China's female entrepreneurs dare to try

Updated: 2011-12-15 17:28

By Song Jingli (chinadaily.com.cn)

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Editor's note: While a lot of young men or women are struggling to buy apartments or find their "the other half", often feeling unable to predict their future, there is a group of people that may give them the power to believe. They are China's women entrepreneurs. Some of them were among the Forbes' The 400 Richest Chinese in 2006, while others may just have excellent business experience. These women are not only powerful, but are also down-to-earth and approachable, giving you inspiration to become great.

A China Daily reporter attended the 2011 International Forum of Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs held in Beijing on Dec 3 and interviewed several Chinese women entrepreneurs, inviting them to share their experience on business starting-up, running, scaling up and to share attitudes towards marriage. The reporter also interviewed Zhu Rui, president of China Association of Women Entrepreneurs (CAWE), which held the forum and Huang Mei, director of Publicity Department of CAWE.

Questions concerning business start-up, running, scaling up, etc.

China's female entrepreneurs dare to try

Zhai Meiqing, president of Heung Kong Group. She and her husband Liu Zhiqiang ranked 65th on The 400 Richest Chinese complied by Forbes in 2006.  


China Daily: Why did you start-up your own company? What was the deciding factor?

Zhai Meiqing: We were all poor in those days and hoped to live a better life. I guess it was because I am eager to do well in everything.

----- Zhai Meiqing, president of Heung Kong Group

China Daily: You offer a scarf to every attendant as a gift.

Wu Kangmei: Yes. That is part of my promotion.

China Daily: Why did you choose to be the sales representative of Nice Connection in the Chinese mainland?

Wu Kangmei: I have a factory, which is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of NC. I handed over the factory to my son and I turned to retail. I do not know how to do it. I just have a try.

---- Wu Kangmei, Nice Connection's agent in the Chinese mainland

China Daily: Why did you plan to be an agent for NC in Chongqing, southwest China?

Wu Zhengqiong: I have been a white-collar worker for a long time. I was undecided for a long time as funds were not enough and the right location was hard to find. But I do love clothes. That's why I quit my original job.

---- Wu Zhengqiong, Nice Connection's agent in the Chinese mainland

China Daily: How did you become the chairman and general manager of the Baotou Hengzheng World Trade Foods Co Ltd?

Ni Yuzhen: I did not expect I could be there at the beginning. It was just that I was put at a certain place and I had to do it well.

 

China's female entrepreneurs dare to try

Wu Zhao'e, chairman of Hailong Crystal Crafts Co Ltd

China Daily: How many years have you worked? Have you ever thought of giving up?

Ni: I have worked for more than thirty years. You cannot give up because so many people are relying on you. You have to keep on. It is twice as hard for a woman to run a business than for a man.

---- Ni Yuzhen, chairman of Baotou Hengzheng World Trade Foods Co Ltd

China Daily: I heard that Chairman Mao's crystal coffin was chosen by you? Is that true?

Wu Zhao'e: Yes, it is true.

China Daily: I heard that you want to sell crystal products online? Is that true? How will you implement this plan?

Wu: Yes, I want to sell crystals online. I am serious. I will choose a good platform and I will hire some people to do this.

----- Wu Zhao'e, chairman of Hailong Crystal Crafts Co Ltd

China Daily: Your business card shows that you are chairman of the Peking Oak Wireless Sensor Network Technology Ltd. Can you tell me how old you are? When did you set up this company?

Zhang Chengcheng: I was born in 1985. I set up this company in May, 2010.

----- Zhang Chengcheng, chairman of the Peking Oak Wireless Sensor Network Technology Ltd

China's female entrepreneurs dare to try

Zhang Chengcheng,chairman of the Peking Oak Wireless Sensor Network Technology Ltd

Women entrepreneurs as a group

China Daily: Li Yizhong,former minister of industry and information technology, said on the forum that Chinese entrepreneurs should run business honestly. Do you think Chinese women entrepreneurs have some advantage in this respect?

China's female entrepreneurs dare to try

Zhu Rui, president of China Association of Women Entrepreneurs 

Zhu Rui: Yes, they do have advantage. Most women entrepreneurs grow up little by little and they cherish what they have gained. They are more likely and more willing to fulfill their social responsibilities.

---- Zhu Rui, president of China Association of Women Entrepreneurs

China Daily: The public are not too familiar with Chinese women entrepreneurs as a group. As you have contact with a lot of Chinese women entrepreneurs, what do you think led to their success?

Huang Mei: Continuous learning and perseverance. Let me take Zhai Meiqing as an example. She decided to study as an undergraduate when her company was already on the right track. She did get her bachelor's degree in China. She went on to get her master's degree overseas.

China Daily: Do Chinese women entrepreneurs have a happy marital life?

Huang Mei: They can be generally divided into two sub-groups. Some of them have an extremely happy marital life. They are happy at home and their children are also successful. But some women entrepreneurs get divorced.

---- Huang Mei, director of Publicity Department of the China Association of Women Entrepreneurs

Questions concerning Mr Right

China Daily: It's said that men do not like a strong woman in China. How do you deal with this?

Zhou Bing. It is easy for me. I am tough and strong outside and I am willing to be the weaker one at home and be taken care of by my husband.

China Daily: Is your husband comfortable with your successful career?

Zhou: He works for government organizations and his income is stable. But I run my own business. You know, there are good times and hard times. In hard times, I rely on him more and in good times, he can share my profits. It's simple.

----- Zhou Bing, owner of a jewelry store near the Badaling section of the Great Wall

China Daily: In your speech, you mentioned that you and your husband jointly set up a company in the early days of your career. How did you meet your husband? How could you tell he was "the one"?

Zhai Meiqing: I met him on the street. I just followed my intuition. It was simple at the time.

China Daily: What's the most important thing for a successful marriage?

Zhai: Tolerance.

----- Zhai Meiqing, president of Heung Kong Group

China Daily: You are successful in managing a company. How did you manage your marriage?

Chen Ying: I cannot do chores…

China Daily: Really? Does your husband tolerate this?

Chen: Yes, he does. I always tell him that I am the one that suits him most.

China Daily: How did you find your husband?

Chen: His father is my father's friend. We met and felt positive about each other.

China Daily: So, how did you manage your marriage?

Chen: I will tell my husband who the focus in our life is at the time. For example, I told him he was the focus of our life when he changed his job and needed more support. It does not necessarily turn out to be this way. But there is a difference between speaking out and withholding your ideas.

China Daily: If there was one word of advice that you could tell me and girls like me, what would you say?

Chen: You are a multi-row crystal, when viewed in different directions, you can show different colors.

---- Chen Ying, chairman of Anhui Worldbest Import & Export Co Ltd