Chapter 29 Section 1 My Entrepreneurial History
Twenty years ago, when I was still in school, I heard a lecture at Shenzhen University.At that time, it was Wan Runnan, the president of Stone Group. Wan Runnan made a political mistake. Of course, I don't welcome politics, and I don't understand politics, so we don't talk about politics.When he gave a report on the above, he talked about the process of Stone's entrepreneurship.I was listening below, and I felt very excited, because I was a student at the time, and my idea at the time was that after I graduated, I would go back to the Anhui Provincial Bureau of Statistics, and then continue to become an official, that is, being an official way to go.
After listening to his report, it still has a great impact on me.I feel that the market economy will be the mainstream in the future—everyone knows it now, but at that time it was generally believed that China was still a planned economy country, and it will be in the long run in the future.After listening to that report, I started to have such thoughts. After graduation—not far from my graduation at that time, I began to think about going to sea.
When I graduated, I made up my mind and decided to go to sea.I think this (decision) is still related to the influence of the whole environment (received) during my time at Shenzhen University.Shenzhen University is still at the forefront of all universities in the country in terms of reform and opening up.When I was in school, I clearly felt that Shenzhen University's shortcomings lie in academics, but it is very advanced in terms of thinking.In terms of ideology, Shenzhen University may be far ahead in the country.
As for me changing from a step-by-step life plan to graduating from Shenzhen University, this must be related to the influence of Shenzhen University.
When I was about to graduate, I was thinking, I want to start a business, what I want to do, the idea is already in preparation, I will write software.
The market situation at that time was like this. At that time, Stone was the largest private enterprise in China. The typewriters it launched at that time sold very well.Many people may have seen the four-way typewriter. It removes the screen of the computer, and it is actually a miniature computer, integrating the printer into one.At that time, one (four-way typewriter) sold for more than 20,000 yuan, and it was also very popular in the market.
At that time, I was thinking about what I was going to do. Since the demand for typewriters is so great, and many units already have computers, it is actually a waste to buy another typewriter. to the role of a typewriter.Just such a winxp software (desktop software).I investigated the market myself, and found that (the market) was quite big, so I (decided) to develop it by myself.After I returned to Anhui after graduation, I didn't go to work, so I quit my job and wrote software at home.It was August 1989 when the software was almost compiled. I came to Shenzhen and contracted the computer department of a company.
At that time, I was a poor student, so I borrowed 4,000 yuan from my parents, which was all my assets.I came here by plane and spent 200 yuan, which was less than 4,000 yuan.With this little money, it was impossible for me to register a company myself. Of course, I didn't know how to register a company at that time.Later, I contracted a computer department. I was introduced to me by the professor who brought me to Shenzhen University at that time, and then I started to make my software.This software (at that time) was basically developed, but in fact it was not fully developed, so it was developed and marketed at the same time.There are products and market demands. Although I only have 4,000 yuan, I want to be in the national market as soon as I come up.
Doing the national market requires advertising, and advertising requires money.So I went to Beijing and found the "Computer World" newspaper. "Computer World" was the most authoritative newspaper in the computer field at that time, and it also had the largest circulation.I asked them for help, I said I have a very good product, I don't have money to advertise now, can you let me advertise first and then pay.At first (they) were unwilling, (they said) you don't even have a formal company.So I grinded there, and finally agreed.In fact, it is not expensive now, but it was quite expensive at the time. A page advertisement was about 8,000 yuan.I advertised for 3 issues, and after I finished, I promised them that I would pay within one month at the latest.After signing the contract, I gave him the advertisement draft.
I wrote the advertisement script by myself, because I developed the product and researched the market, so I feel that I understand consumers very well.At that time, I didn't have any advertising experience at all. I tore up a manuscript after I wrote it, and tore it up after I wrote a manuscript. In fact, it was only 1/3 of the manuscript paper in the end. (But) I wrote this manuscript for 16 days, and I changed it on the day I wrote it. After 16 days of modification, I did nothing during those 16 days.I think this has something to do with my 16 days. I wrote it in those 16 days. I wrote this manuscript really (good). A few years ago, I found this advertisement by accident and found that it could really impress consumers.Then Wang Ai handed over (the manuscript) to the "Computer World" newspaper office, and we returned to Shenzhen.After returning to Shenzhen, the ad was almost typed out. After the typed out, I (started to) keep calling, some wanted to order, and some wanted to see the product.
I have a hard time looking at the product, because I am a piece of software. How can someone show me a floppy disk if they want to see it? I don’t have a computer.So I found another company that specializes in reselling computers. I talked to him and asked if he could sell me a computer. I delayed payment for half a month.Because they don’t know each other, the other party will definitely ignore them, and then I will (show them) my software——I took the software to (their) company.On the company's computer, I said you have a look, you first evaluate whether my product has a future, and the other party sees it—because they are all engaged in computers—knows that this has a future, so they say yes, I will lend it to you. you. (So) I took the computer back without paying.The second day after the computer was brought back, customers began to come.When the customer comes, I will show him a show. After seeing the product, the customer places an order.
