The History Of Wang Zhentao, The "Shoe King Of China"

With his keen market touch, Wang Zhentao realized that after 16 years of unremitting efforts and pursuits, he finally founded AOKANG group, one of China's largest private Footwear Group, which has 600 million yuan assets, annual output value exceeds 1 billion 500 million yuan, and profits tax is more than 100 million yuan.

Dare to be first and forge ahead

In 1988, Wang Zhentao, who had not yielded to fate, made up 30 thousand yuan, founded the Olin shoe factory in Yongjia, and began his arduous journey in the private footwear industry.

After 16 years of unremitting efforts and pursuits, Yongjia Olin shoe factory has developed into one of China's largest private Footwear Group, which has 600 million yuan assets, annual output value exceeds 1 billion 500 million yuan, and profits tax is more than 100 million yuan. AOKANG group.

Wenzhou's shoes after fire

Wang Zhentao's four brothers and sisters are poor.

In his first year of high school, he had dropped out of school just because he was a brother, despite his excellent grades, so that he could ease the burden on his family and provide his brother and sister to school.

Sixteen the first job of Wang Zhentao, seven, who went out to earn a living was to learn carpentry.

Wang Zhentao, who worked as a carpenter, met many Wenzhou villagers in Hubei. They were selling electrical appliances, clothing and leather shoes, and their income was several times higher than that of their own carpentry. So Wang Zhentao decided to change to do leather shoes promotion business.

The weather is uncertain.

Just as Wang Zhentao's business of selling leather shoes was red hot, the storm of "Wenzhou shoes" swept across the country in 1987.

Wenzhou shoes have become the pronoun of counterfeit and inferior products.

The fire of "Wenzhou shoes" has made many leather shoes factories in Wenzhou change their banner. But Wang Zhentao did not shrink back. He set up the "Yongjia Olin shoe factory" with the quality concept of "products reflect personality and character to decide products", that is, we should use the Olympic spirit as the criterion of running factories, and walk out of the circle of Wenzhou's many shoe factories, starting with the imitation of "famous brand", and create the brand of Wenzhou.

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In March 2001, Wang Zhentao opened the first chain store of Wenzhou footwear industry on the "Nanjing road" known as the first street of China. It caused a great sensation in Shanghai, and set an example for Wenzhou enterprises to enter Shanghai.

By the year 2003, AOKANG shoes had successfully opened more than 2000 stores in the country, and the whirlwind of China's leather shoes industry in implementing franchised franchising was also introduced. It also provided a reference for the pformation of China's leather shoes marketing mode.

Move Italy workshop into AOKANG

While galloping along the domestic market, Wang Zhentao takes the strategist's eyes and national entrepreneurs' mind to cast his eyes on the international market, aiming at Italy, the world's shoe capital.

In 1999, he set up a design center in Italy, bringing the latest shoe industry information to China as fast as possible. In 2000, he set up a branch in Italy, Holland and other countries to launch AOKANG products into the international market. In September, nearly ten thousand pairs of AOKANG shoes were shipped to Sydney, and AOKANG shoes went to the world with the Sydney Olympic Games. In 2001, he sent the designer of Italy to China as the chief craftsman of AOKANG, and speeded up the integration of AOKANG products with the world trend. In 2002, he put the banner of AOKANG store in the United States New York, and now he opened nearly 20 stores in Europe, America and Southeast Asia.

However, after China's accession to the WTO, how to improve the added value of China's manufacturing brand is a major task faced by every entrepreneur.

Wang Zhentao adhered to the strategy of strong cooperation with world-class brands.

In February 14, 2003, he signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement with GEOX, the first shoe brand of Italy footwear industry. Since 2003, AOKANG's products have been fully charged with the promotion of AOKANG's products in China. AOKANG's products and ancillary designs sold to Asia and Europe and the United States are responsible for AOKANG. At the same time, dual party sales network resources are shared. This is the first time that Chinese made products have been allowed to enter the 50000 world-class sales outlets in 55 countries around the world.

Investing in the West with great investment

The western development is a strategic decision made by the state.

