(Chinese Version)
flybutchery, Chief Photographer of TMTpost Photo Gallery
Editor's Note:
Stories are everywhere to be found, but so instantaneous at the same time. Therefore, we decide to record these stories with photos.
From Photo Gallery 001, issued on October 28th, 2015 to Photo Gallery 46, issued in December, 2016, we’ve continued to record 46 stories and shared them with our readers, almost once a week. In these stories, we focused our attention on various individuals: from entrepreneurs to deliverymen, from offline promotion specialists to programmers, from ride-sharing drivers to real estate agent, from LGBT entrepreneurs to craftsmen, from designers to financial advisors and investors…
It has always been the founding principle of TMTpost to give business and technology a humanistic touch, interpret individuals’ happiness and sorrow in the Chinese internet circle, and broaden people’s imagination over future through limited picture frame. For the past year, TMTpost Photo Gallery has drawn wide attention from the public and has become a “star” column at TMTpost. Near the end of the year, we paid a return visit to some of our interviewees and invited them to reflect on and conclude their change for the past year and share their wishes for the upcoming 2017.
1.
Yan Junxiang
Offline promotion specialist
“I am no longer an offline promotion specialist”
On a November night, Yan Junxiang, with a QR code hangtag around his neck and a stack of leaflets in his hands, was standing besides boxes of laundry detergent and asking passers-by to scan QR code, download an APP. He could earn 4 yuan for each new signup. It was so cold that day, so there weren’t many passers-by. Although he managed to stand there for four hours, he and his partners only got twenty new signups. TMTpost is the first one to reveal the truth of turnout rate during offline promotion.(Clickhereto read Photo Gallery 004: A Tale Of Two Offline Promotion Specialists)
On December 21st, Yan was sitting in his office at a part-time job platform. As operation specialist, he needs to hold various offline promotion activities. “I used to work outside, and I was so tired before. Now, however, my life is better since I can sit in an office for the most time,” he told TMTpost. Yan has got a girlfriend and was preparing to get married next Labor’s Day. “We’ve already bought an apartment back in her hometown Hengshui. In 2016, I work a lot, and also think a lot. I now feel more pressure from my career as well as my family,” he added.
2
Zeng Dejun
Radio maker
"We've managed to survive, and even create values by ourselves"
On December 2nd, 2015, Zeng Dejun was inspecting products at MaoKing Radio’s Shenzhen factory. Since he wears worker’s vest almost everywhere, it has already become his symbol.(Clickhereto read Photo Gallery 005: Being A Loudspeaker Maker For A Lifetime)
On December 12th, 2016, however, Zeng appeared at MaoKing Little Prince OTR Radio’s press conference in suit. For the past year, MaoKing Radio’s sales revenue managed to surpass 10 million RMB and it has completed a new round of financing. “Above all, we managed to survive the past year. Moreover, we’ve begun to earn our own bread and ‘feed’ ourselves,” Zeng told TMTpost. He added that he’d become more rational after this year’s entrepreneur experience. (Photographed by Maoshe)
3
Mr. Ball
Founder of "Skiing Assistant"
"I've begun to grow white hair, but my biggest wish to become profitable"
On December 9th, 2015, Mr. Ball, founder of Skiing Assistant, was communicating with a colleague on a skateboard at the three-story office building. Over twenty employees worked ot the first floor and were busy preparing for winter.(Clickhereto read Photo Gallery 006: The Transition From A Skiing Medalist To A Startup Owner)
On December 21st, 2016, Mr. Ball introduced to me his travelling experience to Canada and skiing products he planned to develop. He’s developed some white hair for the past year. After his company is downsized, the first floor was changed into a skiing equipment mall. “Our focus in 2017 is to manage well the cash flow by ourselves, nurture our operation team and create certain revenue,” he told TMTpost.
