Chapter 245: JD Girls

"Now onto other businesses, these last two weeks have been a success for the JD girls project," Pepper continued.

"The idea consists of 'hiring' girls from 16 to 30 years old to promote JD products. It won’t be a proper job, but more like being an ambassador. 

Unlike the Red Bull girls, our idea is not just to promote Monster, but for the promoter to also sell products," Pepper explained.

"From Livestrong bracelets (various kinds), Carly and Britney cosmetics products, keychains, buttons, pins and stickers."

The bracelets ended up being called Livestrong (we couldn’t come up with a better idea).

I nodded again, "At my school it already started, Cher and Regina made the connection with the other popular girls."

Yeah, we’re 'hiring' only the queen bees. It’s basically a mini influencer movement (before Facebook and Instagram).

"For the High School girls and minors, we have stricter rules," Pepper commented, "and the idea is for them to sell at school, nothing like door-to-door sales (they are not Avon resellers)."

"And no pyramid scheme crap or multi-level marketing" I added, "no girl needs to buy anything, we provide the product. If it doesn’t sell, they just return it."

Pepper nodded, "The commission is 50% of the revenue of what they sell, extremely generous. We keep the other 50%, or something like 20 to 30% after taxes and production costs (the margins on these products are gigantic)."

Someone from the sales team came up with this idea and brought it to Pepper (probably thinking of Avon and Mary Kay). 

But JD girls are totally different: there is no starter kit to buy, and not everyone can join. We choose who can. It will be desirable to be one for the status.

Especially because there will be prizes and perks for the best performers (such as the provision of a rental car, scholarships, trips, etc.).

"We already have 1000 girls, between High School and College, mostly in the main cities of the states. They are limited to just a few per school or college," Pepper reported, "and incredibly enough, the average revenue per girl is estimated this first month at $1800. Which means $900 on average for each girl." 

"Basically the current minimum wage, $892," I was a bit surprised, "much better than the part-timers. That’s just for selling during breaks."

Wow, now I see people envying the JD girls. Easy money for doing so little...

"Part of it is due to the explosion in sales of these bracelets, especially your white one, making it easier for the JD girls to sell," Pepper explained. "We’ve already sold over 5 million bracelets in these 2 weeks. Our profit was $2.5 million from that," Pepper said a little incredulous, holding up the white Marshmello bracelet.

Even though $2.5 million is nothing for us, it’s still incredible to think it came in two weeks from something that was treated as a giveaway.

"When will the perfumes launch, Pepper?" I asked.

Both Carly’s and Britney’s perfumes will take longer to launch; we advanced the launch of more basic products: lip gloss, lipsticks, nail polish, and a few others.

"June. And we are doing the final diligence. The packaging part is also very important, it will be of high quality and design."

"Great!" I said enthusiastically, "this will further increase the revenue, and the payment for the JD girls."

Pepper handed me another JD report. We have a subsidiary dedicated solely to purchasing cars, planes, and helicopters. This year, to expand our transportation means, we acquired:

Seven Cadillac Escalade ESV, with B4 armoring;

Four Hummer H1, one with B6 armoring;

Four Mercedes-Benz CL600;

Two Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph;

One Eurocopter EC155 and one Sikorsky S-76C+.Total investment: twenty-six million dollars in vehicles.

The cars fall under the SUV loophole, Section 179 Deduction, which allows a full deduction of the purchase cost for vehicles with a gross weight above six thousand pounds (God bless America).

Among these, two Hummer H1 and three Cadillac Escalade were assigned to my security team; the rest were designated for JD’s executive use (mostly Pepper, Harvey, Anthony, and a few others from the top management).

“So I already have basically the main vehicles: helicopter, jet, yacht, and cars,” I murmured to myself. "Maybe in the future I’ll buy a rocket."

Pepper just shook her head and said she was going to the salon.

---

Finally, the time came. I went to the room where most were already gathered.

Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, Pepper, Carly, Alan, Charlie, Evelyn, Judith, and Scarlett.

"Whoa, don’t we look like we just stepped out of a movie?" I joked. "Peps, Gramma, we could make our own Nostra famiglia."

"Stop joking around and let’s go," Pepper said, pulling everyone to head out.

I gave a light whistle when I saw Scarlett.

"Aren’t you lucky?" She smirked.

"I am," I fully agreed, already offering her my arm to link. I looked to the side, "and you look radiant too, Carly," I smiled.

"Thanks," she smiled back and followed us.

---

Arriving at the Oscars, on the red carpet, Joey was the most sought after for photos, followed by Scarlett.

Carly was still secondary in an event like this, and Pepper was better known in specific niches.

After some time, we ended up splitting into groups. My family and Pepper in one, Joey and his company in another, and Scarlett, Carly, and I in the third.

Regina and Cher teamed up, while Britney couldn’t stop taking pictures with Nathalie and several other actresses.

After a while, Cher commented, "Wow, you really are chill, Jake. I didn’t see you react to any actor or actress."

I shrugged, "Tom Cruise and Will Smith are excellent actors, but I don’t know if I’m that interested in meeting them.

And the beauties, like Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman or Halle Berry, what would I even say to them?"

I think most actors and actresses are better not to meet, so as not to be disappointed.

"There are Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger, they acted with Britney in Chicago," Regina noted, "they seemed nice when we talked."

I made a face that didn’t show much interest. Scarlett lightly pinched me

But then I spotted someone and almost had a fan reaction