A few days later, that is, in August, it seems that on August 16th, I started to have income.On the first day, I sold one for 8,820 yuan, and two for 3,500 yuan, totaling more than 10,000 yuan.Of course, when we engage in software, we can now say (boldly) that Bill Gates' software is profitable, and so is mine.This is the case with software. Its cost is the cost of your development in the early stage. When it is actually sold, for example, a set of 3,500 yuan for me, the direct cost is the cost of the floppy disk, which is more than 100 yuan.Then once the head is opened, the back will go smoothly, and then it will rise by 10,000 to 10,000 to 10,000 to 20,000.Soon, I paid for the advertising fee of the computer newspaper and the money to buy the computer.Then I bought a new computer, because that's when I started getting rich.Then after two months, we calculated that we had earned more than 1 million.
At this time, there were 4 people in our company. When we first started our business, there were only two of us. One was me, and the other was Mr. Cai, who was also from Shenzhen University and had just graduated that year.At this time, there are 4 people, and at this time, disagreements occurred within our company.
Our company now has more than 1 million people, what should we do next.I advocated—I was quite courageous at the time—that the more than 1 million yuan should not be used at all, and all of it should be spent on advertisements.
Because the market was expanding at that time, if it was placed in the advertisement, and more than 1 million advertisements were placed, I believe the sales would grow very fast.At that time, two people disagreed, saying that we should divide the money after earning more than 1 million.Because we were all poor students at that time, after suddenly (earning) more than 1 million yuan, our mentality would indeed be (shocked), and the psychological impact on everyone was still great.Never (we) see 100 yuan (opportunities) are not many, suddenly more than 1 million came, which caused us internal differences.
Later, those two left. When they left, they took my computer with them and gave me a little money.So later, I felt that private enterprises must not disperse their equity in the early stage of entrepreneurship.I didn't clarify the equity at that time, because we were not a company at that time.After reaching a certain scale, the equity can be dispersed, especially after the listing, the equity should be dispersed even more.However, China's national characteristics determine that in the early days, in the early days of entrepreneurship, it is not possible to be like five buddies, each with 1/5 of the shares-this kind of company will have accidents nine times out of ten.There will be internal struggles. As long as the situation improves, everyone will be fine when the company is small and not making money. Once it makes money, it will easily split inside.
After the two of them left, our company continued to develop.Later, we really invested the 1 million in the "Computer World" newspaper. After investing in the "Computer World" newspaper, it is true that our sales reached millions in just one month.So we pulled up our scale all at once.
By 1990, we already had tens of millions of assets, and our development was going smoothly at that time, but in 1990, we faced another crisis.
At that time, another similar product of ours emerged, called Jinshan Hanka. The Jinshan that is listed in Hong Kong now is the company in Zhuhai. This company has made Jinshan Hanka.This competitor has risen, and we have always compared their products to ours, because their software is better than ours, so we are facing a crisis at this time, and we must make better products than them.
At that time, there were about 20 or 30 people in the company. After I arranged the work, I left - we were on the side of Shennan Avenue at that time.
Later, after the arrangements were made, I said, I'm going to engage in real estate development, and if the outside world can't find me, I will go back to Shenzhen University.
No one could find me at Shenzhen University, so I rented a student apartment and stayed there for half a year.I haven't really gone out much in the past six months. Of course, I have to go to the student cafeteria to eat during meal times. I usually don't go to the city at other times.Because I am the only R&D personnel in our company, so I can only work here.
I closed it for half a year, and then pulled a few boxes of instant noodles. The conditions were good at that time, and the instant noodles were all very good instant noodles.I also bought a refrigerator and started research and development behind closed doors.
Later, it was developed after half a year.
After research and development, it was put on the market, and the effect of putting it on the market—because this product was indeed better than that of Jinshan at that time, and there was another breakthrough in marketing, so the sales continued to rise to a higher level.There must be a breakthrough in marketing. After I came out of retreat, I thought so myself.I was about to develop M-6403 at that time, which was our third-generation product. This product had a relatively long name, called "M-6403 Giant Hanka".At that time, Giant had a trademark, but our company hadn't (registered), and there was a lot of text below.Later I thought the ad was too old-fashioned and clichéd to be noticed by others.In addition, when the trademark "giant" was used for the first time, others did not know what was going on with the giant.
So later I kept simplifying the product name. It was originally called "M-6403 Desktop Printing System Giant Han Card", which was very long, so I changed it to "M-6403 Giant Han Card".Later, I felt that there were still too many words in the advertisement, so I simplified it to the end and changed it to the word "giant", and I didn't even want the Chinese card.
These two words, I wrapped two full pages in "Computer World", and what is connected together is that the two full pages of the newspaper are opened and put together.One version writes "giant", and the other version writes "person".
Because in that era, there were still no such advertisements.When others saw it, it looked like a big-character poster of the "Cultural Revolution".As a result, the industry noticed that there was a giant. What happened to the giant? Because the name "giant" had never appeared before. I introduced my product after a few months of fighting like this. Hanka came out.So I think that although this advertisement is printed with two full pages together, it is very expensive, but the input and output value is the highest, which is better than my half a year's effect of printing one page after another, and it was noticed by the industry all at once.Therefore, the success of this product and marketing has (made) our sales increase.Our sales will soon reach hundreds of millions a year, and we can do it with this product.
We now have more than 100 people and assets worth hundreds of millions.
At this time, we wanted to register a company. At that time, we did not have a company, and we were still in the computer department of someone else, which was the computer department of a trading company.We went to the Shenzhen Industrial and Commercial Bureau to register, and all our materials were handed over to him. After half a year, I still couldn't register.
