Chapter 158 Achieving Victory
The conference room buzzed with Cecilia's commanding voice.
"Here's my initial plan for the Tower of Light's merchandising and attraction program. If anyone has ideas, speak up. No need for fully-formed suggestions; just throw out anything that might spark inspiration."
Silence filled the room.
No one had better ideas.
This project had been debated before, but no one could crack the current issues.
Eventually, the Tower of Light's construction stalled. Even the top brass had given up, unwilling to invest more effort. They seemed to accept the loss.
Then, Randy Wright spoke up, "Mrs. Whitaker, I don't have suggestions, but I do have questions about your plan."
"Go ahead." Cecilia nodded.
"First, I agree with promoting the mall. Initially, the higher-ups thought the Lockhart Group's name alone would attract customers, but that failed. So, promoting the mall is a good idea. However, I disagree with inviting luxury stores. It's unrealistic now. If we had promoted well from the start, attracting businesses wouldn't be hard. But now, it's almost impossible to regain the trust of high-end brands. You mentioned reducing rent or profit-sharing, but for them, opening a new store involves high costs like renovation, inventory, salaries, taxes, utilities, and transportation. It's hard to convince them to move in without a promising future. As for your third point about creating a large e-commerce market, I don't quite get it."
"I'll address that first," Cecilia said. "Basically, creating a large e-commerce market was to turn the Tower of Light into an online sales platform, developing a dedicated app, using popular online influencers for marketing, and offering home delivery."
"You mean going the e-commerce route?" Randy asked, skeptical. "But the Tower of Light is a high-end brand. Wouldn't that cheapen it? And what do you mean by online influencers?"
Cecilia remembered.
Ten years ago, online influencers weren't a thing.
Celebrities were the big names.
She explained, "Celebrities who sell products."
"You mean endorsements?" Randy still didn't get it.
Cecilia thought for a moment, "More than endorsements—celebrities live-streaming to sell products."
"Would they agree to do that?"
"They would," Cecilia said confidently.
Live-streaming sales were hugely profitable, and ten years later, celebrities were all over it.
She just needed to replicate the future online sales model, and success wouldn't be hard.
This idea had just come to her.
She was grateful for those extra ten years.
Randy listened but remained skeptical.
Cecilia couldn't explain it all clearly. Once it was done, everyone would get it. Not wanting to waste time, she continued, "Now, about your second concern. You're right; merchants won't invest without seeing a promising future. But business isn't just about profit; it's also about relationships. With years of experience in real estate and a network of strategic partners, the Lockhart Group has helped numerous businesses achieve success. I don't believe everyone will turn us away. We need to show our determination. Without talking to potential partners, we can't assume anything."
"I understand," Randy said respectfully.
"Any other questions?" Cecilia asked the team.
Everyone stayed silent.
As Cecilia said, no one could be sure it would fail without trying.
"Since there are no more questions, let's divide the tasks," Cecilia said. "The three-point plan will be split into three groups, each handling their part.
"Diana," Cecilia called out.
"Yes," Diana Jones responded.
"You'll coordinate with the advertising and media department to promote the Tower of Light. We need to secure a minimum three-second placement on popular app covers, launch a city-wide LED screen campaign, and enlist a top-tier celebrity endorsement. I'll do the final editing to ensure it's well-executed."
"Understood," Diana said.
"Michael," Cecilia continued.
"Yes."
"You'll plan the list of merchants we want to invite. Identify three to five luxury stores we must secure. Let me know before finalizing, and I'll join you to discuss details. Also, plan the overall investment program and account for our investment after profit."
"Got it," Michael responded.
"Randy," Cecilia called again.
"You'll create the e-commerce platform. I'll give you the plan today, and you'll implement it as instructed. If you have questions, contact me directly, and we'll solve them together."
"Understood," Randy agreed.
"The three of you will lead your groups. Allocate your team members as needed and give me a list so I know who's responsible for what. Report daily progress to me," Cecilia instructed.
"Understood," everyone responded.
"I need results within half a month," Cecilia said, checking her phone. "Let's aim for the 28th of this month to re-launch the Tower of Light. All tasks must be completed and approved by then."
"Got it."
"Meeting adjourned," Cecilia announced, skipping a summary.
Everyone seemed a bit overwhelmed by Cecilia's ideas, but they saw her get up and leave.
If they hadn't experienced it themselves, they wouldn't believe a 22-year-old, fresh out of college, could be so determined and capable. They felt like Cecilia was already a formidable entrepreneur, and following her lead would bring success!
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