How far is Wang from success?

To calculate, Wang should have been "heroic death" twice, successively he once founded the school and the meal no, but apparently all the most eye-catching final failure; In fact, there is no chance to miss, you know that this is not your chance. Therefore, the past does not love, the present is not miscellaneous, the future is not welcome.

There is a saying that, an immature man is the symbol of a willing to die for a career heroically, and another mature man's logo is for a cause lowly alive.

Until later a period of time, Wang only know this sentence Wenqing growth maxim is actually from the famous novel "Catcher in the Rye". He felt a little melancholy, some consolation, and some bitterness. Because he was in China's Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame, he has been "heroic death" twice: he had founded the first class of Facebook Web site, the first Class Twitter web site rice, but, all of the remarkable glory failed. So he again led the ethos of the first set up the network, and then from the Red Sea to kill, one leap into the market first, but the hot spot has become the mobile Internet, large data, micro-letter, wearable equipment ... Even the success of group buying, as has "lost the atmosphere of the stars."

Entrepreneurship is just as cruel as life. June 2013, the United States in celebration of "group buy into the 1 billion era", its May turnover amounted to 1,058,780,000 yuan, news in the utilitarian heat of the new media flashed. But Wang is very calm, "Local Service Industry (O2O) is a very broad market space industry, monthly turnover of more than 1 billion is a new starting point." ”

See the United States Regiment to achieve commercial success: 2012 turnover of 5.5 billion yuan, stable group buy market first; Wang set the goal is that the United States will achieve the 2013 18.8 billion yuan, 2015 this number will become 100 billion yuan, 2020 to 1 trillion, that is today Alibaba's level of turnover. It will also be listed overseas. Wang the Business Weekly/Chinese version, he founded three companies, "in fact, the American regiment is the longest thing I do, the other companies did not do three years." ”

One of China's best product managers, the industry's respected Silicon Valley geek entrepreneur, has finally become "mature". Wang is trying to be a good manager, with leadership, a firm grip, a first-line touch (he goes to the café himself), and the ability to communicate with people. He is also becoming a red-fruit businessman, considering the effects of money, cost, and scale.

Wang was expected to be like the founder of Twitter, Square's Dorsey (this is his idol), like, keep starting a business, do a (not necessarily) become a, in the technological innovation to shine, that will be what kind of legend AH. But who can escape gravity?

On the Internet, Wang, born in 1979, belonged to the second generation of entrepreneurs around 2004. The clouds, now, forums Ma Yun, Shi Yuzhu has retired, 1968-born Robin Li, 1971 born Ma or overlord, after the birth of the, after the rise. To be a good company, a profitable company or a great company, success or failure is normal, enjoy the process, no longer so many soul conflicts. Wang's "Entrepreneurial Ten Commandments" condensed the evolution of a continuous entrepreneur and the cost of growth.

Hamlet, or Machiavelli, that's a problem.

Would it be different if microblogs and micro-letters were made by Wang? Wang says it's impossible to assume. "Mobile phone instant messenger appeared, countless people saw, Tencent saw, Lei saw, I also saw, but this thing does not belong to us." There is no way to compare with Tencent, unless you have a very original idea. ”

Wang with Do micro-letter Zhangxiaolong chatted, two people Dorsey together. Wang that the micro-letter done very well, not in the details of those humanistic feelings, it is icing on the cake, the key is to meet the fundamental needs of people. "If Tencent doesn't do it, someone else will." Now look back, there is no start-up companies can do, because Tencent looked early enough, strong enough, resolute enough. ”

Wang has a hint of regret. He described the micro-letter as "China's enhanced Facebook on the phone," which he tried to do when he first started his business. At the end of November 2003, Wang, who was studying in the United States, sent an email to five students: "This is a huge opportunity to change the way information travels." He suspended his studies and returned home with two classmates Wang Huiwen and Rai Binqiang to establish social networking sites.

