TL;DR: Forget the "fake operators" who just look the part. True entrepreneurial success ("真．操盤人") stems from genuine capability and value creation. Successful founders typically excel through integrating unique Resources (connections, information), deep Expertise (high-barrier skills), or dominating a Niche (Blue Ocean). Crucially, their success comes from their inherent ability, not just from forming a company. As a case study of a niche software leader shows, having real substance and "chips on the table" is what truly matters.
(Disclaimer Reminder: This series aims to shed light on business practices and analysis for educational purposes, not to instruct in any specific method beyond ethical business building.)
Hi everyone, James here.
In previous discussions, we've touched upon identifying superficial or "fake" business setups. Today, I want to shift focus to the characteristics of "real operators" ("真．操盤人") – the entrepreneurs who build genuine, sustainable success.
What distinguishes them? At the core, it's their ability to create tangible value through resource integration ("資源整合"). Successful operators typically master one or more of these approaches:
-
Resource-Based Mastery ("資源型"):
- Relationship Power ("關係型資源"): Leveraging deep "people connections" (人脈資源) – strong ties with government bodies, key corporations, or within a specific industry.
- Information Arbitrage ("信息型資源"): Possessing critical information before others ("能知三日事"), allowing them to capitalize on information asymmetry ("信息差").
-
Expertise-Based Dominance ("專業型"):
- Operating within a field requiring extremely high skill or knowledge barriers. Think of highly sought-after artists, influential Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), or top-tier professionals whose unique value is hard to replicate.
-
Niche / Blue Ocean Leadership ("藍海型"):
- Identifying and deeply cultivating a currently less crowded or "unpopular" ("冷門") field. By becoming the expert in this niche, they face little competition and can even achieve a form of "local monopoly" ("局部壟斷").
The common thread? Successful operators possess undeniable value, a clear strategic positioning, and fulfill a distinct role ("價值、定位及角色") that competitors cannot easily copy.
Capability First, Company Second
Here's a critical point I've observed consistently:
"It's not that someone earns millions because they registered a shell company; it's that they already possessed the capability to earn millions, and registering a company was simply the logical vehicle for that capability." (並非是某人因為開了個皮包公司而年賺百萬，而是因為他本身具備年賺百萬的能力，所以順便註冊了個公司。)
Success stems from the individual's or team's inherent ability, strategy, and execution – the company structure is just the formal wrapper.
Case Study: Success in a Software Niche
Let me share an example of a "real operator" I encountered. About three years ago, I visited a private software company based in Weihai, Shandong (威海).
- The Business: They had been developing software for six years with a team of around 20 people.
- The Product: A deceptively simple concept – software helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on Taobao to automatically print shipping labels for various logistics companies.
- The Traction: They had amassed 400,000 SME clients, each paying a modest 15 RMB per month. This translated to an annual revenue of approximately 80 million RMB (~US$11-12M).
- My Interest: I was impressed enough to propose acquiring a 51% stake for 100 million RMB (~US$14-15M). Why?
- Valuation: The implied Price/Earnings (P/E) ratio was attractive, around 6x.
- Market Position: They were the clear leader in this specific, valuable niche.
- Upsell Potential: The large, established base of 400,000 SMEs presented significant opportunities for offering additional services.
- Customer Loyalty: Impressively, about 50% of their clients had been with them for over three years, indicating real value delivery and stickiness.
This company started with just two programmers – a classic example of Expertise-Based ("技術專業型") success. The founder was very down-to-earth ("踏實"), focused on solving a real problem effectively. His motivation for considering the sale was personal – funding his child's overseas education (a reason many can understand: "明嘅……").
Have Real 'Chips on the Table'
This case perfectly illustrates the point. This company wasn't built on hype or connections alone; it was built on technical expertise solving a widespread, practical need for a large customer segment. The founders had real skills, delivered real value, and built a genuinely successful business from the ground up.
That's what I mean by needing to "Have chips on the table." True entrepreneurial success requires bringing real substance – tangible skills, unique resources, deep market understanding, or a truly differentiated offering – to the venture. It's about creating genuine value, not just crafting a facade.
好孩子不要學系列：「創業最高境界？ 成功者篇」
//本系列會說明一些常見的「做數」方法，但目的並非叫你學會「做數」，呢啲事留番俾受過訓練的專業人士就好。相反，這系列是為了讓你更有能力去發現舞弊的「蛛絲馬跡」。//
上篇集中描述「偽．操盤人」做法。今篇寫我見過「真．操盤人」的成功例子。
操盤人強調嘅係資源整合，資源整合亦可以創造價值，每個成功嘅操盤人都不外乎掌握以下三種類型：
- 資源型
- 關係型資源：即「人脈資源」，如政府關係、企業關係、行業關係。
- 信息型資源：即「能知三日事」來賺錢，具有強烈的「信息差」。
- 專業型
- 門檻極高，靠專精領域內的價值。藝術家，KOL，專業人士都屬於呢種。
- 藍海型
- 即是扎根深耕某個「目前」較為冷門的領域，由於行業競爭小，甚至能夠形成「局部壟斷」。
重點係成功嘅操盤人自己一定有「價值、定位及角色」。無論係邊一類型，其他人都係唔容易可以複製。
根據我以往觀察，成功嘅操盤人嘅特性，特別需要強調一點： 「並非是某人因為開了個皮包公司而年賺百萬，而是因為他本身具備年賺百萬的能力，所以順便註冊了個公司。」
三年前我去過一間國內私人公司地點喺山東威海。公司嘅生意一年收入係大約8,000萬左右。員工約廿人，做軟件開發做咗6年。軟件概念非常簡單，純粹係幫助中小企喺淘寶做生意自動打印各類型物流公司嘅Label。
40萬中小企係客戶，每客每月俾15蚊人民幣，最後我提出1億收購51%股份。
原因係
- P/E: 6倍
- Market Leader
- 40萬中小企可以up sell
- 50%客戶有三年以上合作關係
另外，開始創業嘅時候呢間公司得兩個programmer……。屬於技術專業型，老闆非常踏實。資金用途係因為小朋友要去外國讀書。（明嘅……）
所以，成功例子一定要「Have chips on the table」。
Focus on building your capabilities, defining your unique value, and bringing real substance to the table. That's the foundation for becoming a "real operator" and achieving lasting success. Build with substance.
