Pathfinder Chairman Sheng Faqiang: The Fate Of A Tent Changing

A few months ago, the 40 year old Sheng Fa Qiang was just an insignificant member of hundreds of private entrepreneurs.

With the curtain opening of the gem, the identity and capital market of the first batch of landed companies helped Beijing rapidly.

Although fame and media exposure have improved a lot, Sheng Faqiang, a white shirt with grey suit, is surrounded by the bombing of the media.

He told reporters: "landing on the gem is my company and the whole company has been preparing for 2 years of things, in fact, my life has not changed much."

From scratch, the family contributed greatly.

When it comes to Pathfinder's entrepreneurial track, he has close ties with the surveying and mapping specialty I have learned.

In 1988, Sheng Fa Qiang was admitted to the surveying and mapping major of Zhongnan University of technology. This major required students to do field investigation and study frequently, but few professional tents and sleeping bags were seen at that time.

A tent later changed the trajectory of his fate.

After graduating, he was not at ease working in the design institute.

This tent made Sheng Faqiang's eyes light up, and the other side bid 200 thousand yuan, and after several negotiations with the technology side, he finally bought the patent at a low price of 5000 yuan.

After receiving the patent, he went to Jiangsu for more than a month to learn how to make such a tent.

In 1995, Sheng Fa Qiang registered Beihai Tian Hui Travel Products Co., Ltd., invested about 100000 yuan, and produced 1000 tents, named "Tian le" brand.

The Nanning cultural and sporting goods fair is the first barrel of gold in life. He signed a contract of about 800000 yuan on that day, and it traded about 100000 yuan.

With the development of the company, Sheng Faqiang, who was uneasy in nature, moved the company to Beijing in 1998.

The name "Tian le" is renamed "Pathfinder" brand.

"We thought of it as a seeker or a pathfinder," he said. "Finally, I think the latter is closer to the product."

"Initially, the company had only two rows of bungalows, and the conditions were very difficult.

Everyone has several jobs and a low salary. "

Sheng Faqiang recalled to CBN reporters that he could only rely on help from relatives and friends at that time.

In the process of landing on the gem, enterprises' "de familial" has become a very challenging topic.

Sheng Faqiang did not avoid this. He thought that "de familial" should be interpreted from two levels, more clearly and easier to analyze.

"First, from the perspective of shareholders, Pathfinder almost starts from scratch. The existence of such conditions is very necessary. For private enterprises, I think it is a normal development process.

Second, from the management level, we have introduced more professional managers management companies since 2004.

After the listing, the platform will be broader, and we will introduce more professional managers.

"The company now has an excellent management team of professional managers."

When it comes to professional manager team, Sheng Fa is quite excited. "For example, Zhang Cheng, chief financial officer of the company, studying in Singapore, I am also a certified public accountant, and vice president of marketing from the world's top 500 companies.

Fan Yongjian, Secretary of the board of directors, is a master's degree in finance and has been in a listed company.

It is obvious that managers are going family.

Signing Wang Shi as spokesperson

Although he had worked in surveying and mapping in the early years, he had boarded Meili Xue Shan and the Alps, but Sheng Fa Qiang admitted to reporters that he was not a standard "donkey friend".

Instead, Wang Jing, the second largest shareholder of his wife and Pathfinder, is an outdoor sports enthusiast.

Although Wang Jing was called the director of the public in public, he did not mention the approval of his wife when he mentioned his wife.

"She is a great woman". According to Wang Jing, he has successfully reached several 8000 meters peaks. It is precisely because of his common interests that Wang Jing met Wang Shi during the mountaineering process and successfully invited Wang Shi to become the brand spokesperson of the Pathfinder.

There are mountaineers who believe that Wang Shi is not a professional mountaineer, but will create an unprofessional impression on the Pathfinder brand.

Sheng Faqiang did not think so.

"We asked Wang Shi to speak on behalf of Wang Shi as a famous mountaineer, representing a spirit of climbing."

He said Wang Shi ranked the top among the most widely known figures in China's outdoor sports.

He has a spirit of perseverance, not only in mountaineering, but also in business.

Although he did not talk about Wang Shi's endorsement fees and endorsement years, he revealed from another side that Mr. Wang Shi donated the money to public welfare undertakings in the name of him and Pathfinder, and the donation project in 2009 was "Beida Mountain Club".

In order to enhance the professionalism of the brand, Pathfinder recently signed a "exclusive product of the north and south polar expedition".

Sheng Faqiang said the first three months of Pathfinder had officially begun to produce the north and South Pole expedition, including the Penguin Series, the extremely cool series, and so on to adapt to the different environment of the north and south poles.

Strong dialogue

Reporter: what is the biggest change from family business to public company?

Sheng Faqiang: there are three notable changes.

The first is that companies can use more bullets and more capital.

Second, more mother-in-law comes from government supervision. The SFC exchanges will have very strict supervision.

The third point is that the news media, of course, represent the voice of the masses.

In order to adapt to this change, the company will work out a more active system in improving its governance structure so as to make the company more open and pparent.

The company strictly implements the relevant provisions of the SFC exchange. We strive to win the mission and play the role of Pathfinder in the position of the pioneer in the gem.

Reporter: according to the public information disclosure, in the first half of this year, you have closed some direct stores. Why should we turn off these direct stores?

Sheng Faqiang: what's off is temporary special stores, such as temporary promotions for half a month.

There are also shops based on brand promotion considerations, such as opening stores in the vicinity of Wantong wholesale market, because we have closed these stores because of brand promotion.

We have raised more than 300 million of the funds, will set up experience Museum in China's second tier cities, increase the number of Direct stores, but the proportion of Direct stores is still less than 25%.

Mainly based on franchised stores, the experience and policy of dumbbell light companies will not change.

Reporter: as for the problem of husband and wife shops, how do you work as a chairman and wife in the company?

Sheng Faqiang: Wang Jing as a director, executive management does not intervene.

I am in charge of management, she is a director, and she is also a product technology director of R & D center. She has rich experience in mountaineering and has personal experience in mountaineering.

This part of the resources is very good, can be applied to product development, technology control, and the establishment of standards, etc., I think the construction of R & D center is of great significance.

Reporter: do you pay attention to the company's stock price every day?

Sheng Faqiang: share price still depends on the company's performance. Therefore, we mainly do business well, and the stock price reflects the real situation of the company.