Hearing that Hardy agreed to cooperate, Mike stood up excitedly and said, "Hady, I'll take you to see someone."
"who?"
"Professor George Ward from the Electronics Research Laboratory at New York University. He previously worked for American Radio Corporation. I know he is very knowledgeable about electronic equipment." Mike said.
The two drove to New York University. On the way, Mike told Hardy that Professor George Ward was Italian. He had asked the old godfather for help with family matters before, and later became friends with the old godfather.
The old godfather's connections are truly everywhere.
Hardy is full of envy for second-generation talents like Mike. You go through so much trouble to accomplish something, but for others, it may just be a matter of a phone call.
The two came to the laboratory, and fortunately Professor George Ward was there.
"Mike, why are you here to see me?" Professor Ward saw Mike and smiled and gave him a hug.
"Uncle Ward, let me introduce my friend Jon Hardy. We are planning to set up a TV manufacturing company. I know you are an expert in electronics, so I came here to ask for your advice." Mike said.
Professor George Ward shook hands with Hardy.
"Want to know about television? No problem."
George Ward led the two into his research institute. The institute was very large and had various laboratories. The professor led them into one of the rooms.
"This is our research lab for televisions. After the war broke out, all supplies were prioritized to meet war needs, and the government shut down the television industry. Now the mainstream televisions on the market are basically around 12 inches."
"We have not stopped our research in recent years and have developed cathode ray tubes with flatter screens. The sizes can be 14 inches, 17 inches and even 21 inches."
"We are now mainly researching color televisions. The British Broadcasting Corporation has already developed a color television. I got some of the data and found that there are still many areas that can be improved."
Professor Ward said this and looked at Mike:
"You just said you wanted to start a TV company, right? It takes a lot of time to build one from scratch. I have a suggestion for you, Mike. Acquire a TV manufacturing company called 'Baird'."
"Why did you ask me to acquire that TV company? Is there anything special about it?" Mike asked.
Professor George Ward smiled.
"That company was established in 1939. At that time, the most advanced assembly line equipment was purchased. The boss invested more than 3 million US dollars. But when the war broke out, the production of televisions was stopped. The boss went bankrupt and the TV factory was taken away by the bank. It is still closed now."
Hardy thought to himself that this was exactly the same as the toy factory he had acquired. It seemed that there were quite a few factories like this that were affected by the war.
"When the factory was built, the boss hired me as a technical consultant. I was very familiar with the factory. Their production line could produce 12-inch TVs, and with a simple modification, it could produce 14-inch TVs."
"I think you can enter the market with 14-inch TVs, and then when you make money, you can invest in building larger production lines to produce 17, 19 or even 21-inch TVs."
"Perhaps by then, color television will have been developed, and you can directly start the color television production line."
"By the way, their factory has all the qualifications, including a patent agreement for TV production, so you won't have a lot of trouble."
Mike was delighted when he heard this, "Thank you, Uncle Ward."
At this time, Hardy suddenly said, "Professor Ward, in addition to purchasing your technology, we also want to hire you as the company's technical consultant and laboratory director. What do you think?"
Mike looked at Hardy in surprise, then understood what he meant.
Professor Ward is a professional research talent. Only with such a person in charge can the TV company develop in the future.
"What do you think of a 10% dividend on technology shares?" Hardy directly put forward the conditions. To be honest, this condition was already very favorable.
Ward thought about it, then shrugged, "My research lab is always short of funds, and your conditions really make me a little tempted."
That's it.
The television company has a technical director.
Mike was very efficient in his work. In the afternoon he went to the bank to inquire about the situation of the Baird TV factory.
This company is indeed on the bank's balance sheet and is being packaged and sold for $2.1 million.
After the two men left the bank, Mike immediately called the Godfather and told him everything. In the evening, the Godfather made several calls. The next day, Mike brought Hardy to the bank again. The price quoted by the TV manufacturer had been reduced to 1.2 million.
This is the old godfather's network of contacts.
Buy a factory.
Enter into a contract.
In just one week, Hardy acquired a television factory covering hundreds of acres of land in New York and held a 45% stake.
Of course,
The amount of money he had also shrunk significantly.
Of the more than $4 million earned from the Wash Mine, only $500,000 has now been spent.
Things are almost done, and Hardy is ready to say goodbye to Mike.
"Mike, I'm going back to Los Angeles tomorrow. I'll leave the TV factory business to you."
"Don't worry. I will be in charge of management, Professor Ward will be in charge of technology, and we will recruit a group of workers. It is estimated that production will be resumed in less than two months."
During this week, Hardy could see that Mike was passionate and energetic all day long. Maybe he had found what he liked to do.
"The only concern now is when the government will lift the ban and allow mass production of televisions," said Mike.