At this time, the Science and Technology Commission of Zhuhai got the news somehow, and found me and said that you come to our Zhuhai to register.
This is as simple as that. Once we had a company, our entire company moved to Zhuhai. In fact, we didn’t know much about Zhuhai. Once we arrived in Zhuhai, (I felt) Zhuhai really looked like a fisherman’s village. There was only one traffic light in a city.But to be able to register the company, we still passed.Later, it developed in Zhuhai, and it was relatively smooth.
In terms of software, in addition to winxp software, we have also made other software, such as poss, computer business; we have also made accounting software, educational software, etc., and we have also made computers, including handwriting computers.Arriving in Zhuhai is equivalent to stepping up to a higher level.At that time, the Zhuhai government was also very supportive of us. Seeing that we were developing very well, they gave me a big science and technology award at that time. As a high-tech flaunt.
Perhaps because of these, the company has also developed very smoothly, and its popularity seems to be quite high, so at this time the crisis began to bury itself.
At this time, I thought that I could do anything, because from the time I started my business in 1989 to the time I went to Zhuhai, in the past few years, I have developed everything I want to develop, and I want to sell products. If everything is sold, there is no failure, and I deeply believe that I can do whatever I want.So in this environment, we started to take the road of diversification, which is a road of no return.
An enterprise must form your core competitiveness in this industry. If you engage in diversification, you will not be able to form your core competitiveness.So we only do it in this industry, and I believe we will do well in this industry.At that time, we crossed many industries at once, and I can't remember how many industries.
There are a few that I have a deep impression on, health care products, and brain gold was made at that time.The first time we made health care products, we really succeeded in making brain gold. After the giant crisis broke out, we calculated that brain gold created a profit of 300 million for us in two years.
After the success of brain gold, we became even more inflated. We made 12 health products at once, and then made more than a dozen medicines.The variety of computer software has also further increased, and a lot of hardware has also been made.In addition, I also made clothing and cosmetics, anyway, there are too many.At that time, they also bought many pharmaceutical factories, especially real estate, and built giant buildings.Our little money is not enough to make such a fuss.Because of diversification, every industry is not doing well, and in the end, without exception (failure), only Brain Gold is successful, and almost all others fail.The main reason for the failure is that there was no in-depth industry research, and the core competitiveness could not be formed. Many of them were shot out of their heads.
Let me give you an example. At that time we were making clothing, and we also made a lot of clothing, including ties.When the giant crisis broke out, we checked the warehouse and found that there were enough giant ties in our warehouse for four years.
Later, we found that we couldn't sell them, so we sold them all for ourselves.So in those years I still wore suits, and all I wore were Giant ties. Everyone in our company gave out a lot of ties, including Giant shirts. If they couldn’t be sold, they were worn for themselves.
Because of diversification, the funds are dispersed in various fields, and ultimately fail.It failed. Anyway, 99% of the problems are our own. Of course, there are also reasons for the external environment. At that time, China entered into macro-control, and the consumption power became weaker. Therefore, under this situation, we collapsed faster.The cash flow has started to go wrong. The company's assets are still positive, and there are still many, but there is no cash.So at this time our crisis (began to emerge).The outside world thinks that we are still doing well, but in fact at this time, the company is empty and empty.
At that time, we also used various methods, such as pushing new products to rescue.One of the plans at that time, a plan to save the giants, was called the "Three Great Battles" - we named it the "Three Great Battles" or the "Ten Billion Plan".That is, we have launched more than 30 products, and we will push them together to make all the products successful and achieve 10 billion sales, so as to seek development and solve some problems at that time through development.
But looking back now, the "10 billion plan" was a "Great Leap Forward" plan, which completely violated the basic laws of the market.At that time, we were engaged in software, medicine, and health care products, adding up to more than 30 products. We put more than 30 products together, and then advertised them all together.At the beginning, we mainly engaged in newspaper advertisements, and our efforts were very strong. We hit 50 million nationwide in the first week.The first week was for laying the groundwork. We made a total of more than 60 versions, all of which were cross-version advertisements. The first week was for image advertisements, and then for product advertisements.
Later, when we were running an image advertisement, we were stopped by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, and we were not allowed to do so.All the money wasted afterwards.At that time, we were not allowed to play because we had too many advertisements, and there was a problem with one advertisement.So our advertisements stopped, so we were caught blind. My previous 50 million advertisements were finished, and the subsequent product advertisements could not be released, which accelerated the outbreak of our crisis.So we're out of cash, but still have to grit our teeth and build the giant mansion.
In 1996, when the Giant Building was almost completed, we went to Hong Kong to sell properties.At that time, the macro-control was already very deep, and it was impossible to sell properties in Hong Kong.When we originally planned to go to Hong Kong to sell uncompleted properties, as long as there were buildings in Hong Kong, no matter what they were, we would frantically line up to buy them, and we would line up the night before.At that time, we couldn’t do it. The few real estates we sold in front of us couldn’t be sold, and even a single unit couldn’t be sold.When it comes time for us to sell it, we will be tested at this time, how can we use our brains to sell it well.Then I came up with an ad, the ad was to play the British national anthem first, and then the highest-grade building in Hong Kong rose slowly. It was 5 seconds, and the Japanese sun flag was played in 5 seconds, and the Japanese national anthem was played, and then the tallest building in Japan Then there is the Stars and Stripes, the Empire State Building slowly rises; then the national anthem of the People's Republic of China, the national flag, the Giants Building slowly rises.
