Chapter 80

What did you say? Business?


Let’s meet and discuss. I’ll wait for you at the House of Happiness at 3pm tomorrow.


Sure. I’ll be there on time.

At 3pm the next day, Hyunwoo arrived at the House of Happiness. He was accompanied by Sungwoo Paek. Sungwoo was staying in Inchon when Hyunwoo called him for the meeting.
The director greeted them with a broad smile. Jaegyong and Sungrak were already there, waiting for Hyunwoo.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, they all gathered at the director’s office.
Sungwoo said few words, while Hyunwoo opened his mouth first,
Do you happen to know N&C Korea?


No, sir…

Neither Jaegyong. Sungrak, nor the director, who was close to the president of Aurum, Hyunwoo’s employer knew the company. Of course, Hyunwoo didn’t tell them that he was the president of N&C Korea.

This friend of mine is the president of N&C Korea. His name is Sungwoo Paek, and my high school alumnus.


Oh, it’s nice to see you. You’re the president of that company.

Only then did Sungwoo exchange a few words of introduction with them.
Hyunwoo explained to the director,
I told you about the warehouse before, and he’s planning to make it the sales office of N&C Korea, so he’ll need to hire a couple of staff members.


Ah, are you going to hire these two guys then?
asked the director.
The director now seemed to figure out what Hyunwoo was going to say, and Jaegyong and Sungrak opened their eyes wide.
Hyunwoo continued,
Are you good on a computer? Do you know how to use Excel? Have you ever operated a forklift?


I can use a computer and Excel a bit, but I’ve never operated a forklift,
said both of them.
They seemed nervous for fear Hyunwoo might not hire them because they couldn’t operate a forklift, but that didn’t matter because it was easy to operate. Anybody could do so skillfully with a bit of learning.
This time Sungwoo opened his mouth.
I’m five years older than you guys, so can I talk down to you?


Sure, please. Brother Hyunwoo, you can talk down, too.


Okay then. Call me brother from now on. Did you guys study hard in high school?

Both of them just scratched their heads, which suggested they didn’t.

Why? Did you not study hard at all? Or you didn’t make good grades even when you studied hard?


Well, I tried to study hard from early on, but I couldn’t no matter how hard I tried, so I gave up,
said one of them.
While hearing their replies, Hyunwoo could understand them in a way. Hyunwoo had some tough high school days like them. Hyunwoo always did his best, but he couldn’t climb up to the middle or upper level of the grade no matter how hard he tried.
Sungwoo continued,
You have been amateurs up to now, but you should be a pro when you’re hired. Pros show their performance only with the outcomes. Excuses won’t work, and there isn’t anybody out there who can accept your excuses. So, when you’re hired, you should really work hard.


Got it!


I’ll do my best.

Both of them showed great enthusiasm, but Sungwoo and Hyunwoo didn’t take it seriously for one fell into a habit as time went by. They would forget their first time and start to think about other stuff when they had a sure means of livelihood. For example, they would try to learn new stuff to find a better job. To stop this, they would need to think they’re the masters of the company, not its employees. And that’s why all the companies emphasize a sense of mastery to their employees. Of course, that would not be possible with their moral education only. It would be the role of the manager or the president to instill a sense of mastery in their employees.
As a matter of fact Hyunwoo and Sungwoo thought deeply about this matter before coming here, and they found some solutions of their own. That’s why Hyunwoo investigated their mindsets when he called them to ask if they were interested in business instead of telling them he would find jobs for them.

You guys will be hired as partners instead of employees,
said Sungwoo.
At his unexpected statement, they were surprised because they didn’t understand the meaning of ‘partner’ well.

You won’t receive a fixed salary every month. You’ll receive commission depending on the amount of sales you make. For example, you will receive as much as 30 million won for one month if you can sell one billion won per month.

That popped their eyes. Clearly they were just focused on the fact that they could make as much as 30 million won.
Grinning a bit, Sungwoo said, though,
You don’t have to be excited, of course. It might not be that easy to get one billion won worth of sales per month. If you can sell only 10 million won worth of products, you will get only 300,000 won. Got it?


Oh, I see.

Only then did they correctly understand what Sungwoo was talking about. Though, they had been excited a moment ago, they looked downcast suddenly. They seemed to feel that they might be kicked out if they sucked at the end of the day.