"Given the current situation in the country, the ban is no longer necessary. If Mr. Corrion's congressman friends speak up in Congress, I think it won't be long before the ban is lifted," said Hardy.
Mike thought Hardy's suggestion was good.
"As for the mineral water company, I have already sent people to look for a suitable water source. Once we find the water source and send it for inspection and it passes, we will open the mineral water plant." Mike said.
"I'll go back and ask someone if there are any suitable water resources on the west coast."
The East Coast and the West Coast are too far apart. Even if New York has mineral water resources, the cost of producing and shipping it to the West Coast would probably be more expensive than the mineral water itself.
The best solution is to find more water resources and build factories nearby.
The next day.
Hardy boarded the plane back to Los Angeles. Originally, he just wanted to come to New York to meet the Godfather in the movie and learn more about this world.
Unexpectedly, I not only met the Godfather, but also became good friends with Mike.
The two also jointly invested in a television factory and a mineral water plant, which further strengthened their relationship.
For Hardy, this trip to New York was very rewarding.
As soon as Hardy returned to Los Angeles, someone informed him that someone from the mining company wanted to see him.
He bought all the shares of Wash Mine and became the boss of the mining company. The people in the company thought that a turnaround had been ushered in, but a month passed and the boss never showed up and ignored them, the employees.
The exploration team couldn't stand it in the mountains and had already withdrawn. When the exploration team leader Columbus came back, he slammed the table of the manager Adams and got angry.
"We have been in the mountains for so long, and no one has paid any attention to us. No one told us that our former boss had been arrested and that the company has changed hands."
"I come here to ask for my salary, and you say you don't have a penny, Adams. Do you believe that when the twenty or so brothers outside hear the news, they will dig a pit in the yard and bury you alive in it?" These guys are professionals at digging pits.
Adams was also helpless.
He posed with his hands.
"There is indeed no money in the company's account, and there are even a lot of debts. The shareholders have sold all their shares. Our current boss is Jon Hardy. I have never met him. I heard the boss's name from the people in the financial company." Adams said.
Columbus frowned and said, "The boss bought the company, he can leave it alone, but we have to survive, have you never contacted him?"
"I originally thought he would contact me, but after waiting for these days, no one responded to me. I asked the financial company for contact information and called them, but they said the boss had gone to New York and was not in Los Angeles at all," said Adams.
Columbus thought about it and made up his mind: "We can't wait any longer. Let's go to Los Angeles to find the boss. Even if he wants to fire us, he must pay us back."
That's it.
Manager Adams and Director Columbus came to Los Angeles from San Francisco.
Knowing that Hardy had not returned yet, the two had no choice but to stay and wait.
Inside Hardy's office.
Two middle-aged men stood in front of him, looking a little reserved.
Before Adams and Columbus came, they were thinking about talking to their boss or even losing their temper, but when they walked into the door of HD Security Company, these thoughts were immediately thrown out of their minds.
The name of HD Security is now known to everyone.
They didn't expect that the big boss turned out to be the boss of HD Security.
"What do you want from me?" Hardy asked the two of them.
Adams spoke first, "Boss, there is not a penny in the company's account, only debts. We can no longer operate normally."
After saying that, he looked at Columbus again.
"And we have already owed the exploration team and headquarters staff two months' wages."
Hardy looked at Columbus, the exploration supervisor, and asked, "Did the exploration team find any new mines in that part of New Mexico?"
Columbus shook his head in embarrassment.
"No, the mining industry in that area is very poor, and so far no mineral vein worth mining has been found."
"So that means the land has no value anymore?" Hardy frowned.
Columbus paused for a moment, then helplessly raised his hands. Although he didn't say anything, his meaning was very clear.
The 8,000 acres of land that David Walsh bought for $200,000 is truly worthless and now he can't sell it.
Hardy thought about it and decided that the mining team could not be disbanded now. After all, they were a listed company, and it would be difficult to explain if they didn't even have a department.
"I will deposit a sum of money into the mining company's account, enough to maintain normal operations, and the wages that should be paid will be paid in full. As for your exploration team, you will have some time to rest and I will notify you when there is a new mission."
When they heard that the boss was going to give them money, they were very happy. They bowed to express their gratitude and prepared to leave.
Just as the two were about to go out, Hardy suddenly remembered something and asked casually.
"Columbus, New Mexico, are there better water resources?" Hardy asked.
"There are so many water resources, including melted snow from the Rocky Mountains and spring water, which form several huge canyon rivers with a very large flow. We drank spring water while prospecting in the mountains. I studied mining and know a little about water. I dare say it is some of the best water I have ever tasted, naturally sweet." Columbus replied.
Hardy's eyes lit up and an advertising slogan suddenly popped up in his mind.
“Rocky Mountain Spring, a little sweet!”