RELX CEO Wang Ying: This Year's Goal Is a Smooth Transition and Innovation

During the 2020 pandemic, coinciding with International Women's Day on March 8, Yiou interviewed 14 women to see how they have grown and reflected, stemming from women's spirit of sharing and their desire to voice for women. They shared valuable life experiences.

Women fighting against the virus, facing the joys and sorrows of life and death, are no different from men.

On the entrepreneurial path, providing the goods that users and consumers need requires effort from women, just like men.

In such a special year as 2020, women's capabilities and responsibilities were further highlighted. When they accomplish everything that men can do, demonstrating the same resilience and commitment, their gender characteristics are no longer emphasized.

What replaces it is the admiration and recognition that comes from the heart of everyone.

During the 2020 pandemic, coinciding with International Women's Day on March 8, Yiou interviewed 14 women to see how they have grown and reflected, stemming from women's spirit of sharing and their desire to voice for women. They shared valuable life experiences.

Thanks to Xu Xin, founding partner of Today's Capital, Viya, the first anchor on Taobao, Peng Xin, founder of Nayuki Tea, Wang Yuxiao, CEO of Chunyu Doctor, Wang Ying, founder and CEO of RELX, Liu Nan, founder and CEO of Mia, Li Tiantian, co-founder and CEO of the Get App, Wang Lihong, chairman and CEO of Rise Education, Zhu Yueyi, founder and CEO of Time Flower, Xuan Weiying, founder and CEO of Ganlai Technology, Leng Jing, co-founder of Ai Inventory, Liu Chen, co-founder of Food Sharing Society, Huo Nifang, president of Papitube, and Ling Ye, a Douyin influencer with millions of followers (the order is not ranked).

This article is the full interview with Wang Ying, founder and CEO of RELX, and I hope you find it insightful.
 
1. Yiou: What challenges did RELX face during the pandemic?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: Offline retail was affected by the pandemic, but it was better than we expected. Retail stores in Hubei were almost all closed, but outside Hubei, in February, our performance gradually recovered, achieving 75% of our original plan for February. I returned from a business trip abroad on the third day of the Lunar New Year, and the next day I started to have a fever and began self-isolation. On the seventh day, I went to the hospital for a check-up and had the opportunity to experience the difficulties of life as a citizen during this period. After the check-up, I found out it was not COVID-19, and my fever subsided, which relieved me. After the eighth day, I could fully devote myself to pandemic response work and the normal operations of the company.

Our company's pandemic response work set a goal from the beginning: zero confirmed cases among all employees. This was the core goal guiding our pandemic response. Every day thereafter, many big and small decisions had to be made, and we used this goal as our primary objective to guide our decision-makers at all levels to make quick decisions in response to national requirements.

2. Yiou: What were you doing during the SARS outbreak in 2003?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: In 2003, I was in college, and we were locked down for two to three months. At that time, all I could do was stay in the dormitory, and my parents occasionally brought me food from outside the school fence. Because of SARS, I used Dangdang for the first time to buy books. I felt like a 'child' at that time, not doing anything for society, just staying in and playing on the computer every day.

In 2020, our company has nearly 700 people, and we have thousands of customers and consumers, so we had to consider how to serve them well during the pandemic. As a business operator, while handling company affairs, I also had to think about how to do what I could for society.

3. Yiou: What drives you to start a business?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: I am passionate about solving the pain points in people's lives. Seven years ago, I decided to work for Uber because I couldn't drive myself, and at that time, it was difficult to get a taxi in Beijing. My biggest pain point in life was transportation, and many others like me felt the same. I saw that ride-hailing effectively solved this problem, so I joined the industry to improve the quality of life for myself and many others. Starting RELX is the same; it allows me to improve the quality of life for many smokers.

At that time, I also had an idea: globally, the proportion of women in core decision-making positions in companies is significantly low. As a woman, rather than waiting for others to provide women with a fair career development environment, I would rather create jobs myself.

4. Yiou: What qualities do you think set you apart from others?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: I am indeed quite focused. Once I have a passion and love in my heart, and thus form a goal, I only see my goal and nothing else. I keep moving towards my goal and do not feel difficulties or hardships. Anything unrelated to my goal cannot distract my attention.

5. Yiou: What goals do you plan to achieve for the company in 2020?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: In 2020, our company entered its third year. A two-year-old company is still relatively young, and the third year is a period of transformation and upgrading. The company needs to fully upgrade to a modern city that maintains innovative vitality, requiring efficient infrastructure construction and a professional organizational division of labor and collaboration system upgrade. The goal for 2020 is to successfully complete the transformation.

6. Yiou: Do you have any personal life goals?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: Haha, no. I don't have life goals.

7. Yiou: As a woman, what were your thoughts when choosing the e-cigarette industry?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: I like e-cigarettes, just as many women enjoy cosmetics, skincare products, clothing, and travel.

8. Yiou: What opportunities do you think this era has given women?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: The opportunities for women in this era are that few people will demand that you must prioritize being a good wife and mother. Society has accepted the diversity of women's personal development.

Women can choose to focus on self-independence, self-development, and self-achievement.

Women possess some inherent leadership advantages. When women clarify their development goals, they become increasingly adept at overcoming the natural disadvantages brought by gender and leveraging their inherent advantages, making the world a better place.

9. Yiou: As a female CEO and founder, do you feel guilty about not dedicating enough energy to your family?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: No. A family is primarily the responsibility of women, and this is not a default setting. Elders also provide significant support, which is a blessing of Chinese family culture for Chinese women.

10. Yiou: Do you feel you owe anything to your children?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: No. Why? I can do what I love, and that makes me happy. Happy parents lead to happy children.

11. Yiou: Do you have any words for the female employees of RELX?

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: Let passion and confidence be your secret weapon. I look forward to you becoming stars of RELX. I hope we can have more discussions on women's leadership and career development topics, and that we can be companions in women's self-development, moving forward together. I wish our women can find suitable role models around them. Role models will inspire and enlighten you, regardless of whether they are male or female. I hope you all dare to challenge yourselves and set higher and further goals; it will take you to create and experience an infinitely broad landscape.

12. In the e-cigarette industry, it is particularly challenging for a woman to be at the forefront.

Wang Ying, founder of RELX: When doing what you love, it doesn't feel challenging; it feels very fulfilling.