What are Ren Zhengfei, Wang Jianlin, and Zong Qinghou, those entrepreneurs who have not yet retired at the age of 65, doing?

How long will an entrepreneur work?

60 years old is the legal retirement age. Basically, at the age of 65, most people have retired. For example, Pan Shiyi retired and took up photography, Jack Ma retired and became a "teacher", and Huang Zheng retired to study food. Science and life sciences, etc.

However, there are still a large number of entrepreneurs over 65 years old struggling on the front line. What are these entrepreneurs who have not retired after their 60th year doing?

Pang Kang is a super low-key boss. He has rarely received interviews from the media and rarely appears to the outside world. There is no introduction to Pang Kang on the official website of Haitian Flavor Industry.

Pang Kang is indispensable for the output value of Haitian Flavor Industry from a small sauce garden to surpassing the four ancient sauce gardens of Guangzhou Zhimizhai Sauce Garden, Beijing Liubiju, Yangzhou Sanhe and Changsha Jiuruzhai.

After graduating from Nanjing Normal University majoring in food machinery, Pang Kang was assigned to Haitian Flavor Industry, where he worked his way from a grassroots employee to the position of deputy general manager. During this period, he first improved the packaging process, and then introduced advanced production lines from Germany, allowing Haitian Flavor Industry to expand from Foshan to the whole country. After the restructuring, Pang Kang became the general manager and chairman of Haitian Flavor Industry, and became its largest shareholder.

Haitian Flavor Industry is known as a wealth-making factory. When it was listed in 2014, it created 34 billionaires at once. Its deputy general manager Cheng Xue ranked 3rd in the 2021 Hurun Professional Manager Ranking. Ranked first, with wealth reaching 65 billion, 6 times that of Alibaba Chairman Zhang Yong.

It can be seen from his position that Pang Kang is currently responsible for the company's overall business. In terms of business vision, he is far beyond many older entrepreneurs. Pang Kang has also found a new path for many old brands. ——Putting old wine in new bottles, using modern technology, and selling old products.

Wanda Group has grown from a real estate company to a diversified giant covering real estate, film and television, sports, medical care, investment, etc. As the company grows bigger, Wang Jianlin becomes increasingly busy and tired.

From 1989 to serving as the general manager of the Xigang District Residential Development Company before the restructuring, Wang Jianlin has been working hard for 32 years. In 2019, a "One Day in the Life of Wang Jianlin" itinerary was circulated, starting at 4 in the morning pm to 7 pm, in 15 hours, I visited two countries and three cities, flew more than 6,000 kilometers, and signed a 50 billion contract.

For ordinary people, 67 is the age of retirement, but for Wang Jianlin, it is in his prime.

In 2017, real estate policies changed, banks tightened their money supply, and the debt of 600 billion made the outside world think that Wanda Group was going bankrupt, and the richest man became the first liability. Wang Jianlin successfully saved himself by selling some assets, such as 77 hotels packaged and sold to R&F Group, and cultural tourism projects to Sunac Group.

Since this year, Wang Jianlin has been as busy as usual. Two days ago, Wanda established a rural revitalization leading group, with Wang Jianlin personally serving as the leader. Last month, Wang Jianlin signed two major contracts in Tianjin. First, he signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China FAW, and then signed a seaside cultural and tourism complex project with the Binhai New Area People's Government and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Management Committee.

There is no news about Wang Jianlin's retirement. Judging from some situations, he is slowly delegating power. In the future, Wanda Group may be handed over to professional managers. Such a large group will be managed by Wang Sicong. If so, it is indeed a bit difficult.

Zhong Suisui: 67 years old, chairman and general manager of Nongfu Spring

Since September 8 last year, the low-key Zhong Suisui can no longer keep a low profile. China's richest man and Asia's richest man The label of being the richest man and one of the top ten richest people in the world is attached to him, and he is often focused under the flashlight of the media.

Before starting their own business, Zhong Suisui’s father and Ma Yun’s father worked in the same unit. They were also neighbors, but their personalities were completely opposite. Jack Ma likes to make remarks in front of the stage, but Zhong Suisui likes to control the overall situation behind the scenes.

