Kyle sat behind the worn wooden counter of his father's old shop, watching the dust dance in the slivers of sunlight that pierced through the faded curtains. The shelves were lined more with memories than merchandise, and the few customers who came in left with polite smiles but empty hands. He drummed his fingers on the ledger, each tap a reminder of bills unpaid and dreams deferred. The idea had been growing in his mind like a stubborn weed—take a loan, revive the business, breathe life back into what once thrived. But the thought of mortgaging the shop, the only thing his family truly owned, made his chest tighten. He knew his mother would resist; to her, the shop was more than bricks and wood—it was his father's legacy. Still, he had to try. He couldn't watch it any longer.
Finally, he decided that he would take the loan by mortgaging the shop, but to do that he needed to get his mother's permission as this shop belonged to her.
Afterwards, he went to the bank and talked to the manager about the loan and got papers, now the only thing left is to get his mother's signature and he will get the loan.
19 July 1996, afternoon at the toy shop,
The warm amber of the setting sun spills through the dusty windows of the family-run shop. Wooden shelves lined with cars, dolls, and other toys stretch across the small space. The cold air from the AC flows softly. Kate Page, in her mid-50s, is sitting behind the counter, meticulously going over a worn ledger. Her son, Kyle, early 20s, energetic and ambitious, stands nearby, holding a folder of papers.
Kyle (gently):
Mom, can you put the accounts down for a minute? I need to talk to you about something.
Kate (without looking up):
If it's about another one of your big ideas, Kyle, then no. We're barely managing with what we have. This shop feeds us.
Kyle (takes a deep breath, sits beside her):
Exactly. That's why I want to talk. We've been stuck in the same place for years. The shop needs expansion, a proper cash counter, a card machine… Mom, customers walk out because we can't meet their needs.
Kate (sighs):
And where will all that come from, huh? We're not sitting on treasure. Business is not done on dreams, son.
Kyle (placing the folder in front of her):
No, but it's done on courage—and smart risk. Look, I spoke to the bank. They're ready to give us a loan. But… we'll need to mortgage the shop.
(Kate's hand stops mid-page. She slowly looks up, expression hardening.)
Kate:
Mortgage? You want me to risk everything your father built?
Kyle:
I'm not risking it. I'm investing in it. Mom, I've done the homework. The loan is manageable. If we don't grow now, in five years, there won't be a shop to protect. Supermarkets are opening up nearby. We can't keep running this place like it's still 1990.
Kate (voice shaking slightly):
And what if we can't pay it back? What if something goes wrong? We could lose the roof over our heads.
Kyle (softly, but firmly):
And what if it works? What if we double our income, hire help, and make life easier for you? Isn't that worth trying? You always tell me that Dad believed in hard work. Well, I believe in that and in moving forward.
(Kate looks at her son, seeing the sincerity—and perhaps a bit of her husband's fire—in his eyes. She's quiet for a long moment.)
Kate (slowly):
This shop is all I've known, Kyle. It's not just wood and bricks… It's our life.
Kyle (reaching for her hand):
And I want to give that life a future, Ma. Do not let it fade into the past.
(She looks at him. Her fingers twitch nervously on the ledger, then still. She closes the book slowly.)
Kate:
Show me the papers again.
(A small smile creeps onto Kyle's face as he opens the folder.)
Kyle(with full confidence)
:believe me Mom, this is going to be the best decision of your life.
Kate signs the paper and gives it to Kyle.
"I believe you son, just like your father."
After hearing his mother's words, Kyle took the papers and went to the bank to get the loan.
...
August 5, 1995.
Kyle came out of the Los Angeles branch of Wells Fargo Bank with a smile on his face and several briefcases in his hands.
After more than fifteen days of hard work, Kyle finally got the loan from the bank.
"Damn, banks are shady!"
"I mortgaged my shop to the bank for a year, and not only did I get $120,000, but the interest was 12%. It's shady."
In other words, one year later, Kyle had to pay the bank $134,000 including principal and interest, otherwise, the house would be gone.
It's no wonder Kyle was unhappy. You have to know that the market price of this 150-square-meter shop is over 150,000 US dollars.
"Forget it, now everything is ready, we just need to invest in NETSCAPE!"
Kyle went straight to New York that day with his savings of $120,000 and found an investment institution with a good reputation.
.....
"Mr. Page, we appreciate you choosing Dawn Investment. I trust you must be quite pleased," Klas White remarked with a grin.
"I also have faith that our partnership will be enjoyable!"
Kyle stepped forward to shake hands with Klas White.
"I look forward to our future collaborations," Claes White stated.
"Absolutely."
Kyle laughed.
Despite Kyle's confident demeanour, his inner feelings were completely different.
Future collaboration?
Collaboration!
Dawn Investments was merely a small investment firm on Wall Street, hardly noticeable at all. Klas White was a newcomer and might exit Wall Street in a few months. If it weren't for the low fees of Dawn Investments, who would opt for them?
After all, larger investment firms are seen as more reliable.
Investment banks like Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Morgan are the primary choices, but they have high entry barriers. They wouldn't even consider the $120,000 in Kyle's hands.
"If you disregard me today, I'll ensure you regret it tomorrow!"
Generally, there are two kinds of individuals who engage in stock market speculation.
Revenue share and fixed fee.
Kyle opted for a fixed fee since he possessed foresight concerning the future.
"I'm investing $120,000 this time, utilising a ten-fold leverage. Given the profit ratio of Netscape Navigator on its IPO day, the eventual profit will be at least several hundred thousand dollars. Only a fool would hand over a commission to you," Kyle thought to himself.
I'm simply putting on a facade!
No one will profit from me!
Kyle!
Just a single day of excessive trading cost Kyle a thousand dollars!
"By the way, Mr. White, I might have an additional $40,000 investment coming in a few days, and we can handle it together then," Zhu Ke suddenly said.
"Alright, alright." The smile on Krass White's face widened.
A potential $40,000?
That's right, this was the saving of Kyle and his mother's savings account.
"Alright, we now just have to wait for Netscape's public offering, gather the initial capital, and then break into Hollywood!"
Kyle had previously worked in film and television entertainment, and his dream was to enter Hollywood. Now that he was reborn with the assistance of re-knowledge, he was determined to infiltrate Hollywood.
Indeed, Kyle had contemplated pursuing something else.
But I lack knowledge!
America promotes itself as a free society, yet if you carelessly select an unfamiliar industry, even with capital, you could ultimately find yourself with nothing.
Capital is ruthless!
Choosing Hollywood not only presents an opportunity to make money but also aligns with my interests, so why not?
Kyle Peace of Mind turned away and found a nearby motel in New York.
A budget-friendly one.
Only $30 a night!
It's not that Kyle didn't want to stay in a five-star hotel; it was simply that all his funds had been invested in the stock market, leaving him with less than $500 in cash.