Hu Qiaomin: Create A Sky For Wenzhou Shoes In Africa

There is an old story that a shoe company in a country sent two marketing personnel to Africa to explore the market. Before long, they completed the market survey and returned home, and the two people submitted survey reports with different conclusions. The former salesman analyzed that people are used to barefoot in the fiery climate of the African continent. There is no leather shoes market here, so he suggested that the company give up investment; The latter salesperson made the opposite judgment to the former salesperson. He said that too few African people wear shoes, and people are full of desire for leather shoes. The market potential is unlimited. Therefore, he suggested that the company invest in Africa to explore this virgin land of leather shoes. It doesn't matter which of the two marketers' conclusions the company boss adopts. The story to be told in this article is very similar to the last salesman mentioned above. He is Hu Qiaomin, chairman of China Tanzania Shoes Co., Ltd., who let African people wear Wenzhou leather shoes. Hu Qiaomin was born in Hongqiao Town, Yueqing in 1955. In 1980, after returning home from the army, he was arranged to work in Wenzhou Foreign Trade Company. Hu Qiaomin, who was well trained by swords in the army, was diligent and studious in his work. In just a few years, he was promoted from warehouse keeper and salesman to head of business section. With the spring breeze of reform and opening up blowing all over Wenzhou, private economy has sprung up everywhere. Hu Qiaomin, who was not satisfied with the mechanism of the state-run big pot cooking, resolutely quit his job in the foreign trade company and set up a lighter factory, a leather shoes factory and a leather plastic leather company with his wife Xu Shuping. After several years of efforts, the factory has begun to take shape and accumulated some funds. In 1993, under the advice of friends, Hu Qiaomin decided to explore foreign markets. After repeated weighing, he chose the African country Tanzania and embarked on a new journey of constantly challenging himself. When I first arrived in Tanzania, everything was so strange. The economy here is backward, people's living standards are low, sanitary conditions are poor, and there are many epidemics. Most of the Chinese who come to do business cannot adapt to this harsh environment, so they return home or go to other countries to develop. With the perseverance of Wenzhou people, Hu Qiaomin started a difficult business. In order to understand the market, he relied on a map and drove around Tanzania under the hot mouth. Sometimes we have to risk crossing the primeval forest. After months of arduous trek, he investigated the footwear market in Tanzania. At that time, the Indians and Pakistanis had formed a strong force in managing footwear products here, basically controlling the whole market, and they were heavily fortified against the entry of foreign forces. Hu Qiaomin carefully analyzed the complicated relationship among importers, distributors and retailers, and based on the business principle of keeping promises and giving way to profits, he skillfully opened the market and slowly gained a foothold in Tanzania. In order to remain invincible in the fierce market competition, we must know ourselves and the other, and be familiar with the market. Hu Qiaomin uses computer network technology to process all kinds of market information, and then sends it back to manufacturers in Wenzhou and other cities in an endless stream to organize supplies suitable for the characteristics of African people. As the saying goes, "Shoes fit well and go fast." Chinese cheap and high-quality shoes are increasingly accepted by the Tanzanian people, and Hu Qiaomin has finally made a breakthrough. Based in Tanzania and looking across Africa. Hu Qiaomin took the initiative to set up branches in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Congo, Uganda and other countries, and set up branches in Zambia There are shoe factories in Tanzania and Malawi and professional manufacturing enterprises of a certain scale in their countries, enjoying high reputation. In the summer of 1998, during Premier Li Peng's visit to African countries, Hu Qiaomin was one of several representatives of Chinese entrepreneurs. At that time, Hu Qiaomin was doing physiological business in Uganda and Kenya. When he heard that Premier Li Peng was going to have a discussion with representatives of Chinese entrepreneurs, he immediately put down his business and hurried back to Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania. Qiaomin is a person full of love. He never forgets that he is a Chinese descendant and has deep feelings for his motherland and hometown. Poor children drop out of school, typhoons hit their hometown, the "September 8th Flood Relief", and the "SARS" ravaged the country... He is as determined as a knife to organize and lead donations to send home again and again. Now, in the fierce footwear market competition in Africa, Hu Qiaomin has a good reputation in East African countries by devising strategies and working step by step. With perseverance, he is still exploring the market, making Wenzhou shoes and Wenzhou people's spirit take root, sprout and blossom on the African continent