Founder of 'Ji thirteen,' he said science Air Jordan 3 Retro and education can make a Nutshell earn moneyWen / Xu Bingqing even within the creative industry park Beijing Lang Park Vintage, pan-science community shell network is a unique existence. Last week, we about company founder and CEO Ji Xiaohua, he better known name is Ji thirteen, meet here, the office that afternoon unusually quiet \u0026 mdash; \u0026 mdash; no one looting fruit tea, no one in the conference room program taped off, and no one to play a game of nostalgic 'King of Fighters' in the back door of the coin arcade. In 2008, prior to the traditional media writer Ji thirteen together with a group of science writers, founded a group called \u0026 ldquo; scientific squirrel \u0026 rdquo; the group blog, and join the line after the active elements under transformation into a non-profit institutions. But imagine squirrel Ji thirteen professional technology media there is little distance away, the best drivers from the business model to achieve the goal. In 2010, thirteen Ji Zhi letter received angel investment capital, the founder of the business establishments shell network. This is not such an easy to explain the process \u0026 mdash; \u0026 mdash; especially when writing for the two groups of authors there is a big overlap. Someone will know peace and husk likened knowledge Quora community in China two \u0026 ldquo; the egg \u0026 rdquo ;: former \u0026 ldquo; \u0026 rdquo ;, obtaining the type of experience has become an excellent support network; the latter \u0026 ldquo; obtaining Italian \u0026 rdquo ;, do is idealistic strong science communication community. But the business model, the two companies also received a similar question: has a huge user base and good reputation, we can turn it into a stable cash flow it? 'Curiosity Daily' previous interview, know almost CEO Zhou Yuan made known almost future profit model will be native advertising. According shell network COO Yao flute on the company's third anniversary speech to say, rely solely on brand marketing, 2012 and 2013, respectively, the shell network had already harvested 500 million and 10 million of revenue, plus a sentence ridicule: \u0026 ldquo; Ji thirteen spend far less speed. \u0026 Rdquo; in 2012, the company faced restructuring, also had confused after a while Ji thirteen now think only rely on original core user community is not enough: \u0026 ldquo; if just from the point of view of science of science, it was one of small, small things, but if you look at popular culture from the perspective of science, that is another matter \u0026 mdash; \u0026 mdash; in fact, science fiction is the same: the real science fiction of the number of people? But look at how many people sci-fi blockbuster? \u0026 Rdquo; the past year, the company in the direction of science and education, the two made more independent products, try to pull those \u0026 ldquo; \u0026 rdquo ;, recognized scientific spirit or \u0026 ldquo; think science is very fast hardware \u0026 rdquo; ordinary people. Every three months, the company's senior management team would focus on new product ideas from within a pile, and after more intensive daily communication, and for the expansion of these products, maintenance, transformation or pause to make decisions. Such a multi-product business model, received more questions from users: husk or start-up companies, why should transition into a product incubator? In addition to good science communication, why should enter the highly competitive field of education? How companies manage these freedoms grow out of the new product? In addition to brand marketing, what these new products will create new profit model? We chatted about Ji thirteen issues, see his own answer: four years later, Nutshell Why become a product incubator? Q: shell network development has more than four years, middle experienced what changes? A: I think there are several stages husk it. The first stage was in 2010 when we first start, then that is to make a scientific new media, about the commercialization of science can not be, or how to combine science communication products business model, just started doing, in fact, the idea is not too clear. So although it looks pretty good, but the middle also made some mistakes. From 2012, we began to seek change, and you can see there have been many changes in a Nutshell, try a lot of new things. At that time the outside husk, while a new product, while a new thing, this is actually changed our plan. With the new round of financing to be put on the agenda, starting from the second half of 2014, in the whole process, the whole idea of the company is also becoming more clear. Today, our business is two: science with education. Of course, there might be some new growth in these two areas below, but the general direction is like that. Q: Why does the final choice of these two areas of science and education? A: Looking back Nutshell Before doing so many things, you will find two things are closely related with the things that we have done the most successful, or that it is we are good at doing. If the only team willing to do, but with two main lines deviate too many things, but doing it will be very difficult. Therefore, these two areas of science and education, not a decision on a development direction, is more like a description of the state of our past, look to the future, when in fact you will find that we are done with this, there is only two direction related matters. Q: Over the past year, Nutshell done a lot of small independent product development strategy so choose what to consider? A: The process is a bit like internal business: because the entire creative force within the company more adequate, we need a place to the idea of a release; and from the external environment, business is also very hot, if the company does not put these ideas to ease out It will form the loss of talent and good resources out of the situation. From 2013, the company's team of the original departmental structure had been broken up, according to the project management system again, and each project has a complete team of twenty or thirty people, managing a standalone product. We set up a review committee