The recent conversation was coming from Charlize Theron, who was chatting with a girl named Jenny in the store.
"Jenny, Charlize, what were you discussing about Yahoo? What's happening with Yahoo?"
Kyle inquired right away, appearing somewhat anxious.
"Boss, please be gentle; you're hurting me."
Charlize felt displeased because an excited Kyle had unintentionally gripped her arm too hard.
"I apologise, I'm sorry; can you please provide more details?" Kyle said as he offered his apologies.
Before long, Kyle grasped a general understanding of Yahoo.
Yahoo is set to go public on April 12th.
Oh wow!
That's Yahoo!
Even though Yahoo has been struggling since 2005, it was once the largest Internet portal in the world. In January 2000, its stock price soared to a high of $475 per share, with a market cap exceeding 100 billion.
But what was its initial listing price?
Kyle wasn't particularly well-informed about it before his time travel, but he vaguely remembered it being around 20 dollars. If someone had invested in Yahoo's stock at its IPO and sold it in January 2000, they would have made over 20 times their investment!
"Ding ding ding~~!"
At that moment, the store's phone began to ring, and it was for Kyle.
"Boss, it's Victor. Thank goodness I finally managed to reach you."
A voice came through the phone line.
"What's going on? Has the release date for Run Lola Run been determined?"
Even though Kyle found it strange that Victor was calling SpongeBob's house, he still asked with curiosity.
The reason for the call going to the store's landline instead of a cell phone was that Kyle hadn't purchased a mobile phone yet, and the mobile phones of that time were "brick phones" rather than the compact ones we have today.
"Boss, we have confirmed the release date, but that's not the main reason for my call."
"Oh? Please continue."
"Boss, I just received a call from the UK. The BBC is interested in collaborating with you on the development and production of your Teletubbies global copyright."
Teletubbies?
"Wow, this is exactly what I need! The British are giving me money!" Kyle exclaimed, feeling thrilled.
Although Teletubbies is aimed at a younger audience and isn't as popular as Peppa Pig, it is considered a national treasure in the UK and has had a significant impact on a generation. Even in China during that time, Kyle had watched it several times. Well, despite some people not being fond of Teletubbies, their presence and influence cannot be denied.
Victor, I'll head to the company later for our face-to-face meeting."
Kyle said a few more words before ending the call.
"Kyle, are you heading out?"
At that moment, John approached. He noticed that Kyle, who had seemed unenthusiastic earlier, was now brimming with excitement after the phone call, which piqued his curiosity.
"Yes."
Kyle replied and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. He turned back and said, "John, since I'm free this morning and it's not the weekend, join me at the film company. I need to discuss something important with you."
"Sure, I'll get that organised right away." John agreed.
Even though John had taken advantage of Kyle multiple times in the past, he had also been a valuable ally. However, since joining SpongeBob's house, he had become quite dedicated to his work and had changed significantly.
He needs this stable job.
After all, he must care for his paralysed mother and younger sister at home.
Family makes a man mature!
"Oh, by the way,
John, bring Charlize along. I have something to discuss with her. Hey, what's that look in your eye? I'm not interested in her like that; if I were, I would have already made a move. You know, she's seeking fatherly love and desires an older boyfriend. I need to talk to her about something serious." Kyle rolled his eyes.
....
Soon enough,
Kyle, John, and Charlize Theron made their way to Page Pictures.
Once inside CEO Victor's office, he exchanged simple greetings with Victor before turning his attention to Charlize first.
"Charlize, are you sure you want to quit in a week?" Kyle asked.
Charlize nodded: "Yes, Boss. As you know, I'm an actor. My time working for you was just a temporary arrangement. Now that I've completed my acting courses, I need to fully pursue my dream. I appreciate you and everyone for your support during this time."
With this, what could Kyle say?
Should he encourage her to abandon her Hollywood ambitions?
Get real, she is the Charlize!
How many actresses manage to stand out in Hollywood? She has a clear vision for herself and won't abandon it merely because of Kyle's words. Plus, Kyle has no intention of forcing her to stay.
"Alright then, I wish you the best in Hollywood."
"Thank you, Boss."
"Don't call me boss; we're friends. Just refer to me as Kyle from now on."
"Kyle…"
"Yes, that's how friends should speak."
In the following minutes, Kyle engaged in light conversation with Charlize, discussing everything from family to work and future aspirations, creating a pleasant atmosphere.
But.
During our conversation, we ended up discussing endorsements!
"Charlize, I believe your image is perfect for SpongeBob House. You could be our spokesperson, don't you agree?"
That's right; this was the reason Kyle wanted to meet with her. All the casual chat and concern were just superficial.
Not seizing an opportunity is a foolish move.
While Charlize Theron is still building her fame, Kyle intends to secure a long-term, ideally lifetime contract. Of course, it's not only Charlize Theron. Once he has more funds, Kyle also seeks to sign Leo. After all, he will be a worldwide sensation after Titanic's release next year!
"Boss, are you really... sure that I can become famous?"
Initially, Charlize was taken aback, but then she felt a wave of happiness. She understood Kyle's thrifty nature well. Getting him to part with cash for an endorsement deal was, in itself, a validation of her potential.
"You're exceptionally beautiful, and you're bound to become famous!"
Kyle then uttered numerous flattering comments as if money were no concern, leading the Serbian king to unwittingly sign an endorsement deal.
And it turned out to be a lifetime endorsement.
Kyle made a one-time payment of 100,000 US dollars for this deal. It's worth noting that this manoeuvre was incredible and later yielded Kyle significant profits. Of course, a penalty for breach of contract existed, a staggering 20 million.
The 20 million penalty nearly gave Charlize a heart attack.
(Some may argue that such a contract might be seen as unlawful, but does Kyle care? It's merely a legal issue, one that would likely stretch out for several years.)
...
The next individual to enter the office was Kyle's longtime neighbour, John Smith.
"John, I have a roster of upcoming movies. Please see lawyer Paul Goodman and go to various film studios to secure peripheral licensing agreements within a specified timeframe." Kyle handed several A4 sheets to John.
After Kyle's words, John found himself brimming with excitement.
Why?
Kyle entrusting him with these tasks indicated he was looking out for his interests!
"Kyle... I mean, boss, rest assured, I will ensure we obtain the movie's peripheral licensing in the shortest time possible and at the best prices." John replied earnestly.
This list of movies appeared to be an ordinary compilation.
1. Independence Day.
2. Tornado.
3. Professional Special Forces Team.
4. Courageously Enter the Rock.
....
However, if you revisit this movie list next year, you will see that all of the films included rank within the top 30 of the North American box office for 1996.
"Independence Day," directed by Roland Emmerich and featuring Will Smith, was released on July 3 and produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It achieved a remarkable $50.22 million on its opening day, shattering the record for the highest first-day box office in North America. The film's total North American box office gross reached $306 million, earning it the title of box office champion in North America for 1996, and it surpassed $800 million in global box office revenue.
"Twister" brought in $241 million in North America;
"Mission Impossible" accumulated a total of $180 million domestically;
"The Rock" garnered $134 million in North America, and Kyle mentioned 15 films in total. Though Kyle couldn't recall the precise box office rankings from 1996, he was certain that acquiring the merchandise licenses for these films would prove beneficial.