From co-founder to being kicked out
Shi Yonghong and Zhang Yong have been good friends since 14 years old.
1994, after graduating from technical secondary school, they jointly invested 1 10,000 yuan with (later Mrs. Shi) and Shu Ping (later Mrs. Zhang), each accounting for 25% of the shares, and opened a humble pocket hotpot restaurant with only four tables.
Because there is no money to advertise, we can only start with the name. "Haidilao" is a Sichuan mahjong term, which refers to the last card you touched. This name is easy to remember and is also associated with hot pot, so I decided to take this name. This unforgettable alternative name was quickly remembered by customers coming and going.
Although there are only four shareholders, Haidilao has been managed by more than a family business for a long time. There were no accounts in the first two years, and Shi Yonghong, the general manager, was in charge of both collecting money and purchasing. Closing the account once a month is a loss or a profit, which depends entirely on Shi Yonghong's conscience.
When the customer comes, we do it consciously. After the guests left, we drank water, chatted and played mahjong. Such a team is loyal but sloppy.
One day, Zhang Yong, who has always been more decisive among the four people, said, "A formally operated company must have a manager, and I decided to be a manager." Shi Yonghong has no objection and agrees by default.
Later, Zhang Yong mastered the absolute right to speak, and Shi Yonghong and others also believed in Zhang Yong's prestige. By 2007, Haidilao had more than 3,000 employees in Jianyang, Xi 'an, Zhengzhou and Beijing.
With the expansion of the company's scale, the management structure of the company is no longer as simple as the initial three partners led by one person. The problems of enterprise management and development are becoming more and more complicated, and the decision-making process of enterprises is also accelerating.
Besides letting his wife go home early, Zhang Yong also let Shi Yonghong's wife Li Haiyan go home in 2004. In 2007, when Haidilao's business was taking off rapidly, Zhang Yong laid off his equal shareholder, Shi Yonghong, his most loyal friend and friend for more than 20 years.
You know, Shi Yonghong and his wife are also 50% shareholders of Haidilao!
What is even more incredible is that Zhang Yong not only let Shi Yonghong leave his post, but also bought back 18% of the shares from Shi Yonghong and his wife with the original capital contribution. In 2007, Zhang Yong and his wife became 68% absolute shareholders of Haidilao.
Why? The apparent reason is that when Haidilao was preparing to go public, the financial adviser gave them the advice that it was beneficial for the company to have an absolute controlling shareholder. In fact, both inside and outside the company, including Zhang Yong and Shi Yonghong, understand that Zhang Yong believes that Shi Yonghong's management ability has not adapted to the development of Haidilao.
How did Shi Yonghong agree? Why did he agree to Zhang Yong's "robbery"? In fact, Haidilao is the child of Zhang Yong and Shi Yonghong, both in terms of equity investment and time and energy.
I asked Zhang Yong, "Did you give Shi Yonghong money?"
"Just paid symbolically." Zhang Yong said.
"Then why did he agree?" I asked again.
"There is no why. I said it and he agreed. "
I still don't believe it. Seeing Shi Yonghong's first sentence, I asked, "Haidilao is making so much money now, and 18% shares are not decimal. So you sold them to Zhang Yong? "
Shi Yonghong said, "Yes."
"Don't say shares to go. He also let you get off the job so young. Are you comfortable? " I asked again.
Shi Yonghong said, "I feel sick."
"Then why did you agree?" I then asked.
"I don't agree with what can I do? He has always had the final say. " Shi Yonghong pondered for a while, somewhat helpless, but said with a calm smile. This made me look at him more carefully. He really looks like a Buddha.
"Later, I figured it out. Although there are fewer shares, they earn more money and are at leisure. Also, as a major shareholder, he will be more worried about the company and the company will develop better. " He added.
I asked him, "32% of the shares will be divided into a lot of money every year." You are so young that you can't stop doing things. Can't you find Zhang Yong as a business partner in the future? "
Shi Yonghong said firmly, "Don't look."
Obviously, Shi Yongxin has not yet fully become a Buddha.
Going back to China, suffering is a blessing.
