This issue's guest: Zhou Licheng from Hailan Home. Over the past year, he has become one of the most watched 'traffic samples' among Chinese entrepreneurs—having over 500,000 followers on Douyin, receiving more than 2.5 million likes, and being referred to by many as the 'king of traffic among the new generation of entrepreneurs.' However, many also question his 'abstract approach.' This is his first podcast interview across the internet. I hope that through this conversation, I can present a more three-dimensional 'second-generation entrepreneur'—beyond traffic and abstraction, how he thinks, struggles, and grows. Welcome to watch on Bilibili/YouTube, or listen to the full episode on Xiaoyuzhou.

Here are some insights to share:

1. About having a personal account

'I actually struggled for a long time before deciding to create a personal account. It’s a double-edged sword; if done well, it adds points, but if not, it subtracts points. Especially in our conservative manufacturing environment in Jiangsu, almost no one encouraged me to speak up. But I later realized: if even the heads of companies are afraid to face the public, then when problems arise, it’s very difficult for the company to truly come forward.'

2. Entrepreneurs creating IP is not just for traffic

'Both corporate and personal IP are very important today. When you encounter a public relations issue, whether the person in charge is willing to stand up and respond openly, rather than confront the problem, is itself an attitude. A person's values will determine what kind of talent the company attracts in the future. Your vitality will also directly add points to the enterprise.'

'To be honest, this is a very conflicted decision. You can see many leading entrepreneurs 'crash'; often, it's due to their persona. But if you don't do anything at all, it’s equivalent to handing over all the discourse power to others. My struggle isn’t about whether to gain traffic, but whether I can do this long-term and professionally.'

3. The negative feedback brought by traffic is actually a gift

'In the early stages, there will be a lot of negative voices, which is very normal. But for me, this is more of a form of cultivation. You will hear real feedback from others about products, systems, and the company. These voices are often more direct and valuable than internal reports.'

4. On the internet, posture is more important than right or wrong

'On the internet, when you’re being criticized, you must stand tall. When encountering problems, face them head-on; being stubborn will only result in being slapped in the face. Over these past four months, my biggest change has been becoming more humble. Not every sting is fatal, but each sting will remind you where adjustments are needed.'

5. About strategy and execution

'Many people today are too superstitious about strategy. But in my view, strategy itself is useless; execution is what matters. Good execution can even gradually correct a strategy that isn’t perfect during the process.'

6. About pace and long-termism

'I constantly remind myself not to be led by others' pace. Many stories that seem to be growing rapidly are not actually my pace. I would rather be a little slower, but the pace must be controllable. If I can still work in this position for another twenty years, then time is on my side. I have food at home and cash flow in hand; why rush? Many mistakes happen because people are too eager to prove themselves.'

7. About 'succession'

'Many so-called successions are not true successions. There’s no real power, just a facade. The first requirement for succession is that the family must be united; the second is whether the first generation is really willing to let go. If it’s just a shadow succession, it’s actually a drain on the next generation.'

8. About failure and probability

'In acquisitions, failure cases account for about 99%. So I won’t act lightly. For me, being stable is not conservative; it’s about having a clear understanding of probabilities.'

9. About being led by others' pace

'In recent years, there have been many stories that seem to grow very quickly, and the numbers are very attractive; to say I’m not envious would be a lie. But that’s someone else's pace, not mine. Once you’re led by others' pace, it’s easy to make decisions beyond your capabilities, and the consequences are often uncontrollable.'

10. A heartfelt message to young people

'If you want to lay flat, then lay flat; if you want to work hard, then work hard. As long as you can accept the future results, I think it’s all okay. Striving is something you say to yourself, not something to educate others about. Being strict with oneself and lenient with others is the state I now believe in more.'