PBESProceedings of Business and Economic Studies2209-26412209-265XBio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.10.26689/PBES.v9i8.15168ArticleBeyond Microcredit: A Case Study of Rural Entrepreneurship in Hunan, China Based on Evidence from Field Interviews and Implications for Sustainable Economic Developmenthttps://artdesignp.com/journal/PBES/9/8/10.26689/PBES.v9i8.15168WehnerTristan2026982026-08-31Microfinance is often promoted as a tool for reducing poverty, yet financing alone rarely explains why similar rural businesses experience very different outcomes. Drawing on a student-led microfinance field project in Baishui Dong Village, Hunan Province, China, this paper examines six rural businesses interviewed in Mandarin and evaluated using financial statements, SWOT analysis, and a custom viability index. After comparing profitability, growth potential, and repayment history, our team recommended a 30,000 RMB loan to a family-owned tofu shop. Combining these field findings with public data from the World Bank, the OECD, and China’s National Bureau of Statistics, this paper argues that sustainable rural entrepreneurship depends on an ecosystem that pairs capital with market access, infrastructure, business training, and digital commerce.Microfinance, Rural entrepreneurship, China, Poverty reduction, Economic development, Small business

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