In the reception room of Botai Company, located in the Taipei headquarters and R&D building in Nangang, Chairman Xu Yisheng slowly walked in, his hearty laughter ringing in the air. This entrepreneur, once hailed as the "Number One Warrior of Retail Channels" in financial magazines, no longer possessed his former sharpness, replaced by a composure and certainty.
Without much small talk, the chairman sat down directly, as if an old friend, and began to unveil the prelude to his remarkable life.
Retail Warrior: Every Turning Point is an Opportunity
"I've been in the distribution industry for almost forty years, from Taiwan's first Japanese supermarket to the world's largest warehouse club. Every turning point has been an unexpected opportunity," Mr. Hsu said, sipping his tea. He recalled his interview over thirty years ago with a Japanese supermarket, where he stood out from over three hundred applicants, becoming one of only four hired. He was the only one who couldn't speak Japanese. This "disadvantage" of not being fluent in Japanese became the best proof of his perseverance and learning ability.
Joining Marko: Transforming into a Manager
However, the real transformation began when Hsu Yi-sheng joined the Dutch retail giant Marko.
He chuckled, saying that he had submitted his resume three times without success, so he finally decided to go directly to the company and "recommend himself." This boldness earned him an interview with Piet Klaver, the Dutch general manager. What impressed him most was a remark from the then-headquarters CEO. At that time, he was already a food manager, and to save time, he personally jumped onto the forklift to unload goods. "If your job is just to operate the forklift, the company wouldn't need to spend so much money to hire you," the boss said, a wake-up call. He understood that as a manager, the most important thing is not to do everything himself, but to "match talent to position" and make good use of the team's strength. This realization was most tested when he served as the store general manager in Kaohsiung. Faced with frequent attacks from local councilors citing the prohibition of commercial activities on industrial land, he did not back down but chose to cultivate relationships with local media and politicians. He admitted that during that period, his weight once exceeded 100 kilograms due to social obligations. The most perilous incident involved a legislator mobilizing a crowd to besiege the shop until it closed. When the legislator kindly advised him that "the iron gate only needs to be lowered for ten minutes," he insisted, "If I close, it means we're operating illegally." He ultimately called in riot police and resolutely weathered the storm. This principled and fearless character is deeply ingrained in him.
Fast and Furious Knight: Let Gasoline Flow in Your Blood
As his business expanded into mainland China, he faced another major culture shock. He described each train journey from Hong Kong to Guangzhou as crossing a "bridge of no return."
On one side of the bridge lay the dazzling lights of Hong Kong, while on the other, the poverty and homelessness of the urban underclass in mainland China. This stark contrast gave him a deeper understanding of life. He then shifted his business focus to RT-Mart, witnessing and participating in the economic boom of mainland China with his team, expanding RT-Mart from a single store to over two hundred, creating a business legend with annual revenue of hundreds of billions of RMB. Many find it hard to imagine that this once shrewd businessman is, in private, a passionate motorcycle rider. He laughs and says, "I have gasoline in my blood." He started riding at the age of 30, experiencing a transformation from a "speed demon" to someone who "rides for style, not speed." For him, motorcycles are not just a display of speed and power, but also a release of freedom. From the age of 18, after obtaining his driver's license, his life has been inextricably linked with motorcycles. His 25-35 years were his "speed demon" phase, pursuing speed and pushing the limits; after 35, he developed a fondness for European and American motorcycles, enjoying the thrill of high-speed riding; from 45 to 55, he turned to Harleys and Indian Motorcycles, understanding the philosophy of "riding for style, not speed." This passion has also elevated cycling to a culture. He is not only the general agent for Indian Motorcycles in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, but also initiated activities such as "Lighting Up Taiwan," leading riders to explore Taiwan's towns and villages, capturing beautiful scenery with his camera and warming the hearts of locals with his enthusiasm. He recalled taking mainland Chinese car enthusiasts to Meinong, where he saw them moved to tears by the warm hospitality of Taiwan. At that moment, he truly understood the power of "cultural exchange."
Healthy and Happy Aging: Retirement is Not the End, It's a New Beginning
When he reached the peak of his life, fate presented him with a major test. In 2013, he was diagnosed with salivary gland cancer. That year, he underwent 35 sessions of radiotherapy, which led to his early retirement from RT-Mart.