The cost of doing this advertisement is very low, because I don't even have an actor.In fact, I took a few pictures to spell it out, and broadcast it in Hong Kong, indeed (the effect is very good).Hong Kong has not seen such advertisements since the reform and opening up. Many property buyers told me that they were cleaning up the house and cooking. Why are the national anthems of several countries playing outside? Something big happened.When I came out, it turned out to be an advertisement for the Giant Building.After this advertisement came out, it really sold well, almost 180 million.We invested all the money from selling (unplanned flats) into Giant Building.250 million was invested in the decoration of the Giant Building, and after the audit, the statistics came out, and the 250 million for the decoration was just buried in it.
At this time, our company was in financial crisis.As we mentioned earlier, we began to review what problems we have, that is, what problems do we have in management, what problems exist in corporate culture, and what problems exist in products, and then we start various researches.While researching, the crisis of giants broke out.Just in January 1997, "Shenzhen Investment Morning Post" reported that the background of this report was actually very simple, that is, a group of off-plan buyers saw that our Giant Building was postponed, and wanted to force us to ask for money, so they found People who invested in Zaobao wrote some (such as) "Giant Building is on the verge of bankruptcy", basically writing from this perspective.
Our company was indeed very weak at that time. When this was reported, I was really stunned for a while after seeing it. I immediately thought that the consequences would be very serious.Don't look at it as just an ordinary report.I am not afraid of whoever scolds us now, and I am not afraid of anyone who writes a negative report on me, because people are not afraid when they are strong.When I was weak, I was actually very scared, and I immediately thought of a consequence.At the operating level of our company (faced with difficulties), we were in one of the rings of the triangular debt.We still owe other (money from the company), such as material payment, we still owe more than 100 million. (And) our downstream distributors still owe us more than 300 million in payment.After this outbreak, the more than 100 million people will definitely come to press for debts; and the more than 300 million people will see that we are "bankrupt", (feeling) that they don't have to pay back if they don't have enough money, and they simply don't contact the company.We can no longer operate.
I was aware of this problem at that time, so I took many measures, but it didn't work at all.It is true that the situation I just mentioned happened. The dealer who owed us money (just thought), after a few months, there will be no one in your company, so he will not come to me.Those creditors, especially there are more than 200 million off-plan loans, more than 180 million in Hong Kong, and tens of millions in the Mainland.These people have all come to the company. When we started the first batch, we still had some money, so we exchanged it. Later, more and more came, and finally a few of them were there to cause trouble.One day it was Saturday, I felt like there was no one there, I went out to drink, depressed, when I came back, a group of people who bought off-the-plan flats stopped me, asking when you will pay back the money you owe, and I said that I will definitely pay the money owed to the common people Will return, I hope you give me some time.Later, the media reported this. At that time, I didn't know that the media reporters were hiding behind.Now the company came to a standstill (situation) all of a sudden, and couldn't continue to operate.A company suddenly went into shock, there was no cash in the account, and it was impossible to pay wages.
At that time, the company issued mobile phones, unlike now when individuals buy them. I asked the department heads and managers to take back all the mobile phones, including the vice president's.Why take it back? (Because) the phone bill of the mobile phone cannot be paid.So they can only use the BP machine, that is, the pager.The only working phone in the entire company is mine.At that time, only my mobile phone was still available in the whole group, so we tried to save it. (But) almost half a year later, it still hasn't been revived.
The most direct method at that time was that the Giant Building had already spent 250 million yuan, and the government also gave a lot of discounts, that is, the land price.If it is to be sold, it is estimated that it is more than the money given by the government, and the government has interests in it.I found a lot of developers to build it (the giant building), and I can use this building to pay off the debt.The government has also done a lot of work, found many real estate companies, and promised real estate companies many conditions, even some (very harsh), the government has done a very good job, and we are very grateful.Although (in the end) it wasn't implemented.The government said, take the money and build the building, and I will allocate a piece of land in a nearby prime location and give it to you. Although due to many reasons, they did not make it.In the end, this matter became dirty, and it was left there. As soon as this matter was left there, I was suddenly relieved.
why?Because I always wanted to save the giant and pay off all the debts, but suddenly I found that there was no hope for me to pay back the money.There will be a new plan, at least a few years away, and we will see no hope this month or next month.Repaying debts through the Giant Building can no longer be solved, and we can only make products. (But) making a product is not easy, it takes time, so, somehow, I relaxed all of a sudden.Some time ago, I was suffering. At that time, when I relaxed, I suddenly became happy and gained ten catties.At this time, I seldom go out, so I was thinking about how to take the next step. Later, after discussing with our team, we decided to try again by starting Melatonin. The money earned from Melatonin To save the Zhuhai Giant Group, so such a strategy was formulated.
As soon as you go out in Zhuhai, people will ask you for debts along the way, and you can't do anything.I left two vice presidents in Zhuhai, who were responsible for related work, and brought the core team to Jiangsu.But we had no place to stay in Jiangsu, and there was no company there, so I first lived in a guest house in Wuxi.Then I went to the market every day to do market research, so I joked in front of them that my office is my suitcase, which is the poorest office in China, because I also felt that I was the poorest in China at the time. No matter how poor you are, at most you have no money or owe some money.I also owed a whole body of debts. Counting this, my personal assets are negative 250 million yuan, and I may indeed be the first poor.Then I started to live a wandering life again. It was very difficult at that time, but people were very fulfilling, because we had no money.
