40 years of reform and opening up,
female entrepreneurs have grown from "0"
to development "potential stocks."
Their entrepreneurial history
is the development history of SMEs in the 40 years of reform and opening up.
Through the entrepreneurial story of Li Qiumei, the president of the Women Entrepreneurs Chamber of the Nanning Federation of Industry and Commerce, we can see the development of Nanning SMEs in the wave of reform and opening up.
From "iron rice bowl" to "going to the sea" in business
In 1981, Li Qiumei, who had just graduated, entered the state-owned Nanning shirt factory as a worker, and had the iron rice bowl everyone dreamed of. "Nanning Shirt Factory is a state-owned enterprise. Work is relatively easy and stable, but it is boring." Li Qiumei recalled.
At the time when the country implemented the reform and opening up policy, many people went to sea to do business and became "ten thousand yuan households." Do you want to work for a lifetime in a state-owned enterprise, or go to the sea for business? Facing the opportunities brought by reform and opening up, Li Qiumei also hesitated. With the support of her father and lover, she resolutely decided to give up the iron rice bowl and go to sea for business.
want to do business, capital is the foundation. In order to accumulate funds, Li Qiumei and her lover went out early and returned late to raise funds by selling steamed buns, steamed buns, hair cakes, and sesame paste. Later, they opened a hardware store selling bucket cars, nails, wire, bamboo strips, brooms, etc.
From a 40-square-meter store to a retail chain
In 1984, China's small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employed individuals have sprung up. In that year, Li Qiumei opened a 40-square-meter shop at No. 188 Xinyang Road, named Huanan Hardware Sundries Store. In order to run the store's business well, Li Qiumei watched and learned, and when she had time, she went to the orphanage, the rubber factory, the pharmaceutical factory, and the Nanji factory to promote sales.
Today’s No. 188 Xinyang Road
"At that time, I didn’t have any experience. I would sell what I looked at the state-owned store. I would visit my regular customers by cycling every week, and I would send it directly to see what they lacked, and try to satisfy the customers. Demand." Li Qiumei recalled.
In 1985, Li Qiumei opened another shop opposite the Nanning State Department Store. In addition to selling hardware, she also sold general merchandise and department stores. "With the advancement of reform and opening up, starting in 1987, I also followed the trend to go to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and other places to buy goods. At that time, socks, underwear, toy cars and other goods that were not available in state-owned stores were particularly popular in my store." Li Qiumei Preached excitedly. Taking advantage of the situation, she opened 6 retail chain stores in Taoyuan Road, Jianzheng Road, Zhonghua Road, Mingxiu Road, Beihu Road and other places in the following years.
From the head of the Hardware and Electrical City to the president of the Women Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce
In 1999, Li Qiumei won the right to operate the Nanning Hardware Building through a bid. In 2003, China and ASEAN countries announced the establishment of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, and held the first China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning in 2004. Li Qiumei, who has worked hard for 20 years in the hardware and electrical industry, saw huge business opportunities.
"Since 2003, the infrastructure construction of ASEAN countries began to require a large number of hardware and electromechanical products. I took the members of the Chamber of Commerce to investigate and found that China's hardware and electromechanical materials have broad development prospects in ASEAN countries." Li Qiumei said in detail.
The construction of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area has brought both opportunities and challenges to Guangxi's hardware and electromechanical market. In order to establish a professional hardware and electromechanical market, Li Qiumei and her wife traveled all over the country to investigate and study. "From 2001 to 2004, the hardware chambers of commerce in various provinces and cities established 17 professional hardware and electromechanical markets. Through inspection, we are determined to build the largest professional hardware and electromechanical market in Guangxi." Li Qiumei said.
With the support of Nanning Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, Nanning Dongbo International Hardware & Electrical City opened in December 2005, and its products are sold to all parts of the country and ASEAN countries such as Vietnam.
In 2006, under the guidance of the United Front Work Department of the Nanning Municipal Party Committee, the Nanning Federation of Industry and Commerce established the Women Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce, with Li Qiumei as its president.
Under the leadership of Li Qiumei, the sisters of the Chamber of Commerce twisted together and worked together to set up a special fund for women’s entrepreneurship to deepen the poverty alleviation and help the poor and help more women find employment... "The times are developing, and now the state proposes With supply-side structural reforms, private companies are facing greater challenges. We need to think innovatively and proactively adapt to the new situation. Women’s contribution to work can hold up half of the sky.Conquering the world, now with the "maiden family" of the Chamber of Commerce as the backing, everyone can "group together" for development and win-win cooperation. "Li Qiumei said.
