Ethan sat in the driver's seat, and Mia skillfully opened the butterfly wing door, got into the passenger seat, carefully placed the documents by her feet, and fastened her seatbelt.
The engine started, the AC emitted a faint hum, and the cold air quickly drove away the stuffy heat inside the car.
But he wasn't in a hurry to leave.
He turned his head to look at Mia, his gaze focused: "Now that the office is settled, the next step is registering the new company. I'll leave it to you to handle everything with full authority."
Mia immediately straightened her back, showing complete professionalism: "Please rest assured, Ethan. I'll coordinate through Chase's exclusive VIP channel with the state registration office, which will speed the process up considerably. I expect all the registration paperwork to be completed within 48 hours, along with the business license and other documents."
Her tone was full of certainty — this was the confidence she had in her professional field.
She paused slightly, her tone slightly more careful: "There are currently two specific things that need your final confirmation."
"Go ahead." Ethan motioned for her to continue.
"First, what name do you want for the company?" Mia asked clearly, her eyes showing a hint of subtle curiosity.
Ethan slapped his forehead, having forgotten he hadn't told Mia yet.
"Let's call it Beacon Media."
"Beacon?" The name sounded quite deliberate, not something chosen casually. Mia was a bit curious!
Ethan nodded slightly, a hint of amusement in his eyes, but didn't explain the meaning behind the name.
"Alright, got it." Mia didn't press further, quickly jotting it down.
Then she raised the second key question: "Second, the company's registered capital. How much are you planning to commit? Do you want it fully paid in?"
Ethan answered without hesitation, clear and firm: "Three million. Pay it in full."
In the field of business registration, registered capital is divided into subscribed and paid-in capital, and the difference between the two matters a lot.
Under a subscribed capital structure, shareholders only need to commit to a contribution amount and timeline in the company's founding documents; the funds don't have to be handed over right away.
That's the choice most companies make — flexible to operate, and it can even let a company showcase an "astronomical figure" on paper, even if it's never actually deposited.
The risk is that if the company ever goes under and gets liquidated, shareholders are only on the hook up to the amount they subscribed.
In other words, the bigger the number you throw around, the bigger the loss might be if it never gets paid in.
A paid-in structure requires shareholders to actually deposit the full committed amount into the company's account at the time of registration, subject to verification.
That not only locks up a chunk of the shareholders' liquid cash, it also serves as a direct show of strength.
Though a low paid-in amount doesn't necessarily mean a company is weak, a company that can pay in a large amount of registered capital clearly has strong cash flow and committed shareholders, which carries real weight in the market.
(A bit of a tangent, but worth spelling out.)
Mia quickly worked out the deeper meaning behind Ethan's decision in her mind.
This wouldn't just give the newly born Beacon Media a heavy layer of credibility — it would also send a clear, strong signal to potential partners, competitors, and even future core employees.
This company is serious!
And they've got plenty of capital to back it up!
She composed herself and confirmed in the most professional tone, "Understood, Ethan. Beacon Media Entertainment, LLC, registered capital of $3 million, fully paid in. I'll follow the process through personally to make sure the verification goes smoothly and stays compliant. That lays a very solid foundation for the company's reputation."
There was a barely noticeable hint of admiration in her tone.
"As for everything else, I'll move as fast as I can. If there's any major progress, I'll report to you right away." Mia added, her tone firm.
"Alright." Ethan responded, his hand already on the steering wheel, ready to drive away.
Just then, something occurred to him, and he turned to look at Mia in the passenger seat: "By the way, there's one more thing I need your help with."
"Go ahead." Mia immediately shifted into listening mode, her finger hovering above the tablet's notes app.
"Get me in touch with a top-tier executive search firm," Ethan's instructions were clear and direct. "The goal is to find a handful of core, high-end management talent for Beacon Media."
He deliberately avoided using Redwood Capital's connections.
This entertainment company operates independently of the Redwood system. Ethan needed it to have its own DNA and operating structure from the start, to avoid getting tangled up with or dependent on Redwood's investment and tech-side attributes.
So everything's handled separately.
As the person steering the whole thing, he understood the art of putting the right people in the right seats.
You don't have to do everything yourself; the key is spotting talent and putting them in the right roles, controlling the strategic direction, and trusting the tactical execution to professionals.
A successful hands-off manager is the most efficient kind of boss.
He wouldn't be the kind of boss who just shirks everything — that's not the same thing at all!
At Redwood Capital, Diana runs day-to-day operations; right now, he's essentially a hands-off chairman there too.
"Understood." Mia wasn't surprised at all, and even felt it was only natural.
As Chase's dedicated secretary for top private banking clients, her responsibilities went far beyond financial matters.
"Solving every need related to a client's wealth growth and career development" had always been the core mission of Chase's private banking service.
Connecting with top global search firms and screening and matching top industry talent was exactly the part of her job she knew best.
If she couldn't handle this well, it'd be a waste of her career and the trust William had built up from the ground level.
"Can I ask what your core requirements are for the candidates?" Mia pressed further, preparing to sketch out a precise profile.
Ethan pondered for a moment and gave a clear and open standard: "Ability comes first! Younger is better, regardless of gender. What I need are people with forward-looking vision, strong execution, innovative thinking, and real industry connections. Their background could be a traditional entertainment giant, but what matters is their track record and how well it fits where I want Beacon Media to go."
Mia quickly jotted down the key points on the tablet and added, "Got it, Ethan. Requirements are recorded. Chase has deep strategic partnerships with several top search firms serving Fortune 500 companies, with reach across entertainment, culture, and media both domestically and internationally. I'll kick off the matching process right away and have them run preliminary screening and background checks based on your criteria. Once we have a shortlist of qualified candidates, I'll put together a detailed evaluation report and send it your way. Once you narrow down who you're interested in, we'll arrange the formal interview process. And if anything changes along the way, just let me know."
Her answers were clear and well-structured, with clear steps, demonstrating strong process control and confidence in resource integration.
Ethan nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. Let's do it that way. Thanks for your help."
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