With an enterpriser's sense of responsibility and mission, Wang Zhentao has actively invested in the construction of the western development.

After many field visits and repeated argumentation on Bishan, he finally made up his mind to expand in different places, build production bases in Bishan with great potential for development, and create "western shoes capital", aiming at promoting industrial upgrading and creating an economic pattern of combining East West and united development.

AOKANG Group invested 1 billion yuan to build the "shoes city of Western China", showing the eastern entrepreneurs' investment in the construction of the western region, and also opened the curtain for entrepreneurs in the east to invest in the western region.

Wang Zhentao said that AOKANG group decided to invest in Bishan. On the one hand, in order to respond to the call of the western development of the country, to do some meaningful things for China's leather shoes industry and the western region, on the other hand, it took a look at the local location and industrial advantages, and hoped to improve the market awareness and brand awareness of Bishan footwear industry through the construction of the West shoe capital, so as to realize the coordinated development of the eastern and western regions.

He also said that after the completion of the industrial park, there will be a shoe industry base with the largest and most influential collection, research, training, development, production, sales and service in the Western China, which has a reasonable layout, perfect functions, prosperous market, beautiful environment, well-developed culture and first-class service.

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Spawning the first private consortium

At the same time, while AOKANG was growing at high speed, Wang Zhentao was sensitive to the fact that Wenzhou's previous first mover advantage has begun to weaken. The problems of geographical environment, as well as the shortage of energy and resources and the shortage of talents are increasingly facing Wenzhou people. In his view, Wenzhou Enterprises can only break through the bottleneck of capital, resources and talents only if they unite together.

Therefore, Wang Zhentao proposed the establishment of a cross industry investment entity. Wang Zhentao's proposal was soon endorsed by many entrepreneurs in Wenzhou.

In June 16, 2004, Wenzhou's first non regional consortium, the Sino Swiss consortium, was jointly established by nine leading enterprises in different industries.

This is the first time that the two words "Consortium" appeared on the land of China.

The establishment of the consortium has achieved a major breakthrough in China's private enterprise management system. The 10 billion operating capital that the China and Swiss consortia can integrate will enable private enterprises to play an equally important role in the national key construction projects as well as many other state-owned enterprises.

Cat walk in Wenzhou

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They are quietly changing their knowledge structure.

Wenzhou is a vibrant city on the southeast coast of China and the middle of Gold Coast line.

Today, the image of the contemporary Chinese in the mind is a natural businessman.

In the tide of reform and opening up, Wenzhou first developed a road of development with regional characteristics.

Wenzhou entrepreneurs once divided the history of Wenzhou's private economy after 1978 into four stages: facing dry, open, open and dry.

In fact, the twists and turns of history make commercial behavior a social boundary in China: rules and rules.

In the era of buying and selling, which is known as "speculation", Wenzhou people created the gene environment with strong vitality of local commercial cells by boldness and cunning. The uniqueness of this environment imprinted brand on every entrepreneur.

In 1982, Liu Dayuan, a 35 year old king of screw, got up early in the street, followed by two people.

When he saw the big slogan posted on the wall, "severely attacking serious criminal activities in the economic field", he was horrified.

He made the most rapid decision in his life. He took advantage of the man's unwillingness to get into the alley, and went home and took out 70 thousand yuan of cash to come to the river bank, and jumped into a small wooden boat.

Liu Dayuan recalls that when he ran away, he only wore vest and shorts.

This history has gone to dust, but the Wenzhou people are "concentrating on studying the situation, and for the sake of a specific business", they still go deep into the way of thinking of entrepreneurs.

In the eyes of the practical Wenzhou people, the situation is always a resource that can be used for ourselves.

Before, they set up a new image of the market economy "vigor pioneer". Now, the Wenzhou catwalk is heading for the international stage.

Wang Zhentao's long sleeve dance shows a new image of Wenzhou.

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The difference is that now, for the Wenzhou boss, the golden age of miracles is over.

At the same time, while AOKANG grew rapidly, Wang Zhentao was sensitive to the fact that Wenzhou's previous first mover advantage has begun to weaken, and the problems of geographical environment, as well as the shortage of energy and resources and the shortage of talents are increasingly facing Wenzhou people.