He frankly admitted that the stark contrast between being a busy general manager and a leisurely retirement left him with a real sense of emptiness. However, he wasn't defeated. He found a new direction in life in the "LOHAS" (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) spirit of his motorcycle company. LOHAS is not just a lifestyle attitude, but a self-practice encompassing health, happiness, and continuous challenges. He discovered that instead of passively retiring, it's better to actively "start over" in life. He started playing sports, adjusted his schedule, and shifted his focus from work to health. He realized that the second half of life is about creating more value and meaning.Botai Biomedical: Pursuing Dignity and Quality of Life for Seniors
While searching for his second career, he saw the aging challenge that Taiwan society was about to face and keenly realized that dementia would become the heaviest social burden in the future. Therefore, he resolutely devoted himself to Botai Biomedical, a company focused on the research and development of plant-based and new drug technologies. Initially, Hsu Yi-sheng was just an investor. When the company's founding team changed, he jokingly said that perhaps because he was the oldest, or perhaps because of his experience in retail channels, he was unexpectedly thrust into the role of chairman.
Xu Yisheng divides Botai Biomedical's development blueprint into three stages. He is well aware of the predicament of the "new drug" company, Benmengbi. A company needs basic revenue to survive and thrive in the long run. Therefore, he divides the company's products into three main parts: first, health supplements, providing tested and approved health supplements as a stable cash flow, "using short-term gains to support long-term growth"; second, medical devices, developing products with medical device standards and generating revenue through licensing; and third, new drugs, with the ultimate goal of "plants."
New drugs, especially those for Alzheimer's disease.Xu Yisheng particularly emphasized the unique advantages of plant-based drugs. He explained that compared to general chemical drugs, the development of plant-based drugs has the opportunity to go through the FDA's "green channel." This is because many natural plant components have long-term human use experience and possess higher safety. This allows them to obtain preliminary data through "human use experience" before formally entering clinical trials, greatly shortening the development time.
He believes that by combining Taiwan's strengths in agricultural technology and AI, plants and new drugs have the potential to become Taiwan's "second guardian mountain," following semiconductors.Building a Global PlantNewDrug Platform
Hsu Yi-sheng deeply understands the principle that "success depends on people." The most important factor for a company's success is building a strong management team. Furthermore, PlantNewDrug involves more than just research and development; regulations, distribution channels, and capital markets are also crucial and require specialized expertise. Therefore, in the capital market, Botai has Vice Chairman Yang Wen-da, and in R&D, Dr. Wu Chi-yu was appointed as the Chief Researcher. Recently, they also recruited Wang Hui-jun, former Vice President of Academia Sinica, to join the board of directors.
Xu Yisheng proudly stated that Botai aims not only to become a leading manufacturer of plant-based new drugs, but also to build a global platform for plant-based new drugs. He further elaborated on Botai Biomedical's unique approach to the research and development of new drugs for dementia. Unlike the lengthy research and development of traditional small molecule drugs from scratch, Botai Biomedical's
The Second Curve of Life: A Mission, Not a Career
Chairman Hsu revealed that Botai Biomedical has already partnered with four top hospitals in Taiwan, including one with a dementia center, to conduct human studies involving 300 people.
The data from this study will not only provide strong support for future clinical trials of the new drug, but more importantly, it can demonstrate its potential in delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease and improving its progression. He firmly believes that the plant-based new drug has fewer side effects and a high safety profile. If successful, it will provide a safer and more effective treatment option for a wide range of patients, while also significantly reducing the burden on health insurance and families. He has integrated his experience in managing distribution channels into the marketing and strategies for the research and development of the new drug. He believes that new drug development is not only a matter for scientists, but also requires a market strategy and capital operation mindset. Therefore, in addition to focusing on core R&D, Botai Biomedical actively seeks cooperation with international pharmaceutical companies, hoping to launch Taiwanese plant-based and new drug-based products to the global market after completing B2C clinical trials. For him, Botai Biomedical is not just a biotechnology company, but also his life's mission to practice "LOHAS" (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) and "create value for society." In closing, Mr. Xu summarized his belief: "I hope that I don't just run a business, but wholeheartedly dedicate myself to enabling senior citizens to enjoy a dignified and high-quality life." He has transformed his past wisdom in the business world into a concern for society. From the battlefield of retail to the second curve of his life, he has always maintained that passion, that perseverance, and that optimism for the future. His life story is not only a successful business legend, but also a mirror reflecting the infinite possibilities for everyone to live a "happy and fulfilling life in their later years."More exciting content can be found at [Money Weekly Issue 1308]