The “She” World of Entrepreneur Lei Jufang

　　Source of information: Sohu News

　　“In warfare, victory is achieved through the unexpected; alignment with the conventional ensures stability. The art of combining the unexpected and the conventional is inexhaustible, like rivers and seas.”

　　This is the quote that Lei Jufang admires most—and it’s also the origin of the name “Qizheng Pharmaceutical.” This female entrepreneur from the kingdom of Tibetan medicine has, through her wisdom and perseverance, created a legendary story.

　　Fu Runzhi, Zhao Xiaolin

　　The “2013 China Business Women’s Mulan Annual Conference” was held in Beijing on May 18. The theme of this year’s conference was “Her Stage, Her Creation,” with the term “her” specifically referring to women. A series of topics centered on businesswomen—such as the unique role women play in contemporary economic development and the entrepreneurial and management strategies employed by female entrepreneurs—became the focal points of this year’s conference.

　　Lei Jufang, Chairperson of Tibet Qizheng Tibetan Medicine Co., Ltd., as a representative from Gansu, looked back on the past and looked forward to the future with female entrepreneurs at the annual meeting, sharing the joys and hardships experienced by the company in its journey of growth and expansion.

　　The Transition from Scientist to Entrepreneur

　　In the early 1990s, Lei Jufang, who was studying in Gannan, conducted more than a hundred in-depth field investigations and studies in Tibetan areas, sincerely seeking guidance from master practitioners of Tibetan medicine, which enabled her to establish Qizheng Tibetan Medicine.

　　At the very beginning of Qizheng Tibetan Medicine’s establishment, Lei Jufang, together with Tibetan and Han research experts, fully leveraged the unique historical value of Tibetan medicine culture and successfully developed a new-formulation, patented Tibetan medicine—Qizheng Pain-Relieving Plaster. At the same time, by employing modern technological methods such as vacuum freeze-drying, they scientifically addressed the challenges of extracting and preserving the active ingredients from natural plants found on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Upon its launch, the product quickly gained widespread acclaim among patients and has become the preferred essential medicine for Chinese national athletes due to its rapid and reliable effects.

　　Qizheng Pain-Relieving Plaster has won numerous prestigious awards, including the Gold Medal at the 26th Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions and New Technologies. In just a few short years, Qizheng Tibetan Medicine has rapidly risen to become the leading player in China’s Tibetan medicine industry.

　　From female scientist to entrepreneur, her relentless pursuit has been the cornerstone of Lei Jufang’s life.

　　Repay our parents and fellow villagers with wealth.

　　Not long ago, the 2013 “New Fortune Top 500 Rich List,” compiled by New Fortune magazine, was released. Among the top 500 richest individuals, Lei Jufang, Chairwoman of Gansu Qizheng Group, who had already made it onto the list last year, once again topped the list as Gansu’s richest person and significantly improved her ranking. Her wealth increased to 6.55 billion yuan.

　　Creating wealth is a source of joy. As the leader of the company, Lei Jufang has always believed that wealth ultimately belongs to society—and even more so, to the general public.

　　In 1995, the China Guangcai Program sent a delegation of Chinese private enterprises to Tibet. Lei Jufang was deeply moved by the Guangcai Program’s philosophy of “balancing profit with public interest.” More than a decade later, Lei Jufang has remained true to her altruistic commitment, investing over 65 million yuan in total in public welfare initiatives such as healthcare, education, poverty alleviation, and disaster relief in Tibetan areas. She herself was named one of the “Top Ten Poverty-Alleviation Role Models” nationwide.

　　As a privately-owned entrepreneur who grew up locally, Lei Jufang has always been determined to do something meaningful for the people of Gansu. The third pharmaceutical factory built by Qizheng Investment is a shining project located in Yuzhong County. At the very beginning of the factory’s construction, Lei Jufang experienced intense internal struggle. Every time she traveled through Chengdu on her way to Tibet, officials from Chengdu’s development zone would warmly invite her to dinner. Lei Jufang knew perfectly well that they hoped Qizheng would set up the factory in Chengdu—after all, the conditions there were indeed quite attractive. Yet in the end, she firmly decided to build the factory in Yuzhong, a nationally designated poverty-stricken county. Company financial staff calculated that if the factory were located in Yuzhong, Qizheng would have to invest an additional 6 million yuan each year—but Lei Jufang remained unmoved. She said, “The western regions, especially the poorer ones in the west, need even more dedication—even if that dedication means greater hardship and higher costs.” Today, Qizheng’s pharmaceutical factory in Yuzhong has become a vital economic force in the local area, and its contributions to the local economy have been steadily growing year after year.

　　The greater health industry is steadily advancing.

　　“Our grand plan for the health industry was progressing smoothly in 2012,” Lei Jufang told reporters. In 2010, Qizheng Tibetan Medicine formulated a three-year strategic plan centered on innovation in both strategy and business models, aiming to build a comprehensive health industry encompassing three major business segments: pharmaceuticals, medicinal herbs, and health & wellness products.

　　According to reports, the medicinal herb business made significant progress in 2012: while it contributed a gross profit of over 5 million yuan in 2011, its contribution surged to over 10 million yuan in 2012. The company has completed the construction of four major medicinal herb bases in Qinghai and Tibet; in particular, the newly established medicinal herb base in the Linzhi region of Tibet covers an area of as much as 500,000 mu, providing strong support for the industrialization of specialty and precious medicinal herbs.

　　In addition, the company has expanded its range of medicinal herb products. Besides cordyceps and goji berries, other herbs such as angelica and astragalus are also being developed on a large scale. After ensuring a stable supply of raw materials, the company has also made breakthroughs in heat-pump drying technology for goji berries across the entire industrial chain, enabling goji berry processing without the use of sodium or sulfur. This ensures the high quality of “medicinal herb-based food” products.

　　Lei Jufang stated that in the future, they will further intensify variety development and enrich their product lineup. According to her, Qizheng Tibetan Medicine has already made significant progress in the “secondary development” of some of its current products.

　　As of the end of 2012, Qizheng Tibetan Medicine had completed all three of its fundraising and investment projects. According to Lei Jufang, in the next phase of developing the greater health industry, the company will consider bringing in strategic investors and conducting refinancing at an appropriate time.