"News Room"

Li Xiaomeng: Hello audience friends, welcome to the "News Room". People who were born after the 1980s have always been synonymous with youth or youth in the eyes of those of us who have lived there, but overnight we discovered that there are already many talented people among them. Liu Xiang was born in 1983, and Yao Ming was born in 1980. Maybe because They are engaged in the field of sports, so we take their success for granted. The success of other people born in the 80s will make us pay attention to their youth, because what they do seems to be wrong with their age. Wait, today we are also inviting a young company president, Gao Ran. Hello, Gao Ran.

Gao Ran: Hello.

Li Xiaomeng: Perhaps what people are most curious about is why at your age, it is possible for you to obtain material life that most of your peers cannot obtain?

Gao Ran: If we talk about spiritual life, I agree with it very much. I feel that I live a spiritual life that many people don’t have. I am happy every day. But if we talk about material life, then they may be disappointed, because I live and eat the same as everyone else, as long as I have chili peppers, I live in a rented place, and I usually don’t go out to buy anything for several months. stuff, so I think it might be their misunderstanding.

This is the office of Gao Ran, the 25-year-old president of Gaowei Video Company. There seems to be no trace of a net worth of over 100 million here. In the words of the office owner, it is not time to consider material life yet.

This Gao Ran company is mainly engaged in the research and development of broadband video live broadcast technology. Through this technology, people can watch TV smoothly on the Internet. This company, which was only established for two years, has grown at an astonishing rate. Today, Gao Ran’s company has nearly a hundred employees and has received a total of US$10 million in investment.

In December last year, Gaowei Video Company won the titles of "Second Place in Internet Industry Innovation" and "Top 100 Internet Industry in China" issued by the Internet Society of China. In the first half of this year, the Internet Society of China, together with many venture capital institutions at home and abroad, rated Gaowei Video Company as the "Enterprise with the Most Investment Value".

These are enough to make "Gao Ran" a shining name among entrepreneurs in the 1980s.

Li Xiaomeng: What is the reason for being able to have a company of your own? Is there any necessity from your own personality or other aspects?

Gao Ran: To be honest, my personality is a person who is more suitable for entrepreneurship. Now I feel more and more that I am better at entrepreneurship.

Li Xiaomeng: What kind of personality is suitable for starting a business?

Gao Ran: I am more studious, that is, I have a stronger learning ability, I am more diligent, I have to be very diligent, I am good at dealing with people, I have certain leadership skills, maybe I can start a business in this way.

Li Xiaomeng: Your most famous saying is that you don’t want to see the end of your life at a glance. Can you tell me what is a life in which you can see the end at a glance?

Gao Ran: It’s very simple. For example, I really wanted to be a reporter. When I actually became a reporter, I actually spent a lot of time and effort to be a reporter, but when I did When I really became a reporter, and a better one at that. I found that decades later, if I go down this path, I will still be a reporter. In this way, you may be yourself for the rest of your life. Maybe you are interested, but you will only do one thing for the rest of your life. Things, I don’t think this is my life. I can't calculate the length of life, but it can be longer or shorter, and it can be controlled. But I hope that the width of this life can be wider and broader. I hope to be a reporter, a business owner, write a book, write my blog, or be a university professor, or do something I would rather do. In addition, for me, to be honest, I still pursue influence very much. I really like what Kai-fu Lee said. He said, "Follow my heart and do the most influential things." If I can, I will do so.

Li Xiaomeng: I think those entrepreneurs of the previous generation had many of their own ideas, but I think your generation is still repeating some of their ideas, for example, as an influential person A strong person, or follow my heart.

Gao Ran: In fact, there are many things that are universal. For example, if you want to get married, you have to find a girl to get married with. The older generation also has to find one, and I also have to find one. But some things are indeed different. Because we are young at this time, some things are not worried about gains and losses.

