Reborn 92's Business Tycoon

Chapter 622: Preparing to set up a neighbourhood network (Part 2)

'Oh, and,' Feng Yiping thought of something and added, 'knowing who your neighbours are is actually a kind of security, right? Otherwise, you don't know whether the people living next door are law-abiding citizens or terrorists,'

'Well, at least in Silicon Valley, we don't have to worry about this,' Mike felt he had to defend himself against such a question. 'Security in Silicon Valley has always been very good,'

'It's pretty good, but wouldn't it be better to have a little more security?'

And, I know, more than a month later, when the twin towers in Manhattan collapsed with a loud noise, you won't think so anymore.

'That's what I'm thinking at the moment. I've come up with a name for this website: NEXTDOOR. What do you think?'

Because he had been in China since then, he had only heard of Facebook, but had never used it, and he didn't know its history. So Feng Yiping didn't know that when Facebook was first started at Harvard, it had adopted more or less the same approach.

However, because it was mainly aimed at university students, Facebook registration corresponded not to home addresses, but to student IDs.

'That sounds good,' said Jin Ling, "but how do you make a profit, with advertising?'

'Yes, according to your idea, each community is separate from the others, so will the advertising have a good effect?" This was Hong Haoran's opinion.

'Mike, what do you think?'

'After hearing what you said, this is indeed a blue ocean. My question is the same as theirs, which is also about profitability. During the growth period, there are not many registered users, and large companies will not spend money on advertising. From this point of view, it is estimated that the company's financial situation will not be very optimistic until the registered users reach a certain scale,'

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he said tactfully, meaning that he wanted to know if there was enough money to burn in the early stages.

'Advertising is definitely an important means of making a profit, but the main task of the website in the early stages is still to develop registered users, to make these users feel that going to NEXTDOOR can solve practical problems, that they can help each other and promote neighbourly harmony. As long as we have a large number of such sticky users, we will be successful.'

'But the investment?'

'Don't worry, there is no problem with the initial investment,' there are still hundreds of millions of dollars in the account!

'And although each community is separate, the businesses located in the community are not without the means to advertise, are they?'

As for how to make a profit after having a large number of users, come on, is this difficult for Feng Yiping, who has come through the mobile Internet era?

Even if there is no advertising, there are still too many means of profit. For example, if there are tens of thousands of communities covered and tens of millions of registered family users, then just do group buying casually, and money will come pouring in, won't it?

For example, it could spawn a review website, sell virtual products, conduct various paid surveys, and share the revenue from third-party apps.

And with so many real family users, it is estimated that in the future, those running for various public offices will also use this website as a treasure trove for chasing votes.

'If everyone understands, then I think this project should be launched in this way: while formulating the overall plan, we will create the website and first find a community to try it out. After that, it can be quickly expanded across the country. Is that okay?'

The three nodded.

'Then Mr. Jin will be in charge overall, and formulate a plan. Mr. Hong and Michael will assist, and first determine a framework for action, such as how much funding to invest, how many people to deploy, and the corresponding timetable for achieving each step.

Michael knows more about the situation in the United States, so you will be in charge of the website design, with the assistance of Mr. Hong.

That's the general arrangement for now, what do you think?'

'I just have one question. What are you going to do?' Jin Ling asked.

'I have been thinking hard these days, and I feel very tired, very tired. I need a vacation.

Besides, when it comes to planning, I am no match for you, and when it comes to technology, I am even further behind Mike and Hong. So you elites should discuss these things among yourselves. Before the semester starts, I want to go for a walk and take in the sights and sounds of the United States,'

Jin Ling knew that this was what he wanted! But there was nothing she could do about it. Who asked him to insist on being a student now? He wasn't satisfied with studying in China, so he came abroad.

It's just that his vision is really impressive! Sometimes she wanted to peel open his head to see how it all worked.

'Yiping and I are going to drive along Route 66, and after we get to Chicago, we'll fly from there to New York and Washington,' Huang Jingping whispered to Jin Ling.

This was also what they had planned. After the autumn semester started, they would not have such a long vacation again, and in a few months, even if there was a vacation, they might already be pregnant, and it would not be a good idea to go on such a long road trip.

Of course, there was a reason Feng Yiping didn't say it, and the situation in the United States before and after 9/11 was completely different.

'Just the two of you? Absolutely not,' the others had no problem with it, but as soon as they heard this, Jin Ling immediately and firmly objected, 'It's not like you're in China, you don't know the place, and Route 66 is now very deserted. You're going to drive by yourselves, crossing three time zones and eight states, stretching for thousands of kilometres. What if something happens? I absolutely won't agree to it,'

Route 66 was originally built along the terrain, winding and undulating, and the road conditions were never good to begin with. What's more, after being replaced by the interstate highway for many years, it was once abandoned and not even marked on the map.

If it weren't for people who have affection for this 'mother road' and have called for it everywhere, taking various measures to protect it, this road would have become history and would never return to the US highway system.

Even so, because of the scarcity of passing vehicles, the various facilities along the highway are naturally not comparable to those of newly built highways, and neither eating, drinking nor car repairs are convenient.

There are not many cars passing through, so what if you break down in the middle of nowhere? The countryside in the United States also does not have the same attentive services as the big cities, and the uninhabited countryside in the United States is naturally not as safe as the upscale residential areas of the big cities.

'It's only going to take ten days or so,' Feng Yiping said with a smile.

'No, I absolutely disagree,' Jin Ling interrupted. 'If you were going to the east by plane or train, I'd agree, but driving there, I definitely won't agree. Otherwise, shall we call your parents now and ask for their opinion?'

In order to show respect, they also spoke in English, and Mike heard everything. He now realised that Jin Ling and Feng Yiping seemed to have a relationship that was not simply that of employee and boss. At this time, he laughed and said, 'If Yiping insists on going, this problem can also be solved very easily. I will send two security guards, one man and one woman, from the company to follow them in a car.'

Huang Jingping, however, now had second thoughts. 'Yiping, let's go to Los Angeles first, and then take a plane to the east directly, okay?'

How could he disagree? Feng Yiping regretted what he had just said. If he hadn't, there would have been no trouble. After Jin Ling returned, who could stop him from doing whatever he wanted?

Now, how could he refuse? They were all going to complain to their parents, weren't they? 'Okay, that's actually easier,'

'This reminds me, Michael, make a note: we should still assign two people to be responsible for their safety. They'll be fine in the city, but as soon as they leave San Francisco, they must be accompanied by someone,' Jin Ling again dictated a rule in a domineering manner.

She wasn't worried about it in China, as Feng Yiping had now established contacts in Zhongnanhai. However, in the United States, they didn't have any connections there, and they were understaffed. The potential safety risks should be eliminated as much as possible.

'Okay, I'll arrange it right away,'

Feng Yiping didn't oppose this either. Going out with someone else besides being safer, the key is that there are people to do many things for you, just like Jacob last time.

'I'll walk you to the car, Mike,' Feng Yiping sent him to the parking lot, and seeing that no one followed him out, he asked quietly, 'Have you heard from Georgetown?'

'I asked someone to find out,' Mike whispered back. "She withdrew from school in May, but the reason is unclear. I've asked someone to go to her house to find out what happened. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything.'

'Thanks!" Feng Yiping patted his shoulder, unable to hold back his emotions.

'Don't worry,' Mike said, 'Lisha doesn't know anything about this either.'