I came to get a dishwasher without English and came up with a business idea for $ 40 million
'14.07.2018'
Source: Los Angeles Times
52-year-old Chinese woman Lina Hu is the president and CEO of the company Clipper Corp.which is widely known in the US and is engaged in the supply of goods that may be useful in the retail, hospitality and food industries. Basically, it is dishes and uniforms for restaurants.
About how an immigrant without funds, but with a great desire to work, founded her own company, the newspaper said Los Angeles Times.
First branch Clipper Corp. Lina founded in Carson, Iowa, in 1994. Currently, her company is valued at $ 40 million, and among the clients are such leading American giants as Burger King Corp., Target Corp. and others.
It is curious that the idea to start working in this particular area came to Lina after she had attended an interview in a Los Angeles restaurant. There she wanted to work as a dishwasher.
It is noted that at the beginning of 90's, after Lina was unable to get a job in AT&T in Boston, she moved to Los Angeles, close to friends. But there she could only count on such work.
"When life puts you in difficulty, you will be amazed at how well you can survive."
The interview for this job gave her the idea.
“I saw this opportunity while they were communicating with me. I was shown the dishes to be washed. I looked at these pots and pans, cutlery, dishes. And I thought that there are many factories in China. They can make these products cheaper, and I can provide them to them. ”
People assumed that she would fail, Hu recalls. She was given the reasons why this would happen.
“Firstly, you don't speak English. Secondly, you have no goods, you have only an idea. Thirdly, you are Asian and you are not respected here. ”
But the woman did not give up and did not give up. She called all other national restaurant chains and offered them her services. She assured that she could provide the same quality of goods, but for less money. According to Hu, most customers did not even answer her calls. The first company that responded to Lina’s proposal was Burger King. The chain of fast-food restaurants had their own branded baseball caps, which were made in South America, but the company management decided to place an order with an enterprising Chinese woman. She returned to her homeland and there she found a factory that could manufacture products. But she had no money to pay the order.
Lina said she found a way to get out. She invited them to become their free seller.
“That you have to pay me. You make products. I will look for a buyer. ”
After that, Lina took a share in Burger King and paid off with the factory.
In China, where Lina was born, she had no options for development. Her father is an engineer, her mother is a factory worker. But her parents encouraged her to strive for lofty goals. At home, Hu received an economic education and dreamed of starting her own business.
“My father was very positive. He always advised me to think and dream. He always said: "Never let anyone stand in your way." For him, the fact that I became an entrepreneur was like a dream. He was so proud of me. ”
Further, Lina Hu's business began to develop successfully, new customers appeared. She became a true leader and role model. In the US in Clipper Corp. employs 80 people and another 500 people - in factories in China that cooperate with the company.