At that time, our company still had many assets, such as Mercedes-Benz.I still have a Benz, a Benz 500, but that doesn't work, I can't pay for gas, so let the Benz lie there, I don't even have money for gas.
At that time, I just took the bus, and sometimes I would take a taxi. Later, I bought a van worth tens of thousands of dollars.When the market research is almost completed, we will determine the marketing plan, and then start (our strategy).I borrowed 500,000 yuan from a friend and started doing melatonin. The 500,000 yuan was a huge sum of money for us at the time, because we had no money and our employees hadn’t been paid for half a year.Although no salary was paid, more than 100 cadres of my core team followed me there. After taking 500,000 yuan, I took 150,000 yuan to produce products, took 50,000 yuan to pay wages, and finally kept 150,000 yuan Make preparations, so you will officially start doing melatonin.
The advertising fee of 150,000 yuan is only enough for one county, so we made Jiangyin, a county-level city.We invested the money earned in Jiangyin into Wuxi City. After the investment in Wuxi, we made 450,000 yuan in the second month; and then invested the money (earned) from one county and one city in Nanjing, Changzhou and Suzhou. , We made 1 million yuan in one month of investment, and we had a net profit of more than 400,000 yuan; then we used this money to go to Shanghai and start Shanghai and some cities in Zhejiang.Anyway, it just rolled like this, and it took a year and six months.If I were to do it now, it might only take me an hour to do it, but we didn’t have much money at the time, so we had to use the money earned from the last city to build the next city, which took a long time, so we spent a year and zero It took six months to launch the national market. At that time, when it came to the national market, (actually) two markets had not been launched, and all the others had been launched.
There are two markets, one is Beijing, there are too many officials in Beijing, I am afraid that it will cause trouble for me; the second is Guangdong, because Guangdong is a sad place, except for these two places, all other places in the country have been activated.
At this time, our monthly sales revenue was more than 100 million yuan, and our monthly net profit was 45 million yuan. In 1999, we began to pay off our debts quietly, and the outside world actually did not know it.The media said that I evaporated, but actually wherever I evaporated, I didn’t show up, the media couldn’t find me, and I wore sunglasses everywhere.At that time, I also wore sunglasses when I went out, and I often went to the store and ran around the country.At that time, there were very few contacts with me.At that time, when it was good, I had many friends. When it was bad, my friends avoided me for fear that I would borrow money, so there were not many friends at that time. They were all inside the company, and there were no friends outside.I also don't like to go out too (often) so the outside world thinks I've evaporated.
In fact, doing these things quietly at that time, we felt very practical and fulfilling.After starting to make money, the real estate of the Giant Building was divided into two parts, most of which were in Hong Kong, and the rest were in the Mainland. Only more than 100 units were sold in Hong Kong, that is, more than 100 owners, but the amount was large, about 180 million.Later, we went to repay the money from Hong Kong first, because Hong Kong can repay the money in a confidential state, and the outside world will not know, so we returned all the money from Hong Kong.I personally borrowed money from the Melatonin Company to repay the off-plan property in Zhuhai.In 2001, the inland ones were returned, and the outside world knew about the inland ones, so there was a lot of quarrel at that time.At this time, I felt at ease. Many people also asked me, why did you pay back the money? From a legal point of view, you can not pay it back. Why?Because that's when I started getting rich.At that time, we had already saved more than 200 million yuan in our account, so it is better to pay back this money, and buy it for peace of mind.Especially in the future we still have a long way to go, if you owe this amount of money, you will be disgraceful in everything you do in the future, and you will be ashamed wherever you go, so I later paid off all this debt.
One, this matter is not as noble as the outside world says. What about social responsibility? In fact, I really don’t think so much. I just think that you should pay back the money you owe; it’s not as despicable as the outside world says. There is no conspiracy, and there is no conspiracy.
I think it is a very natural thing for me. After the repayment, my personal mentality became very relaxed, because at this time the mentality of my team, including myself, changed a lot.
At this time, we set a discipline for ourselves, that is, don't do things beyond our ability, and don't do things that we are not sure about.At that time we had a slogan, which was actually ultra-left—"I would rather miss a hundred opportunities than make a single mistake".
Because we don't have any other investment, the cash in the account accumulates more and more, and when it accumulates more, people start to be impulsive again.If you are impulsive, you must restrain yourself.At that time, many projects came to us every day to ask us to invest. Now it is right to see that most of the projects did not invest in it. Of course, there are also good projects among them.
Let me give you an example. There were two good projects that were not voted for at the time. Looking at it now, it might have been correct to vote for it at that time.But under the premise of "it's better to miss a hundred opportunities than invest in one project", I think it's okay.
One project was Sina. At that time, Sina’s stock was a few cents a share, less than 1 yuan, 80 cents a share.Then Yang Lan and Wu Zheng wanted to sell their stocks.Sell me about 1 yuan a share.In fact, I was persuaded at the time, and I submitted this to our internal decision-making committee, but it was rejected by all votes.If this investment takes one year, there will be a profit of two or three billion.
