An Unexpected Encounter

It all started with a chance journey. Last winter, I got lost in a small mountain village in Zhejiang. It was almost dark, and the temperature in the mountains had dropped sharply, with a biting wind. Wearing only a thin coat, I stood shivering at a crossroads, with intermittent phone signal and completely failed navigation. Just when I was at a loss, I met Old Yang.

He wore simple blue clothes, with a sincere smile on his face, carrying a bundle of freshly cut bamboo on his shoulder. Seeing me, a stranger, shivering in the cold wind, he immediately invited me to rest at his rural guesthouse. Who would have thought that this seemingly ordinary farmer was actually a "rural entrepreneur" who had returned from working in Shenzhen to start his own business. At that time, I had no idea that getting lost would lead me to such a remarkable entrepreneurial story.

The Story of Returning Home

Old Yang's story stunned me. He had worked in Shenzhen for fifteen years, rising from an ordinary assembly line worker to a workshop supervisor. It was a difficult but rewarding period. He told me that when he first went to Shenzhen, he couldn't even speak standard Mandarin well, but through sheer determination, he worked his way up from the most basic operations, step by step.

When he returned home for Spring Festival in 2019, the sight before him broke his heart. The once lively village had become quiet, with dilapidated old houses standing crooked, like stooped elderly people. All the young people had left to work elsewhere, leaving only the elderly and children in the village. The elderly sat at the village entrance sunbathing, with vacant stares; children returned from school to find no trace of their parents.

"My feelings were very complicated at the time," Old Yang said, sitting in his guesthouse courtyard, gazing at the distant green mountains. "After working away for so many years, I had seen the prosperity of the cities and the decline of the countryside. I thought, why couldn't we bring the vacation styles that city people enjoy to the countryside? We have beautiful mountains and waters here, and many ancient farming techniques passed down from our ancestors - aren't these the best resources?"

The Entrepreneurial Journey

He took action immediately. Old Yang invested all his savings from Shenzhen and rented several old houses in the village. These houses were in disrepair, with peeling walls and damaged doors and windows, but Old Yang saw their potential. He invited the best local carpenters to renovate the houses using traditional craftsmanship.

"The renovation process was actually very interesting," Old Yang smiled and said. "We tried to preserve the original style of the old houses, like these wooden carved windows, which were carved by master craftsmen one stroke at a time. For the walls, we used traditional whitewash instead of modern paint, which is both environmentally friendly and has an antique flavor."

But for the first six months, business was dismal, with almost no guests. The meticulously cleaned guest rooms remained empty, the carefully prepared farm dishes had no one to taste them, and even the villagers thought he was wasting his time.

"The pressure was particularly great during that period. My family all asked if I had gone crazy, giving up a good job," Old Yang recalled. "But I refused to accept defeat. I studied short video marketing every day and learned from other successful cases. When I was in Shenzhen, I discovered that many city people actually really yearn for rural life - the key is finding the right way to attract them."

Old Yang began sharing snippets of rural life on short video platforms. The morning smoke from cooking fires, the evening sunset, freshly picked vegetables from the fields, traditionally preserved pickles - these ordinary aspects of rural life in the eyes of city dwellers struck a strong chord.

The turning point came in 2020. That year, many people began to reassess their lifestyles and longed for quiet rural life. Old Yang seized this opportunity and turned his specialty agricultural products into short videos posted online. He would detail the growing process of each agricultural product, demonstrate traditional processing methods, and show city people where their food comes from.

This authentic, down-to-earth content unexpectedly went viral, with videos often being promoted to the homepage, attracting many urban tourists. Many people drove specially from Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, and other places to stay, just to experience the pastoral life shown in his videos.

Business Philosophy

What's so special about Old Yang's rural guesthouse? I stayed for three days to experience it thoroughly and summarized several key points.

First is the insistence on "authenticity." At Old Yang's place, you won't see those "internet-famous spots" deliberately set up to cater to tourists. Everything here is a genuine necessity of rural life. The dishes on the table are all picked from their own vegetable garden, and even the seasonings are self-preserved. The soy sauce is traditionally sun-dried, the chili sauce is made from their own grown peppers, and even the vinegar is fermented from local glutinous rice.

According to Ministry of Agriculture data from 2023, 87% of rural tourism projects nationwide suffer from the problem of "one-size-fits-all." Many places blindly copy successful cases for quick results, leading to a lack of distinctiveness. However, Old Yang's guesthouse reflects the characteristics of Zhejiang mountain villages throughout, maintaining local authenticity from architectural style to dietary habits.

Second is the depth of "experience." Here, tourists are not passive observers but participants in rural life. In spring, they can pick tea and learn tea roasting from masters; in summer, they can plant rice seedlings and experience farmers' hard work; in autumn, they can pick fruits and feel the joy of harvest; in winter, they can participate in pickling vegetables and learn traditional preservation methods.

Old Yang said: "Many city people actually yearn for rural life but worry it might be too boring. So we think about how to get them involved and let them experience the joy of rural life." According to Ministry of Culture and Tourism statistics, rural tourism visitor satisfaction reached 92% nationwide in 2023, with "participatory experiences" being one of the most popular activities.

Finally, there's the use of "innovation." Although Old Yang maintains tradition, he keeps up with the times in his business approach. He combines the guesthouse with short videos, livestreaming daily field work and sharing bits of rural life. For instance, during planting, he explains in detail the techniques for different crops; during harvest, he demonstrates how to judge crop maturity; while cooking, he shares local culinary secrets.

This authentic, down-to-earth content is popular with urban viewers. His Douyin account has surpassed 500,000 followers, bringing not only a steady stream of guests but also driving online sales of agricultural products. "Many fans come to stay for a few days after watching the livestreams to experience our life. Some guests who have stayed here continue to order our agricultural products online after returning home because they've witnessed the growing and processing firsthand and feel particularly assured."

