Chapter 446
She maintained a firm grip on every detail. Last time, she failed due to a lack of experience. But now, with both experience and skill on her side, there was no reason for her to lose again.
Leveraging the connections of the Diamonde Group, Carmen quickly established her company and got operations underway. Once the first batch of shared e-bikes was launched, she initiated an extensive promotional campaign aimed at capturing a significant market share for the bikes.
Each electric bike had cost over 300 dollars to produce, and that hadn’t even included all the labor and management fees that followed. With costs that high, they couldn’t afford to lose a single bike, so every bike had been equipped with GPS tracking and a license plate.
None of this was in the Diamonde Group’s original project plan. Initially, they wanted to replicate the shared bike model and set a high deposit to cover any potential losses. But Carmen thought that just wasn’t realistic.
Those who could afford the deposit didn’t need shared bikes, while those who needed them couldn’t afford the deposit. Therefore, Carmen decided it was more effective to focus on reducing costs and improving management. The deposit would remain the same as for regular bikes, but the price for each ride on electric bikes would be slightly higher.
After a meeting to discuss her idea, Ernesto endorsed it wholeheartedly. The more he observed, the more he became convinced that investing in Carmen was the right choice. Not only did she launch the project in record time, but she also identified issues and proposed solutions—truly a rising star in his eyes.
“That means the average cost for each electric bike just went up,” Ernesto said. It would be challenging for the Diamonde Group to manage all those expenses independently.
However, Carmen didn’t seem worried at all. “Ernesto, remember, our true objective is to use this project as a gateway into the Wilson Group. As long as we deliver results and have the support of the Wilson Group, money will be the least of our concerns,” she said.
Ernesto laughed, realizing he’d been overthinking it. “Carmen, just go for it.”
With Ernesto’s approval, Carmen initiated the first ride in the shared e-bike program. Once they invested heavily in advertising, the results became apparent quickly. The deposit was identical to that of regular bikes. While the electric ones cost a few dollars per ride, they were significantly more convenient and easier to use. Unsurprisingly, most people began flocking to e-bikes.
Moreover, while regular shared bikes were limited to one rider, the shared e-bikes—designed for individual use—had enough room to accommodate a second rider comfortably if desired. This slight advantage significantly boosted the usage rates of e-bikes.
“Ms. Carmen, our user numbers are soaring! We’ve placed the first batch of e-bikes around the office buildings and college campuses in Rithol City, and we’re seeing thousands of new users signing up every single day,” one of her team members reported.
“If this continues, it won’t be long before we add ten thousand new users a day,” another person remarked.
Carmen had always disliked being referred to by her last name at work. Everything she had accomplished thus far was purely the result of her efforts, distinctly separate from the Wilson family. While she did carry the Wilson surname, like Aubree, she believed she could forge her path without depending on her family’s name.
Everyone in the company referred to her by name. “Please increase production for the second batch,” Carmen instructed. “Let’s use the data from the first round to determine where to deploy them, and also reach out to the manufacturers over in Südlichen Strand.”
Initially, their target markets were Südlichen Strand and Rithol City, but Carmen was careful not to take on too much at once. She preferred to play it safe by starting with Rithol City as the pilot project, and if it succeeded, she would replicate the entire approach in Südlichen Strand. By all accounts, Carmen achieved great success.
The shared e-bikes had rapidly gained ground, overtaking much of the territory that had once been dominated by regular bikes and pushing shared bicycles out of the market.
Aubree keenly observed the market shift, which came as a surprise to her. “Whoever devised this project is no amateur,” she remarked. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t ideal.