Li Kaifu: The Most Difficult Quality Of Entrepreneurs Is Objective And Conscious.

A year ago, Li Kaifu, who was the leader of professional managers, resigned as president of Google Greater China and set up an Innovation workshop. In September 8, 2010, the first batch of 7 projects of Innovation workshop unveiled mystery. The last thing Li Kaifu claims to do before retirement is whether the entrepreneurial paradise of Chinese young people can really produce killer companies? How does this unique incubator collect talents and inspire creativity?

At the age of nearly 50, he finally had a young and cool title -- entrepreneur Li Kaifu. With him is a group of highly adventurous young people, and "Kaifu greatly improved the average age of the team."

Some of the changes took place in the entrepreneur Li Kaifu. He was no longer the Li Kaifu who made a passionate speech on the university campus. He came to the office about eight o'clock every day, worked for 90 hours a week, and several wrinkles climbed onto his forehead.

"I met many executives of multinational companies, but I found they had no common language with me." Li Kaifu, an entrepreneur, now has some "dislike" for his colleagues in the past. He said, "I know it's hard to persuade big company executives to innovate factories, but I never thought it was zero." Li Kaifu once thought he knew a lot about entrepreneurs, and he was familiar with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. But when I knew them, their entrepreneurial period was over.

Some people questioned whether Li Kaifu and his team would be in a bad mood with China's entrepreneurial environment. In the past, the innovation factory was more like a pure incubator, the project came from internal incubation, and then to find the right team leader. Now the innovation factory is more and more like VC, and more willing to start an innovation factory with a project or team.

Li Kaifu doesn't even call these changes, because the Internet era is "Never say never." Building a killer company is not as simple as he imagined. Even with good technology and products, it is still difficult to piece together an entrepreneurial team. "We did it, but it was very hard. If a team founder can take the company's development, the direction is not what we imagine. " Under the new mode, the investment scale of the factory should be doubled.

Perhaps Ma Yun's Alibaba is a more customary way for Chinese people to start their own business. Eventually, a big boss will succeed through all kinds of commercial layout. But Li Kaifu doesn't want to be a group leader. He wants to be a mentor and coach. "Any path can be successful, and the innovation factory chooses the most suitable one."

Chinese Entrepreneur: your career as a professional manager is very successful. It is the first time to be an entrepreneur.

Li Kaifu: I think I am very lucky. Entrepreneurship like me is relatively rare. At the very beginning, some people supported it and built the environment and brand from the very beginning. Of course, we all have high expectations. Although not 100 percent smooth, but still quite satisfied.

Coming out of a big company is a challenge. For example, there are four people sitting in such a big office at the beginning. No one has no project. How can we develop the innovation factory? I used to work in a big company, and I was very used to going to work. I saw my secretary arrange a ten hour meeting for me and then go home very full. At first, it was really four people who glared at it here.

For the first four months, I was faced with some loneliness and uncertainty. I once had a fear that no entrepreneur who was willing to invest would knock at my door. There are many engineers who knock on the door. There are talents in technology, finance and law. None of our favorably talked about it. I am very worried that we can not expand the project we do. Is it possible for us to turn over three small items in a year?

But after a few months, everything was straightened out and I felt very good, because it was made out of nothing, more cordial than professional managers, and felt like all the homes owned by all employees.

Chinese Entrepreneurs: what changes have taken place in the Innovation workshop? What adjustments have been made in the business model?

Li Kaifu: if you told me a year ago, innovate The factory will choose the present mode. I am not surprised at all. Because this is not the only way to succeed.

No business model can be static, especially in the Internet age. At the beginning, we need some ideas to create factories, so that young people can do it. We have done it, but it is very hard. And it's hard to piece together an entrepreneurial team. It's better for start-up companies to have a founding team.

If a team can take the company forward, even if the direction may not be what we want, it doesn't matter. Therefore, we have adjusted the mode and welcomed the entry of the entrepreneurial team. The scale of the innovation factory is twice as large as expected.

Alibaba or Qihoo are more customary business models for Chinese people, and a big boss is ultimately successful through various commercial layouts, and Chinese entrepreneurs prefer this mode. Innovative workshops have chosen a more suitable way for themselves.

I think the mode of innovation works is more meaningful, I hope. China It can create some companies that are evergreen and have long value and can become world brands. I don't want to be a leader in my role. I prefer to be a mentor and coach.

The role of innovation factory is far away from big group and closer to VC. For a startup project, a huge group may have better control, but what I do is not to control the project.

Chinese Entrepreneur: what is the difference between innovation factory and other VC?

Li Kaifu: the core competitiveness of innovation factory is our value-added service. China has so much money, why do entrepreneurs take our money?

The first is recruitment.

Jobs said that a company is important for the first ten employees. Everyone must have a share. Everyone must be very good. We are a super headhunter, helping entrepreneurs build entrepreneurial teams of 5 to 10 people at the beginning, which determines their probability of success.

The second is to optimize the business plan.

Whether it is operation, product feasibility or market development, we all have a good fit. experience People.

Third increase our project success rate with our brand, connections and reputation.

The fourth is to create a good entrepreneurial atmosphere with our culture and environment. It is very important for the 12 teams to work together. It is very important for us to share the same feeling with each other. I hope they will be able to maintain their culture in the future.

Also, we have many entrepreneurial coaches, such as Yu Minhong and Yang Zhiyuan, who will come to communicate with the team. There are also some professional coaches who give many targeted suggestions to the team, which is not done by ordinary VC.

Chinese Entrepreneur: what unique qualities do you think entrepreneurs who can build killer companies have?

Li Kaifu: I think the most difficult quality of entrepreneurs is objective and conscious.

Other qualities, such as intelligence, leadership and passion, may be more important, but many entrepreneurs have them. These essential qualities, coupled with objectivity and self-consciousness, are the killer.