every three months to give everyone a chance, as long as you have an idea, we can discuss more will come, it will be supported by the company's internal resources, then, and entrepreneurship is the same. Q: The jury is composed of what? What evaluation criteria is it? A: The Committee itself is by me, COO, CTO, responsible for the editorial department and the Ministry of Commerce consisting of five people, all employees can come to listen, live prick. In fact, our assessment criteria and large companies in the outside business projects similar to this degree is to see how things fit with the company's existing resources, investment and output ratio of how the company has no value. Q: For a new project these internal adopted, after the daily management of what? A: If there is only a small creative project initiator may own in the company, led a team to lead the development. In this process, we are open management, project leader actually has a lot of discretion. For some small projects, not necessarily a strict once every three months would, in practical situations can make a decision. Q: Over the past year, new projects which arise within the company you think is more interesting? A: end of 2014, we made a \u0026 ldquo; \u0026 rdquo ;. Urban Species calendar It was originally our cooperation with a small business customers of derivatives, but surprisingly very successful. So this year, we gave before his colleagues in charge of the project with greater authority, she can organize in-house manpower to do more similar projects. We recently decided to launch a \u0026 ldquo; quantum building blocks \u0026 rdquo; (Note: similar nanoblock small Lego, now on-line) is the team to do, after watching sales, it is possible to put this area into a whole line of business, continued continue to launch all kinds of scientific and technological properties of cultural and creative products. Q: Why does feel like a calendar, quantum building blocks of such a small thing, can be elevated to the product line? A: From the time by chance, we found that the ability to persist in some laws, that this fact should be a fan of economic issues: Nutshell so many years, accumulated a large number of fans, when you close out a user needs fans things, their purchasing power is actually quite amazing. Which we actually still in the trial stage: If you make cultural and creative products, specifically that what made? Prices how to develop? Fun to play and we have worked with before air purifiers \u0026 ldquo; \u0026 rdquo ;, be a small egg intelligent hardware products. But because the price is relatively high, something 2000's, when the user decisions will be a little more careful. Want to know the business model to the periphery of the user into a true user Q: Nutshell network fan mainly come from? A: The core features of husk or a scientific website, we do not expect hundreds of millions of users will go to this small minority of the site on a daily stroll every day, think is unlikely. However, such products like calendars, must have come from a large number of users microblogging, micro letter. Our social media layout is very early, Air Jordan 7 Retro has done well, now microblogging @ shell network's main account has 3.7 million fans, the other sub-accounts and related accounts nearly ten million fans; micro-channel main account also has more than 80 Followers million. These people may not be as frequent as the core user access to science website, but he knows Nutshell this brand, and have a good impression, so when we hit the creative products of the brand when they imagined, he will certainly There purchases. I think, just want to know the commercial mode, users who periphery will really become your users, before his identity is actually and ordinary people are the same. Q: You are from when I wanted to clear this matter? A: I have always felt a certain magnitude Science website users is limited, if I become a user of an order of magnitude ten times, it will certainly not today's shell network, then the brand feel is not right. So if I want to maintain this feeling, I'll think of something. Nutshell's approach is two-way: First, the user becomes high strategic value is that we are now doing education, the value of this model is much higher than the user community; and second, to find ways to revitalize the community, the Peripheral users become my users. Community and the community, just the core user and peripheral corresponding user husk. Our core user must be a small amount, their higher viscosity, more focused on values, such as do not believe traditional Chinese medicine, is not afraid of genetically modified; peripheral users are not the same, the degree of loyalty may not be so high, but bigger base, along with commercial value . From the community, as in the community, Nutshell has been doing in recent years, in fact, matter. Q: You said core user and peripheral users, the number of ratio? A: I think this is a more than a few times, a hundred times the relationship. Nutshell kernel users may be on the order of several million for it, but the peripheral user should be tens of millions or even billions. China to scientifically recognized, accredited to the scientific spirit, or that we feel very Niubi scientific users, which should be an astronomical figure. In fact, science fiction is the same: the real science fiction of the number of people? But look at how many people sci-fi blockbuster? This is the periphery with the kernel, but you find a way, to those watching science fiction brought users. Scientific community is such that if you simply from a science point of view of science, it is indeed a small, small things, but if you look at popular culture from the perspective of science, is another matter. Q: Last year, the master content Nutshell core with a new name \u0026 ldquo; \u0026 rdquo ;, science people this is a brand upgrade it? A: The brand with Nutshell related matter, in fact, a large part of science is very strong, but we want to put a number of related products in the audience to do some distinction: there are for public users, but also for the core user a. \u0026 Ldquo; science people \u0026 rdquo; this brand, which is for core users, positioning