2004 51, Wang bought a smartphone, Siemens, keyboard on both sides. He wanted to move the school to the mobile phone, as well as later Kik, rice chat, micro-letter through the phone Address Book to establish user relations. But it was too early for Steve Jobs to launch the iphone in 2007 to change that.

"It's no use seeing opportunities." "This is an important lesson for Wang. "Our business considerations are not so specific, but there is no wrong looking back, we do at the school, even if the last sale, we do not think this thing has no future, we think there is a great development, the problem is that it takes a long time, a lot of money." Even if we are patient, we have no money. "At the end of 2006, the school because of the capital chain break to sell Chen a boat of the Thousand Oak group, namely Renren's predecessor."

Many entrepreneurs have similar problems: he is a good chance to grasp, a thinker with innovative impulses, but often not strong in action, insufficient execution. He is like Hamlet, indecisive, worry too much, inner play is bigger than action play. He can not be like "Machiavelli", his, flexible, both fox cunning and Lion's bravery, in order to achieve the end of the unscrupulous.

Most like the Machiavelli is the Shi Yuzhu. Although he has a moral controversy, he is indeed a high school of human nature market scientists. Billing more like Hamlet is Charles Zhang, he topped the halo of Chinese internet pioneer, but seek the teacher to ask medicine, seems to see through the red dust. He said if jobs in China will not become, "China's environment, want to be successful entrepreneurs, will sacrifice their own character, wronged person." So China's big entrepreneurs are overcast and unhappy. ”

After Hamlet's head, it becomes nihilism. Machiavelli is too close to conspiracy theory. Wang regrets: "More and more feel, whether it is a stock shorting, venture ventures, or other things, these two points are equally important: 1. Standing on the right side of history; 2. Can carry to that day. ”

Entrepreneurial spirit is a fundamental driving force for entrepreneurship

A few years ago, a reporter prepared to interview Ma, asked Wang what to ask. Wang: "How did he stick it out?" The young entrepreneur experienced hardships. May 12, 2007 Wang launched China's first micro-blog meal No, six months later than Twitter. As of 2009, the first half of the rice users have reached millions of. Whether the rice was closed for 505 days in July, Sina Weibo was published one months later.

Wang around, there is no solution to the road, but the team did not split up, only two people leave. "The boss is a persistent person, affecting the status of everyone, I did not think I fled, unless the company completely dissolved." "Rice no joint founder, then the United States Group co-founder, Technical vice President Mu Rongjun said." At the end of 2009, did the meal open a small annual meeting to discuss "if the company does not exist tomorrow, what will happen to everyone?" Wang was crying on the spot. It was his little emotional moment.

2012 One Night 12 o'clock, the United States Group Film Group purchase Business "Cat's Eye film" Xu Wu to Wang complained about the difficulties, Wang silent for a while, seriously said: "You know what is the real entrepreneur spirit?" Entrepreneurship is knowing what your goals are, and thinking about how to achieve them, No matter what resources you have now, even if you have nothing on hand. "Xu Wu first thought the American Regiment is the Wild Road, now many things standard, the Wang also is changing," he used to be a passionate, very intelligent entrepreneur, I thought he is in charge of the product VP this level, but he now more like entrepreneur. Wang says the mission's vision is to make the relationship between people and business closer. The first time I saw him, he didn't say that. ”

Wang got some incentives from jobs. "Steve Jobs's first and second time as CEO of Apple, his madness, perseverance has not changed, just back to Apple after a lot of management skills." The most important conclusion of Wang's failure is: "The heart is strong enough, and the second is that I am still in the lower level, but it was lower." ”

Entrepreneurs need to be in control

After the sale of the school, Chen will be packaged in the listing, known as Renren is China's largest social networking site like Facebook, once enjoyed the capital scenery. Wang realized that "entrepreneurship is not enough, you have to learn to communicate with people and tolerance." ”

