well even after you retire?”
“Yes, and you should be one of those people to be trained, right?”
Lee Jung-woo recalled the conversation they had when he came back from the U.S., smiling.
Although it’s still far off, Lee Hyun-woo had asked him to train people so that Jungle could run very well even without him.
“So, is that why you’ve been talking to the other department heads lately?”
“That’s right. Through close conversations with the remaining five department heads, I’m informing them of various things.”
Even if it wasn’t to prepare for retirement, such close discussions are actually one of the important virtues of a CEO.
Looking at the example of the world’s best computer company, IMB, it was clear.
The person who saved that company from falling into the abyss was the new CEO, Tom Jackson.
He spent his time talking to employees from the moment he arrived at work until he left.
It was a process of instilling philosophy.
Later, it brought about the re-emergence of IMB as one.
‘I need to work hard on that task too.’
Fortunately, an opportunity arose.
Accompanying the heads of departments when talking to the outsourcing companies.
It kills three birds with one stone. Efficient manpower distribution through the outsourcing companies, training the department heads, and fostering the growth of a new IT company.
Moreover, Lee Hyun-woo believes that a company’s profit can vary depending on how well it handles outsourcing.
‘If done well, our company can take another leap forward.’
First, the next day, Lee Hyun-woo met with the representative of the outsourcing company along with Woo Sang-won.
The person who visited that day was Koo Man-hoe, the representative of Internet Goblin Market, whom he had met two days ago.
He came to discuss more specific negotiation details today.
Although he understood the main points discussed earlier, he believed that Jungle would definitely have more requirements.
“As I mentioned last time, what our company and your company will create together is a headhunter platform. It connects companies and talents.”
“Personally, I’m curious why you’re outsourcing this to us when Jungle could make it themselves.”
“It’s simple. It’s about choice and focus. We can create a new platform, but running it requires time, cost, and manpower. Therefore, we planned a joint development with an external company to reduce all those.”
“So, you’re saying that we can operate the platform once it’s created?”
“Of course.”
After the 21st-century venture company association meeting, Koo Man-hoe kept thinking.
Jungle is taking care of the production costs and technical support, so surely they wouldn’t separate the platform operation?
‘It was true.’
When he saw the contract shortly after, he was even more surprised by its contents.
“It says we have the right to become independent after one year of platform operation?”
“That’s right. If you just pay the initial investment cost, you can take it cleanly.”
“I really… don’t know if I should believe this.”
It was a statement filled with various meanings.
No one tries to incur losses.
Especially a company as successful as Jungle.
He thought there might be hidden clauses he missed, so he read it thoroughly, but couldn’t find anything.
Lee Hyun-woo smiled as he saw his expression.
“Do you think the terms are too favorable for your company? Is that why you’re suspicious?”
“Oh, no, it’s not that…”
Although it was true, he denied it.
Then Lee Hyun-woo reassured him.
“I have no intention of asking for a penny more. If you just give us the cost we invested and will invest in the future, we’ll hand over the platform. If we try to get more, it says in the contract that we’ll pay a penalty of 500 million won.”
“Yes, yes…”
“Conversely, if you’re not confident in operating the platform, you can remain as our outsourcing company. Isn’t it simple?”
“Yes, yes…”
Then, Koo Man-hoe, who had been answering with ‘yes’ and ‘no’, finally picked up the pen and signed.
Lee Hyun-woo extended his hand for a handshake towards the bewildered Koo Man-hoe.
“Then, I look forward to working with you.”
After Koo Man-hoe left, Woo Sang-won, who had been silently watching, asked.
“Weren’t the terms too favorable for the other side?”
“Do you really think so?”
“Haha… well, I guess you have another intention.”
Lee Hyun-woo, with a peculiar smile, asked Woo Sang-won a question.
“Did you read the contract we received last time?”
He referred to the contract written before going to the U.S.
“Yes? Ah, yes, I read it thoroughly.”
“Did you read it carefully at home too?”