us it is China's 'Scientific American' article quality to reach this height, but to form a more Internet-based. So you'll see that it has a large number of research papers in analysis, researchers first-hand the author, there are high-end interviews with scientists, we hope that it will attract some truly professional-grade science enthusiast, and serve them. In April, Nutshell hired 40 achievements in their respective fields scientists are very high, as the \u0026 ldquo; science people \u0026 rdquo; scientific adviser, can further enhance the quality of the content. In addition, \u0026 ldquo; science people \u0026 rdquo; platform currently and 'Nature' top journals such cooperation, but also to do some research for the research community in the hope that the industry can help solve real problems. Q: people outside of science, have also done a Nutshell Answers community, the current multi-product strategy will affect existing products such as What? A: Nutshell Answers should be by the end of 2011 to launch a product, then know almost the size is still small, we can try to think in that direction. Not only is our time, a lot of questions and answers in the vertical direction are doing, but we do try for a while, that indeed it is quite difficult: we are a small team to take the company to do this thing, know almost the entire entrepreneurial team in doing this; We are in a vertical direction, it is known to almost all categories, so immeasurably. And then as know almost developed, user habits and usage scenarios will become different, questions will be preferred to the larger platform, so the development of vertical platform will be squeezed badly. If you do not put a lot of words, it is difficult to become a more powerful product. Now Nutshell Answers to maintain operations in the state, there are several people in the care of a team, but we did not expect it so big. You should not force dispersed the ten flat products, but to focus on a given point can be a burst of power products, we have been looking for such an opportunity. \u0026 Ldquo; in a short time to do some of the things we are not good \u0026 rdquo; Q: When did you find that education is an area outside the science Nutshell another possible outbreak? A: We do in 2012 a number of small-scale attempt, though not achieve the ideal result, but with a little inspiration: knowledge sharing and knowledge learning, in fact, is a thing of the A side with Air Jordan 18 the B side, nothing more than that from propagation point of view, or from the acceptance point of view. And this on both sides of the business model and customer value is shared. Before we attempt was made to enable students to discuss the contents of an online group classes, but made for a month and found no users, I would take the opportunity of an event, go to Tsinghua University to a few days. In there I found that students after class to talk in the bedroom inside each bedroom will be able Nike Shoes to learn Pa basically to solve their problems, needs no Internet discussions. But there is another group within the station was called MOOC study room, relatively high popularity, it caught our attention. The reason it is high in popularity: the time to learn MOOC for Chinese students, it is difficult to find people around the same course in the school must be online. So in 2013, we decided to re-cut from MOOC this area. Q: In fact it was such a company NetEase in the open class in the field have done a while. A: Yes, but our idea was that we are a good company to do UGC, to take advantage of this platform to play a community, do competitive differentiation. Another point of difference is that many people staring at home, we need to do on a global scale, because of short-term domestic and foreign educational content there are still gaps in the quality of overseas platform is decentralized, and this time if there are a Chinese and converged communities appear, it is valuable. Like Coursera, they are also the first and Netease cooperation, out of a small official platform. Then within the team say: Oh, they have been working so deep, we do as well as value? I said do not worry, people are Netease education sector following a team is doing, we are doing the CEO with you, this is not the same degree of attention, to provide users with value is not the same. After dozens of team we made a month or two, indeed, there are many on the Coursera learning Chinese students came to us to discuss the exchange. After something like this, and the industry benchmark for partnerships, other platforms will certainly notice you. As we now cooperate with the Khan Academy, it is very smooth. Q: Coursera win cooperation, when the company spent much energy? A: perhaps not in the staff, but I was a big part of the effort in this matter. I remember the end of 2013, I'm going to Orlando to attend a NASA Space Camp activities, to the other side, the team of other students say, since you in the United States, on the way and then make a call on it. So I bought a ticket on a temporary, flew to San Francisco to Coursera's headquarters the day before the emergency message and the other party to talk about time. That effect is actually a talk in Air Jordan 14 Retro general, but is reflected in a Coursera Air Jordan 4 Retro sincerity. Coursera own position actually is a social enterprise, in the selection of partners you will also find real names and values closer to the company. Trust foreigners actually takes a long time to build up, and we are willing in this process has been seriously and every course platform opportunities for cooperation. Q: What in the field of education, how do husk ready realizable value of the user? A: In fact, we now have recognized that education is a customer price higher things, but a lot of the future will turn to online educational resources, there would be no problem. MOOC college's business model is in fact among the excavation, we do not worry soon be realized. You may try several ways: First, certification fees divided on this matter Coursera Nutshell is currently the only business partner in China; the second is to work with companies to design a set of binding curriculum design practice and career