"The private entrepreneurs in Wenzhou used to be good without culture."

This shocking phrase describes the previous stage very accurately.

Now a new local saying is: the head is much more and the pocket is much more.

Two sentences, one after another, accurately explained the changes in Wenzhou.

Wang Zhentao is now known as the "China shoe king", and its operation situation and the solution to the mystery are called "everyone".

Since the burning of fake shoes, Wang Zhentao's "creative business" has frequently appeared on the stage: in 2003, AOKANG invested in Chongqing Bishan county to invest in the establishment of the characteristic industrial park, the "western shoes capital". In 2004, AOKANG combined with 8 leading enterprises in different industries in Wenzhou, and set up a "Sino Swiss Consortium". In 2006, AOKANG invested in Hubei Huanggang to build Hubei first street.

These Wenzhou wisdom undoubtedly contributed to the growth of AOKANG enterprises.

But Wang Zhentao was also deeply incompetent. He was in Hangzhou Institute of Commerce, China European industry and Commerce International College, Changjiang business college, and national research.

Standford is a major leadership class.

When his classmates of the Changjiang business school, a famous company, invited him to visit the introduction of TOYOTA management, he saw that 7000 square meters of warehouses were reduced to 7 square meters, and the production rate was three or four times higher than before.

He is deeply aware of the importance of modern system management.

"I don't know what others think. I never regard learning as gilding.

I listen to every lesson.

Wang Zhentao said, "it may sound ridiculous.

I spend most of my time in school.

About 20 days a month in school.

For 42 year old Wang Zhentao, learning and creativity are still everywhere.

"I think this is the era of creativity over efficiency.

Creativity should be integrated into many specific details.

Even during holidays, we played with Ledu in 2005.

Everyone should take out his favorite gifts, write his name on it, put it in a basket, and when he walks, he will get it by another employee. This is fate.

Then every year, every party, we have fresh and anticipated activities, so we are not going to have a party. We get more. "

Wang Zhentao's "four steps"

From the start up to now, Wang Zhentao summed up for himself, and took a total of four steps. At the same time, this "four step" is also the four stage of AOKANG group's development.

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No fear of cost, but fear of empty head.

When Wang Zhentao first started his business, he didn't own his own factory, rent his old house for a workshop, and eight people, thirty thousand yuan. He recalled that he was poor at that time. He made a wooden plank and wrote several words -- Olin shoe factory.

When he went to the trade and Industry Bureau to register a trademark, he was changed to "AOKANG" today because "Olin" belonged to public ownership and could not be registered.

At that time, Wang Zhentao thought that this "shoe factory" would one day be like "Olympic" and synchronized with the Olympic Games.

Although it was very poor at that time, Wang Zhentao's pocket was not so poor. He wanted to sell more than a few pairs of shoes and earn a few dollars. What he wanted to do was to use the money he earned to build a factory.

Wang Zhentao said in a text message to his employees that his pocket is not poor, but his head can not be poor.

To understand how big the mind is, how big the stage is.

Not afraid of starting low, afraid of low level.

In 1992, comrade Deng Xiaoping's speech on the South inspection pointed out that "development is the last word".

Compared with others, they did not take their immediate interests into consideration, and instead of letting go of the hard-earned money, they used it to expand reproduction.

At this time, a firm belief of Wang Zhentao was determined: we must make AOKANG stronger and bigger. At the same time, we also understand a truth: loose hands will have more.

In 1994, AOKANG broke the family management, took the lead in shareholding system pformation, and established a modern management system.

When Wang Zhentao applied for land expansion plant in 1999, he thought of the development of AOKANG in the next few years and the problem of road reconstruction. He was very determined that AOKANG would be able to do so.

Wang Zhentao said that young people should dare to think and dare to be ambitious.

We should have a long-term vision and a higher realm.

No fear of no space, no innovation.

With the development of social economy, market competition is becoming more and more intense. AOKANG has encountered many difficulties in its development.

Wang Zhentao believes that there is no space for fear, no innovation.

In 1998, AOKANG opened the first Chinese leather shoes chain store in Yongjia town.

