Yao Zhen looks at consumer startups through her own lens: she compares them to a wheel that needs several strong spokes—supply chain, distribution, brand, and R&D—instead of just one strength, and she favors founders who are either unusually clear thinkers or who have proven unconventional ability even if their path doesn't fit a normal pattern, while also treating culture and lifestyle shifts as real drivers of consumer behavior rather than side trends. She pushes entrepreneurs to honestly explain the real reasons behind past failures rather than just tell inspiring stories, describes her investment philosophy around building a better life through great products, personal growth, and world-changing technology, and stands out for backing both consumer brands like Maogeping and Lin Qingxuan alongside hard-tech and manufacturing companies such as Xinjian Transmission, Tiancheng Aviation Materials, and Micro-Nano Vision.