He still refused to disclose the details of the transaction (some media said the school sold 2 million yuan), whether he was Chen a boat fooled him does not care, "Nothing is forced, the business game rules of all decisions are voluntary." "He just regrets not having enough control over the company before. Whether sold at that time, three founders of the school divided their opinions. Rai Binqiang (now the Executive Director of the United States Regiment) is strongly in favour of selling, Wang Huiwen (now deputy president of the United States) strongly opposed to selling, Wang center bias does not sell. Rai Binqiang said: "This is me and their character depths are not the same place, they are more paranoid, do not consider retreat." I will consider the retreat, do not want to carry a butt debt business. With the cash, we can go on with the start. ”

The wall of the United States Regiment's office has "either the good or the fuck" slogan. This is translated from Facebook's slogan "Go big or go home". 2011 a day early two or three, the United States marketing director Zoo see Wang hurriedly from the conference room out, sweating, seems to have problems are bothering him. In the early 2011, the United States Regiment but 200 people, crazy expansion, in the country to open a separate station, this June 1, Wang really figure out how many people the company. "2011 Years staff Expansion 10 times times, this has a few management number of the threshold, 200 people, 500 people, 1000 people, I was dragged by the business, all of a sudden after these few sill, there must be Sequela." So fast is not solid, back to do a lot of homework. ”

2011 Some Saturday, the United States team executives climbed the hill and then returned to the office to discuss the new promotion notices, from 6 o'clock in the afternoon to 1 o'clock in the morning. Wang, a piece of analysis why to promote this person, how to promote. American Regiment COO Canga Wei said: "You have to catch big put small, authorize to others." If everything is done in this style, you will be exhausted. Wang said: "Five or six hours can be discussed well, the efficiency is very high." In the beginning, the United States group did not establish a chapter, until today it is not fully formed. "Now ask Wang what he cares most about," he said, "How to better control the company." He added, "I think Liu is very tough and has a strong grip on the company." ”

A good product manager also needs to learn to manage

Wang says he has three responsibilities at the moment: to make a strategy and to understand it;

A colleague recommended Wang to see the legend of the Yellowstone public to Zhang Liang's book of books. Wang repeatedly read several times, "see all over the cold sweat, which summed up a lot of management errors I have committed." Wang read the Book of Management, the United States and the group's problems with the methodology of the book mirror each other, but also with a lot of people chat. He wants to know, but also to know why. Sun Yu, managing director of Sequoia Capital China Fund, said: "Wang is interested in the study of things very thoroughly, make decisions are also very cautious." ”

Wang sent "Jobs biography", "Leadership echelon" and other books to management, after you study, at the meeting to discuss how to deal with a matter, he will say: "We use the leadership Echelon Chapter II of the second section of the solution to the problem of certain issues." "Murong all cite an example, the company will say in the discussion, this matter who is going to r? This is the use of management of the RACI model, R is responsible, meaning who is responsible for; A is accountable, meaning who to authorize; C is consulted, meaning to whom advice, I is informed, meaning to inform who.

"Self-cultivation Zi Ping the World, Qi family qi is what meaning?" Wang thrown a question, immediately asked himself: "I read English translation, Qi is regulate, and then translated into Chinese is governance, supervision." Qi family is to manage your direct subordinates, directly to you reported that a few people. There are about eight or nine people who are reporting directly to me by the American Regiment. The difference between the family and the country is that it is impossible to govern all people directly. My understanding is to manage themselves first, and then manage the direct subordinates, and then the whole company tube well, finally to serve all customers. ”

Speaking of "Self-cultivation", Liu told our correspondent: "Example is not the best way to build a corporate culture, but the only way." ”

Silicon Valley's ideals must be adapted to the national conditions.

People who sympathize with Wang's first two entrepreneurial encounters would think that if Wang was a start-up in Silicon Valley, could he have made it? Wang himself. "The United States is more market-oriented than we are, and resource mobility is strong, but in Silicon Valley, your entrepreneurial relationship with the Giants will not be any different than China's, where there is the law of the jungle."

