New | The secret behind how Chinese entrepreneur Che Jianxin outdid his foreign rivals
The former carpenter who founded China’s largest furniture retail chain puts it all down to hard work, passion and the will to continually learn and improve
Rising from a humble carpenter to become the founder of China’s largest furniture retail chain Red Star Macalline, entrepreneur Che Jianxin combines the diligence of a craftsman with the determination of a businessman to outdo his rivals.
Che, 49, who built his empire from scratch, is the epitome of China’s rising entrepreneurs. He and his family have an estimated worth of 15 billion yuan (HK$19 billion), according to the Hurun Report.
The entrepreneur, who was born to a farmer and his wife in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, did not complete junior high school. The former carpenter started his furniture business three decades ago with just 600 yuan borrowed from a relative.
His business has since grown into 158 malls across China and his company was recently listed in Hong Kong.
“Essentially, the path to growth and success for Chinese entrepreneurs is through learning,” Che told the South China Morning Post.
My elder brother told me I need to walk on the right [of the streets in the city]. But we didn’t have this habit in the countryside. I realised then that even this had to be learned.
Che recalled the first time he left his hometown to work in the city. He did not even know how to walk on street, he said.
