DoBe StartCapsule | Empowering Entrepreneurs, Mentorship Face-to-Face
Located in DoBe WE@AVIC, the DoBe StartCapsule—DoBe's youth entrepreneurship incubation base—has officially entered its operational phase. To help startups navigate their entrepreneurial journey more smoothly, the DoBe StartCapsule has launched the "DoBe Entrepreneur Mentor Series", inviting experienced mentors to engage in face-to-face exchanges and share practical insights with entrepreneurs.
Last week, DoBe welcomed a special mentor—the founder of DoBe Group—to the DoBe StartCapsule for an in-depth dialogue with entrepreneurs. After an afternoon of intensive discussion, participants collectively explored challenges in their business models, resolved doubts encountered during their startup journeys, and even sparked new entrepreneurial ideas!
Below is a summary of the questions raised by entrepreneurs and the mentor's responses. If you're also on an entrepreneurial path, we hope you find these insights helpful!
Entrepreneur A: Gen-Z International Student Entrepreneur
Company Overview: Currently operates two companies specializing in advertising and branding, providing B2B services including visual merchandising, graphic design, event setup, planning, and execution.
Business Scenario Illustration (AI-generated)
Q：
1. To better leverage local resources, I currently run two companies across three locations. However, both companies are still small and lack the capacity to dispatch staff for on-site operations. What advice does the mentor have for scaling the business?
2. In the current economic climate, businesses face numerous uncertainties. We prefer a flat organizational structure, placing the right people in the right roles and focusing on productivity rather than hours worked, which helps control costs and allows flexible management. However, I'm unsure how to balance employee pressure and efficiency. We are currently exploring unit-based role management methods from abroad, creating clear SOPs for each position and defining communication pathways.
Mentor's Response:
For your first question, my advice is not to rush expansion. A three-year-old shouldn't do what a forty-year-old does. At this stage, focus on steady growth, exceed expectations with every project, and build influence within your network. Take it slow—there's no need to hurry.
For the second question, with only about ten people across both companies, everyone in a startup must wear multiple hats to improve efficiency. Overseas unit-based management is tied to specific historical and developmental contexts and isn't suitable for startups. If everyone specializes in just one area, your costs will rise. My suggestion is to keep the core team small and outsource other tasks or hire freelancers. Let your business drive management—management should serve the business, not the other way around.
Entrepreneur B: Photographer Venturing into Health & Wellness
Company Overview: Develops dry powder inhalation health products, health supplements, health databases, and smart hardware/software solutions.
Product Usage Scenario Illustration (AI-generated)
Q：
My co-founders have withdrawn their investments, and product promotion faces significant challenges. How can I overcome these hurdles, reverse the situation, and rebuild a path forward? How do I persist?
Mentor's Response:
If all your partners have pulled out and you're the only one left, it means they saw "wolves ahead"—you just didn't notice them.
What I fear most in entrepreneurship is misguided persistence. Persistence isn't always virtuous; often, it's unwise. Your expertise is in photography, which isn't related to health products. You've chosen a difficult path.
If something feels overwhelmingly hard and painful, it often means it's not the right path. Many people persist due to sunk costs or personal stubbornness. The key to entrepreneurship is flexibility in adjusting direction. Our ultimate goal is commercial success, and a good business model is often very simple.
Entrepreneur C: Programmer Transitioning into Inbound Tourism
Company Overview: Builds a C2C platform connecting foreign travelers with local guides for one-on-one companionship services, supplemented by a specialty souvenir marketplace, enabling tourists to explore cities like locals beyond conventional routes.
Image Source: Shangguan News
Q：
1.
Lack of a suitable promotion and operations team: The technical product requires professional marketing to drive growth.
2.
Insufficient funds for overseas promotion and customer acquisition: This is critical for reaching target users.
Mentor's Response:
I see several issues. First, your service delivery isn't standardized. Tourism isn't like driving a taxi—tourists seek "happiness", which easily leads to disputes. Moreover, one-on-one customization at low prices is exceptionally challenging. Low-price personalized delivery has a major flaw in its business model: it's hard to scale.
Second, delivery quality is difficult to monitor. How will the platform handle disputes between guides and tourists, especially since both are individuals? I suggest first refining your business model before tackling promotion.
Entrepreneur D: AI + IP Cultural Creation Entrepreneur
Company Overview: Focuses on building the "next-generation world-class IP platform", with core operations covering the entire IP lifecycle: IP incubation and operation, hybrid physical-digital IP derivative development, and AI-driven content innovation.
Launched IP Characters
Q：
Does DoBe Offer Free Startup Office Spaces or Entrepreneurial Loans for Cultural Innovation Projects?
Mentor's Response:
As an incubation space, the DoBe StartCapsule is already highly affordable. This initiative aims to genuinely assist startups by reducing rental costs and providing entrepreneurial support.
For exceptionally promising projects, DoBe also offers equity investments after comprehensive evaluation. This is another way we support entrepreneurial ventures.
We hope this session with our mentor helps you avoid pitfalls on your entrepreneurial journey! DoBe will always be here to support you along the way. See you at the next DoBe Entrepreneur Mentor Series event!
If you encounter any issues or have valuable suggestions within the DoBe park, please feel free to contact us via:
Official Complaint and Suggestion Email for the Chairman: jack@dobechina.com
Author: Zhuzhu Editor: Xixi Reviewer: Bobo
