Passion conquers all hardships, and perseverance will eventually pay off.

Recently, Zhang Xue Motorcycle, a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer, claimed the championship at the World Superbike Championship and went viral across the internet.

In Lishui Economic Development Zone, there is a group of people with similar stories. They all came from humble origins, with no dramatic beginnings or privileged backgrounds. Starting off as laid-off workers, ordinary technicians and small workshop owners, they have dedicated themselves to their industries for decades, tackling one tough challenge after another. Their perseverance is exactly the same as Zhang Xue’s.

The official WeChat account of Lishui Economic Development Zone has launched a series of reports titled "Searching for Entrepreneurs Like Zhang Xue". Local entrepreneurs akin to Zhang Xue share their ups and downs, quiet struggles and eventual blooming success on their entrepreneurial journeys. You will find that true success never comes overnight. It is only after countless silent efforts that one finally gains recognition from the world.

Zhou Shisen: A Small Business Owner Whose Products Are Sold to Over 60 Countries and Regions Worldwide

Last month, I stayed in Turkey for more than ten days. Amid my busy schedule, it suddenly dawned on me: this year marks my 20th year rooted in the auto parts industry. Twenty years ago, I never imagined that the young man who left home to chase his dreams would be enjoying authentic Turkish barbecue two decades later.

Twenty years ago, I was an ordinary factory worker; twenty years later, I am a well-regarded entrepreneur with an annual sales volume exceeding 500 million yuan.

To be honest, compared with outstanding entrepreneurs, I am far from successful and still have many shortcomings. Looking back on my journey, however, I believe it was no easy feat to achieve what I have today.

An Ordinary Kid and a Modest Factory

When I was young, I got average grades and was a shy child. After failing the high school entrance examination, I studied art and later majored in fashion design at university, dreaming of becoming the Chinese version of Giorgio Armani.

After graduating in 2005, I headed to Guangzhou and worked as a fashion designer with a monthly salary of 1,800 yuan. I loved earning my own income, so I threw myself wholeheartedly into work. I took great care with every step from design to cutting fabric, and gradually grew more outgoing with praise from my boss and colleagues. Half a year later, I was due for a promotion and pay rise, yet a phone call from my hometown completely changed my life trajectory.

At that time, my parents ran a small auto parts factory in our hometown Wenzhou. Lacking formal education, they had no awareness of intellectual property rights, and their skilled craftsmanship was wasted on counterfeit products. Unsurprisingly, all their goods were seized by relevant authorities, and they were heavily fined.

After this incident, I realized: "It is time to go home." There was no glamorous homecoming like wealthy heirs in TV dramas. I simply took over the small factory from my parents and became an ordinary entrepreneur pushing forward against all odds.

Every Small Client May Grow Into a Big Partner

After returning home, my father assigned me my first task: recovering an overseas payment of 1,000 yuan. Back then the factory mainly served the domestic market, so this tiny international business fell to me.

By sheer twist of fate, this payment marked the start of my foreign trade journey and laid the groundwork for our company’s global expansion in the years ahead.

Business must follow major trends. China formally joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, and by 2006 the domestic foreign trade industry was booming. I firmly believed automobiles are universal goods worldwide, so auto parts manufacturers must go global to thrive.

Yet lofty ideals collided with harsh reality: I could not speak English, and our small factory could not afford to hire professional sales staff. What was I to do?

Many see difficulties as obstacles, but I have always regarded problems as stepping stones to success. My strategy was to cooperate closely with trading companies and accept small orders others turned down. Even orders worth merely a few thousand yuan received my full dedication.

Foreign trade brings countless miscellaneous demands from clients, all of which I addressed one by one. I recall one occasion when a client urgently requested an entire truckload of goods during a holiday, when all our workers were off. Each carton weighed 30 kilograms, yet I weigh less than 50 kilograms. Without hesitation, I teamed up with the logistics manager and hauled every carton onto the truck myself. To this day I cannot explain where I found that strength.

Sincerity and hard work will always be recognized. As time passed, trading company owners trusted me deeply, and order values rose from several thousand yuan to hundreds of thousands, even millions of yuan. This experience taught me to value every client, for every small buyer has the potential to become a major partner.