Gao Ran’s hometown is Yiyang, Hunan, and his parents are ordinary farmers. Due to financial difficulties at home, although Gao Ran had good academic performance, after graduating from junior high school, he did not continue to study in high school and chose a technical secondary school. After graduating from technical secondary school, Gao Ran went to Guangdong to work and make money. During this period, he taught himself professional knowledge in ISO9000 certification, and soon moved to a foreign company as an engineer, with a monthly salary of 5,000 yuan. Five thousand yuan is a lot of wealth in Gao Ran's hometown.

However, less than half a year after working in the new company, Gao Ran made another surprising decision - he wanted to return to high school as a transfer student and prepare to take the college entrance examination. At that time, there was only half a year left for the college entrance examination. I didn't go to high school before going to Gao Ran. The intense college entrance examination is an impossible goal in the eyes of the folks and family members. But half a year later, Gao Ran received an admission letter from a university, and it was from Tsinghua University. This news caused a sensation in Gao Ran's hometown.

Li Xiaomeng: Looking at these photos, I can’t even recognize you. Do you think the changes have been big?

Gao Ran: It was quite big. I was very depressed at the time, very depressed, because what I did was not what I wanted to do, and there was a conflict between ideals and reality. I am a person with very big ideals, and I will definitely do this. What is the reality like? The reality is that I would not say that I am inferior to others, but it is indeed very far away from what I want to do, so the conflict between ideals and reality will depress a person.

Li Xiaomeng: She even looks a little older than she does now.

Gao Ran: Maybe, it depends on you.

Li Xiaomeng: When did you no longer feel this sense of depression and began to feel that the sea and the sky were brighter?

Gao Ran: College, the first day of college entrance examination, August 20, 1999.

Li Xiaomeng: Is this a fundamental change?

Gao Ran: Yes. Now every time I have a chance, I can tell everyone that you must go to college.

Li Xiaomeng: You actually had good grades when you were in junior high school. Because of your family’s financial problems, you went to a technical secondary school. Did you feel depressed at the time?

Gao Ran: Cry, there are two things I can do. One is to cry every day, and the other is to roll around on the ground.

Li Xiaomeng: So strong.

Gao Ran: Yes, there is no way. I was 13 years old and very young. This is not something I can decide. What can I decide when I am 13 years old?

Li Xiaomeng: When you are crying and rolling on the ground, do you feel that the big ideal in your heart has left you?

Gao Ran: No, I think there may be some so-called setbacks or detours, but I will come back one day. That’s what I thought at that time, because I watched a lot of celebrities at that time According to biography, it should be said that my ambition at that time was a little more mature than that of ordinary people of the same age. Then I told myself what I should do, so I did not give up my spiritual pursuit during the few years of technical secondary school.

Li Xiaomeng: Is it a dream that I have always had, whether to go to college or to go to technical secondary school, including later work, that I suddenly decided at that point?

Gao Ran: At one point, I actually think I can definitely accomplish something, but it’s hard to say whether I have to go to college. But then I worked in Shenzhen, and I talked to these people After meeting college students, I actually don’t think I’m any worse than them. In fact, I’m not much worse than them. But after I read a few books and read for a while, I realized that I still wanted to go to college. And at that time, some of my friends who were in high school were also admitted to college one after another.

Li Xiaomeng: Is your yearning for university a yearning for this identity or a yearning for higher education?

Gao Ran: It’s both aspects, but later I discovered that it was indeed the case. I found that college life changed me a lot and helped me regain my confidence.

Li Xiaomeng: When you took the college entrance examination, you had already been working in society for some time. How confident were you in preparing for the college entrance examination again at that time?

Gao Ran: No one has confidence in me. Except for myself, no one in the world has confidence in me, including my parents. At that time, my parents said, if you want to read, you should read. We If you don’t have money, just go and study. My parents, I know, I know them very well, this is the limit they can bear. It costs a lot of money to go to high school in rural areas, and even more money to go to college. In our hometown, who has a college student? Whichever family must live in the shabbiest house and live the worst life, my parents think you can earn 5,000 yuan a month.

Li Xiaomeng: Do you think you have survived?

