I Finally Realized Why Only One Chinese Founder Became a True Icon

A few months ago, I was rewatching one of Lei Jun’s early product launches.

The one where he was nervous, stiff, and got laughed at by half the internet.

But something struck me:

Most founders would hide after that.
Lei Jun didn’t.

He came back on stage again.

And again.
And again.
Until suddenly—
people weren’t laughing anymore.

They were listening.

That moment made me ask a simple question:

Why is Lei Jun the only Chinese founder who became a recognized global CEO, while so many others remain unknown?

So I kept digging.

Here’s what I discovered.

One by one, patterns started to appear.

He built a personal brand in a culture where founders prefer silence.

While others stayed in the background, Lei Jun stood front and center, sharing his thinking—not just his products.

He could explain complex strategy in a way your grandmother could understand.

Simple. Clear. Emotional.
This is extremely rare in China’s tech world.

He succeeded in two completely different eras.

The Internet era (Joyo.com → acquired by Amazon).

The mobile + hardware era (Xiaomi → global tech + EV challenger).

Most founders are lucky to win once.
Lei Jun won twice.

And most importantly… he let people see him fail.

The awkward English video.
The nervous presentations.
The mistakes he admitted publicly.

In a business culture that worships perfection,

his honesty became refreshing—and unforgettable.

So I wrote a book about it.

Not because I’m a Xiaomi fan.
Not because I like memes of “Are you OK.”

But because I realized something powerful:

Lei Jun didn’t build a company first.
He built trust.

And that trust is what allowed Xiaomi to move from smartphones to EVs with half the world cheering.

I wanted to understand how he does it:
• How he communicates
• How he builds teams
• How he makes decisions
• How he balances engineering with storytelling
• How he stays relatable despite leading a global company

Those insights became my book:
👉 The Xiaomi Formula
(Available now on Amazon)

If you’re interested in leadership, product thinking, or China’s next generation of tech dynamos,
this book might give you a new perspective.

Because sometimes, understanding one founder
can help you understand an entire era.