Contrary to personal low-profile, Zhong Suisui believes that enterprises should be high-profile. He once said: "If an enterprise does not hype, it is a mummy." He even believes that it is not necessary to care whether the enterprise's publicity method is correct or not, but to look at it. Does it fit or not?

Zhong Suisui’s biggest hobbies besides work are watching imperial movies and advocating business wars.

In the drinking water industry, Nongfu Spring, founded by Zhong Suisui, rose to the top by relying on business competition. He first fought against pure water companies such as Wahaha, and then fought against weakly acidic mineral water companies such as Yibao. In the Nongfu Spring "Quality Gate" incident, Zhong Suisui said after four years of confrontation with the Beijing Times: "We never say soft words, even if we are wrong, we always say hard words."

Today Zhong Suisui not only serves as the chairman and general manager of Nongfu Spring, but also directly manages the brand, sales and human resources, which can be said to be hands-on.

In the early years, Zhong Suisui once said: "I don't think my son can take over. I have given up on this idea. My daughter is still young and has no chance."

70-year-old Liu Yonghao is still active in front of the stage. He not only serves as the chairman and president of many companies such as New Hope Group and New Hope Investment, but is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and deputy director of the Economic Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. In March this year, he also won the title of "China's 50 Most Influential Business Leaders".

Liu Yonghao has gained both wealth and honor in his life, and has left a heavy presence in China's economic boom. Before the age of 20, it was difficult to have a meal during the Chinese New Year without wearing new clothes or decent shoes. After the age of 20, he became the partridge king of the world and the feed king of China. He initiated the establishment of China Minsheng Bank and became its major shareholder. He also became the richest man in China.

In the "Media Reports" column of New Hope Group's official website, Liu Yonghao is frequently active in major activities, and his thoughts keep up with the times. For example, he mentioned artificial intelligence and mobile in many speeches. New technologies such as the Internet and big data.

Last month, New Hope Group entered the Fortune 500 list for the first time. Liu Yonghao issued a letter to all employees and invited Harvard Business School to conduct training on accelerating digital transformation strategies. Liu Yonghao, who has entered his seventies, looks good I don't look like I'm 70 at all.

When some media summed up Liu Yonghao’s successful experience, one sentence was particularly pertinent: help farmers make money first, and then earn farmers’ money.

The life of Lao Ganma Tao Huabi is legendary. She was born in 1947. Like all Chinese at that time, her family was poor and she had no education. She got married at the age of 20. Unexpectedly, her husband died young, leaving her with two children. She founded Lao Ganma in a desperate situation in life.

Unexpectedly, this Lao Gan Ma, who did not know a few Chinese characters, created a miracle. After the "Lao Gan Ma" brand became Maotai, it became another business card of Guizhou. It paid 800 million in taxes in three years. Tao Huabi was very proud. She once said: "Be a real person, do business in a real way, and don't engage in fraud. Consumers can rest assured when they eat."

Starting in 2014, Tao Huabi, who has worked hard for many years, will have to leave due to physical reasons. The business was handed over to the two sons. After working hard all their lives, I thought I could enjoy my old age and take a break. Unexpectedly, without the old godmother, problems arose frequently.

The real estate company the eldest son invested in turned into unfinished buildings. Lao Ganma, who was in charge of the younger son, replaced all Guizhou peppers with Henan peppers in order to save costs, causing the taste to deteriorate. , sales declined.

The Laoganma factory in Guiyang caught fire twice within a month, causing losses of nearly 100 million yuan.

As a last resort, Tao Huabi, who is in her 70s, came out again. The first thing she did after coming out was to replace the raw materials with the original Guizhou pepper. Sales that year exceeded 5 billion.

An illiterate rural woman can build a business worth billions. Why can it be difficult for a talented son to continue his mother's glory?

This also echoes what Tao Huabi said, if you are honest, the consumers will be too. If you are careful, consumers will be careful too.

