Dreams of glory drive youthful startup trend

A growing number of people are opting to strike out on their own before middle age arrives, rather than continuing to work for others. Yang Zekun reports.

Having turned his back on life as a data analyst and become the owner of four bakery stores, Li Zheng believes that people who lack strong determination and the ability to work under huge pressure should not start businesses.

After graduating from college in 2010, Li worked as a data analyst for several large internet companies in Beijing, including Sohu, Baidu and Tencent.

To survive the fierce competition, he constantly learned new skills and worked around the clock. By the time he left the capital in 2016, he was a senior manager at Didi Chuxing, China's biggest ride-hailing company.

"At the time, I often communicated with the bosses of many businesses, and I gradually felt that I was one of them. Influenced by them, I always wanted to attain financial security, and I regarded 10 million yuan ($1.58 million) in disposable income, plus a house and car, as the sign of having reached my goal," the 35-year-old from Xingtai, Hebei province, said.

"However, I quickly realized that all my highlights were sparked by the company I worked for. Working for other people would probably never help me reach that goal, so I decided to start my business while I was still young."

Li's baking business was inspired by the experience of buying a cake to celebrate his daughter's birthday. He searched many stores and eventually bought a suitable cake, but at a high price.

"I thought a business in my hometown, offering stylish cakes at reasonable prices, had a chance of success. Also, my daughter doesn't have Beijing hukou－official household registration documents－so she can't take the national college entrance examination in the capital. That reinforced my decision to return home," he said.