In 1983, Yaoting Zhou was transferred to Gangxia Knitting Mill as the director (This is HOdo Group's predecessor). Under the policy of reformation and opening, he performed drastic reformation toward the small factory, actively explored "internal market system, the joint-stock cooperative system and efficient contract system, and parent-subsidiary system" of the "Four Linkages" management mechanism; implemented the mechanisms of competition for the positions for all candidates. This allows the enterprise to successfully transform into a modern enterprise and become a typical representation of the "New South Jiangsu Model."

Yaoting Zhou not only pays attention to the pollution control work of enterprises but also actively enters the ecological industry. In 1997, Yaoting Zhou caught the developmental opportunity of yew and entered the green ecological industry. The group has built the Yew Seedling Cultivation Industrial Park with the mastery of rapid breeding technology of yew. The development of greening, environmental-friendly, and medically developed health industry of yew, forming a complete green health industrial chain. Yaoting Zhou has also always paid attention to social welfare. On March 24, 2015, Yaoting Zhou and Haijiang Zhou donated 10 million yuan to establish Wuxi Yaoting Charitable Foundation. Through the professional and independent operation, HOdo's charitable causes have been kept going. In September 2016, they again donated another 10 million yuan to the foundation to expand the size of the fund. Under the leadership of Yaoting Zhou,  HOdo Group has donated more than 550 million yuan in both goods and materials over the years.

Over the past years, Yaoting Zhou has won dozens of honours above the provincial level. At the end of 1995, Yaoting Zhou was elected by the top ten news media as the only "95 Rural News Figures in China" due to his brilliant business achievements. At the end of 1997. In 2006, he was elected as the President of the China Township Entreprises Association. In 2008, he won the National Outstanding Township Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award. In November 2008, he was awarded the honorary title of "30 people who have influenced China's reformation for 30 years". In 2012, he was reappointed as the chairman of the Chinese Yew Conservation Committee. In 2013, he was awarded the Special Contribution Award of China Township Entrepreneurs by China Township Entrepreneurs Committee; On November 27, 2015, he was awarded the Hurun Report Lifetime Achievement Award. In December 2016, he was honoured as a typical figure in the integrated development of rural industries.

At the end of 1987, he resigned from Hohai University without hesitation and went to Taihu Knitting and Garment General Factory (the predecessor of HOdo Group), which was still in the start-up stage. He became the first university student in Jiangsu Province to resign from public office and join a private enterprise. He started at the workshop basic-level and worked his way up to the top of the company.

In September 2004, Haijiang Zhou was elected as the Group president by an overwhelming majority of votes, making him the first person to be elected as president of a private company.  He introduced a series of bold reformations and innovations when he took charge, such as new corporate image, accelerating the transformation and upgrading of the group, promoting competition for positions, exploring and practicing the "Modern Enterprise System with Chinese characteristics," which rapidly improved the corporate image, brand image and performance of HOdo Group.

Over the years, Haijiang Zhou has earned hundreds of honours above the provincial level and held many social positions. He was awarded "Excellent Builder of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" in 2004. Moreover, he became the cover character of the world-famous financial magazine Forbes and was awarded the "May 4th Medal of Chinese Youth" in 2005. In 2006, he was invited to do a public speech at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In October 2009, he boarded the agricultural achievement float and participated in the mass parade of the 60th anniversary of National Day as the only representative of township enterprises. In April 2010, he was elected National Model Worker. Furthermore, Haijiang Zhou was elected the 2nd Council President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in June 2016, Hong Kong, China. In June 2017, Haijiang Zhou's family was awarded "the most beautiful family" in China 2017. What is more, Haijiang Zhou was nominated for the Sixth National Moral Model Award in November 2017. In 2018, Haijiang Zhou was selected as one of "One Hundred Outstanding Private Entrepreneurs in the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up" released by the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee and All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce. He was selected as "Person of the Hour in 40 Years of Private Economy". On October 1, 2019, he was invited to attend a series of celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China (People's Republic of China).On September 8, 2020, Zhou Haijiang won the title of "National Advanced Individual in Combating COVID-19".