Wang went to Silicon Valley and heard a word on Facebook: the gap between good engineers and poor engineers is 100,000 times times. It struck him that he thought it was 10 times times even 100 times times the gap. Facebook has about 500 engineers, of whom 10 Qaeda engineers manage 100,000 servers for image applications, and Facebook users upload hundreds of thousands of photos every day. "There are too many companies with more than 500 engineers in China, but they can't work more efficiently than the United States." ”

If the school is defeated in the cash flow, the rice is defeated does not understand the politics, the Wang is no longer so pure and naïve. He does not complain about China's entrepreneurial environment, that he is a lucky generation, "if not in China, or not in this era ... I have more respect for those who do something in China. I used to think that the relationship between the government and business was nothing, but it was hard to know later. ”

Wang in another "game spirit" in entrepreneurship. He was very fond of playing games in middle school, "Three Kingdoms", "civilization", "Sand dune Magic Fort", "Assassination of Hitler" ... After college, I don't play. "You can think of life as an ultimate game, a bigger casino," he said. "Wang, what happens when you start a game?" Basically I do everything very happy. ”

Wang thought, "If you were born 1 million years ago, as a man, I should be hunting now." I should be around the hide skirt, carrying javelin, is catching goat wild deer, may be and Tiger Leopard wolf Big Bear to do life and death. If I don't do well, I'll be bitten to death, and my family will starve. Every time I think about it, I decide to concentrate on the real jungle of Chinese Internet. ”

Paranoia can survive.

One day, Wang suddenly without reason to think of a meal no theme T-shirt: "You have to work hard to make it look effortless." "Wang is very strong thinking, even if a small competitor, he will help opponents come up with a number of options to see which scheme can defeat the United States regiment." Left Xiao Remember, one evening meeting, Wang drew a picture: "Full mark is 100 points, we only 20 points level." 20 points does not matter, but do not want to stay in 20 points, must be 21 points, 22 points, 1.1 points forward. ”

Zhang and Wang, the investment director of the Innovation Workshop, went on a trip to Cambodia, where he saw Wang standing in front of a fruit stall, tossing and turning over a tropical fruit, and he said: "Can you imagine him making countless decisions in the fierce market competition and being able to do it consistently?" Wang has a keen sense of products. The United States Group SABCD Five-tier cities, the usual unit prices in accordance with the city level lower, a higher than b,b higher than C. At the morning meeting, Wang pointed out why C is taller than B here? He is often the first to find out the details.

Wang at work for about 1/3 of the time to study new things, his habit is to open ten or twenty browser window, if there are noteworthy new developments, will be sent to the people to see. Groupon buys a small team of Yahoo Mobile, and he sends it to Vice President Chen Liang to get a deeper understanding. Wang said: "I am not too worried about the existing competitors, we run faster." I am thinking about whether there are newer models, if I want to revolution, I want to own my own life. I am always trembling and treading on thin ice. ”

The book "Limited and Infinite game" has a great influence on Wang. "Your Life, death is an impassable boundary." In contrast, other borders are not that important. "Embracing change" is one of the "six-vein Excalibur" of Alibaba's values, Zappos advocates "embrace and drive change" (embracing and driving changes), Wang more in favour of Gandhi's "be the changing you want to" ( Go yourself when you want to see that change.

Making money is the King

The third venture was successful, but Wang did not feel that it was "lowly alive". He believes that "the Internet has changed everything and the industries that have not been changed by the Internet will be changed".

This three-year network bubble constantly, buy, friends, new Media, 3D printing ... Wang unmoved, the U.S. regiment grew rapidly. American Group 2010 turnover of 140 million yuan, 2011 1.46 billion yuan, growth 10 times times, 2012 reached 5.5 billion yuan, become the first, accounting for the entire industry 30% share. In 2013, the United States Regiment planned turnover of 18.8 billion yuan, but also to achieve double 50%: a share of more than 50%, completely off the competition, mobile phone orders accounted for 50% of the total turnover. American Regiment consultant Mazhankei said: "Double 50% target if is Wang say out of certainly no problem, he is very sensitive to the number, very rigorous, not that kind of exaggerated person." The US group first has to secure its own advantage in group buying. ”

2011, similar to the United States Regiment model of the site reached 5,058 Peak, known as the "Thousand-Regiment War." According to group buying navigation website Group 800 statistics, after the Spring festival in 2013 after the Chinese New year to maintain the operation of the group buying site only 943. Startups sometimes compete with people who make fewer mistakes and live longer with less money. In the school, Wang learned the lesson, must leave sufficient funds, the cash flow has enough attention. Careful control of operating costs, the United States group to become the most healthy one of the group buying site.