Gao Ran: Yes, I felt like I was getting through it. I said I wanted to study, but they felt it was a bit too much. And I really didn’t have any confidence. In our relatively good middle school at that time, it would be good if ten college students could pass the exam every year. It would be good if hundreds of people could pass the ten college entrance exams, and at least eight of them were college students. Then I I told them that I wanted to take the exam at Tsinghua University and Peking University, but I said that I would not take the exam at any other school. No one believes in me, no one really believes in me, except myself.

Li Xiaomeng: After leaving school for a period of time, not everyone dares to have the confidence to pick up books again and take the test for high scores.

Gao Ran: I went to that high school. When I first went there, I took the monthly exam. In the second semester, I took the monthly exam. I was second to last, and the principal put me among the worst in the school. class, I was the second to last in the worst class.

Li Xiaomeng: Were you still confident at that time?

Gao Ran: Yes, I think I didn’t go to school for a day, and I didn’t go to high school for a day, and I was able to get second to last in the exam. There are people who are worse than me, so I think I can still do it. In the second monthly exam, I was already ranked first in the class, one month later.

Li Xiaomeng: Will there be tuition for you to go to school when you get the admission letter?

Gao Ran: In my hometown at that time, I actually went to Tsinghua University or Peking University. I had not passed the exams of Tsinghua University or Peking University for more than ten years or 15 years, so everyone had very high expectations for this school and felt that I would go to this school. People who study in the school will definitely be great in the future, so some people are willing to help me. In fact, after I was admitted to college, I didn't worry about tuition fees.

Li Xiaomeng: Your parents are both farmers.

Gao Ran: My dad is actually pretty good. When he was 18, he was the branch secretary of our village. My mom completed five years of schooling in one year, and she still ranked first. . I think my parents are pretty good.

Li Xiaomeng: In the minds of your parents, what kind of person do you want you to be and what kind of career do you want you to have?

Gao Ran: In our rural areas, everything is of inferior quality. The only way to be high-ranking is to be an official. They think that if you go to such a good school and get a doctorate, you can become a good official. If you become a civil servant, he thinks Very good, so they felt disappointed when I neither studied for a Ph.D. nor became a civil servant.

After graduating from Tsinghua University, Gao Ran became a newspaper reporter. This was also his original dream. But just eight months later, the restless young man began to pursue his dream again. Gao Ran once again Quit your job and start a business with your friends. After careful selection and evaluation, Gao Ran completed his first business plan and began to seek investment from all sources. He initially tried to seek support from Jerry Yang, the founder of Yahoo.com, but was unsuccessful.

Li Xiaomeng: If you start a business, what kind of capital do you have?

Gao Ran: I should have a lot of capital at that time. First of all, I knew a lot of entrepreneurs, and some of them were very willing to help me because they felt that I was a person who could be created. Talent, so this is a basic point for me to consider. In addition, I gradually discovered that I have some similarities with these entrepreneurs, the bosses or general managers of these successful companies. I think they dare to think and do, and I also dare to do and think, so This is such an opportunity.

Li Xiaomeng: Yes, if you really want to start a business, start-up capital may be crucial at that time. You hand your first plan directly to Yang Zhiyuan, you When you went there, did you think he would really give you money for this?

Gao Ran: No matter what kind of things I do, I feel that there will be people willing to help me, and they will definitely support me in various ways, so I will do it. I figured if I didn’t do it, I would never have a chance, and if I did, I would have a chance.

Li Xiaomeng: You blocked Yang Zhiyuan in the elevator. How did he look at you at that time?

Gao Ran: He was weird at the time, and he thought I was weird, because I was still a reporter at the time, and I used my identity as a reporter to meet him. It was an idea that came to me when I met him alone later, because he was a reporter at the time. We were discussing things with the CEO of Yahoo, but later on, Jerry Yang walked faster. There was a reporter interviewing the CEO. Jerry Yang walked faster, held down the elevator door and waited for the CEO to go in. I said I’ll do it, and Jerry Yang just When I got in, I immediately closed the elevator door, went in, and gave him my business plan. I said I admire you very much, and you should take a look at my business plan.

