The long and winding road to success

Didi Kuaidi app on a mobile phone. [Photo/CFP]

"Didi Kuaidi is already the world's largest transportation service platform in terms of the number of rides and customers served each day. China is the largest market worldwide and we are essentially building a taobao.com in the transportation industry," Liu said.

"We will achieve our dream step by step."

Though Liu spoke extensively to China Daily in the afternoon, she still found time after that to interview job applicants and also to take care of other "small matters". The real highlight of her birthday would be in the evening, she said, when she spends quality time with her children. Excerpts from the free-wheeling interview by China Daily:

Many couples in China often rely on their parents to bring up children. Will you also adopt a similar approach?

No. I think that as long as young couples are capable of raising kids on their own, they should do so. Many are forced to seek help from their parents in China because they have to go out and work.

What do you usually discuss with your father?

We talk a lot on the phone and I visit him every week and we have dinner together. We seldom discuss details about company operations. Most of our conversations are about the new trends in the industry and overall strategy. His experience in building a win-win ecosystem and motivating a team has inspired me a lot.

Are you a big spender in your daily life and do you do much online shopping?

No. I am not that much of a big spender and nor do I shop online.

What would you like to do when you have free time?

I have very little free time right now. But when I was working for Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong, I used to love going to the gym and taking my children to the supermarket. We had a lot of fun together because they liked all the colorful products on the store shelves.

Your father is a successful investor, why didn't you persuade Lenovo Holdings to invest in Didi Kuaidi?

Frankly, it is something that never occurred to me. Most of our investors came with Temasek Holdings, while many others are waiting for an opportunity (to invest in Didi Kuaidi). Lenovo Holdings and its investment arms are very professional and the only question is if we fit each others' strategy. I am open to investments from Lenovo Holdings. (Laughs)

What in your opinion is a perfect car-hailing application?

It is a difficult question, but I would say ideally it should be an app that enhances the overall user experience. As both drivers and passengers are our customers, we need to have a clear understanding of their requirements. For passengers, obviously the waiting time needs to be shorter, while for the drivers it is all about getting enough orders.

Do you use Didi Kuaidi's services?

Of course, I do. I use it on a weekly basis and I usually book both－the taxi and chauffeur－services.