Yan was born in 1970 into a farming family in Anhui, China. At that time, life in rural areas was difficult, and many people struggled to have enough to eat. In 1982, Yan's father moved the whole family to Yongkang, Zhejiang, hoping to find better opportunities in this hub of the hardware manufacturing industry. It was here that Yan developed a strong interest in the drink ware industry from a young age.

Six years later, Yan received a university admission letter, but with his father growing older and the family struggling financially, he decided to forgo university to help reduce the family’s burden. He went to work in a thermal cup factory, starting as a production line worker. He worked there for 10 years, during which he gained extensive skills in hardware manufacturing and management, laying the foundation for his future entrepreneurial journey.

In 2010, with the rapid rise of e-commerce in China, Yan saw an opportunity and started a small hardware workshop focused on producing thermal cups, targeting the domestic market. The early days of his business were challenging, with limited funds, outdated equipment, and scarce orders. Yan had to personally travel to promote his products, facing customer skepticism and frequent rejections.

One day, while traveling by train to promote his products, Yan happened to meet an foreign buyer. The buyer noticed Yan’s product catalog and became interested in the thermal cups. Despite his limited English, Yan managed to communicate with the buyer using simple words and body language, and successfully invited him to visit his factory. The buyer was impressed with the product quality, and this encounter resulted in Yan’s first foreign trade order.

Years later, Yan founded "H2oprime," a company focused on international trade. He gradually transformed his small workshop into a well-known hardware manufacturer, achieving a remarkable transition from worker to entrepreneur.