Since 2001, AOKANG has launched brand management, and has launched Kanglong and beautiful beauty brand.

In 2006, AOKANG successfully developed the "shoe measuring machine" and put forward the idea of opening 3000 stores in the air overnight, and this goal will be turned into reality in the near future.

Wang Zhentao believes that innovation can make the road farther down the road.

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Fear not to go out, but fear no heart.

While all enterprises in China are still taking the lead in the only Chinese market, AOKANG has taken a "two legged" approach to walk with the first shoe industry GEOX in Italy, and has gone out of the country to eat the real "foreign meat".

Some people say that AOKANG and foreign cooperation are "attracting the wolf into the room". In fact, on the contrary, with them, AOKANG has learned many things that cannot be learned in China.

At one time, AOKANG international North brand international industrial park received a list of American orders, which was 5 dollars higher than before, but it was very strict and even harsh.

The leader in charge of the project called Wang Zhentao and said that the customer was unruly and unreasonable.

On the second day, Wang Zhentao sent a text message to his staff: "the customer who complains is the best teacher.

After receiving this message, the leader in charge of the project immediately sent a short message to Wang Zhentao: "Wang, I know what to do."

Through the so-called "obscene" by foreign businessmen, our production level, technology and so on have been raised.

Wang Zhentao believed that anyone who stands steadily will see far, and who will win if he has broad mind.

Wang Zhentao's brilliant idea of "measuring feet and fixing shoes machine"

He was born with poor children and left school at the age of 15.

Before he started his business, he worked as a carpenter for 3 years and a salesman for leather shoes for 2 years. Now he is a well-known entrepreneur in China. For many people, his story is a model of "personal struggle".

He claimed that his success was rooted in his courage, diligence and competitive character, and his persistence in learning for many years.

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Wang Zhentao is a controversial figure in the industry. People who like him say he is "longer than marketing planning", and do not like his people to say that he likes to show and show off.

It is undeniable that he has done some sensational things.

In 1999, he made the name of Wenzhou shoes in the form of counterfeit AOKANG shoes which were collected in Hangzhou for the 2000 doubles.

In 2003, he worked with Italy leather shoes brand GEOX to take charge of the operation of GEOX brand in the mainland.

In 2004, he participated in the establishment of the Sino Swiss consortium and served as vice chairman and spokesman.

He was born with poor children and left school at the age of 15.

Before he started his business, he worked as a carpenter for 3 years and a salesman for leather shoes for 2 years. Now he is a well-known entrepreneur in China. For many people, his story is a model of "personal struggle".

He claimed that his success was rooted in his courage, diligence and competitive character, and his persistence in learning for many years.

"Measure shoes".

A few days ago, another new idea of Wang Zhentao appeared before people.

AOKANG group's investment and development of the shoe machine was announced.

It originated from Wang Zhentao's idea of a wild sky: which day AOKANG opened the "store without shoes", only a computer was placed in the shop, the customers had a good foot shape, and the shoes were selected for their styles, colors and materials, and then delivered to the door after the customization was completed.

He thinks from "tailoring" to "measuring shoes".

The idea that came out a few years ago contributed to the emergence of AOKANG's first shoe measuring machine.

It is understood that the development of measuring shoe machine has invested about 3000000 yuan. At present, the first machine has been completed by experts from Zhejiang University.

Measuring shoes machine is not the first in the world.

Wang Zhentao said that as far as he knows, one company in Britain and Canada has developed a shoe measuring machine, but the machine is too expensive to be promoted.

The cost of the machine developed by one company is about 7000000 yuan.

A Italy leather shoes brand has customized points in Shanghai, and the price of each pair of shoes is more than 6000 yuan.

Unlike them, Wang Zhentao decided to choose the direction of popularity rather than targeting a few high-end clients.

He envisaged that: "in 3~5, every AOKANG store has a machine, and every ordinary consumer can enjoy customized services."

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The premise of popularization is to reduce costs.

The first machine developed by AOKANG costs 200 thousand yuan.

The company plans to reduce the cost to 60 thousand ~7 yuan per machine within 3 months, and control the cost to 30 thousand yuan per unit in 1 years.