There is another project, if it is voted for, it may be right.This is to spend 1 billion to buy shares in state-owned Chery Automobile.At that time, I was also persuaded, and I also submitted it to the management committee, and (the result) was also unanimously rejected.There were only these two (those who could vote at the time), and there were more than a dozen more. Fortunately, we didn't vote for those dozen or so, and it was over after we voted.
In this state, I feel better about myself. I don't pursue high speed, I only pursue to move forward step by step.First of all, I have a control over my debt ratio. For example, when I had an accident with the Zhuhai Giants, the debt ratio was as high as 80%.Later, I made a rule with myself: 5% of the debt is a green light, which is safe, 10% of the debt will be a yellow light, and 15% of the debt will be a red light, so you can’t touch it.Like this, our company will not have problems due to debt.Looking back, in the past ten years, the bosses of well-known private enterprises in China have been imprisoned. On the surface, they have been imprisoned for various reasons. In fact, they have a common problem, which is caused by the high debt ratio.If the debt ratio is too high, there will inevitably be problems in the capital chain.If there is a problem with the capital chain, many illegal things will be done.Private enterprises have always done this way. If no one checks you, you will be fine, but if you check you, you will have problems.
For example, let me give you an example of withdrawal of registered capital.Which private enterprise did not do it in the early days?I registered several companies, and I sent money from company A to company B. As for what you think is normal, in fact, this is illegal and you will be jailed.I think there are almost no private companies that have never done this, and I did it in the early days.But in the second case, I have never done melatonin before.Since I don't have financial pressure, I don't do it.If your capital chain is tight, you must do this thing. If you do it, if you want to catch you (the words), you will be caught.This is the first category.The second (yes) is that when you go to the bank to get a loan, you have to provide the bank with financial transactions. Once your capital chain is tight, your statement will often be modified, and that modification can cure you of your crime: financial fraud.If you use false financial statements and false financial statements to get a loan from the bank, this constitutes financial fraud and you will also be imprisoned.