development-related projects , learners can obtain a joint certificate for future job it will also help. Q: Another new product recently more attention nutshell, is a platform to meet and chat about people \u0026 ldquo; \u0026 rdquo ;, the line Why would want to do with such a distance farther than scientific and educational Nike Air Force 1 products? A: In fact, this was also the year I went to Tsinghua experiences. Then I find the students learn what is secondary, but the key is why I and learn. Whenever solve a problem after people, they results are good, because the purpose of relatively strong, you can choose the most important things to learn. But the students' problem is that at a critical time will be very difficult to do their own judgment, if there is a decade older than you, the same direction and experience with you to do some guidance value is not the same. I was still thinking on pure Internet, I think this product is too difficult to do community models walk, they put aside. But in 2014 it found that this should be a O2O model, immediately think thinking it through, so from the beginning of the year in the second half, we did a few rounds of small-scale testing, \u0026 ldquo; expert \u0026 rdquo; also expanded from the company's employees to a, second degree of relationship between people. In this process, we have made some trade-offs. Because Nutshell do the next line, in fact, be the best at things like interest, the team's resources are very much early thinking is biased in that direction. However, the actual transaction, the interest category is indeed praised, but for example, I listed about entrepreneurship, the fire was incredible. \u0026 Ldquo; line \u0026 rdquo; the first edition of the product launch, a number of low-end models adapted some of the problems, there is a user was using a \u0026 ldquo; line \u0026 rdquo; about me, and every day the App uninstall reinstall it again to maintain communication with me. App Of course, now the situation has been much better, after experts open applications, covering areas of more comprehensive. So I had the green light to make a decision to do something we are not good things in a short time, such as workplace advice. Nutshell how to make money? Q: end of 2014, announced the completion of husk C round of financing, $ 20 million of the 15 million is coming from a good strategic investment, then why choose them? A: Well, when the initial contact with our future, do not know what we are doing education, but that the two sides fit the user base is very high. They do K12 Education (Note: basic education), we do after university and university science education groups, and later added MOOC doing pretty good business, the two sides hit it off. Q: What is good for the future, as well as previous rounds of investors (Zhi letter, IDG), Nutshell respect what specific commitments? A: Nothing special commitment to invest in our long-term development is basically looking for return on capital are not asking for too much. Q: The company's main profit model is what? A: more traditional pan integrated marketing technology brands, models are being developed that some exploring before mentioned several creative cultural product sales, cash content, and education. Q: In the selection of co-branded, shell what standard A:? Our cooperation threshold pricey, if the cooperation of the brands are listed, are essentially part of the world's five hundred + domestic brands. We are more cautious, although the brand is mainly the Ministry of Commerce is responsible for marketing, but our web site editor thumb Kyi, for these projects actually have one vote veto. Over the past for various reasons rejected out of the project, probably account for 80% of the total, because first you took many projects, it will affect the quality of each, followed by the risk will be greater. Q: You think the husk of the target company have it? A: I guess not only close to that in 2010 when we cried to do China's Discovery, because we really loved this media, 'Scientific American,' too, was a state and products are relatively close. But these ideas are now occurring in Beijing, Shenzhen, innovative state, in fact, far better than abroad. Like Beijing, in fact, the same as with the Silicon Valley, the world's fastest growing local development and innovation, other countries have not as a local. As we do now \u0026 ldquo; line \u0026 rdquo;, MOOC College, is a global new business model, the future may become someone else to copy us. I recognized quite a statement is C2W, China to World. Q: The company currently has a total number of employees? Internal evaluation mechanism? A: Full-time staff of 120 people. Half of the people are doing science-related, including the editorial department, the community, the knowledge and the business sector, if it is singled out, it should have a small profitable company; the other half is to do education and incubation of new products and services. Management team collaboration mainly rely OKR, companies are now fashionable with this, we are introduced for each project has different goals there a year ago. Q: When hiring new employees, what you value most? A: This varies due to the post, the most important is to look at matching capacity on this basis could look at some of the values and cultural aspects of things. For example, science editor, if blindly strongly disagree transgenic technology may die, but the front desk like this more general positions, the requirements of the scientific background would not be so high. Q: Is there any mobile application used to play? There are reading and the habit MOOC it? A: Recently O2O field will be extensive use of some applications, mainly related with the project. Book, then see a lot of mess, MOOC actually did not continue then on. Q: coming period, shell network will do? A: the field of education will continue to move forward, MOOC college there will be many changes, intellectual, the line will be independent, become a husk incubation, financing and development of individual projects; science is to test the water before said creative cultural products, After also in cooperation with other organizations, to do some service science entrepreneurship.