Li Xiaomeng: What did he say?

Gao Ran: When he saw that the elevator had been closed, there was nothing he could do, so he took a look and found that there were still a few minutes left.

Li Xiaomeng: What conclusion did you reach in the end?

Gao Ran: If I were him, I would do the same. He said yes, you can send me an E-mail when the time comes, and I will reply to you by E-mail. He said it looks like Very good, you did a good job, of course you gave me some more polite encouragement.

Li Xiaomeng: When you came out of the elevator to say goodbye to Jerry Yang, what was your judgment? Is there any drama?

Gao Ran: No chance. I think there is no chance.

Li Xiaomeng: Why do you still want to do it even though you know there is no chance?

Gao Ran: I came to Yang Zhiyuan not because I thought he would definitely give me support or anything, but because the Internet hero in my mind at that time was Yang Zhiyuan, he was the only one, and I was I was working on a project related to the Internet, so I went to find him. This may be a kind of hero worship complex. As for who to look for the money from, I actually already had an idea.

The first setback did not discourage Gao Ran. After revising his plan, he looked for opportunities again. This time he thought of Jiang Xipei, a successful entrepreneur and his friend. . And this time, he succeeded.

Li Xiaomeng: How did you find Jiang Xipei of the Far East Group again?

Gao Ran: Jiang Xipei of Far East Group is a very good friend of mine.

Li Xiaomeng: You were friends before this. He is a successful entrepreneur. You are a college graduate who has just stepped out of school. How can you become friends?

Gao Ran: I think getting to know him is partly a matter of fate. Why does he know me but not others? On the other hand, it may be a bit boastful, that is, heroes cherish heroes. He thinks that I am a talented person, so he is willing to help me.

Li Xiaomeng: What did you show that made him think you were good in the first meeting?

Gao Ran: Before I met him, I actually watched him on TV and found a lot of information about him on the Internet. Finally, I understood his interests very well. I spoke from the bottom of my heart. I really appreciate this person, so what I said or my communication with him felt very in-depth, and he felt willing to communicate with me instead of talking in general terms like others, how much money did you earn this year, and what did you do? How about that.

Li Xiaomeng: At that time, did you think that one day you might need his support?

Gao Ran: I have always thought that I definitely need the support of others and the support of some seniors, but I don’t know whether it is Mr. Jiang or not, but I will give him this business plan , after making the first phone call with him, I felt that I would be inseparable from him in this life.

Li Xiaomeng: Initially, he planned to invest 10 million in your plan, but it was rejected by the board of directors. However, you still managed to get 1 million afterwards. How did you achieve this resurrection effect?

Gao Ran: Actually before the board meeting, Mr. Jiang already felt that he should support me and help me no matter what. In addition, when the board meeting was held, although many directors denied it and asked me various questions, basically feeling that the risk was too great, these directors also felt that this person was still okay, so Mr. Jiang He said something that I will never forget. He said it twice. The first time was that all of us thought that there was nothing wrong with you, you were very good, and you would definitely succeed in the future, but this project was too risky. When they held the board meeting behind closed doors, I thought, it doesn't matter if they don't give me 10 million. I'll look for the other money myself. I believe I can find the money, but no matter what, I have to convince Mr. Jiang to give me 100. Ten thousand, one million is nine-tenths less risky for him. He should be able to bear this, and he should be able to help me. This is what I think.

Li Xiaomeng: Then you mentioned it like this, and then he agreed?

Gao Ran: It was already past seven o'clock when we had dinner together. He must have been hungry, so he drank four or five bowls of porridge alone. How could I be in the mood to drink porridge at that time? When he looked at me He felt very embarrassed because he didn't want to eat and drink, and felt that I should help him because he didn't want to eat and drink.

Li Xiaomeng: How can you make him feel that your relationship with him is not utilitarian?

