Xu Weihong, a company CEO, says he draws from his role as a father when he goes about building connections with customers and making decisions on the company's future development.

Xu is head of Kidswant, a leading retailer of mom-and-baby products in China. Before launching the business, Xu had experience in banking, corporate finance and electronic appliance retail - none of which is related to what he is doing now.

"First, I am a father with experience in child-raising," Xu says when asked how he attracts his customers. "Therefore, I know deeply what guidance and help Chinese parents may need."

Founded in 2009, Kidswant provides services to parents and children using interactive activities tailored to children's growth.

Based in Nanjing, in East China's Jiangsu province, the company had opened 80 stores in more than 20 cities nationwide by July, offering products and one-stop services including infant swimming, kids photography and early childhood education.

Every year, Kidswant holds culture and arts events in each city where it has outlets and organizes more than 3,000 interactive activities for its members in local outlets, kindergartens, neighborhoods and commercial complexes.

"It has become a unique business model of Kidswant to provide timely, handy and valuable services for our customers and maintain close and emotional connections with them," he says.

Xu attributes the success of his company to a "customer-driven" business model.

"The traditional 'product-driven' business has gradually come to a period of low ebb," Xu says. By upholding the customer-driven model, Kidswant has focused on establishing a stable and long-lasting connection with its customers, he says.

"In today's Internet era, the initiative lies with the customers," Xu says. "They can choose your brand or discard it."

As a father, Xu says he always asks his children to tell the truth, follow their dreams, manage emotions and be kind to others. "Education is in details. Parents play a significant role in children's growth. What Kidswant is doing is to assist parents to play this role."

Xu says Kidswant's goal is to be a creator instead of a leader. It aims to create a new lifestyle for families and create good services for customers, he says. The company's Chinese name, Haiziwang, is translated into English as "Kidswant" instead of "the king of kids", which is the literal meaning.

The company, which has more than 3,000 "parenting consultants", tries to provide multichannel and data-based services, he says. Xu says a brand can only attract customers by creating innovative products and services.

Last year, Kidswant was a sponsor of the Amazing China mobile phone photo contest, which was organized by China Daily and was a part of the China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange. The contest, aimed at showcasing the beauty of China, attracted participants worldwide.

Xu says the reason Kidswant chose to be a sponsor also related to children. "Children are our future and the most amazing part of China. For parents, children are often the subjects when taking photos," Xu notes.

Parents' photos record the life of China's families and showcase a new lifestyle of Chinese parents and their children, Xu says.

"We hope that every wonderful moment in every child's growth can be recorded and people can give more care to our lovely children after viewing the photos," Xu says.

Xu says many of Kidswant's employees participated in the contest. The company often hosts photo contests for members of its online community.

"I hope this event will continue in the future and attract more Chinese participants to spread the beauty of amazing China," he says.

liujing-4@chinadaily.com.cn