Sit down here and listen to me. Let me tell you some more about your future life here,
Sungwoo explained to them about the relationship of N&C and N&C Korea and how to divide the profits between them.

To talk about myself, I’m basically doing sales business for factories. I’ve been doing it and will continue to do it. The most profit we can get from our sales to factories is only 9%. We get 4% out of that. As we expect you to do retail business, we’ll set the unit price higher for sales.

Both of them nodded their heads,
Though we have not yet decided, we expect the profit of the sales will be about 19~20%. We can get about 13% out of that. Taking into account the transportation and insurance fees, the net profit will be around 11%. Then, I’ll take 8% and you guys will take the remaining 3%. Of course, we’ll pay for the maintenance fee of the warehouse and taxes. You’ll take the net profit of 3%.

Jaegyong and Sungrak opened their eyes wide again because they would lose nothing from this business on their end.
Sungwoo continued,
If business is run on a stable basis, the profit ratio will be adjusted. I will get only 5%, and the remaining 6% is yours. In that case, you’ll have to pay for the warehouse maintenance and operating cost. I think it will take about six months for the business to make profits.

Sungwoo told them some other things about the business, and Hyunwoo also put in a helping word. The gist of what Sungwoo and Hyunwoo told them was just one thing: You can make as much as you want if you try hard.
Jaegyong and Sungrak, half in doubt up to that moment, seemed to find a ray of hope with the hope that they could get rich if they tried hard enough.
Hyunwoo believed that they would realize it by all means. Only then could they all laugh happily, after all.
Hyunwoo patted both of them on the shoulder.

The warehouse is under renovation at the moment. As that is the place you will have to work, just go there and help the man, an acquaintance of mine, who’s doing the work. If you think you want to change some part of the renovation, just ask him for it.


Yes, sir.


There is a small house right beside the warehouse, so you guys discuss together how to use it.

Sungwoo also tapped them on the shoulder, saying,
Do your best. Let me help you to the best I can.


Thanks so much.

Sungwoo decided to stay in Ansan for the time being to teach them how to do sales. Though the director told him he would offer a room at the House of Happiness, Sungwoo gently rejected his offer, saying that his stay at a motel would be more comfortable.
This time Hyunwoo looked at the director.
Though the director didn’t say anything, his facial expression told everything. The look on his face was that of sheer happiness as if he had everything in his hand in this world.

Can you do me a favor, by the way?
said Hyunwoo.

Please say any favor that you want me to do for you.


Well, I don’t know what will happen, but I think I might have to hire more staff in the future. Given the choice, I’d rather hire someone I know, and I would like to hire the graduates from this place.


Wow! That would be the most appreciated.


Please have your eyes on the graduates in advance. You know better than anybody else about them, right?


Of course, I do. Whenever you mention it to me, let me recommend the potential candidates here. Let me contact other orphanages and share the information with them, so they can also recommend their kids.


Sounds like a plan. Given the choice, please recommend those who are healthy and sincere. That way, I can recommend them when there are good jobs available at other places.


Sure, will do. As you ask for recommendations, based on your trust in me, they should not make any trouble for you, of course. Thanks so much for your kind consideration.

Hyunwoo and Sungwoo stood up after saying goodby to the director.
At that moment Sohn Sungrak also stood up and said,
By the way…

When Hyunwoo turned his head, Sungrak was looking at him.
He was scratching his head as if he wanted to ask some favor of Hyunwoo.

What? Do you have something you want to ask me about?


I heard there was a room available at your house. Can I stay there until someone formally moves in? I’m paying too much for my monthly motel fee…


Oh, yea, but it’s very small.


Doesn’t matter. I only need a space that I can sleep in. Instead, let me help your mother. I hear she is in charge of supplying breakfast boxes for the factory workers. I’m really a morning person.

Hyunwoo smiled and felt good about it because he could read Sungral’s strong determination to live life to the fullest.

Let me discuss it with my mother. She won’t reject it. Just start packing your stuff to move in.


Thanks. Thanks so much!

However, it was Hyunwoo who really felt thankful to them. The matter of hiring Jaegyong and Sungwoo could be a headache, but it was solved all at once. And if Sungrak moved in, he would be a great help to Hyunwoo’s mother in various ways.
Getting out of the orphanage, Hyunwoo felt greatly satisfied on his progress.