Compared to Groupon, Wang said, "The American Regiment is making money, and Groupon is losing money." The group earns money on a gross margin of 7% to 8%, and Groupon loses money on 40% of its high margin because they don't have a reliable CEO or team. We do not have any formula, is to recognize the long-term pursuit of low cost, high efficiency. "Groupon founder Mason has been dismissed.

Team to be reliable

On the Wang desk, there is a magazine with Lenovo Group as its cover. He said the three elements of Mr Liu's management were strong, putting the team ahead of the strategy.

An executive at a group buying site thinks Wang is a product manager, "There should be strong people behind him to support him." I do not think his strategy is very strong, fortunately, the United States Regiment in each line of business are very good people. "Jinsha Venture Investment partner Zhu Yuhu invested in the handle net, said the United States regiment than handle nets do better, because the United States group to introduce professional managers more successful." Wang Huiwen said: "This is related to the characteristics of Wang, he led us to introduce people very cautious." Some of our competitors have not been able to introduce the competent professional managers, and some are disorderly introduction. The introduction of a good executive absolutely make the company a step, the introduction of the wrong on the next step, one into a retreat, the gap opened. ”

Xu Wu from Baidu, said Wang independent thinking ability is very strong, "under his hand work very tired, he questioned everything, logical and strong, you give him report work must be particularly clear, there is no problem." ”

Wang is sometimes insensitive to the ways of the worldly. 2011 Wang to Hangzhou to dig Canga Wei, two people saw 6 times face, the second time is the latter treat. July 2011, the United States to complete the second round of financing, including Alibaba. At that time Wang was trapped in BD (Business Development Business Development) department How to manage, the competitor's digging the corner to let him tired. The investor advised him to consult Canga Wei. He is 10 years older than Wang Xingda and is Alibaba's 67th employee and vice president for business-to-business sales.

Talk for 5 months, Wang persuaded Canga Wei as the United States Regiment COO, management BD team. Canga Wei in Hangzhou to observe the United States Group City manager of the exchange, sitting in the last row to see the young people in high spirits, vaguely saw a decade ago Ali people. He said that the probability of the United States is very large, but ultimately can do much, with the soul of the character's vision and mind. American Regiment staff Tan Chenhui said: "Wang's charisma is more and more strong, this is the enterprise soul character needs to have." ”

September 2012, the United States Regiment in Beijing, Wen City, held the town manager swearing. The BD team carried the Wang to the stage with a sedan chair. They Sangar, shouting to each other, "We must beat you this year," and fight to the wine, and finally fell to the ground in the wine Bowl. Wang Leng. Zoo asked, "Have you ever thought about working with such a bunch of people?" Wang knew that it would take a lot of offline people to do O2O, but he did not think, "it was unexpected, but interesting." ”

"Very interesting" is Wang's usual comment, he is curious about the world. Wang found the order of the American Regiment and Baidu's Phoenix Nest system related, he went to learn Phoenix Nest system. He injected a special culture into the company: Curiosity, quick learning, and a humane atmosphere. Wang's mother warned, Wang you speak too straight, then he pay attention to discretion. Now Wang to participate in activities, will ask Zoo: "What should I call the other person more appropriate?" is the director Zhang Yi, Zhang or Mr. Zhang? These two years Murong both birthday he gave gifts, one is the wallet, one is the card folder.

