Chapter 273: The Legend of the King of Distribution Remains Brilliant

Yi'an Company, conference room

Yan Li walked in, and Xiao Guan, the vice president in charge of distribution, along with the director of the distribution department and several managers, all stood up to greet him.

"President Yan."

"Everyone, sit."

Yan Li waved his hand down and walked straight to the head seat, where he sat; others followed, taking their seats one by one.

"Oh, new faces here."

Yan Li looked at the two people at the very bottom of the table; the distribution department was his own creation, and he had dealt with them extensively, so nearly all senior and mid-level staff were familiar to him.

For a boss, forgetting the faces and names of his core subordinates might not hurt management directly, but it certainly diminished positive influence.

Yan Li had a good memory and cared about this aspect.

He made special note of company talent and standout employees, even memorizing their resumes.

Often, when he encountered unfamiliar subordinates and had a chance to chat, he would proactively praise their resume achievements—this motivational effect was more potent than a salary raise.

It not only boosted morale but also consistently elevated his personal prestige and reputation among company backbone and frontline staff.

Minor internal mishaps were often interpreted by subordinates as failures by the vice presidents or directors—neglecting their duties and betraying President Yan's trust, unfit for their positions, and so on.

The director of the distribution department stepped forward to introduce the two as newly promoted managers.

Yan Li looked at the one with longer hair: "Yang Qu, you've been here a while, right? I remember you were already here during 'Chinese Paladin.'"

Yang Qu, surprised that Yan Li remembered him, stood up excitedly: "Yes, President Yan. I joined the company at the end of 2004. 'Chinese Paladin' was my first project."

Yan Li joked: "Then you've climbed fast—keep it up. Give Xiao Zong and the director some pressure."

Yi'an had grown rapidly, and so had its internal promotions.

After all, the company was registered at the end of 2002, officially founded in early 2003, truly entered its growth phase starting in 2004, and only began rising sharply in 2005.

Including Yan Li and Lin Jiachuan, not a single employee had been with the company for over five years.

Yang Qu had been with the company for less than three years and had been promoted to a manager capable of independently overseeing distribution projects—barely mid-level, not exceptionally fast, but not slow either; he was clearly a talent worth cultivating in Yan Li's eyes.

The other newly promoted manager beside him looked at Yang Qu with envy.

His seniority was similar to Yang Qu's, but his luck had been poor—he hadn't worked on many projects directly overseen by Yan Li, so Yan Li had only a faint impression of him.

Still, Yan Li didn't ignore him; he offered a few casual words of encouragement, but clearly without the same recognition as Yang Qu.

Management often requires balance, and sometimes it's appropriate to create deliberate differences.

Only with differences can satisfaction and aspiration be generated, allowing both to serve your purposes.

Hmm, basically, just don't be human!

The two new managers could only wait helplessly for Yan Li to speak first, responding only when prompted; if they couldn't reply well, they could only blush and smile awkwardly.

Xiao Guan, as a senior executive and Yan Li's core subordinate, didn't need to be so cautious—he took advantage of Yan Li's joke to complain.

"You keep pushing everyone like this, making these kids stare at me all day—I've even grown white hairs from late-night overtime."

Yan Li glanced at Xiao Guan's hair; if he remembered correctly, this kid had already had some premature graying when he first joined the company.

"If you're really under pressure, why not take a break?"

Xiao Guan's expression turned serious: "I love overtime. I enjoy facing challenges."

He wasn't about to let anyone take his position as vice president in charge of distribution at Yi'an.

Beyond base salary and bonuses, as the direct superior of the distribution department, he received a share of its performance bonuses.

Moreover, as Yan Li personally oversaw fewer projects these days, many key projects were now under his charge—success meant additional bonuses.

Besides money, as Yi'an's overall head of distribution, he constantly interacted with major production companies and had become a notable figure in the industry.

He had money, he had prestige—his life was incredibly comfortable.

But in Xiao Guan's heart, he harbored a quiet ambition: as Yan Li's empire expanded and the number of companies under his name grew, his attention would inevitably shift.

Yan Li was currently Yi'an's president; someday he might step down from the position, or create a new role to manage the company in his absence.

Without doubt, Xiao Guan was one of the top candidates, and he longed to become the leader of this entertainment giant.

A break?

He wished he could sleep at the company, so Yan Zong could see his boundless loyalty.

"Alright, no more joking—let's get down to business."

Yan Li liked to joke with his longtime subordinates, especially in non-critical meetings, to lighten the mood and strengthen bonds.

Familiar subordinates and veteran staff were used to it, but the previous topic was likely sensitive—even the director of distribution hadn't dared to chime in.

Yan Li could tease, Xiao Guan could mock himself, but if he joined in, he might end up on someone's radar.

Realizing the joke had gone too far, Yan Li smoothly moved on and began the formal meeting.

The director of the distribution department turned on the conference room's TV screen and began reporting on the department's performance over the past few months and the progress of key projects.

"…"

Yan Li listened quietly; though less than a quarter had passed since the Spring Festival, Yi'an's rapid growth meant daily changes.

The consecutive brilliance of 2005 and 2006 had given Yi'an an absolute leading advantage in TV drama distribution.

According to incomplete statistics, among the TV dramas currently in production industry-wide,

aside from those scams, money-laundering projects, and low-quality filler dramas, nearly one-third of serious TV drama teams—especially those aiming for broadcast on national networks—would reach out to Yi'an.

The remaining two-thirds either had backing from studios or TV stations, or wanted to work with Yi'an but couldn't bear the waiting list.

That's right—now, even many mid- to upper-tier dramas had to wait in line to collaborate with Yi'an.

As previously mentioned, Yi'an's distribution capability was strong, but not unreal so.

Currently, Yi'an plans to distribute about 20 to 30 TV dramas per year.

As the company grows, the number will increase slightly, but efforts are made to ensure the growth doesn't accelerate too quickly.

One reason is manpower, but the most important one is that too many dramas would overwhelm Yi'an's stable distribution channels.

Moreover, ordinary or slightly better dramas cannot raise their price much, earn little, and carry risks in ratings and reputation—they are a mediocre choice with low cost-effectiveness.

Therefore, Yian Distribution, despite industry admiration, still insists on pursuing a premium route, favoring collaborations with popular drama teams.

Popular drama teams have strong viewership potential, many buyers, and negotiable prices; at that point, the drama team, television station, and Yian all win—earning more while saving effort.

However, popular drama teams are not easy to secure.

With too many interests involved, even if Yian can earn more, not everyone respects Yian's terms.

For example, Huayi and Hai Run may collaborate with Yian, but only pick a few high-return projects to earn a bit more, never engaging in comprehensive cooperation with Yian.

The reason is simple: entrusting television drama distribution to Yian means letting Yan Li grip one of their vital lifelines.

Tang Ren and Zhou Yi have no choice—they lack strength—while Huayi and Hai Run can distribute independently; even if they earn less, it's better than being at Yian's mercy.

Some subsidiaries with television station backing or certain centers also won't seek large-scale cooperation with Yian.

On one hand, they have their own channels; on the other, personnel and influence are involved.

Even if they perform poorly, it must be done by their own people—outsourcing is unacceptable, and dismissal is out of the question.

Add to that various other reasons, and Yian cannot—or rather, cannot possibly—have all its distribution projects be premium, popular ones; it must also take on ordinary or slightly better projects.

But such projects are everywhere in the industry, and many want to collaborate with Yian—so they must wait in line; if they can't wait, they find someone else.