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"Creating First-Class Products, Developing First-Class Industries" Series (Part 4) | Store Visit (NO.8) | Still Successfully Starting a Business After Fifty, This Auntie is Amazing!!

"You're already a grandmother, why start a business now?"

"So what if I'm older? Jiang Ziya became a prime minister at eighty, and I still have decades before I reach that age."

"Forget it, let the young people handle it, we better not get involved."

"Forget it? Good products should be used by more people. Let's open the store, don't be lazy."

In 2017, an aunt in Dayi County, Chengdu, was debating with her husband about whether to start a business and open a store. Her husband thought that at their age, they should just focus on taking care of their grandchildren and not start a business; the aunt believed age was not a problem and that good products should be promoted for everyone to know.

What kind of product could make a woman over fifty persist in starting a business? What is the story behind it? In the 8th episode of our store visits, let's learn about Wu Xueqiong, the owner of the Qianchuan Wooden Door specialty store in Dayi County, and her entrepreneurial journey.

Q: Auntie, why did you want to start a business and open a store at this age?

A: Well, at first I didn't think about opening a store. In 2012, I bought Qianchuan wooden doors and found them very good. After five or six years, they still look like new. Two families I recommended also bought Qianchuan doors and said the quality was good. A friend suggested opening a store, and I was tempted.

Q: Did you encounter any difficulties in the early stages of opening the store?

A: Of course. You wouldn't believe it, my husband didn't want me to open the store. He thought starting a business was tough and was worried I might fail, so he wanted me to just take care of the grandchildren. I didn't give up and kept persuading him about Qianchuan. Good products sell themselves, the big manufacturer provides assurance, the wooden doors are quality, and the booming real estate market is a good opportunity for wooden doors... Eventually, he was convinced, and our store opened.

Q: What kind of work did you do before?

A: I used to run a truck business, which has nothing to do with wooden doors. I had to learn everything from scratch for the store: materials, pricing, measurements, details, matching... Whenever I encountered something I didn't understand, I asked the company. The company also sent professionals to guide me in opening the store. I also visited Qianchuan wooden door stores in Dujiangyan, Pujiang, and Qionglai many times to gain experience. I went to Dujiangyan three times alone.

Q: How did you prepare for opening the store?

A: I first carefully researched and planned the local wooden door market, target customer positioning, store location, and layout. The real estate market in Dayi County has been booming in recent years, with many mid-to-high-end properties. Our target customers are owners of these properties who have higher demands for home decoration quality and can accept our prices. Two of these properties are about to be handed over, so I think our chances are good.

Q: I noticed the store layout is interesting. Is there a particular pattern to the arrangement?

A: The store is arranged by style: fresh Mediterranean, classical new Chinese, modern light luxury. Each area has a different style. Also, you might have noticed this is a building materials street. The property across the street just finished construction, and when they decorate their homes, they come here first. The store has only been open a few months, but by the end of last year, the company recognized us and I took home a computer as a reward.

Q: How do you manage and set standards for yourself running the store?

A: I have to be responsible to customers. No matter how big the matter, the door is always open to customers, even on New Year's Eve. Being inconsistent is not acceptable! I like a clean and tidy store; I can't stand even a single orange seed on the floor. To leave customers with a professional and capable impression, I even went to get my hair done to show a good spirit.

Q: Have you encountered any interesting experiences?

A: Last year, a customer only had 1,000 yuan on him but wanted to order several wooden doors. I covered the rest of the deposit. The total price was over 10,000 yuan. I was a bit scared because if the customer defaulted, I would be responsible. But I thought business is about "integrity." Since the customer trusted our product, I should trust the customer. In the end, the customer paid on time, and the transaction was successful. This left a deep impression on me.

Q: Do you have any plans for the future?

A: In the short term, I am preparing for the upcoming "Double 12" shopping festival by decorating the store to look festive and running advertisements to attract more customers. The long-term goal is to manage the store well.

No one is born mature. Your current temperament hides the books you've read, the roads you've traveled, and the people you've met. Wu Xueqiong lives vibrantly at a grandmother's age. She is free-spirited, capable, and young at heart. Because of Qianchuan, she has traveled more paths; because of Qianchuan, she has met more people; and because of Qianchuan, she has re-experienced the passionate youth of working hard.