In addition, the production cost of each pair of shoes may be increased after being customized.

Wang Zhentao introduced that due to the improvement of leather shoes production equipment in recent years, the cost of customization and mass production is not going to rise too much.

It has been suggested that the significance of AOKANG's foot shoe machine development lies in personalized service, zero inventory management, and the promotion of information technology in enterprises.

Wang Zhentao believes that there are still more business opportunities worth digging.

For example, measuring shoe machine may become an industry itself.

The database itself also has commercial value.

"Let tens of millions of feet of foot data remain in AOKANG's computers," Wang Zhentao said. "Getting these data and making their owners the lifelong customers of AOKANG is the most precious asset I want."

"Internationalization should not be haste to succeed."

"Internationalization must be done step by step, and we must not rush to success."

This is Wang Zhentao's experience now.

A few years ago, like many Wenzhou entrepreneurs, he began to explore internationally with a keen heart.

He acknowledged that in the path of internationalization, AOKANG has also gone through some detours.

In the past few years, AOKANG has opened many stores in foreign countries, but it is easy to open stores and make money difficult.

Many of the overseas shops opened by Wenzhou leather shoes enterprises are located in the areas where Chinese people are concentrated. They can not penetrate into the local mainstream market. They are regarded as low-grade products, and some even become goods stalls. In places where the locations are slightly better, the cost of sales is higher than the cost.

"Opening a loss shop abroad is just like chicken ribs, food is tasteless, and it is a pity to abandon it."

Wang Zhentao said.

In 2003, AOKANG's cooperation with GEOX was a new attempt to internationalize Wenzhou's enterprises.

The two sides have reached an agreement: from production to sales, AOKANG is the sole agent of GEOX in China. It can also help AOKANG's products enter the international market with the help of GEOX's global sales network.

Wang Zhentao's move was evaluated as "attracting the wolf into the room and helping foreign capital to seize the Chinese market."

Looking back now, he said, the step was right. "If I do not cooperate with it, it will cooperate with others, and that will become my competitor, not as good as I win with it."

After 1 years of running in, the international "marriage" was "harmonious".

Wang Zhentao disclosed that the two companies were very satisfied with each other and are currently negotiating a joint venture to set up a joint venture in Shanghai.

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GEOX has more than 100 sales outlets in China, with sales of nearly 100 million yuan last year.

In addition to its own brand, it has become another brand that contributes to AOKANG's sales and profits.

Another achievement of Wang Zhentao is that, because of GEOX's OEM order to AOKANG, other foreign high-end brands are also following orders.

He has signed an order contract for 300 million yuan next year.

However, AOKANG is not making much progress for the GEOX to go out.

After several years of exploration, Wang Zhentao has more understanding of internationalization. "First of all, we should do well in the domestic market, and the biggest cake can not be lost at home," and internationalization is the inevitable direction in the future.

"How many more years can you do yourself?"

In recent years, there has been polarization in Wenzhou's enterprises. A few enterprises have developed rapidly, leading to a larger gap with their counterparts, leading to more and more difficulties in catching up with peers.

AOKANG is one of the Wenzhou enterprises in the fast developing stage.

"We have spent more than ten years on the scale of 1 billion yuan sales," Wang Zhentao said. "It may take only 1 years to increase sales by 1 billion yuan now."

With the growth of enterprises, Wang Zhentao is more mature than before. However, in his speech, he still showed a clear and honest character.

He said that before the press conference, reporters would be very nervous about the "long gun and short gun", and now he is "calm and able to sort out the train of thought" immediately.

When he left school at the age of 15, Wang Zhentao's academic background was barely graduated from junior high school. But he had always loved learning, not only reading interest in various books, but also learning from other people's exchanges.

After completing the study at CEIBS, Wang Zhentao studied management course at the Yangtze River Business School.

He believes that the significance of reading these courses is not to get academic qualifications, but also to "arm brains with knowledge". The pleasure of reading EMBA lies in learning.

"Learning knowledge is relatively easy. It is difficult to pform knowledge into one's own wisdom and produce practical effects."

