#195 Company Management: The Only Way for a Company to Endure (Continuing the discussion from Weekly #187) (03/01/2026)

Recently, a customer who had just moved into a new home bought our new bedsheets and duvet covers. After moving in, they sent us a heartfelt email. The customer is a Dustykid supporter, and with their permission, I'm sharing their message here. I've also conveyed their blessings to Dustykid's dad, Ah Rap, on their behalf. I'm truly grateful to them, and also to many other customers who have given us encouragement online or sometimes come to our store to support and cheer on our colleagues. Thank you all.

I actually very much agree with what this customer mentioned: that a good philosophy also requires other things to work together. This has also been my realization since last year when Re Pillow Co.'s only way forward was to enter the mainstream, ever since that video on the beach. Quality, in-store service, and other aspects such as shipping speed and accuracy, inventory management, efficiency, after-sales service (which is why we partnered with YKK for a permanent repair service for new bedsheet zippers), and the reliability of all arrangements and management – all of these are extremely important. The philosophy and product are only the first step; we need to excel at everything else before we can enter the mainstream. I happened to tell a colleague this week that most people trust large companies more than small ones, not because large companies' products are exceptionally good, but because they are very stable; you know what you're going to get. For example, is McDonald's hamburger delicious? Everyone surely has a small shop in their heart that makes better burgers, but McDonald's products are consistently stable. And every time I go, they always have McNuggets; they're always in stock. However, a small shop might tell you today there's no chicken, all the chicken is sold out.

I want us to be both delicious and always have McNuggets. Of course, that's also the hardest part. First, the product itself must truly be good, and then all other services, management, selection of styles, and everything that follows must be good, without constantly running out of stock (PS. Disclaimer: this is currently not achievable; our stockout problem, especially for popular items, is very serious, with some people having to wait a whole month, which gives me a headache, but we are improving) – actually, I still have many product-related things I want to do, but I currently must prioritize handling these matters well so that customers are happy.

Therefore, recently I've actually been working on setting up a framework for the company to operate smoothly, so that I can free myself up. This way, I can create new products for everyone. I'd rather go slower but build a strong foundation first and do things right. And the method I'm using must be one that isn't currently being used by others, because I increasingly feel that if we always refer to others' approaches when doing things, it's often already wrong. Many things are like this; when something becomes very popular or unpopular throughout Hong Kong, if you follow suit then, it's already too late. For example, it's currently very trendy to talk about AI. If you start learning now and then use it to chat or generate images, it's already too late. Sometimes it's hard to explain these things. This somewhat echoes what I wrote in weekly journal entry #187, where I talked about feeling that when it comes to product development, one must be the innovator, the market leader. It's very tough, but it's the only way out. At the same time, of course, one also needs to implement the management aspects mentioned above that are required to enter the mainstream. Not many companies can do both, but this is the only way to survive. And I feel that in terms of company management or the company's overall structure and operating model, there is a need to think of a better way to do things, not just follow others. If I say more, there are some secrets I can't reveal, but I'm working hard in this area. Although I don't know if I'll succeed, I'm trying my best.