Chapter 187: This Excitement Cannot Be Missed

"If you put it that way, it makes sense. But I still feel that's too far into the future. You're already paying Jon and the others $800 a month, which is quite a lot. If you keep paying high salaries to people like Gabe... Never mind, you're the boss. You make the decisions!"

Goodman initially wanted to argue that even if the future of the computer industry was incredibly promising and it would greatly impact the banking sector, it was enough to pay a high salary to Jon and the others who were officially part of the bank. There was no need to offer such generous terms to someone like Gabe, who might not even stay with them. But halfway through his argument, he noticed a familiar expression on Carter's face. It was the same look Carter had when he predicted the high inflation rate would be curbed in the coming years.

That expression, a mix of confidence and calm, made it seem as if Carter was not making a prediction about the future but stating an obvious fact like 1+1=2. Goodman had rarely seen such conviction in others, or rather, he had never seen it at all. Considering that Carter's previous prediction had almost completely come true, Goodman decided not to dismiss this one. Though somewhat skeptical, he chose to wait and watch, refraining from interfering with Carter's decisions.

"The more, the merrier. Programming is not something I know much about, but I imagine there's a significant element of talent involved. Some things can't be changed by effort alone; talent is crucial. Gabe seems to have a natural knack for it, and he's passionate about it. He has the motivation to keep pushing forward, unlike Jon and the others."

"I believe Gabe will go much further down the path of programming. Alright, I'll get back to work. How are the credit card preparations coming along?"

With a smile, Carter gave a brief explanation to Goodman before turning to head upstairs, asking about the progress on credit cards as he walked.

"We're almost ready. We've covered how to operate the equipment, how to set up and manage credit accounts, and how to process credit card transactions. I plan to have Greta and Riley handle the credit card operations specifically. For promotion, we'll start the day after tomorrow. I'll wrap up the training tomorrow, then schedule the field teams to begin their marketing efforts."

"Good. I trust your work!"

On April 17th, after a week of preparation and fundraising, the Pearson City Talent Development Fund was officially established. The $500,000 fund was split, with 60% from HT Company and 40% from Pearson City's finances. The money was allocated for purchasing materials and providing meal subsidies for the training of Pearson's citizens at HT restaurants. HT Company would cover the wages of the trainees.

On April 18th, the day after the fund was established, Carter called Ginas to set up a site selection office within HT Company. Two days later, the site selection team was formed and set out to investigate potential cities.

On April 20th, the construction of the cold storage facility began. One hundred trucks arrived in Memphis on the same day. Thirty-five of them were retained for insulation modification, while the remaining sixty-five were sent back to Douglas.

On April 21st, the Memphis meat processing plant began construction. The first batch of 200 Pearson City employees started their two-month training at HT's second store.

On April 23rd, the sixty-five trucks arrived in Douglas, and Carter stationed them at the commercial district parking lot along Highway 23. Using twenty African American workers from O'Neill as a base, he started recruiting and training truck drivers.

On April 25th, Forest Bank had issued $2.2 million in special loans for the HT project, and the number of franchisees surpassed ten. Simultaneously, a tortilla processing plant in Kane County, Illinois, began construction.

On April 30th, the number of signed franchisees exceeded twenty.

Everything was progressing smoothly. Most franchisees opted for full payment, meaning besides the $20,000 cash support promised by HT Company, they didn't require any further investment from HT. While Carter was pleased that his plan was working, he couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated. It seemed he had more money than he could spend.

Previously, he had allocated ten million dollars for loans, enough to open fifty stores at an average cost of $200,000 each. With $800,000 reserved for HT's direct investment and salaries, he still had over five million dollars left. What he once worried wouldn't be enough now seemed impossible to spend.

This ironic situation, coupled with the rising temperatures of early May, was making Carter increasingly irritable. The incessant ringing of the phone in his office only added to his annoyance.

"Hello? Who is it? What do you want?"

He paused his writing and picked up the phone, his tone impatient.

"It's me, Julian. What's going on? Who upset you?"

"Oh, Julian. Sorry, the heat's getting to me. It's making me a bit irritable."

Realizing he had taken his frustration out on Julian, Carter chuckled awkwardly and quickly changed the subject.

"I'm guessing you're calling with good news? Is the new company set up?"

"Haha, that's right. The company is registered. It's called Tiger, symbolizing our fierce hunting in the crazy financial market. But the RIA license is still under review, which usually takes over two months. I expect we'll get it by mid-May. So, I'm inviting you to come with me to the Securities and Exchange Commission to receive it and bring this little tiger out of the SEC!"

Talking about the new company, Julian's enthusiasm was evident as he invited Carter to join him in picking up the RIA license, the most crucial day for their new venture.

In the US, having an RIA license is necessary to legally conduct securities investment advisory business. Without it, an investment company or securities firm is like a toothless tiger, trembling in a zoo cage.

"Mid-May?"

Carter hesitated, as the summer break hadn't started, and his schedule was tight. But...

"Alright, I'll be there! Just try to schedule the opening ceremony close to that date so I can get back in time for classes."

A financial company! A Wall Street financial company, something he never dreamed of in his previous life. Even getting a job there seemed impossible, and now he was part of one.

Even if he was just a small fry, he had a foothold on Wall Street!

This excitement cannot be missed!