Gao Ran: When I was in college, I organized a lot of lectures and invited a lot of entrepreneurs, as well as some government officials and scholars, as well as some big foreign entrepreneurs and well-known people. People come together to give speeches. I have never thought about getting anything in the future. I know that knowing so many people is useful, but I don’t know the specific use. I just do it. I am very sincere to them, and I have indeed read a lot of books. I also made a lot of preparations, such as providing their personal information, so I have the same language as them. As for Mr. Jiang specifically, he also belongs here. I don’t treat him specially. I just think this person is very honest and honest. I think this person can be trusted. It’s that simple. I have never thought about asking him to give me a job in the future. One million or ten million, I never thought about it.

Li Xiaomeng: What was the last sentence of the plan you gave to Jiang Xipei?

Gao Ran: I like Yao Ming better. It happened to be that Yao Ming was drafted by the NBA and not long after he was selected as the No. 1 pick. His first words from China to the United States were, let's create a big scene together. I'm very fond of it. Appreciating this sentence, I said, Mr. Jiang, let us create a big scene together. This time has come.

Li Xiaomeng: The other party is a big entrepreneur, a successful entrepreneur, but you still had nothing at the time. How could we create a big scene together?

Gao Ran: I believe that I had actually convinced many of them at that time, so I think it is still possible. I just said that the person in front of me is not a big entrepreneur or a representative of the 16th National Congress, but a friend of mine and my audience. I have always been very relaxed in front of my audience.

Li Xiaomeng: Okay, let’s hear what this friend in Gao Ran’s life who will never lose, and also a noble person at the beginning of his business, said about Gao Ran.

Interview with Jiang Xipei: The school once invited me to give a speech. I was sitting there. I knew that I had a piece of clothing hanging next to me. It might have accidentally fallen to the ground, so he helped me pick it up. Get up, etc. These details impressed me deeply. He keeps in touch with me a lot, almost every week, and he will come over if he knows where I am. I have even forgotten my birthday. He was on a business trip to Shanghai and came all the way from Shanghai. He still remembered me on such a day. I think he was very considerate.

Li Xiaomeng: When you congratulate him on his birthday, do you think about whether I should do this or not? Will people think I am doing this for other purposes? Is there such hesitation?

Gao Ran: No, absolutely not, because I was already a very good friend with him at that time, and I regarded him as my good friend.

Li Xiaomeng: What characteristics do you think make these senior entrepreneurs willing to help you and support you?

Gao Ran: Take Mr. Jiang as an example. I think what he likes most about me is my passion. He thinks I am very passionate. On the other hand, as he just said, he said that I am more attentive and studious. In addition, I think they chose me because they found their own ideals in me.

Li Xiaomeng: Does he see his own ideal in you?

Gao Ran: I saw myself when he was young. In fact, I am too. If I see a person who is easy to learn, very motivated, and has potential, I will also help him.

That’s how Gao Ran started his business. There are many comments on Gao Ran’s secret to success in entrepreneurship, but what people seem to praise more is his ability to interact with people.

Interview with Ma Ruhua, an employee of Gaowei Video Company: “If he knows about any gathering, he will attend it. He attends gatherings every day and does not come back until after two or three o’clock every night. During holidays or other times, he He would call everyone he knew, even those he had only met once."

Interview with Ding Jinsong, a fellow member of Gao Ran: "I remember that during the process of participating in our fellow villagers' association, he was the most popular one. Most of the people at a table were sitting still when he was eating, or the people at this table knew each other well and could communicate and talk together. But he took his business card and went to toast every table. He handed business cards to everyone at the table.”

Friends with high energy can recall many details of this kind of enthusiastic and active interaction with others. Because of this, many people remember this proactive young man. people.

Li Xiaomeng: Just now, when you were giving these two comments to these two people, you kept shaking your head. What do you want to say?

Gao Ran: I think what I do is actually a very natural thing. If the media deliberately exaggerates it, I will feel that this is not my intention. To me, there are so many things in the world. Many people, I am a poor person, my family is a farmer, poor and poor, I feel that I really need some people to help me, I really need to know some people, but what they just said is not my intention, it seems that I think I am I spend all my time making friends with this and that. In fact, this is not the case. I spend more time studying and understanding the economy of China as a whole or the world as a whole.

