From selling fruit on the streets to owning a glass factory!

Cao Dewang, born and raised in a poor family in rural China, is a true rags-to-riches story.

Cao started off peddling cut tobacco and selling fruit on the streets in his hometown at the age of 16. He also worked as a farmer and a chef before his luck turned in 1976 when he landed a job at Fuqing Gao Shan Special Glass Factory, where he was later promoted to merchandiser.

The factory soon fell into hard times, and in 1983, he was asked by the local authorities to take over the dying company.