“I read it several times. But no matter how many times I read it, it seemed like a favorable employment contract for me.”
In fact, it was a groundbreaking contract.
Three times the salary, and if he becomes the representative of an affiliate later, 10% of the shares.
Who would refuse such an employment contract?
“If you think so, you’re mistaken. It was absolutely favorable for me too.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. How hard do the department heads work because of that one contract?”
“Well… with the salary increase and the prospect of becoming an affiliate representative later, it feels like it’s my own company.”
“Yes, that’s exactly it. The sense of ownership towards the company has increased significantly. Clearly, I gained more.”
“Haha…”
Woo Sang-won awkwardly laughed, still thinking that the contract was more favorable for him.
“The reason you mentioned the employment contract now… is it to say that the agreement Koo Man-hoe just signed is not only favorable for their side?”
“Yes, exactly. The company will run the new platform with a sense of ownership to make it their own. Then the platform will inevitably succeed.”
“Well, that could be the case.”
“And the reason I asked again was to see if you had any more requests.”
“I have no objections. Seeing the employment contract again made me feel the CEO’s consideration. Honestly, with such a huge salary increase and the promise of 10% shares when the affiliate is separated later, how could I have any complaints?”
Lee Hyun-woo nodded, still smiling.
‘Okay, I secured another person who will be loyal to the company.’
And someone trustworthy.
The remaining task was to maximize this person’s abilities before retiring.
Fortunately, that was one of Lee Hyun-woo’s specialties.
For the next few days, numerous outsourcing companies visited Jungle, just like Koo Man-hoe from Internet Goblin Market.
And each time, Lee Hyun-woo accompanied Woo Sang-won and other department heads, offering good terms to ensure they signed the business agreements.
Lee Hyun-woo wanted to inform both sides.
Jungle and the outsourcing companies must grow together.
If one side becomes greedier for more profits, the trust relationship will inevitably break.
Fortunately, it seemed that the department heads were absorbing Lee Hyun-woo’s philosophy and management principles like sponges.
When Monday came after the weekend, employees dispatched from the outsourcing companies began joining Jungle.
This was a necessary process to proceed with projects like the platform.
‘Thanks to this, I don’t have to hire more people.’
Considering Jungle’s current growth, additional hiring wouldn’t be a problem.
However, it wasn’t easy for Lee Hyun-woo alone to handle an increasingly bloated organization.
No matter how much of a management genius he was in his past life, could one person handle all the problems?
Of course not.
Instead, the department heads, and under them, the team leaders, and finally the general employees should do it.
To achieve that, they needed to gain experience working with the outsourcing companies.
‘I feel like I can finally take a breath.’
In fact, this was planned after hearing the complaints about a lack of manpower.
It was immensely satisfying to see the completion of the tasks he had pushed forward.
So, Lee Hyun-woo enjoyed an evening off for the first time in a while.
That day, he went on a date with Kim Ah-young.
Naturally, it was a secret date, conscious of the surrounding eyes.
After spending about two more days like that, as if the heavens couldn’t bear to see him idle, a new task was given.
It was an email from Joe Murphy.
It had been a little over a week since Joe Murphy left for the U.S.
Apparently, he had been working hard, as the business plan had finally arrived.
Lee Hyun-woo immediately downloaded it and called his secretary.
“Yoo Jin-young, I printed this out. Could you bring it to me later?”
“Yes, CEO.”
The reason he requested a printed copy was because there were quite a few pages.
Soon, Lee Hyun-woo received Joe Murphy’s business plan, written in English.
Jungle USA Business Plan
As he read through it, a smile formed on his face.
‘Using the portal site AltaVist as Jungle USA?’
Though it was written extensively, it ultimately suggested a practical merger.
Naturally, Lee Hyun-woo’s eyes were filled with curiosity.
‘Will Tim Connor accept this?’
Tim Connor, the CEO of AltaVist, would probably receive the same business plan.
Hence, he was curious about Connor’s thoughts.