Wang Zhentao said.

When he read EMBA, he had a lot of fun coming from "collision of views" in class. He would have several new ideas after class.

Like most Wenzhou enterprises, AOKANG group is also a family business.

For future arrangements, Wang Zhentao said, "he can still work for several more years", and there is no further plan.

Wang Zhentao said that it is not easy to decide whether to inherit an enterprise from his own children in the future. "It depends on the interest of the child and can not force him to manage the enterprise."

However, he still consciously nurture children, for example, when his son was very young, Wang Zhentao often asked his son to attend the board meeting.

Wang Zhentao: first class enterprises are DreamWorks.

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Japan's "God of management" Konosuke Matsushita once said: one of the major responsibilities of operators is to let employees have dreams and strive to point out their goals, otherwise they will not be qualified to be leaders.

First class enterprises are first-class DreamWorks, which can give employees stage and employees have big dreams.

As early as 1932, when Konosuke Matsushita gave a sense of mission to employees, he described a 250 year plan for the company.

Few companies in the world can survive for 250 years, and even if it can last for more than 250 years, it will be difficult to guarantee their prosperity. Is Konosuke Matsushita dreaming?

But it is true that it is because of a dream that employees can ignite their passion for work, make them more courageous, and have a sense of mission. Let their burial wisdom burst forth and make the miracle come true.

Panasonic knows how to make employees dream and set up a stage for their employees, so Panasonic Corp has made rapid progress.

AOKANG is also a first-class DreamWorks.

In AOKANG, the idea and ability of the main employees will have a stage for him to show. Even in the ordinary enterprises, it is hard to imagine that employees' initiative "official" will happen in AOKANG.

In AOKANG, the promotion mechanism is the mechanism of dream growth. It is visible and tangible.

As long as we work hard, there will be a mechanism to make dreams come true step by step.

In excellent enterprises, as long as we have the ability, we can have unlimited development space.

In this way, employees can not only find jobs that are really suitable for themselves, but also mobilize the enthusiasm of their employees and always keep their enthusiasm for work.

In fact, not only AOKANG, but also a world-class enterprise, there is such a mechanism to encourage employees to have greater dreams.

In General Motors Corporation, there was also an incident of "wanting officials".

A young man walked confidently into the General Motors Corporation to find a job.

He applied to the General Company because his father once said "General Motors is a well run company" and suggested that he take a look.

During the interview, he was impressed with the interviewer because he was very confident.

But at that time, there was only one job vacancy left by the company. The interviewer said to him, "young people, there is only one vacancy left in the company. Do you want to apply?"

"Of course! Since I am here, I will not go back empty handed."

"But the position is very difficult and hard to do. It's hard for a beginner like you to handle it."

Who knows, young people are not "overthrown" by the interviewer's words, but still confidently say, "never mind, I am not afraid of any hardships."

Because the purpose of my application is to get into general motors. "

"Oh? What kind of work do you want to do in the company?"

"I will become president of General Motors in the future."

This is what makes the interviewer decide to leave this young man because he does not want to waste talent. He knows that this young man will have a dream come true one day.

32 years later, Roger Smith, the young man, became the chairman of GM.

Ambitious people are often the most valuable people.

Don't be afraid of the ambition of your employees.

On the contrary, those who dare not think about it often do not dare to do so, and ultimately they can only become a small staff member, and bring limited value to the company.

How can a first-class enterprise become a first-class DreamWorks?

First of all, enterprises should have a comprehensive promotion and incentive mechanism, so that employees can have broad space for development, and let employees feel that their careers are in their own hands.

Only in this way can employees have the passion to work, constantly challenge their jobs and positions, and finally make outstanding achievements.

Secondly, enterprises should really care about their employees, do not limit the development of their staff, and let employees dare to put forward their own ideas.

In addition, dare to "be an official" and dare to compete.

Only in this way can employees dare to dream and dare to dream.

Therefore, if you want to become a first-class enterprise, you must know how to provide employees with various opportunities, establish a complete mechanism in the company, and turn the enterprise into a dream factory in real meaning, so that the staff's dream can be realized in the enterprise.