Student Question: Is Yiwu still worth pursuing for ordinary people — whether for employment, starting a business, or building a career? If someone wants to start a light-asset business there, what industries besides e-commerce are accessible to regular people?
Master Chi’s Response:
Let me start with the conclusion: Yiwu is still worth it for employment, entrepreneurship, and career development. That said, given the economic uncertainties of the past two years, if you currently have a job you reasonably enjoy and that fits your situation well, my advice is to keep working for now — entrepreneurship simply carries more unpredictable variables.
If you’re truly committed to starting a business, pay attention to the following:
Part One: Starting a Business
Begin with an honest assessment of yourself. Have you had any prior entrepreneurship experience? Looking at your work history — what are your genuine strengths? What areas are you less skilled in?
Whether it’s a light-asset venture or anything else, you need certain foundational capabilities. You should have a real edge in at least one of the following:
- You’re skilled at finding customers and doing marketing
- You’ve identified a strong product
- You’ve developed an approach that suits your style and have the ability to execute it
That last point is critical. There’s a significant gap between learning marketing strategies and methods versus actually deploying them on the ground. Understanding them is one thing — making them work in practice is quite another.
If there’s a necessary step you haven’t mastered yet, consider bringing in a partner. Because to grow and scale, relying solely on yourself is never enough.
Part Two: Where Are the Opportunities?
- When most people search for entrepreneurial opportunities, they get stuck on the same dilemma: should I chase a hot trend — something everyone’s rushing into right now — or should I do what I already do well?
My view: start from what you’re good at, then look for trending opportunities on top of that foundation.
In the long run, no one can keep doing something they fundamentally dislike — no matter how profitable. If you don’t start from your actual circumstances, even a red-hot project may have little relevance to you.
Part Three: If You Don’t Have a Clear Direction Yet
If after reflection you still don’t have a clear entrepreneurial direction, consider a side-hustle approach first — work alongside someone else before going independent.
For example, help others sell products, or get involved in community operations.
Through this process, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the industry on one hand, and a clearer picture of your own strengths and gaps on the other.
From that foundation, you can then make a more informed decision about which direction is truly right for you.