Zong Qinghou and Wahaha often appear in the news. In the past, it was because of the rapid development of the company that Zong Qinghou became the richest man in China. Now it is more about the issue of successor. The 76-year-old Zong Qinghou After staying on the front line, her 39-year-old daughter Zong Fuli tried to transform the brand, but the results were mediocre.

In recent years, Wahaha’s growth and profits have been relatively weak. On the one hand, it is trying to understand young people and optimize existing businesses. On the other hand, it is developing new businesses. For example, in 2019, Wahaha Intelligent Robot Company was established. Zong Qinghou is the legal person and chairman of the company. The company's business is the R&D, manufacturing and sales of intelligent robots, machinery and equipment, and parts.

In addition to the intelligent robot business, Zong Qinghou recently obtained the fund business qualification certificate, and there is speculation that Wahaha will engage in the fund business.

Whether it is intelligent robots or fund business, they are all normal business of the company. It is really admirable that the 76-year-old Zong Qinghou can do it himself. In fact, these businesses are left to his daughter. It's more appropriate for him to stand behind him. After working hard all his life, it's time for him to take a vacation.

Ren Zhengfei, who was born in October 1944, will reach his 77th birthday in just over a month. He started his business at the age of 43 and has now been working hard for 34 years. Ren Zhengfei resigned as director of Huawei's Shanghai subsidiary last year, and there was speculation that he might retire. Later, in an interview, Ren Zhengfei said that he would clean up some subsidiaries to make way for young people.

Ren Zhengfei said a long time ago that he would not let his children take over his job: "My family are just professional managers, and Huawei will never become a family company." The way out he designed for Huawei is "rotating directors" "Chairman System". During the rotation period, the chairman is the top leader of the company, but there will be restrictions from the board of directors.

At an advanced age and suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, Ren Zhengfei once said that he could not sit still for two hours and his health was not as good as before. Now he wants to retire but cannot. In this troubled time, including U.S. sanctions, the divestiture of Honor's mobile phone business, and the unreasonable detention of his daughter Meng Wanzhou in Canada, Ren Zhengfei is Huawei's spiritual leader.

Some time ago, Huawei decided to close its Canadian branch, fire local employees, withdraw technical personnel, and refuse to license 5G patents to Canada. Western media said that this was the first time in human business history. Lion Ren Zhengfei fights back against a country.

Although he has resigned from positions such as chairman and vice chairman, and currently only holds the position of president and director in two important Huawei companies, Ren Zhengfei is still active at the strategic level of Huawei.

When talking about retirement the year before last, Ren Zhengfei said: "I will retire when I can't keep up with my thinking. I am still full of ideas, so I will stay for a few more days!"

He Xiangjian, the founder of Midea, is one of the few low-key entrepreneurs in China. He is so low-key that many employees have never met him. Since handing over Midea Group to Fang Hongbo in 2012, he now only serves as the chairman of Midea Holdings, which can be regarded as Semi-retired status.

In the early days of starting a business, He Xiangjian was also a hard worker. He recalled: "As a general manager, there are endless documents and endless signatures every day. Even if I only sleep 4 hours a day, I can't process them in time." Everything."

Later, he found a professional manager, Fang Hongbo, and let him do it. The outside world compared He Xiangjian to "Liu Bei in a suit" and Fang Hongbo to "Zhuge Liang." .

After giving the positions of chairman and president to Fang Hongbo, He Xiangjian is still the largest shareholder of Midea, but he does nothing, loves golf, and maintains a score of 80 every year. < /p>

The last time it appeared in the news was in June last year, five idlers forced their way into their villa in Junlan International Golf Lifestyle Village for extortion and kidnapping. After calling the police, the police solved the problem immediately. crisis.

Compared with other older generation entrepreneurs, He Xiangjian is obviously the most chic person.

Conclusion:

It is easier to start a business than to keep it. At this age and status in life, they no longer care much about money. Whether they can pass on this business is their biggest concern. .

The issue of how to inherit Chinese family businesses has been discussed for many years. Some people hand over the businesses they founded to their children to inherit, while others turn the businesses into managers. No matter which way, the probability of success or failure is 50%.

After all, there is no eternally successful company, only companies of the times.