Wang remain humble, "sounds like a cliché, I still want to clarify, we are far from the goal of success." I have a deep feeling that it doesn't take 35 years to make a decent company. I do not know how others, to my own and the ability of the team, at least I can not do, we have not formed the United States Regiment. ”

Beware of falling behind in the mobile internet age

In the moving tide, group buying seems out of date. A variety of app entrepreneurial blood, Wang but in the bitter forced to do line push. He had his own excitement: "2012 is the last year. The second industry GDP is higher than the tertiary sector. Generally speaking, the more developed the economy, the greater the proportion of tertiary industry. China still has a lot of room. The big time is in agreement with what we do. In 2012, China's second industry accounted for 44% of GDP, and the tertiary sector accounted for 43%.

More unstoppable, mobile Internet mat. At the end of 2011, orders from mobile phones accounted for only 5% of the US group's turnover, and February 2013 this data became 35%. 2013, Wang hopes to raise the proportion to 50%. The United States group will be the film group purchase business stripped out, made independent cat's eye film. Wang took the reporter's cell phone, two or three installed the app. Through it can query the video, choose the ticket, received the cinema's cat's Eye movie terminal self-service print movie tickets, no longer queue. This is the United States Group T Strategy, group buying is horizontal, the film is vertical. Group purchase in the United States 2012 turnover accounted for 11%, reached 650 million yuan.

Innovation Workshop investment manager Analysys said: "Group buying in the perception of consumers is a synonym for low prices, the United States group to dilute the concept of group buying, emphasizing local services, to cultivate consumers to form the normal consumption habits, business prices will be upgraded to 60 percent-80 percent of the reasonable discount area, services will be diversified." Now under the offline business card, each identity is more complex, the future may rely on virtual cards-mobile scanning. ”

Canga Wei said: "The United States to the highest efficiency of the local life at the lowest cost, quality and quantity to move online, this is the basis for winning, and Taobao 2003." Taobao rely on small sellers to move their own, but local life to rely on well-trained direct sales force to move, many companies do not understand or disdain to do so tired of living, so gave the United States a chance. ”

The future will usher in a big O2O. U.S. Deputy President Chen Liang said, "We see the big picture, what the business needs, what consumers need, we do the corresponding things." Looking at the stars, down-to-earth. ”

Don't forget Beginner

Interviewing Wang two years ago, he said: "I believe technology changes the world." "Wang hometown in Longyan, Fujian, from a young age like science. He skipped class to climb the train, the teacher criticized him naughty, he said: "I am studying the steam engine." "In grade five or six, he and his partner contacted the radio, made a tape recorder and a power amplifier; Middle school, they read Iacocca, Gates, Dale's books, and tried to sell modems and discuss the informatization of the future road."

"Digital Survival" is Wang's internet enlightenment, which says the internet is essentially moving bits faster and cheaper than moving atoms. Wang's father made the cement business, the first batch to buy computers in Longyan. 1995, Wang by dialing the BBS in Guangzhou, browsing other people's messages, the wonderful world of the internet opened in his eyes. 1997, Wang to Beijing to read, Tsinghua BBS let him feel "the whole world at their fingertips." Wang has read "The weakness of human nature", "the greatest salesman in the world", but these books he has not read, because "the degree of success can be achieved is limited." His dream is not "success", but his belief in technology. Starting with the amp, he was "interested in the structure, fundamentally believing that the world is working."

"Jobs spoke at Stanford and said that a lot of things look back to get the dots together." From my first interest in computers, learning to program to go abroad, these experiences have influenced my choice to start a business. "Wang said. He was not "kidnapped" by a continuous venture. "Forrest Gump", some people follow Forrest Gump National running, but one day, Forrest Gump did not run, "Don't say because ran, have been running down."

Some people ask: "As an Internet practitioner, what opportunities have you missed?" Wang replied: "My usual and real idea is to go ahead and indulge." There is no chance of missing, that is not your chance. The past does not love, the present is not miscellaneous, the future is not welcome. On the wall of the American Regiment, there was a poster with a "fling forward" four words.

(via Bloomberg Businessweek)