Cornell Footwear Zheng: Borrowed 500 yuan from a neighbor's mother-in-law to start a business

Zheng: From the neighbor's mother-in-law to borrow 500 yuan to start a business if the weakness stay in Wenzhou General Electric factory to do deputy director, perhaps today's Cheng retired at home "know Destiny" to enjoy the joy of grandchildren, China's footwear industry also regrets the lack of a resounding brand-Cornell. The hand of fate is so unexpected--from the neighbor's mother-in-law borrowed 500 yuan to achieve the first company Zheng, and then one can not accept. Interview, Cornell Group Chairman Zheng appears rigid and firm, in addition to talk about their own past some moved, always convey a heavy sense of responsibility and mission from the creation of "Cornell" brand that moment, I will "create a world famous brand" as their lifelong pursuit of the dream.　　After all these years, no matter what kind of suffering, I am glad that I have never given up the dream of this heart. More than 30 years ago, I was only the workshop director of Wenzhou General Electric appliance factory. Although the director, but for many years a family livelihood difficult: The wife is weak, the children are very young, a family crowded in a small rented house, all the costs on my monthly salary of more than 50 yuan, often beyond the income.　　After some ideological struggle, I made a decision that later seemed to be an extremely important part of my life-learning to do leather shoes. In the 1979, Wenzhou is a commodity economy in the beginning of the spring, hand-made shoes is popular at that time. My idea was simple, working during the day, making shoes in the evenings, and selling them to supplement the family. So, I and master from Stitch began to learn, spent 45 days, I mastered the general people need three years to learn the full set of shoe technology. When I was 16 years old began to learn mold manufacturing, engaged in mechanical people in the brain always stretched a so-called "standard" string, I have done more than 10 years of standardized experience in the production of shoes, and even homemade some standardized shoe parts. So I make shoes fast and good, get the market to sell, the price is incredibly higher than some of the chef do.　　I was proud. As my shoe business became more and more prosperous, in 1980, I made another important decision in my life--I left the Wenzhou general machinery factory, which I had worked for for 20 years, and registered my first company, "Red Elephant leather Shoe workshop". At that time the "red elephant" is still small enough to be called Enterprise, Wenzhou early factory is basically family workshop type, only a small amount of money can operate.　　But this money, let me taste the first experience of life, I sold the home sewing machine, bicycle, watch even clothes, can sell all sold, but the money or not together. Later, the experience of borrowing money, now still deeply engraved in my mind, often remembered, can not help but sigh. It was the first time in my life to borrow money and borrow 500 yuan from my neighbour's mother-in-law. Mother-in-law is very good, but her mother-in-law's daughter is afraid I lose money, and mother quarreled. Still remember her mother-in-law said to her daughter, "I grew up watching Xiu Kang grow up, know his people, I believe he will be able to succeed." "Listen to the dialogue between mother and daughter, my eyes a little moist, secretly vowed,Be sure to succeed in the future.　　1985, also remember the Wenzhou Bureau of Commerce and Industry to allow self-employed factories to set up documents this morning just communicated to, I went there this afternoon. Registered "Hongsheng" Leather shoes leather factory, and registered in the year, "Hongsheng" trademark, at that time I have more than 50 employees, to achieve the Wenzhou private shoe enterprises in the medium scale. But not long after, a bad luck to the entire Wenzhou shoe industry head. 1987, due to disorderly competition, leading to the fire of Hangzhou Wulin Gate in wenzhou inferior shoes incident. Although our shoes were not burned, they were also implicated, and were also rejected by the national market. A mall manager said to me directly: "Not your shoes, but your shoes are not good."　　"At that time, many manufacturers in Shanghai to inspect, that my shoes are very good quality, but to sell in Shanghai, you must play Shanghai brand." I asked myself, Wenzhou shoes in addition to stickers other people's brand, there is really no other way out? After that, I spent 18 months going north and looking around. Finally in the World Shoe Kingdom Italy, I saw at that time the world's most advanced production lines, the most exquisite manufacturing technology and the most fashionable leather shoes style. I suddenly suddenly enlightened, think oneself found the future goal of struggle. I secretly made a decision--must create a Chinese "world brand."