Alumnus, Class of 2010, Accounting, Founder of Vivid Fairy

You Jiancong is a different kind of entrepreneur. While others chased trends, he built bridges. While many indulged in big visions, he focused on real problems. This BNBU graduate has proven a simple truth: real innovation comes from using rational methods to connect valuable resources more efficiently, sparking entirely new possibilities.

Building on Reason: From Classroom Ideas to Market Testing

"I studied accounting for four years, and my biggest takeaway was that I'm not meant to be an accountant," You Jiancong says with a laugh. Back then, he was quiet and introverted, accustomed to sitting in the corner, focused on numbers. Accounting trained his thinking but also showed him that he didn't want a stable bookkeeping job. He wanted to create his own career and bring value to society.

Through team projects and outdoor activities at BNBU, he began applying rational thinking to real life. "School taught me that action itself is thinking." He learned communication and teamwork. The shift from observer to participant laid the groundwork for his future. Upon graduation, he knew he wouldn't choose a predictable life. He would use reason to explore possibilities.

In 2017, You returned to Shunde and co-founded a car trading company. This seemingly ordinary venture became a turning point that completely reshaped his business understanding.

At first, relying on information gaps, price differences, and supply advantages, business boomed. Despite being introverted, he took on sales to push himself and because he knew founders are the biggest salespeople. Even though he wanted reliable partners to each handle their own roles, many things still required his own effort. But the good times didn't last. A macroeconomic shift cooled the car market. Traditional 4S stores significantly cut prices to clear inventory, wiping out their information gap profit margins. This taught him a deep lesson. Any business model built on a single fragile logic cannot survive changing times. Quickly building core advantages and adapting are universal survival principles.

Worse, market pressures fueled internal conflicts. He and his partner fundamentally disagreed on philosophy and strategy. The dual pressures of a shrinking market and internal breakdown brought business to a halt. In this desperate situation, he distilled his guiding principle: "Be rational in what you do, and be even more rational with people." How to decide at critical moments, how to choose partners carefully, and how to balance compromise and perseverance became constant reminders on his entrepreneurial journey.

How Connections Evolved: From a Local Beef Brand to Vivid Fairy

After leaving the auto industry, You Jiancong chose a more grounded path: food and beverage. He founded a braised snack brand called "Quan Shu Niu Lu." This was not a random decision, but a direction set through rational analysis. He quickly found that food and beverage meant more than just selling food. "It is also a powerful weapon."

In his eyes, small street shops are microcosms of society and the nerve endings of a city. Watching the daily flow of office workers, laborers, the elderly, and the young, he realized, "Food and beverage is like a medieval tavern. It is where information flows. You can see economic changes, consumer psychology, and people's emotions." This led him to rethink the value of his business. He no longer saw "Quan Shu Niu Lu" as just a food project, but as a piece of social infrastructure. Through these shops, he could understand the market, collect data, and capture trends. The stores became nodes connecting resources and spaces where people naturally meet and interact.

From this experience, a larger vision grew. He wanted to build a mini community of like-minded partners. This vision was not a sudden inspiration. It grew naturally from real world operations. Eventually, it became Vivid Fairy, a platform that gathers information and resources to enable collaboration and flow. "We want to connect different people, information, and resources. Friends, alumni, entrepreneurs, government, and businesses can all find ways to cooperate. For many valuable resources and solutions, others may already have excellent experience and knowledge to share." He partnered with an AI entrepreneurship community in Beijing to host tech talks, bringing cutting edge technology to traditional industries. He also organized co-branded events with a local pet café, achieving cross industry traffic sharing and emotional connection, while also giving the café owner fresh marketing and operational ideas. "What we do is more than just events. It is an experiment in connection." Through trial after trial, he saw more possibilities for blending traditional industries with innovative thinking.

Head and Heart: Finding Growth in Uncertain Times

As his network grows, You Jiancong's entrepreneurial vision continues to evolve. He now works with government agencies, local associations, and community groups to co create value, and plans to partner with universities on career and entrepreneurship programs. "The environment is tough, but if everyone does nothing, it only gets worse. Someone has to move first and help improve the bigger picture. A single spark can start a prairie fire."

This balanced mindset also shows in his support for BNBU. In 2021, he chose to invest in a startup led by younger alumni, even knowing the risks. "When young people are willing to try, that alone is worthwhile. The journey from zero to one is more valuable than the outcome." He believes such projects help awaken the campus entrepreneurial spirit and show what is possible from scratch.

Having lived through entrepreneurial ups and downs, you found resonance in Taleb's "antifragile." "Antifragility is not about stability. It is about becoming stronger under pressure," he says. This mindset helps him face uncertainty with calm and even grow from setbacks. He sees himself as a mix of rationality and idealism. Rationality keeps him grounded. Idealism keeps him purposeful. He concluded: "Be bold yet meticulous, seek stability while breaking new ground."

To decompress, you drive toward Zhuhai on the highway. "My alma mater is right there, a permanent harbor. Even the city feels familiar. Driving faster somehow quiets my mind and sparks inspiration," he says. Returning to campus is his way of resetting to zero. "Walking the old paths and visiting teachers reminds me why I started." He often returns to share insights with students, leaving them with this advice: "Don't just study success. Study failure. The patterns of failure are often similar. Reverse thinking can save you many detours."

A photo from a Vivid Fairy event

From a quiet BNBU student to a resource connector, You Jiancong has built a unique entrepreneurial path with reason. In uncertain times, he doesn't chase hype or dream of fairy tales. He builds bridges and makes connections happen. Reason guides him. Passion keeps him going.

Written by Xia Aijia, Class of 2024, Master of Communication Studies, BNBU

【Company Introduction】

Vivid Fairy

Vivid Fairy is based in Foshan, Guangdong, and is expanding into the Greater Bay Area. As a highly innovative company, we focus on food and beverage, community building, and connecting information and resources. We have built a unique system linking dining, community, information, and collaboration. Through distinctive food services, we unite communities, integrate resources, and foster cooperation, bringing new energy into the Greater Bay Area's business landscape and driving industry innovation.

Location: Foshan, Guangdong – Expanding to the Greater Bay Area

Industry: Food & Beverage, Community, and Information & Resource Connection

Entrepreneurial Alumni Stories

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