You can see how many private enterprise bosses have been imprisoned in the past 10 years, all of them are Mou Zhong, Yang Bin, etc. who are known as the richest man in China. If you want to count, there are dozens of famous ones.其实他们都有个共同特点，都是资金链绷得太紧，所以我看到这点之后，我们就不走高负债这条路，就走低负债率。这样的话我们公司是安全的。
不久前，我和企业界的一些朋友回顾过去10年，最后发现我的追求速度是最慢的，实际上和他们比较，我们的成长发展是最快的。这个说明一个什么道理呢？你在高速公路上开快车，你开150迈和80迈哪个先到目的地？有可能开80迈的先到目的地。因为开150迈的你入行要出几次车祸，出了车祸你浪费的时间比80迈到150迈这一段省的时间要多。在这种心态下，相对来说，我们公司自我感觉比较健康。所以我说你再找媒体骂我，你再说我怎么，我不怕你，我在虚弱的时候就特别怕。
到目前为止，我们总共就做了两个保健品，中国前三名保健品中，目前第一名是脑白金，第二名是黄金搭档。这两个产品边框产品少，但是我们这个行业里边，大概我们相当于现在的第二名第三名第四名五名加起来的总和。
脑白金这个产品做了11年，现在每年（都在增长），去年比前年上升了24%，今年上半年比去年上半年上升26%，它还在上升当中。这个一方面是产品有效，不是说做广告，因为没效的产品最多只能卖3年。有效的（产品作为）基础，然后营销团队配合，这样才能做得持久。人家阿司匹林能卖100多年，现在还在卖，是因为它有效果。
还债是我四年来做的第一件事，（下面说我）做的第二件事。（随着）我们的诱惑越来越多，我们管理团队就商量说，不能把这个账签了，所以把资金就放在那儿了，这样一来我们的头脑就会发热，说不定哪天就投资错了，干脆把它花点。
花在干什么呢？买一个资产，流通性强，不要做暴利的，能有稳定收益的，没有风险的一个资产。然后我们就决定买了上市或即将上市的银行股份。
银行股份流通性很强，想卖就卖；第二个就是收益，我们当时得出一个结论：未来15年中国的银行业是充分稳定地发展。现在我是民生银行的董事，像去年民生银行比前年上升了70%，管理层被董事会骂得一塌糊涂，才增加70%，人家都是增加100%还多。所以今年，上个礼拜的工作季报说比去年增长了百分之一百一十几。这个我觉得还可以，这个银行业是一个快速发展的（行业），然后银行又安全。
上市的银行谁在管呢？银监会在管着他，证监会在管着他，报社的报纸在管着他，股民在管着他。这管着他的头很多，国务院还管着他。凭什么管着他？因为一出问题，几百万储户上街，对国家政权都有影响。所以他真要出问题，真的要破产，国家不让你破产，财政上会拨钱来拯救你，所以这个是最安全的。所以，我们把账上的现金全砸进去了，砸了差不多7亿。买了之后再也不看了，股价也不看了，但是到去年突然一算，发现还挺值钱的，值150亿了，现在好像只有六七个亿了。其实我们也不怎么卖的，所以它高点低点跟我们也没啥关系，就准备长期持有。这是我们做的第二件事，避免我们犯错误。
第三件事就是做了网络游戏。其实（做）网络游戏是很偶然的。因为我在2002年开始，我自我感觉脑白金那个队伍很强。100多个干部，在市场上真是如狼似虎的一个团队，非常强。
有几年大年三十我检查，大年三十的时候我们的干部几乎毫不例外在上岗搞促销，而我们分股做的有11000人。这个团队好，然后我就觉得好像我就可以退了。2002年我就从管理一线退了，董事长、总经理也都不是我，各个副总和总经理他们配合得也非常好。退下去之后，我就没事干了。
我以前就爱玩游戏，玩单机游戏。因为我搞软件开发的，我就喜欢玩游戏。后来越玩越沉迷了，上班时间我本来是到公司去的，上班也在那玩游戏，有时候其他副总一来了就把屏幕关掉，觉得不好意思。人家在那儿辛苦上班，你在这儿玩游戏。后来我想怎么让我上班的时间名正言顺地玩游戏。我干脆投资网络游戏。正好有一个团队，刚从盛大离开，正在找投资。这个团队搞了一个策划方案，说杭州有个人专门投500万开发一款游戏。因为我认识那个人，那个人是陈天桥介绍我认识的，然后他要离开上海去杭州了，我说你开发一个好游戏是多少，他说500万够了。我说开发一款非常好的最好的游戏是多少，他说1500万够了。我说我给你投2000万吧。最后他考虑了一下说行，我同意了。后来我将2000万的投资方案提交到管理委员会上，我本来想这个东西看不见摸不着，估计肯定要被枪毙掉，后来竟然全票通过了。后来成功的时候，我就问当初我奇怪你们平时审查那么严格，凭什么全票通过？他们说看你挺可怜，天天没事做，给你个事做。
投资完了之后我没买这个公司，因为这个公司有个团队了。我是满了一年才去的，开业的时候去的，我一问（才知道）2000万已经花完了，还欠了外债300万，产品还没研发出来。然后我就了解了情况，发现管理层上有个分层，这时候管理团队就呼吁说希望我来管理一下。
如果是好的话我不去，一看这个公司负300万了，我就去管理。调研了一个礼拜之后，我说行，我来管这个公司。这个公司办起来还要再弄2000万，然后我个人出钱，2000万里面1500万算我个人的，500万是管理层的。
后来我就说剩下的你们管理层谁认，认完了我来认。后来我的1500万到位了，管理层没人愿意认，我就摊派，不情愿也要把剩下的500万认完，这样不就有钱了。之后我亲自在抓这家公司，然后2000万到位之后，还了300万债务，大概又花了700~800万，他就开始盈利了，就是产品出来了。
出来之后才发现网游真的赚钱，这个增长速度确实是呼呼地增长。我们产品投放市场之后，在线人数和收入应该是爆发性成长，现在我们每个月活跃玩家是990万人，同时在线少的时候是70多万，多的时候是200万，收入上一年有45亿的税后利润。
靠着这款产品，我们就把它上市了，也就是去年夏天的时候。后来业绩也不错，我们公司有个规范，因为我管这个公司的时候，一上来首先要这个公司搞规范。所以一来审计也很简单，我们财务都很规范，公司规定了：第一，不准偷税漏税；第二，不准欠税。
因为很规范，所以正式启动上市到美国挂牌只用了三个月时间。2007年就在美国纽交所把它上市了。
