差点流落街头的他，打造出一个物流王国
Building a Logistics Kingdom from Zero
余厚继在金达旺物流公司处理业务 Yu Houji attending to work at Jindawang Logistics
极目新闻记者 陆缘
摄影记者 邹斌
通讯员 王夫之 熊利兵
实习生 胡一民
翻译：王昭仪 胡志洪 严佳薇 （湖北大学）
JIMU News Reporter: Lu Yuan
Photographer: Zou Bin
Correspondents: Wang Fuzhi, Xiong Libing
Intern：Hu Yimin
Translators: Wang Zhaoyi, Hu Zhihong, Yan Jiawei (Hubei University)
家乡人来访，在深圳打拼22年的余厚继不禁轻轻哼唱起《把根留住》。这首隐含着游子艰辛和对家乡思念的老歌，他常常唱，自夸水平可以参加“中国好声音”。
Seeing that the reporters came all the way from Jiangxia to visit him, Yu Houji, who had been in Shenzhen for 22 years, couldnt help humming the tune of “Don't forget your roots”, an old song that tells the struggles and homesickness of a wandering soul. Yu often sings it, even boasting that he is good enough to attend the talent show “The Voice of China”.
余厚继的故事，要从擦皮鞋说起。35岁只身南下深圳淘金，本打算干擦皮鞋这一行，却机缘巧合下投身物流行业，一步步筑起了属于自己的“物流王国”，如今57岁的他已身价斐然，成为深圳物流圈的领军人物。
Yu Houji's story started at the age of 35, when he moved to Shenzhen in search of work as a shoeshine. He happened into the logistics industry almost by accident but successfully established his own “logistics kingdom”. Now, 57, he has become a leading figure in the metropoliss logistics circle.
在深圳市金鹏物流园金达旺物流公司，“天南海北江夏人”联合报道组记者见到了余厚继，听他讲述他创业寻梦的故事。
At the Jinwangda Logistics Company in Shenzhen Jinpeng Logistics Park, reporters from the joint reporting team “Jiangxia people in China” met with him and learned of his startup story.
靠自学获全省首批自考大专文凭
Acquiring a Associate Degree in Hubei Province by Self-study
叮嘱工人注意安全，查看货物打包情况，在深圳金鹏物流园金旺达物流公司，余厚继看着一辆辆货车驶来又离去，眼神中有疫去春来的喜悦。
Reminding his staff to pay attention to safety, checking the packaging and watching the trucks come and go.The joy in his eyes was obvious to see, because the pandemic has come to an end.
过去三年，受疫情影响，物流产业遭遇寒冬，余厚继的物流事业步入低谷。“好在深圳的春天要比其他地方来得早些。”他感慨地说，创业之路本就不是一帆风顺，像极了人生。
Over the past three years, the logistics industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. Consequently, Yu's business also entered a low ebb. “Fortunately, spring comes earlier in Shenzhen than other places,” he sighed. The road to entrepreneurship is not smooth, just like life.
1966年，余厚继出生在江夏区紧邻鲁湖湖畔的安山街余咀村，家里虽不富裕，但生活过得踏实安稳。
Yu Houji was born in 1966 in Yuzui Village in Jiangxia District. Although his family was not wealthy, they lived a stable life.
然而，1983年一场突然的变故，改变了余厚继的人生。那年，余厚继的母亲意外去世。生活的重压下，余厚继被迫从高中退学，帮助父亲养家糊口。
However, in 1983, a sudden event changed his life. His mother passed away unexpectedly that year, and the pressure of life forced him to drop out of high school to help his father support the family.
1985年，19岁的余厚继通过招工考试，进入武昌县（现江夏区）某国营印刷厂工作。在工厂的14年，余厚继干过校对，做过市场调度和车间主任，还当过生产调度副厂长。这期间，他通过自学，拿到全省第一批高等教育自学考试大专文凭。
In 1985, at the age of 19, Yu Houji passed the recruitment exam and entered a state-owned printing factory in Wuchang County (now in Jiangxia District). During his 14 years in the factory, he worked as a proofreader, market scheduler, workshop director, and deputy production scheduling manager. Meanwhile, he was among the first batch to obtain an associate degree in the province through self-study.