Li Xiaomeng: In fact, you still feel a kind of pressure under this kind of evaluation, but in today's era, it is an advantage for a person to have social skills, communication skills, and the ability to express himself.

Gao Ran: It must be, but whether a person is successful or not is not just about this. In fact, there are other qualities in me that you haven’t discovered. I think the media is a magnifying glass. When it wants to magnify you At any time, what you show to everyone is the result after amplification, not the previous result. If you have a little advantage, it will be magnified very big. If you have a shortcoming, it will be magnified even more.

Li Xiaomeng: I understand the discomfort you just felt. Why can't you admit it directly and say, yes, I have the ability in this area and I have this strength.

Gao Ran: I have also consciously practiced this aspect. It’s not that I was born to be a diplomat or anything.

Li Xiaomeng: You said this was something you practiced, right? What kind of person were you when you started? Has anything changed over the years?

Gao Ran: In fact, I have changed now. Now I will never do it like what they described. I will do some things selectively.

Li Xiaomeng: Because your identity is different now?

Gao Ran: No, because I found that I can find a more effective or better way. Who do I want to know? There is a theory of six-dimensional space. If you pass five people, you will definitely know them. , no matter who in the world, now I can find anyone I want to know if I find two or three people.

Li Xiaomeng: I think what your friends just said may be some of the things you did when you couldn't find your direction at the beginning?

Gao Ran: I am willing to admit it, if you say so, but now I am not like this.

Li Xiaomeng: Although you are considered a businessman now, managing a team is actually similar to being in politics. Have you made any kind of reserves for this matter?

Gao Ran: What you are talking about may be a leadership issue, or an interpersonal communication issue. In addition, you do have the ability. If you are asked to do something, you must take it. Next, I think running a business is really nothing more than a few things. For a company like ours, it is nothing more than finding the right people and putting them in the right position. The other thing is to find the right amount of money, not too much, but Not too little either. Then find a better direction, have an understanding of the entire market, and have an understanding of politics, and you can basically do it.

Li Xiaomeng: I know you admire Mao Zedong. What kind of person dares to look up to celebrities and great men when he is still very young?

Gao Ran: Every successful person, every person who succeeds in the end, must do this. If you don’t know your direction when you are young, it will be difficult for you to achieve great success. success.

Li Xiaomeng: Did the big ideal you mentioned gradually become clear after you achieved initial success, or was it already in your heart before?

Gao Ran: Very young, two or three years old.

Li Xiaomeng: Two or three years old, right?

Gao Ran: When I was very young, I went to buy meat. My mother asked me to buy meat to exercise my abilities. She gave me ten yuan, usually ten yuan, and I went When buying meat, the meat seller told me how much it cost per catty. I asked how much it cost per catty, and he told me how much it cost per catty. After a while, I thought about it for myself, and I said how much do you want me to pay? The person was using the abacus to calculate how much money to give me, and I told him how much money he would give me. Gradually, this kind of thing became a legend in our hometown. Every time I went to buy meat or something, everyone would say You count. If you count, I will give you a peanut. I ate a lot of peanuts at that time. So since I was a child, my parents and the people around me have had very high expectations for me, and they think I am different from others.

Li Xiaomeng: So the key point is that the people around you praise and treat you differently, which actually gives you a great psychological hint, and you also use this to ask yourself .

Gao Ran: Yes, human being is a social animal and a group animal, so what kind of things you want to do must have something to do with the hints given to you by others, first of all yourself , and then there are the hints that others give you, I believe why don’t I read some messy books? Because I don’t expect them to give anything. Why don’t I get to know everyone? Because I have made a choice, I want to meet the people I want to know, and I want to read the books I want to read. This kind of thing in turn makes me stand taller. After I stand taller, next to me People will think that I can stand taller again. I think this is a very virtuous cycle.