Now Shi Yonghong only attends the shareholders' meeting as a shareholder of Haidilao. However, if anything happens to Haidilao, as long as Haidilao needs it, Shi Yonghong will stick his hand into the duck's stomach as always.
This incredible equity transfer of Haidilao can only happen between Zhang Yong and Shi Yonghong. Psychology explains that the relationship between people is interactive. In a long-term relationship, people will unconsciously change according to the expectations of people who are more important to themselves; As a result, everyone gradually became what others imagined.
Throughout the relationship between Zhang Yong and Shi Yonghong, from the beginning, Zhang Yong was the main one, supplemented by Shi Yonghong; Therefore, Zhang Yong always has the final say in major events; Then Zhang Yong really became a leader. Zhang Yong thinks that Shi Yonghong is the executor, and Shi Yonghong is becoming the executor more and more. Finally, even the individual shares are decided by Zhang Yong.
When Haidilao was founded, the four shareholders each accounted for 25%, or Mr. and Mrs. Zhang Yong and Mr. and Mrs. Shi Yonghong each accounted for 50%, but in fact, the absolute controlling right has always been in Zhang Yongshou.
What is absolute control? It is the right to say nothing about the management of the company. From the establishment of Haidilao to the present, almost all major events were Zhang Yong's idea. More than ten years later, Zhang Yong, who was more and more confident and arrogant, said, "I was proved right afterwards!"
It can be seen that Haidilao is actually a company with major shareholders from the beginning. In addition to dividends, Shi Yonghong has always been a minority shareholder of the company's right to speak. Only this time, through the redistribution of shares, the status of Zhang Yong's major shareholder and Shi Yonghong's minor shareholder was legally determined.
After I had a private chat with Shi Yonghong, he couldn't wait to ask me, "Does Shi Yonghong hate me very much?"
I said, "Love and hate."
Shi Yonghong's hatred for Zhang Yong is reasonable, because Zhang Yong, the person he values most and the most important friend in his life, underestimated him.
I don't know if Zhang Yong can realize the real role of this good friend. In fact, it's like there is no Haidilao without Zhang Yong, and there is no Zhang Yong without Shi Yonghong! Times make heroes, and Shi Yonghong is one of the times in Zhang Yong. However, leaders are human beings after all, and once they become leaders, they will unconsciously exaggerate their greatness.
Zhang Yong's way of treating Shi Yonghong makes people think that killing donkeys is unforgivable! As a friend, Zhang Yong is obviously not kind; However, as the founder of the company, Zhang Yong is undoubtedly excellent. Because Haidilao wants to become a modern enterprise, it must solve the ceiling problem of family business. Otherwise, professional managers can't do much in Haidilao! Zhang Yong's two younger brothers also worked in Haidilao, but they were eventually fished out because they did not meet the standards of Zhang Yong.
When I communicated with other executives of Haidilao, I also asked them the same question: "Isn't it a pity that Brother Shi left?" The answer they gave me was like being brainwashed: "We like playing with Brother Shi and doing business with Zhang Yong. When going out to play, Zhang Yong's car is always empty, while Shi Ge's car is full. "
I asked, "Why?"
They said, "Brother Shi is very nice. He never loses his temper, but sometimes he has no idea. I'm nervous with Zhang Yong. He is very strict with people. Once something goes wrong, he will turn his face. He will be furious regardless of the occasion and will not be merciful to others! "
Really: "Kindness does not lead troops, kindness does not manage money." Sometimes faces can really tell the truth! Therefore, Zhang Yong's treatment of this "Bodhisattva" partner is unreasonable, but it is also reasonable. Loyalty, filial piety and righteousness cannot be balanced. Those who achieve great things will be ruthless.
Enter the equity allocation classification.
The industry has always compared real kung fu with Haidilao. The trajectory of the two companies from starting a business to success is the same, but the ending is completely different.
The two founders of Kungfu fought for the equity, and they did not hesitate to break their heads and were imprisoned. Haidilao benefited from Shi Yonghong's generosity, open-mindedness and forbearance, which not only ushered in the glory of the enterprise, but also made an enviable myth.