Love with entrepreneurship comes from his first unexpected meeting with “Happy Farm”
The year 2008 saw the heyday of the online game “Happy Farm”. People were obsessed with becoming farmers, busy harvesting their mature crops. However, they weren't using plows to raise crops, they were using a computer mouse.
While others were watching their screens on strict guard against sneak attacks from friends or simply admiring their harvest, Mr. Zeng Junjie, freshly “online” with his “mouse”, was lost in thought.
Zeng Junjie was a true farmer and this was the first time he had seen “Happy Farm”. It was quite beyond his wild dreams to find so many urbanites indulging in common farm work like “planting”, “sowing”, “fertilizing”, and “watering” as they played the game.
“What if I run a real “Happy Farm” on my own land?”
After several visits, he found that many urban residents lived a fast-pace life and were under great pressure in the busy cities. They longed to get away from the noisy cities to a space where they could sow, cultivate, and harvest on their own. However, most of such wishes could only come true by establishing an online “Happy Farm”.
Thus, Xianggang Eco-Agriculture Co., Ltd was born, and the concept of a literal “Happy Farm” became a reality.
By the year 2013 the company had hit 2.4 million yuan in gross revenue, with a net profit of 850,000 yuan. In 2014, nearly 10,000 people visited the farm, the company's primary business, and about 2,000 visitors participated in farm work. “The visitors cannot only taste healthy organic food, come into close contact with rare birds, feed peacocks and pheasants, but also experience farm work and farm culture. They can grow vegetables, gather crops, cook by themselves ……” said Zeng Junjie, taking pride in his own farm.
Starting a business is like having a romance, once you've set your mind, you must see it through.
Mr. Zeng Junjie, a dark skinned fellow, always wears a suit when meeting guests. It’s hard to identify him as a farmer.
“We farmers are a disadvantaged group, for we are not well-educated, and short on good social resources and savings. We can’t stand losses.” Zeng Junjie, who knows well the disadvantages faced by farmers, applied to the “One-College-Student-for-One-Village Programme” administered by Hunan Radio and TV University (RTVU) early in 2008.
“In the beginning, I was deeply attracted by the practical course on information technology. It was here that I learned how to use a computer and had my own QQ.” Thanks to the RTVU, Zeng Junjie was able to go online for the first time.
He gradually completed courses in Livestock Breeding Basics, Plant Production Technology, Township Administration, Land Use Planning, and others, which laid a good foundation for his entrepreneurship. Moreover, he started to formulate his concept of turning “Happy Farm” into a real business.
According to Zeng Junjie, “starting a business is like having a romance, once you've set your mind, you must see it through.”
However, “Happy Farm” is like finding a "beautiful wife”, it sounds great, but it's easier said than done. In the beginning, Zeng Junjie, who had just quit his job as a salesman for Hunan Zhilin Pharmacy Group, felt somewhat lost.
Inspired by the RTVU teachers, he had the idea of bringing farmland “alive”. In 2010, he invested all his savings, totaling 1.8 million yuan, and established the first company for land transfer in the village. He got 300 mu (1 hectare equals 1 mu) of land and divided it into small patches sized 0.1 mu, 0.2 mu or 0.5 mu for lease to urban residents. At the same time, the company provides them with farm machinery, farm tools, seeds, fertilizer, and management services.
As Zeng was excitedly running around preparing to start his business by setting up the infrastructure, buying equipment, and purchasing seedlings, little market response was received. Only about 10 people had the intention to rent land with an area of less than 2 mu.
Villagers who didn’t understand him made sarcastic remarks, and even his family and friends said discouraging words, trying to persuade him to give up.
However, the stubborn Zeng refused to do so. He said, “I am the first one in the village to try the business, and only by setting a good leading example can I persuade the villagers to work together with me.” He began talking with his old Changsha customers from his previous job as a salesman in an effort to drum up support from door to door. As he was asking business experts and school teachers for advice, he was also seeking partners to reduce entrepreneurial risk.
Half a year passed, and he finally saw a few rays of sunlight break through the dark clouds. The number of tenants increased to over 200 and Zeng Junjie himself was honored with the title of “A Demonstration Leader of Popular Science in Hunan” in 2013.
Innovation and infatuation both have expiration dates, they require freshness
A left-behind senior in the village often says, “I have two sons. One of them doesn't do anything to help me, and the other is Boss Zeng, who gives me two meals and one package of cigarettes a day in addition to 80 yuan of work pay.”
The Boss Zeng he speaks of is nobody but Zeng Junjie.
Zeng’s company not only created nearly 50 jobs for the whole village but also adds over 500 yuan to each farmer’s pocket every year.
Boss Zeng has had some modest success, but he will by no means stop here.
“Happiness to one person is not as good as happiness to all”. He passes on to the villagers the breeding knowledge he learned in the RTVU. He also invites the RTVU professors to come give lectures and answer questions every two months at regular intervals. The farmers benefit substantially.
This can be called the first “fresh idea” he has contributed via his business.
He himself is also busy in further studies and participating in various entrepreneurial project contests sponsored by the school. Zeng Junjie, who is especially keen on information technology, is especially interested in the connectivity of the online and real “Happy Farm”, and continues to enjoy the “Internet plus entity” model.
Based on its years of cooperation experience with Changsha Recreational Agriculture Website, the company has set out to discuss cooperation plans with Taobao. The customized business of Happy Farm is within reach.
“Our farm is now being equipped with a video system. At the end of the year, the whole farm will spread before the customers' eyes once they turn on their computers, all without leaving their homes. They can give instructions with their mouse, and the farm staff will accept and put their instructions into practice. The customers will be able to do whatever they want on their own land.”
This can be the second “fresh idea” by Zeng Junjie.
What will be the third “fresh idea”? Shhhh …… Let’s wait and see.
By RTVU