Georgie Yam went to Shanghai in 2001 as consultant for a German hair-care product line. Being a massage enthusiast, he quickly spotted a gap in the city's spa market for a value-for-money relaxation product. One discussion with his colleague and soon-to-be business partner, Eve Zhou, cemented the decision to begin drafting plans for a Western-style spa with a mystical oriental touch. Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreats was launched in 2003. Within the first two years of operations, the partners had successfully opened three shops and had no plans of stopping there. By March 2009, Dragonfly operated a network of 20 local branches and three branches overseas. The question now was how to manage rapid expansion without compromising the brand and its high standards.

Sowers Action was founded in September 1992 as a non-religious, non-political and not-for-profit charity. Its principal objective was to improve the level of education in remote areas of China by subsidizing poverty-stricken students, building safe school premises and enhancing the qualifications of teachers. The organization implemented a business model that led it to a quick success in its start-up phase. Rarely has a similar organization in Hong Kong grown at such a rapid pace and to such a scale. What differentiated Sowers Action from its peers and what were the major factors that drove its early success? This is a case about entrepreneurship and general management, aiming to introduce the concept of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial processes and dynamics, and how critical factors work together to lead to a successful start-up phase. It also sheds light on management and operation of social enterprises.