Thanks to this persistence, our modest factory grew steadily. In 2010, sales hit a record high of 8 million yuan.

When My Father Passed Away, My Whole World Collapsed

I thought our upward momentum would continue uninterrupted, yet 2011 brought both joy and devastating sorrow.

That year, our 1,000-square-meter workshop in my hometown was too small to meet production demands. I resolved to focus on our core business and refine our key product: automotive stamped control arm assemblies. Through a friend’s referral, we relocated to Lishui Economic Development Zone and officially founded Zhejiang Deming Auto Parts Co., Ltd. We took an all-or-nothing gamble, mortgaging our only residential property and pouring all funds into production equipment and R&D.

We moved into our new plant in April, full of ambition for expansion. But in December, devastating news arrived: my father was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer.

He returned to our hometown for treatment, leaving me alone to manage the factory.

Running the factory single-handedly was exhausting, yet as long as my father was alive, I had my anchor. No matter how tough the challenges, I knew I could fall back on him when I felt worn out or made mistakes.

Fate, however, proved cruel. On May 3, 2013, my father passed away, and my world fell apart. He had always been the backbone of our family, bearing every hardship. With this pillar gone, I faced an uncertain future with nowhere to retreat.

Life turned bleak. I lost all passion and drive, consumed by fear and confusion. Nothing sparked my interest — technological innovation, staff management, corporate development, even large orders failed to stir any emotion within me.

My father’s passing drained all my enthusiasm, leaving my heart desolate.

Months later, my son was born. His innocent cries cut through the gloom shrouding my heart and reignited my inner strength. To my father, I could always remain a child, but to my son, I must stand firm as a mountain. I could no longer run away, nor could I let the legacy my father built crumble on my watch.

I shouldered all responsibilities once more and devoted myself fully to work, overseeing technology, procurement, production and sales all at once. Answering over a hundred phone calls each day became routine.

Three years later, we moved into a new factory spanning over 50,000 square meters, and annual sales exceeded 100 million yuan for the first time. I believe my father would have been immensely proud to see this.

A Second-Generation Entrepreneur With a Sense of Mission

I have never forgotten the hardships my parents endured due to counterfeiting. Over the years, I have spared no effort to develop our independent brand. Our proprietary brand "ADIOU" has been named Zhejiang Famous Export Brand, with products sold to more than 60 countries and regions worldwide.

As our brand gained recognition, I began to reflect deeply on what it means to be a responsible, mission-driven second-generation entrepreneur. In my view, running a business is not merely about chasing profits; long-term success lies in upholding responsibilities and keeping the bigger picture in mind.

To me, a company’s mission begins with abiding by laws and moral bottom lines. I have always adhered to full tax payment in accordance with regulations. Our enterprise paid 16.32 million yuan in taxes in 2023, 25 million yuan in 2024 and 32.3 million yuan in 2025, with sales volume and profits rising year after year.

Our mission also manifests in compassionate treatment of employees. Several years ago, an employee resigned after being diagnosed with a severe illness. By regulation, we could have suspended his social insurance contributions, yet we understood how critical continuous coverage was for him. I insisted on covering all his social insurance fees in full on his behalf.

Kindness always flows both ways. Our caring corporate culture united our staff, accelerating the company’s growth. We have earned numerous honors including National Specialized, Refined, Unique and Innovative Little Giant Enterprise, Zhejiang Hidden Champion, Zhejiang May 1st Labor Medal, and Zhejiang Integrated Domestic & Foreign Trade Leading Enterprise.

In recent years, the global market has been volatile, placing heavy pressure on the foreign trade sector. For Deming Auto Parts, where exports account for 72% of total revenue, I firmly believe crises contain hidden opportunities. Wherever there are automobiles, there is market demand. We continue to deepen our presence in high-end markets such as Europe and America, achieving overall business growth against the trend.

This has been my 20-year journey, fully dedicated to the niche track of automotive parts and control arms. The road has been winding: I was once naive, once passionate, once dejected, yet above all, persistent.

Align virtue with heaven and earth, radiate brightness like the sun and moon. Moving forward, I hope Deming Auto Parts will cross mountains and oceans, letting the "ADIOU" logo shine in more cities across the globe, showcasing the strength and confidence of Chinese intelligent manufacturing to the world.