Business Data

Looking at the specific business data, Old Yang's achievements are quite impressive. In 2023, his guesthouse received over 20,000 visitors, with an average occupancy rate of 85%. During peak season, rooms are often fully booked, with many guests needing to reserve a month in advance.

The income composition is also interesting: accommodation income accounts for 40%, mainly from ten distinctive guestrooms, each averaging 300-500 yuan per night; dining income accounts for 35%, focusing on rural specialty dishes that emphasize ingredient quality and authentic cooking; agricultural product sales account for 25%, including self-produced tea, cured meat, and pickles, sold through both online and offline channels.

"Last year's net income exceeded a million yuan," Old Yang smiled and said. "But the most important thing isn't the money, it's driving the development of over 30 households in the village together. We've now formed a small industrial chain, with some specializing in growing vegetables, others raising free-range chickens and ducks, and some making rural specialties. Now many young people in our village have returned from the cities. The village that used to be lively only during Spring Festival is now bustling every day."

What makes Old Yang even more gratified is that the changes in the village aren't just reflected in economic income. Young people have returned, bringing new thinking and vitality; the elderly have things to do now and smile more; left-behind children are no longer lonely because their parents are working nearby.

Future Outlook

Old Yang's success is no coincidence. According to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs data, total rural tourism revenue nationwide reached 1.2 trillion yuan in 2023, a 35% year-on-year increase. Behind this number reflects society's changing perception of rural value.

More and more people are beginning to reassess rural areas. In their eyes, rural areas are no longer synonymous with backwardness and poverty, but fertile ground containing huge development potential. Fresh air, pristine environment, traditional culture, and simple folk customs are all unique advantages of rural areas.

Did you know? There are now over 8 million returnee entrepreneurs like Old Yang nationwide. They include migrant workers like Old Yang, university graduates, and white-collar workers who have worked in cities for many years. They bring back experience, skills, and perspectives accumulated in cities, returning to rural areas to start businesses, bringing new vitality to land that has been quietly cultivated for thousands of years.

These returnee entrepreneurs bring back not only funds and technology but also new development concepts. They understand how to use internet technology to expand sales channels, how to package and promote local specialty products, and how to transform traditional culture into commercial value. Through their efforts, sleeping villages are awakening and radiating new vitality.

After hearing Old Yang's story, I can't help but ask: Have you ever thought about returning to the countryside to start a business? Or at least experience this slow life? Perhaps the next success story will be yours. As Old Yang says: "Opportunities are right beside you, the key is to discover them with heart and seize them with action."

Practical Advice

If you want to learn from Old Yang's experience and embark on the journey of returning home to start a business, I suggest you carefully consider the following key points:

First, location is crucial. Choose places with convenient transportation and beautiful scenery. According to Ministry of Culture and Tourism surveys, over 60% of rural tourism project failures are related to poor location selection. The success of Old Yang's guesthouse largely benefits from its advantageous geographical location. It's only 20 minutes' drive from the nearest highway exit, with several well-known scenic areas nearby, making it easy to attract self-driving tourists.

Factors to consider when choosing a location include: transportation convenience, surrounding landscape resources, local government support, and infrastructure completeness. Particularly note that you shouldn't blindly pursue remoteness; find a balance between "natural" and "accessibility."

Second, differentiated operation is crucial. Don't blindly imitate others; deeply explore local characteristics. Data shows that rural tourism projects with unique cultural characteristics have about 40% higher per-customer spending than ordinary projects. One key to Old Yang's success is well integrating local traditional farming culture, food culture, handicrafts, and other elements into his operations.

Differentiated operation needs to achieve the following: deeply understand local cultural traditions, discover unique customs; design special projects and products based on local characteristics; focus on quality and experience rather than just price competition; establish your brand characteristics and form core competitiveness.

Third, value online marketing's role. Statistics show that 76% of rural tourism orders in 2023 came from online channels. Modern marketing can't be separated from the internet, especially the use of short video platforms. Old Yang does well in this aspect, not only persistently posting content daily but also paying great attention to content quality and interaction.

Online marketing should note the following: choose suitable platforms, understand platform characteristics and user groups; produce quality content, show real rural life; maintain update frequency, interact with followers; appropriately combine livestreaming sales but don't over-commercialize.

Fourth, have enough patience and preparation. Starting a business isn't accomplished overnight; it needs sufficient time and financial reserves. Old Yang had almost no income for the first six months, but he could persist largely because he had adequate preparation.

Suggestions for preparation before starting: reserve at least one year's living expenses; make detailed business plans and budgets; establish good connections, especially with local government and villagers; learn necessary business management knowledge; be psychologically prepared to accept failure.

Fifth, focus on sustainable development. Rural tourism isn't a one-time deal; consider long-term development. While developing the economy, pay attention to environmental protection, cultural heritage preservation, and helping villagers achieve common prosperity. One important reason Old Yang's guesthouse can continue developing is that he always adheres to sustainable development concepts.

Sustainable development needs to note: protect the natural environment, don't overdevelop; protect and pass on local culture; involve local villagers and achieve common prosperity; focus on quality and reputation, don't do things that harm long-term interests.

Before parting, Old Yang told me: "Rural areas aren't synonymous with backwardness, but a new blue ocean full of opportunities. The key is using new thinking to develop its value. Starting a business in rural areas now isn't just about making money, but injecting new vitality into rural areas and contributing to rural revitalization."

What do you think about this statement? Welcome to share your thoughts in the comments. Perhaps your perspective will inspire others who want to return home to start businesses.