进入上世纪90年代，改革开放的春风吹满神州大地，也刮到了江夏，让余厚继也燃起了创业梦。
In the 1990s, the winds of Reform and Opening Up Policy blew across China, and Jiangxia was no exception. This inspired Yu Houji to pursue his entrepreneurial dream.
那时候，武汉满大街都是擦皮鞋的连锁店，门槛低、投资少、技术含量不高，“不如去改革开放的最前沿城市深圳开几家擦皮鞋的连锁店，肯定赚钱。”夜深人静时，余厚继躺在床上左思右想，脑子里突然蹦出来这个想法，兴奋了。
At that time, there were many shoe-shining chain stores in Wuhan with low entry requirements and low investment costs. “Why not go to Shenzhen, one of the cities with favorable policies, to open my shoe-shining chain stores? It'll definitely make me a fortune!” Yu Houji suddenly had this idea while Yu Houji was lying in bed at night and thinking, filling him feel with excitement.
心动不如行动，余厚继决定豁出去大干一场。他自断后路，一次性买断工龄，跟国营印刷厂解除了劳动合同，准备前往深圳创业寻梦。
Without hesitation, Yu Houji decided to take the chance. He broke off all ties with his previous job, purchased his seniority, and terminated his labor contract with the factory, in preparationfor his move to Shenzhen to pursue his entrepreneurial dream.
只身赴深创业被迎面泼一瓢冷水
Reality Sets in After the Move
2001年2月7日，火车到达深圳时，正好是正月十五的傍晚，又累又困的他，在深圳火车站的候车室里，度过了在深圳的第一个夜晚。
When the train arrived in Shenzhen on February 7, 2001, it was the evening of the Lantern Festival. Exhausted, he spent his first night in the city at the train stations waiting room.
满怀梦想而来，深圳却马上就让他品尝到梦想破碎的滋味——他发现了一个事实：深圳一年四季气候温和，人们多是穿拖鞋和旅游鞋，很少有穿皮鞋的习惯，靠擦皮鞋创业？简直就是痴人说梦！
He came to Shenzhen full of hopes, but soon felt disappointed: Shenzhen has a mild weather all year round, so people prefer wearing slippers and sneakers to leather shoes. Starting a business of shining shoes is almost impossible!
被泼了一瓢冷水醒来，余厚继想那就先去印刷厂打工吧，安顿下来再想办法，谁知工厂却嫌他年纪大不愿收他。
As a result, he changed his mind and decided to settle down first as he worked in a printing factory. Unfortunately, none were willing to accept him because of his advanced age.
口袋里很快将空空如也，吃住等基本生存问题急需解决。此时的余厚继，展现了不一般的经商头脑。他找老乡借了1000元，承诺3天后还，然后四处看出租房找落脚处。他看中了一套2室1厅，2押1租需要交7200元。灵机一动，他掏出借来的1000元交给房东，恳求将房子为他留2天，2天之内他来交齐3个月房租，如果过时交不齐，1000元就算这两天的住宿费。房东答应了。
He soon ran out of funds, and basic living necessities such as food and shelter needed to be solved. At this time, Yu had an unusual business idea. He borrowed 1,000 yuan from his fellow-villager and promised to return the money in 3 days. He then searched for a place to rent. He took a fantasy to a house with two bedrooms and one living room, which required 7,200 yuan for two-month deposit and one months rent. Falling short on money, he came up with an idea. Using the borrowed 1000 yuan to pay the landlord, he begged for the house to be reserved for him for next 2 days. Within 2 days he would paid off the rent for the next 3 months. If otherwise, the 1000 yuan would act as the rental for the two days. Finally, the landlord agreed.
拿到钥匙后，余厚继一边着手将房子进行隔断改造，一边手写了许多出租房屋信息的小广告到周边工厂张贴。第二天，“二房东”余厚继不仅把房租余款交给了房东，还小赚了一笔。
After getting the key, Mr. Yu began to partition and renovate the house while writing many advertisements of housing rental and putting them up near factories. The next day, the “middleman landlord” Yu Houji not only gave the rest of the rent to the landlord, but also earned a small sum of money.
发传单一月穿坏七双皮鞋
Wearing Out Seven Pairs of Leather Shoes in a Month to Distribute Leaflets
从哪里入手创业呢？在出租房里，余厚继琢磨了整整一天，决定先从搬家行业做起。
Where would he start in launching a business? In the rental house, Mr. Yu considered the matter for a whole day and decided to start from the logistics industry.
第二天，余厚继趴在简陋的小床上写起了搬家小广告，他把相关信息挂靠在老乡公司名下，并每天在报纸上投放广告。很快，他迎来了第一单生意，赚了600元，接着第二单、第三单也纷至沓来。他随后调整策略，将短途搬家改为短长途搬家，短短十多天，他就净赚了1万多元。
The next day, Mr. Yu Hou wrote advertisements on the simple small bed. He included the relevant information of his acquittances company and put advertisements in the newspaper every day. Soon, he received his first order, earning 600 yuan. The second and third order followed by. Then, he adjusted his strategy that changed the short distance to long distance moving aid. In just over ten days, he netted more than 10,000 yuan.
“搬家卖苦力太累了，自己年龄也大了，体力跟不上，做这个只能缓一时之急，终不是长久之计。”于是，他修改了广告内容，决心干物流。
“Moving is too energy consuming, and Im too old to keep up with the physical work. Doing this can only be a temporary solution, definitely not a long-term one.” So, he modified the content of the advertisement and determined to engage in logistics.
余厚继把自己的物流广告信息与深圳市的公交线路地图相结合，在每条公交线路上标注物流车会在什么时间、什么地点出现，然后做成口袋大小的折页，按照从深圳黄页上抄来的地址，给客户邮寄过去。仅凭这样一个与众不同的做法，初出茅庐的余厚继就接到了不少订单。
Combining his logistics advertising information with Shenzhen's bus route map, Mr. Yu marked on each bus route when and where logistics buses appeared. Then he made pocket-sized folding leaflets and mailed them to customers. Such a distinctive approach helped Mr. Yu who was new in the industry receive more orders.
为扩大订单量，余厚继随后又走出去发传单，寻找业务。他走遍了周边所有的工厂，“头一个月下来，几十块钱一双的皮鞋穿坏了7双。”不到3个月，余厚继的物流业务就有了很大起色，固定客户也越来越多，每个月有3万元到4万元的收入。
In order to expand the order volume, Mr. Yu went out to distribute leaflets and looked for business orders. He went to all the factories in the neighborhood. He said: “In the first month, I wore out seven pairs of leather shoes.” In less than three months, his logistics business had taken off, with an increasing number of regular customers and a monthly income of 30,000 to 40,000 yuan.
2003年年底，做了一年多“货代”（指没有自己的公司、车辆、店面）的余厚继在深圳长城货运物流园盘下门面，成立了“金达快运”公司，走出了他进军物流业的一大步。为了开拓市场，他既当老板又当业务员、搬运工，逐渐在业内站稳了脚跟，开通了自己的第一条物流专线：深圳至山西专线。
At the end of 2003, Yu Houji, who had been a “freight forwarder” (referring to not having his own company, vehicles and stores) for more than a year, established “Jinda Express” company in the Shenzhen Great Wall International Logistics Center, a big step for him to entering the logistics industry. In order to expand the market, he served as a manager, salesman and porter, and gradually gained a foothold in the industry before opening his first logistics line: Shenzhen to Shanxi special line.
成深圳物流行业领军人物
A Leading Figure of the Logistics Industry in Shenzhen
2003年初，非典疫情在广东局部地区流行，物流企业受到不同程度影响。然而，既无雄厚实力又无成熟供应链的余厚继非但没倒下，反而接到了不少订单。
In early 2003, since the SARS epidemic was prevalent in Guangdong province, logistics companies were affected to varying degrees. Yu Houji who had neither solid foundation nor mature supply chain, however, did not suffer drastically, but instead received many orders.
原来，此前有家医药公司和余厚继有过合作，他良好的信誉和优质的服务给对方留下了深刻印象。非典疫情期间，医疗包装用品需求量剧增，这家医药公司的业务量大增。而非典疫情对物流环节提出了更高要求，让他成为了这家医药公司的首选。正是这个大客户，不仅让余厚继渡过了难关，还为他的进一步发展打下基础。
It turned out that a pharmaceutical company had worked with Yu Houji previously, and his good reputation and high-quality service had left a deep impression on them. During the SARS epidemic, since the demand for medical packaging supplies soared, the pharmaceutical company had seen a surge in their business. With higher requirements on logistics, Yu Houji was prioritized by this company. It was this “important customer” that not only allowed Yu Houji to tide over the difficulties, but also laid the foundation for his further development.
2004年4月，机缘巧合之下，他接下了一家大型科技公司的订单，一年营业额就达到了600万元，余厚继的物流公司逐渐在深圳乃至广东打出了名声。
In April, 2004, he received an order from a large sci-tech company by coincidence, with a turnover of 6 million yuan a year. Yu Houji gradually made his name in Shenzhen and even Guangdong province.
2005年前后，他将“金达快运”更名为深圳市金达旺物流有限公司，寓意“诚信为金，旺达八方。”再后来，他有了通达全国的物流专线。
Around 2005, he renamed his company Shenzhen Jindawang Logistics Co., Ltd, the words “Jindawang” signifying “his company, founded on integrity, can extend in all directions.” Later, he had a special logistics line that travelled throughout the whole country.
“做物流就是做服务。”2013年，余厚继联合深圳其他干线运输龙头企业成立了中盟网络快运，主打专业市场，设计次日达、两日达和三日达等产品服务。
“To engage in logistics is to offer a service.” In 2013, Yu Houji set up ZhongMeng Network Express with other leading companies in Shenzhen, focusing on the specialized market and providing services such as next-day, two-day and three-day delivery.
如今，余厚继带着企业朝着产品化、标准化、信息化、集约化目标迈进，力争早日上市。
Today, Yu Houji has led the enterprise towards the goal of product development, standardization, publicizing and intensive development, and strives to join the market as soon as possible.
“深圳市湖北商会物流供应链协会荣誉会长、深圳市服贸协会副会长”，这些头衔的背后，是22年的努力奋斗，余厚继一步步打造出一个庞大的“物流王国”，成为深圳、江夏两地物流圈的领军人物。
Twenty-two years of hard work have paid back such titles as “Honorary President of Shenzhen Hubei Chamber of Commerce Logistics Supply Chain Association and Vice President of Shenzhen Service Trade Association”. Yu Houji gradually created a huge “logistics kingdom” one step at a time, becoming the leader of the logistics industry in Shenzhen and Jiangxia district, Wuhan.
离开山水秀美的江夏22年，八千多个日夜里，从“到深圳开擦皮鞋连锁店”的梦想，到成为深圳物流行业领军人物，余厚继无数次反问过自己，当初的梦想实现了吗？答案无疑是肯定的。
When Yu Houji left Jiangxia 22 years ago, he initially aspired to “open a shoeshine chain store in Shenzhen”. Now, a leading figure in the logistics industry, he has asked himself numerous times for the last 8,000 days and nights, “Did I realize my original dream?”. The answer is definitely “Yes”.
记者手记
Reporters Notes
没有人能随便成功
No victory comes out without price
正月十五的夜晚，他蜷缩在火车站候车室睡觉；在深圳走街串巷发传单，一月穿坏七双皮鞋……每一个成功者的背后，都有一段辛酸历程，谁的成功都不是一蹴而就，它不是偶然，而是超乎寻常的努力堆积而成的必然。
On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, he curled up in the waiting room of the train station to sleep; seven pairs of shoes were worn out in a month when he distributed flyers in Shenzhen… He, who is a winner, used to be a sufferer. No success can be achieved overnight, nor does it happen by chance, but for the accumulation of endless efforts.
正如歌词“不经历风雨，怎么见彩虹？没有人能随随便便成功”，余厚继的成功也是如此。
Just as the song goes, “No one can be successful without rain and pain”, Yus success is the same.
成功的秘诀是什么？他这样总结：除了胆大敢拼，顺着风向走，把握机会很重要，人的潜能是无限的，绝处才能逢生。
“My secret for success? The answer is courage, adaptability, and, more importantly, seizing opportunities. Humans have infinite pontential which only becomes apparent during desperate situations”, Yu replied.