4
Ren Qianle
A stenographer
“I’ve bought an apartment at Beijing and finally felt a sense of belonging here”
On December 18th, 2015, Ren Qianle was at an industry conference. She’s very attentive. She has nothing to do with the conference, yet she matters so much for the conference at the same time.(Clickhereto read Photo Gallery 007: The Chinese Internet Industry In The Eyes Of A Stenographer)
On December 17th, 2016, Ren was on her way to a conference. For the past year, she spent two thirds of her time attending conferences and worked as the stenographer for over 300 conferences. What impressed her most was that people seemed to gradually talk more rapidly. We can no longer see “the sense of alienation” on her face. “The biggest change in my life for the past year is that I’ve bought an apartment in Beijing. Although it’s a little far away, I’ve finally got a place of my own to rest,” she told TMTpost. Her new year’s wish is to have more time for her life and find a boyfriend in 2017.
5
Chen Bucheng
An entrepreneur mentor
“Beijing has become my headquarters to some degree”
On December 24th, 2015, Chen Buheng was delivering a course titled “How to Impress Investors Within Five Minutes”. With such sensational titles, his classroom (typically cafes) was always packed with students. At that time, he woke up at five o’clock in the morning, drove from Tianjin to Beijing, delivered courses for an entire day and then drove back to Tianjin at twelve o’clock in the evening. Besides feeling exhausted every day, what troubled him most was the sense of uncertainty. Indeed, he didn’t really know if he could make a living simply by delivering lectures at that time.(Clickhereto read Photo Gallery 008: A “Ferryman” For Entrepreneurs)
On December 15th, 2016, Chen and his new partner were working at a café at InnoWay. When he just arrived in Beijing a year ago, he still didn’t know if he was welcome here, so he would often feel not confident, or even inferior. After a year’s endeavor, he’s already settled down in Beijing. “Beijing has become my headquarter” to some degree,
he told TMTpost.
6
Thomas Böwer
CFO of Okoer.com
“I have become accustomed to the way Chinese work and do things”
On January 7th, 2016, Thomas Böwer was smoking at the top of the office building in Sanlitun, Beijing. For a 55-year-old foreigner who just came to China, the most urgent thing to do is get familiar with the way Chinese work and do things, get along with Chinese colleagues and adapt to life and work here in Beijing.(Clickhereto read Photo Gallery 010: A German CFO Amid The Chinese Startup Wave)
On December 16th, 2016, Thomas Böwer was having his last work day before Christmas holiday. He would go on a vacation with his family to Australia. “Germans are known to be strict in work. For example, we shall do things following the right order ABCD. However, Chinese might follow their passion do things in orders such as ADCB or CBAD. However, I’ve gradually got accustomed to it,” he told TMTpost. After a year’s experience, he said that he was no longer new to Beijing. In fact, he even encouraged his kids to adapt to life in Beijing and go shopping by themselves.
7
Zheng Fude
A model plane maker
“I’ve grown more confident during the past year”
On January 19th, 2016, Zheng Fude, aged 62, was teaching a parent-children airplane model making course at an early education center in Beijing. For the past year, on the one hand, he was trying to apply his teaching experience back in Taiwan; on the other hand, he was busy finding a base for his shop and finally settled on Wukesong, Beijing.(Clickhereto read Photo Gallery 012: A 62-Year-Old Plane Model Maker, From Taiwan To Beijing)
On December 14th, 2016, Zhen was teaching a kid who dreamed to become a pilot at Maker classroom, Xiangyun Town, Shunyi District, Beijing. Owing to various reasons, he had to give up the idea of opening his shop at Wukesong. Therefore, he finally settled on Xiangyun Town and opened this Maker Classroom, located next to an international school. For the past five months, he’s already taught over 100 kids. “After this year, I’ve finally made some achievement. I am gradually becoming more thankful and confident of myself,” he told TMTpost.
TMTpost Photo Gallery
Special column of TMTpost
Aiming to record individuals and entrepreneurs in the Internet industry
Photos don’t lie, but they don’ tell the whole truth
Photos are free, but also full of traps
This is an Internet age, and we want you to discover stories with us online
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[The article is published and edited with authorization from the author @flybutchery, please note source and hyperlink when reproduce.]
Translated by Levin Feng (Senior Translator atPAGE TO PAGE), working for TMTpost.
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