刚上市的时候时机是最好的，现在我们跌破行情价了，真是不好意思。但当时的美国股市是很牛的，那个时候就值那么多钱，因为美国是大牛市，要是中国股点也跌了一半，拦腰砍了一半，我们还没拦腰砍了一半，我们只跌了1/3。上市之后，我们募集了10.45亿美元，当然有部分是我个人的公司卖的老股，上市公司募集了8亿多美金回来。然后再加上每个月还有1亿的利润，所以这个公司账上的现金很多，我们花了之后还有6亿多现金。这个一上市之后，我们这个团队就共同致富了，当时我逼着他们买这个股份的时候，他们很不情愿，而当时1块钱人民币到我们上市的时候已经折合成700多块钱了。所以当时有人花了50万买的，现在也是上亿的身价了。所以公司一上市，我们公司身价上亿的有17个。
我对这个挺开心的。因为我现在自己赚了钱开心了，但是好像也开心不起来了，反正再多几个亿，少十个亿好像也无所谓，因为我每天股票的跌幅也是二三十亿。但我觉得带着一个团队，这个团队共同跟着你致富，这个才有感觉，这个我就挺开心的。
所以这十年我就做了三件事，还好三件事我都做成了。别人也会问我，为什么你三件事都做成了呢？我说因为我做的事少，因为我做事胆小——我以前是胆大。
1997年之前，有人称我大胆，这10年实际上我胆子很小，胆子小有个好处，犯错误机会少，做事踏实。我相信大家有很多将来也想下海，所以根据我的感受，送你一句话：大胆设想，细处求真。就是你想的时候胆子都可以大，真正动作之前一定要胆小。像我过去那种胆子大最终要出事，但想的时候你可以海阔天空地想，做事的时候要脚踏实地，胆子要放小一点。
在做事之前，把一只老虎当一只猫来看，在战略上藐视敌人；要真是开始做事的时候，你要反过来，在战术上要重视敌人。
真正做事的时候还是要小心，要把困难估计得充足。
不要光是整天生活在闷事中，但真要做事的时候一定要胆子小、谨慎、脚踏实地。再一个就是上来做事要规范，想要做大事，一定要规范，做小事不太规范好像时间短也没什么问题。但是你如果想干个事，做得比较长久的，所有事情都要做规范。
中国有个规律，王石有次跟我说的规律，结合他自己的例子——不该你赚的钱，你赚到了，将来一定会加倍吐出来。他创业初期也有不规范，在深圳倒卖录像机，他们是靠这些起家的。
后来我回想自己的过去，好像也是这样的。当时我也没太多的规范，我当时和他差不多。以后你们年轻人要创业，要想真心创业，从第一天开始就要规范。
问：您是一个超重量级的营销大师了，在营销史上也创造了很多奇迹。我印象很深刻的是，你曾经说过营销类的书籍对营销上起的作用不是很大。那么您的营销才能是与生俱来的呢，还是通过其他的什么途径学到的？
答：毛泽东为什么比王明在中国更成功呢？这个王明啊，喝的是洋墨水，都是苏联的一套，他在中国吃亏，不了解中国的情况。毛泽东为什么能成功？因为他没出过国，是在农村土生土长的农民，然后他又具备知识分子的特性，所以他就成功了。
搞营销你不要迷信那些理论，那些理论可能有些是在食堂总结出来的。相当大比例的理论实际上是广告公司，尤其是国外过去几十年的广告公司，总结的一些理论，这个度那个度，他们用那些理论是骗企业多花广告费的。因为有正确的理论，也有错误的理论。一个简单的问题被他弯弯绕绕地弄得特别复杂。
实际上搞营销只有一个词，唯一的一个词，就是你的消费者。
所以不管哪个行业，你要想找老师的话，你就找你的消费者。你把消费者研究透，你的营销方案就出来了。所以过去，我们坚持的是这个，这一条路，不信权威，指导我们的唯一老师是消费者。所以我老是逼我们的干部，每个月必须跟消费者说多少个小时以上的话，我用这种方式使我们的团队对消费者比较了解。
问：在您的谈话过程中，您说在您一生中，让您最感动的就是您的团队。我想问一下，您是如何让您这支团队成为跟您同甘共事的巨人团队？
答：同甘共苦啊，别同甘共事，30年代才叫同甘共事。
我认为这是两个方面，首先我作为公司核心人物，对我有一个考验，我这个人，首先他们会观察你，第一你是不是一个斤斤计较的一个人，你大不大度，如果是一个小肚鸡肠的人，一有风吹草动，肯定就会离你而去。
第二点你对人真不真诚，你对你的部下真不真诚。如果你对你的部下内心不真诚，你会在你的言行上表现出来。
我自我感觉，我的缺点很多，但我对我的部下很真诚，这样彼此容易建立一种信任。
再一个我选中的干部，也都是久经考验。
因为我下海到现在19年，但我公司的主要干部工龄普遍在四五年以上，当初都是些大学毕业生，都是这些人。因为跟我时间很长，彼此又很了解，我有100多个这种干部。所以我们共同经历过风，经历过雨，经历过成功，经历过失败，这样彼此的信任度非常高，我信任他们，他们也信任我。这个也靠时间磨炼出来的，在这种情况下，我对我的团队还是非常自豪。
问：您在《赢在中国》点评的时候，特别注重团队。您的团队在您比较困难的时候，同甘共苦，不要任何报酬跟着您；在您比较成功的时候，大年三十不用您任何监督，帮您促销产品。这样的团队是如何打造，请您再给大家仔细说一说。
答：建立团队是一个庞大的系统工程，是办企业第一重要的要素，短时间内说不完，我就选其中的几点说。
一个团队好不好，首先作为核心人物你的老板做得正不正，你做得不正，这个团队肯定会散掉。
作为我就要琢磨员工，他为什么要跟着我干？
感情有时候有不可替代性，除了感情因素之外，他跟着你干主要追求什么？要仔细罗列，能罗列出几十点，但我认为其中两点是最重要的：第一点收入，他个人是否改善，这个过去可能我们羞于启齿，包括我第一次创业的时候，老是用事业心、企业文化想去淡化这个，事实上是不对的。
我觉得作为一个老板心里要明白是不是大声实事求是说出来，他凭什么跟着我干，就是为了钱。
为了钱这是很正当的，我跟你干，我要获得一个好的收入，我要改善我的生活，我要提高我的生活质量。既然非常正当，就可以放在桌面上去说，在条件允许的时候应该满足他，他作出多少贡献你就应该给他多少报酬，所以上级对下级一定不能抠。员工该拿的钱一定要给他拿，除了正常该拿的钱之外，如果他有贡献的话你还是要给特殊的收益，这是第一点。
第二个追求是个人自我价值的实现，这个跟之前我说的事业心相关，他总是想个人的价值实现得到上级、同事以及同行的认可，你就要创造这样一个环境，这样一个条件，你要给他搭舞台。
光有第一个是不够的，光有第一个公司的氛围是没有战斗力的。如果再加上第二点，你给他搭一个舞台，让他满足他的自我价值，让他这方面得到充分发挥、施展。
如果满足这两条，第一个收入，第二个个人自我价值的实现，其他你再有一些不足，实际上他不是太在乎。最重要就是这两点，我带队伍带了这么多年，我的感受是这样。
Notes:
Notes: