Wealth Without Borders Podcast: Recent Episodes
Howard Whiteson
The mission of Wealth Without Borders Podcast is to provide a wealth of advice to Expats, whether financial, educational, or business-related. We were founded in Shanghai and in China 8 is a lucky number. “8 squared” is even better!
We deliver one piece of valuable international advice using “8 questions in 8 minutes."
http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast
Doing business in Asia isn’t a piece of cake, especially for Western entrepreneurs who got used in Western culture. There’s just a lot of differences on the way businesses works from the legal backbone and the clients.
Do you want to learn how you can effectively deal with the challenges of doing business in Asia – primarily in China, and be a successful entrepreneur who is able to build long term relationships with Asian communities?
Be guided as David treats you with the knowledge you’ll need to reduce this friction between business cultures of the West and East.
David Thomas is a keynote speaker and a thought leader and entrepreneur. He equips business leaders with the knowledge and tools to navigate the cross-cultural challenges involved in doing business in Asia Pacific, and helps them develop their own strategy for success in the region. David is well-known in Australia as a ‘China Expert’ with a wealth of experience in financial services, business and investment, having lived and worked in London, Hong Kong and Sydney for years.
In this episode, David talks about the friction in Western and Eastern cultures of business and discusses ways on how to deal with that. Here, he shares tips and tactics, mentions books and practices, and helps you be an effective entrepreneur in the Asian countries through correcting misconceptions and mistakes. This is where he unravels the reason on why Asia is just so unique in global aspects.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Understand why a friction between the East and West is present in business practices
- Discover how to deal with the Asian business’ challenges as you learn about the importance of long term relationships
- Find out why Asia is unique in the global market and what makes it a great continent to practice business with
“There's no shortage of places you can go to build relationships within Asian and Chinese communities. You can do that in your own hometown, and you should start doing that today. You'll learn a lot.”
– David Thomas
Topics Covered:
01:55 – David describes his ideal clients.
02:14 – Problem he solves for his clients: Reducing friction between east and west businesses in order for the business outcomes to happen – allowing a foreign business to do business in Asia.
03:21 – The typical symptoms: People are moving too quickly without spending time in research and appreciating the difficulties in a foreign country.
04:00 – The mistakes: Ignoring the challenge involved in building long term relationships which are critical in the way Asian businesses function.
05:20 – David’s Valuable Free Action: Download and read his free ebook called 3 Cups of Tea at https://davidthomas.asia/ebooks/three-cups-of-tea/ and transform from being a stranger to becoming a part of a trusted relationship.
06:01 – David’s Valuable Free Resource: Start with your hometown in building relationships with Asian and Chinese communities.
06:59 – Book Alert: “Mr. China: A Memoir” by Tim Clissold at https://www.amazon.com/Mr-China-Memoir-Tim-Clissold/dp/0060761407
08:05 – Question: “What makes Asia unique globally?”
Key Takeaways:
“We always have to remember in the West that in the East, there's never really been an established legal system, and the way business gets done in Asia is amongst friends, families, trusted networks. To penetrate those networks, you have to spend time building those relationships, and that's usually the bit that takes the most time and bit that people are most impatient about.” – David Thomas
“In America and the West, we're used to taking people to court if they create any problems for you. In Asia, that's not how it works. You have to spend that time on the relationships.” – David Thomas
“You need to think about Asia like you might of Europe. Europe has many different cultures, languages, dialects, food, or completely different ways of thinking and doing things, and Asia is just the same. It has the same issues and presents itself in just the same way.” – David Thomas
People / Resources Mentioned:
- 3 Cups of Tea athttps://davidthomas.asia/ebooks/three-cups-of-tea/
- China: A Memoir by Tim Clissold athttps://www.amazon.com/Mr-China-Memoir-Tim-Clissold/dp/0060761407
Ways to Connect with David Thomas:
- Website: davidthomas.asia
- LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/bricandchinaexpert
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you deal with the lack of cultural awareness when it comes to your business’ expansion in a land that is foreign from yours?
Putting in efforts and sacrificing things as you spend time marketing your company indeed bring disappointment and apathy once everything fails to work. There’s this sadness of missing an opportunity that could have brought you to wonderful heights, but have you ever given it a try to consult the right professional for an effective marketing style?
In today’s time, we’re surrounded by a never-ending cycle of continuously modernizing tactics. It’s a must that you keep yours updated, but that’s a piece of cake now as Nadia is here to give you a treat!
Nadezhda Bukina is a marketing professional from Kazakhstan who came to China 3 years ago. Fast forward to today, she is a CEO of social media and marketing agency in Hangzhou, the 'Silicon Valley' of China.
In this episode, Nadia talks about the power of social media with regards to bringing your business into successful heights. Here, she mentions the mistakes that hinder you from achieving your goals in the corporate world, and also shares ways on how you can overcome the discouraging effects of your downfalls.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Know how cultural gaps affect your performance and emotions towards your business
- Discover why it’s a mistake to try and solve everything by yourself without asking for a professional’s advice first
- Find out how powerful social media is with regards to boosting and expanding your business’ growth both in China and the world
“Constantly audit the accounts that you have and efforts that you make and see if they bring the necessary return on investment. Sometimes, we just get too caught up into investors; business-wise, it’s not the best decision.”
– Nadezhda Bukina
Topics Covered:
01:41 – Nadia describes her ideal clients.
02:17 – Problem she solves for her clients: The cultural gap of not having the cultural perception and heritage of the locality where they want to expand a business.
03:27 – The typical symptoms: The discouragement and apathy towards having the efforts wasted into a missed opportunity.
04:29 – The mistakes: Not asking advice from professionals, not researching, and rushing into decisions without a strategy.
05:13 – Nadia’s Valuable Free Action: “Constantly audit the accounts that you have and efforts that you make and see if they bring the necessary return on investment.”**
05:52 – Nadia’s Valuable Free Resource: Traditional Excel, Power BI, and any analytical tool that keeps you updated with your company.
06:30 – Book Alert: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
07:23 – Question: “Does somebody, as a business, absolutely need social media?”
07:51 – The Answer: “When is an essential time to bring in social media?”
Key Takeaways:
“Nowadays, there are so many consulting companies and consulting professionals that can give you advice for just any price and sometimes even voluntarily. Not asking this advice, not researching by yourself, and rushing into decisions, not having a strategy – I would say these are the biggest symptoms.” – Nadezhda Bukina
“Anything that helps you keep updated with what's happening in your company and in your marketing department is a good choice.” – Nadezhda Bukina
“B2C social media is a must. B2B social media is desirable.” – Nadezhda Bukina
“In regards to B2B, if you're a professional, LinkedIn is the best social media for you.” – Nadezhda Bukina
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
Ways to Connect with Nadezhda Bukina:
- Website: https://www.sanq-marketing.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadezhda-bukina/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadezhjda/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you in a state of overwhelm where you feel like you are in no possession of enough time to get things done? We are taught that being busy is good for us and the things that what we do, but in contrary, it isn’t actually the case at all times.
Do you want to free yourself from the suffocating area being overwhelmed makes you feel? Do you want to know how you can finally switch from overwhelm to the beautiful experience of clarity? Sit back and relax as Maria treats you with a gift today!
Maria Pastorelli has lived in China for the past 11 years, 10 of which have been spent in the coaching and training industry. She has worked with hundreds of individuals with diverse backgrounds, and despite being something of an introvert, Maria is the Founder of the Global Women Entrepreneur Network (G.W.E.N.) and the Monday Morning Motivation community.
In this episode, Maria talks about the transition from feeling overwhelmed to having the clarity you’ve always dreamed of. Here, she mentions the mistakes and misconception of being busy as a good thing, and shares ways on how you can start walking away from overwhelm.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Know why accelerating your tasks burns you out
- Discover the magic learning how to say no brings to your life
- Find out how you can experience clarity after being overwhelmed for so long
“We are told that being busy is good and so, doing more is always good, and I don't agree with that. Sometimes, stepping back is the answer.”
– Maria Pastorelli
Topics Covered:
01:52 – Maria describes her ideal clients.
02:17 – Problem she solves for her clients: Dealing with the overwhelmed state of doing a lot of things.
03:01 – The typical symptoms: The thought of not having the time to get things done.
03:57 – The mistakes: Trying to accelerate tasks and trying to get more done.
04:55 – Valuable free action: Try to do less and learn to say no.
06:20 – Valuable Free Resource: From Overwhelm to Clarity at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=houYECMx88k
06:59 – The most impactful book/concept/program/talk: The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Dandapani’s videos on YouTube
07:36 – The Clarifying Question: “What is the one thing that you can do so that by doing it, everything else is easier or unnecessary?”
08:51 – The Lesson: Finding clarity is valuable but is not an easy thing to do.
Key Takeaways:
“People are usually pretty smart, but in a state of overwhelm, our survival instinct kind of kicks off.” – Maria Pastorelli
“Go on the opposite direction and try and do less. Slowing down and taking the time to reflect on what are you doing, why you're doing the things you're doing, and what is the purpose of the overall direction – that is extremely valuable.” – Maria Pastorelli
“Learn to say no to the things that are not crucial and vital for a couple of days. Making the time by saying no to social events or some unimportant and non-urgent tasks can give you that block of time to work through some of the key issues of being overwhelmed.” – Maria Pastorelli
People / Resources Mentioned:
- BRIDGE
- The ONE Thing by Gary Keller
- Dandapani’s videos on YouTube
Ways to Connect with Maria Pastorelli:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapastorelli/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Doing business in China when you’re from a foreign country could be one of the most confusing yet colorful experiences you could have in life. There’s no black and white on what’s legal and not. It is like a huge gray area with no fixed answers to what exactly is fit for you to do.
Do you want to learn how you can reduce risks you can face while you’re on your journey towards a successful venture? Don’t you have an idea how foreign advisers can help you but is curious on how beautiful they can transform you and your business into?
Ann Sophie De Meester is a director of Acclime China, co-manages the team and focuses on maintaining strong client relationships. Over several years working in China, she has built extensive experience advising foreign companies on tax compliance for various cross-border operations. She specializes in intercompany transactions and compliance, and is fluent in Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, English and Chinese (Mandarin).
Art Dicker has over 13 years’ experience in China, predominantly on China and US venture capital financings and cross-border M&A. He has also advised many US technology, manufacturing, and consumer companies on structuring their investments and operations in China. Art is a frequent speaker in both English and Chinese on cross-border investing at top tier Chinese universities and industry conferences, and is the founder and co-host of the China Business Law Podcast.
In this episode, Ann Sophie and Art talks about the risks on doing business in China and how they help clients on reducing such risks through various ways. Here, they share why being too cost-focused and afraid of advisors bring you to the mistakes of your venture, and discusses how powerful a foreign adviser’s help is.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how your eagerness to hear robotic answers trigger you towards business mistakes
- Know why you shouldn’t be afraid of having a conversation with an advisor as early as possible
- Find out how you can reduce risks as you do business in China
“Everyone has a different risk profile, and risk is a moving thing; it’s not clear black and white.”
– Art Dicker
Topics Covered:
02:46 – Art describes their ideal clients.
03:20 – Problem they solve for their clients: Reducing risks in different ways.
04:21 – The typical symptoms: Clients wanting to hear robotic answers through asking yes-or-no questions
05:30 – The mistakes: Clients becoming too cost-focused.
06:38 – Valuable free action: “Don’t be afraid to talk to advisors and leave your assumptions at home.”
07:43 – Valuable Free Resource: Visit their websites and LinkedIn accounts at R&P - China Lawyers, Acclime China, and Ann Sophie De Meester and Art Dicker for free consultations and advices.
08:30 – The most impactful book/concept/program/talk: The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister
09:36 – Question that they should have been asked: “Why hire us as foreigners to help you with your China problems?”
Key Takeaways:
“Sometimes, clients can be a little too cost-focused, which may be short term is good for their cash flow, but long term can end up costing more. Too focus can be too much cost-focus.” – Ann Sophie De Meester
“I don’t think you should be scared to reach out to an advisor earlier rather than later and assume that you know it’s going to cost you so much. There’s not too much harm in reaching out to someone in the first place to give you a very high level of feedback.” – Art Dicker
“For any advisors out there listening to this, oftentimes professionals like us come across to new clients and talk about how great we are with all the famous cases we’ve done and so forth, but actually, really what the client wants to know is that ‘You’re listening to me and you’re understanding my problem, and you are taking the time to give me something that I can use, and you’re not just giving me a cookie cutter answer.’” – Art Dicker
People / Resources Mentioned:
- The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister
- Ganbei
Ways to Connect with Ann Sophie De Meester:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-sophie-de-meester-31943b7a/
Ways to Connect with Art Dicker:
- LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/art-dicker/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you an entrepreneur who is from a Western country but has recently decided to enter the Chinese market? Are you eager to do business in China but knows nothing about the how-to’s? Do you want to know how you can be successful in entering China and its unique market? Listen as our guest for today guides you towards your dream success.
Jean-Yves Laguillez is an authentic China expert. He is a C-level Executive, has a very strong experience in developing businesses, marketing strategy, and sales strategy, and has been leading companies in China and the Asia zone for 10 years.
In this episode, Jean-Yves talks about the Chinese market and its difference from the Western ones. Here, he shares the importance of knowing your audience and the right marketing strategy to use in relation with the ineffectiveness of Western approaches on succeeding in a Chinese-based business.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how necessary it is for you to know the right marketing strategy in entering the Chinese market
- Know why Western approach doesn’t work in China
- Find out the importance of thinking more like a Chinese once you enter the Chinese market
“You cannot succeed in China with a western approach.”
– Jean-Yves Laguillez
Topics Covered:
01:43 – Jean-Yves describes his ideal clients.
02:34 – Problems he solves for his clients: Educating customers on their specific channel marketing strategy that they need to define and implement to succeed.
04:00 – The typical symptoms: Being disappointed on the investments’ returns, not knowing the audience, and going too fast on traditional e-commerce platforms.
05:03 – The mistakes: Copying the western strategy.
06:23 – Jean-Yves’ valuable free action: Think first about their entry or strategy and their management level.
07:12 – Jean-Yves’ Valuable Free Resource: Visit https://emotiondigital.fr to access free coaching calls and webinars on the basics of China market.
07:41 – The most impactful book/concept/program/talk: Webinars that explain how to enter China market.
08:14 – Question that he should have been asked: “What advice would you give from your personal experience in China to develop a business?”
Key Takeaways:
“You cannot succeed in China with a western approach.” – Jean-Yves Laguillez
“In China, it is very important to think more like a Chinese.” – Jean-Yves Laguillez
“You need to act fast to be successful in China because China’s speed is seven times about Western speed. In China, every day is another day, so you really need to adapt all the time.” – Jean-Yves Laguillez
“You cannot run a business from your own country without eyes in China.” – Jean-Yves Laguillez
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Free Webinars/Coaching Call at Https://emotiondigital.fr
Ways to Connect with Jean-Yves Laguillez:
- LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/30KZNqg
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you an artist or an art enthusiast who is looking for a platform where you can gain inspiration and encouragement as you dive deeper into the world of art? Do you want to know someone who works on connecting artists in various locations and be involved in art discussions? Are you eager to start a new journey towards the beauty of art and how it benefits the world? Join us as Gloria gifts you with a treat today.
Gloria Carnevale is an artist, designer, educator, curator and speaker who has lived and worked in Shenzhen for the past nine years. She is a founding member of International Shenzhen Artist Forum (ISZAF) and is currently the Co-Chair.
In this episode, Gloria speaks about ISZAF – an independent foreign and Chinese artist network, platform, and community that supports and encourages both artists and non-artists in diving into the beautiful world of art. Here, she shares what ISZAF does for people, the resources you can overwhelm yourself with, and what you can do to avoid being too stressed by the professional life you’re living.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover what ISZAF is, who they are, and what they do;
- Know where you can connect to other artists and enthusiasts in order to learn more about art;
- Find out the benefits of creating and appreciating art and how it affects the community.
“Take that time and join whatever community empowers you and gives you drive towards the things that you like to do.”
– Gloria Carnevale
Topics Covered:
01:45 – Gloria describes her ideal clients.
02:09 – What Gloria does for her clients: Connecting the artist community through their Connect, Converse, Convey slogan.
02:56 – The typical symptoms; Being isolated and not knowing your where to’s.
03:30 – The mistakes; Skipping what needs to be done before the deed of establishing something.
04:11 – Gloria’s valuable free action: Connect through WeChat and be part of a community.
04:54 – Gloria’s Valuable Free Resource: Visit ISZAF’s WeChat group through http://iszaf.com/wechat.html and join art talks and events.
05:35 – The most impactful experience: Learning new things while educating her students.
06:23 – Question that she should have been asked: “What benefits does creating art and appreciating it provide a larger human community?"
07:27 – Bonus question #1: “What inspired you to co-founder this organization in the first place?”
08:31 – Bonus question #2: “What is the benefit for people who are not artists themselves but joined the community?”
Key Takeaways:
“We connect the artist community, and I think that’s what we do the best.” – Gloria Carnevale
“When you’re an artist and you’re moving somewhere, you might be looking for an agent or a studio. You’re trying to start all these professional things right away. But the main thing that you need to consider is the community that you can talk to, that can help you grow with your art and encourage you.” – Gloria Carnevale
“I think sometimes we get really sucked into what we’re doing professionally. It’s good to kind of just go out and see what’s going on in the community and kind of expose yourself to different things in the city.” – Gloria Carnevale
People / Resources Mentioned:
- WeChat Group:http://iszaf.com/wechat.html
Ways to Connect with Gloria Carnevale:
- Website: http://iszaf.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloria-carnevale-55b87261O
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
The continuously growing industry of Korean alcohol in both local and overseas communities has been a trend for years now, especially because of the exposure it gets locally.
Are you one of those people who have always been interested with Korean alcohol, but there’s not many resources for you to use in order to brew? Do you have access to resources that will give you a taste of what Korean alcohol is like, but you’re having a hard time understanding what the text on the bottles says?
If you’re here to learn more about Korean alcohol and its industry, then you’re on the right path! Listen and be our guest as Julia guides you towards the world of brewing.
Julia Mellor is the first non-Korean specialist in Korean traditional alcohol and founder of The Sool Company, a resource for Korean alcohol education and consulting.
In this episode, Julia talks about the Korean alcohol industry, what is special about it, and how big it’s getting overseas. Here, she mentions how you can start brewing in the comfort of your home while enjoying the unique yet wonderful taste of Korean alcohol.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the fast growing industry of Korean alcohol in today’s world
- Know what makes Korean alcohol special
- Find out where you can find resources to brew at the comfort of your own home without having a hard time learning the language
“Everybody can have a piece of this world. It’s a blue ocean market; there are so many aspects to it, so it’s really down to your creativity of how you want to be a part of it.”
– Julia Mellor
Topics Covered:
01:31 – Julia describes her ideal clients.
01:54 – Problems Julia solves for her clients: Helping explain resources that are in the Korean language as she translates things into English.
02:29 – The typical symptoms; Not understanding how alcohol has changed and taking it into people’s own countries or areas of interests.
03:15 – The mistakes; Using the free information route by finding resources from YouTube and the internet.
04:09 – Julia’s valuable free action: See Julia’s online classes’ preview to see what interests you in the how-to’s of brewing at home.
04:44 – Julia’s Valuable Free Resource: Visit Julia’s website www.thesoolcompany.com and get access to downloadable PDFs about Korean alcohol.
05:32 – The most impactful book/concept/program/talk: A podcast episode about a specialist in raising goats who was able to have a very successful business in a very small niche.
06:35 – Question that she should have been asked: “How popular can Korean alcohol be overseas?”
08:01 – Bonus question: What makes Korean alcohol like Makgeolli special?
Key Takeaways:
“A lot of people do tend to go the free information route by using resources like YouTube and the internet and things like that. A lot of them are inaccurate. A lot of them are just experimentations and people that are just trying it out for themselves.” – Julia Mellor
“One of the ways that Korean alcohol can become super popular and successful around the world is when people take that knowledge and know-how and create breweries themselves in their local spaces.” – Julia Mellor
“Everybody can have a piece of this world. It’s a blue ocean market; there’s so many aspects to it, and it’s really down to your creativity of how you want to be a part of it.” – Julia Mellor
People / Resources Mentioned:
- The Sool Company
Ways to Connect with Julia Mellor:
- Website: thesoolcompany.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-mellor-338808111/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
The work of drop shipping is quite complex. Many are drawn, but few are chosen. That’s how it goes for them.
Do you want to enter the exciting world of drop shipping and get the job right? Are you sick of dealing with customers’ complaints and poor reviews? Do you want to take a step towards a better ecommerce practice? Listen and experience it all with Simon de Raadt!
Simon de Raadt is the Vice President of Business Development Europe at HyperSKU. Having lived in China since 2011, he is an experienced executive in cross-border trade and eCommerce logistics.
In this episode, Simon brings you to the world of drop shipping as he guides you on the know-how’s and musts of the gameplay. Dive into the world of ecommerce as Simon shares insights on how you can make your sourcing and shipping journey a road towards success!
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover what drop shipping is and who are the drop shippers;
- Know how test trials and good-quality services drive you towards success; and
- Find out how you can succeed along the market through the help of a free ebook.
“Make use of the people around you. Most people want to help you anyway.”
– Simon de Raadt
Topics Covered:
01:43 – Simon describes his ideal clients.
02:21 – Problems Simon solves for his clients: Not having someone to verify and take care of the products’ shipping and delivery process.
03:19 – The typical symptoms; Why shipping good-quality products is a must on keeping your business operating.
04:12 – The mistakes; Why the absence of tests brings you to the pitfalls of the market.
05:02 – Simon’s valuable free action: “Make use of the people around you.”
06:06 – Simon’s valuable free resource: Visit https://www.hypersku.com for a free ebook.
06:46 – Book alert: “Smart Business: What Alibaba's Success Reveals about the Future of Strategy” by Ming Zeng
08:07 – Question that will be valuable as you reflect on this happening: Where is the future for global ecommerce going to?
Key Takeaways:
“This whole concept of drop shipping is, you don't touch the products yourself. No one is checking it for you. You just have fingers crossed after the order is placed.” – Simon de Raadt
“If you don't deliver a good job, customers complain, then your ratings go down. Your Facebook account gets blocked. Your PayPal account gets suspended, and your business stops.
All these small pieces kind of have ripple effects that can cause your business to kind of freeze. And I think that will be the end result that nobody's looking for.” – Simon de Raadt
“Get started first. Get some experience. Do some trial and error, and then you go into the branding, and you create a whole story around it.” – Simon de Raadt
“To be able for Chinese to go global, they need to find a way to integrate with them, to be able to become part of that ecosystem. They cannot compete with it; the same for the other way. ‘We want to enter China.’ They have to integrate. I think that's the key word where the future is going to for global ecommerce.” – Simon de Raadt
“I think there's only a few percentage that actually succeed. To be in that, you have to really work hard and get educated.” – Simon de Raadt
People / Resources Mentioned:
- “Smart Business: What Alibaba's Success Reveals about the Future of Strategy” by Ming Zeng
Ways to Connect with Simon de Raadt:
- Website: hypersku.com
- LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/simon-de-raadt-西蒙）-56b0048
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you guilty of being stuck at a certain place because you’re afraid of the differences you would experience when things change? Don’t you know that it only takes adaptability and you – being willing to embrace a culture – to take a step forward towards embracing differences?
Will you take this chance to step out of your shell and explore the wonders you didn’t know you could be? Will you be brave enough to take the risk and live life in all the colors that exist?
Ian Mote has been an expat for close to 20 years now. He spent time going around Hong Kong, Dubai, and Shanghai where he now lives with his daughter and wife. A career in banking has taken him all over the region, including every province in China. In fact, this even led to a book entitled “From Chicken Feet to Crystal Baths” – which talks about his travel stories for the past 20 years.
In this episode, Ian talks about his journey towards embracing differences he’s encountered while going around places for 20 years. Here, he shares stories about the most memorable and funniest memories he has experienced in life, as well as how he has coped with cultural change and learned to love it – it’s just a matter of time.
What you will learn in this episode:
- Hear a story of an expat and get inspiration from it
- Discover what it’s like to live with fresh and new starts almost every day
- Find out what it takes to fully embrace the differences changes bring in life.
"If you can say, ‘Well, I've done this before and this is what got me here so it should work again’ – that's not the case. It's always a fresh start. What has worked in the past that has got you to this level might not be relevant anymore.”
– Ian Mote
Topics Covered:
01:44 – The Expat: The reason why Ian became an expat around 20 years ago.
03:23 – A Home in a Culture: The special thing about the region where Ian currently works.
05:16 – The Creation: How Ian’s knowledge and experiences led to the book he has written.
07:49 – His Coping Mechanism: Dealing with distance away from loved ones.
10:33 – Expats at their Finest: Ian talks about the qualities that best define a successful expat as he shares personal experience in relation to it.
12:30 – The Moral: The biggest thing Ian has learned over the last 20 years of his stay in China.
14:18 – Trip Down Memory Lane: The most meaningful memories Ian has from 20 years of residency in China.
15:32 – Cheers to the Good Old Days: Ian shares the funniest memory he’s ever had.
19:54 – A Change of Mind: The things Ian would do differently if he was given the chance to turn back the clock.
21:07 – Book Alert: Ian shares what his soon-to-be published second book is about.
Key Takeaways:
“You adapt and find different ways to do it.” – Ian Mote
“If you're an expat, you're going to be managing a team, so you need to understand how people react and how to motivate and manage a team. If I hadn't learned more about being a manager of a local team and how people react to what their expectations are, I would never have made that work.” – Ian Mote
“People – at the end of the day – are all very similar, and we want similar things for our family and our life.” – Ian Mote
People / Resources Mentioned:
- From Ice Castles to Ginger Socks
Ways to Connect with Ian Mote:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianmote/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianmote/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ianinshanghai
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you a Chinese e-commerce seller who wants to sell in Europe, on local e-commerce places and Amazon? Do you experience tax difficulties and struggle with language barriers? Do you want to learn how you can turn your small business into a multimillion enterprise? Listen to this treat, that will surely be of great help to you.
Opening a business in a foreign country confronts people with many conflicts. Whether it be laws, traditions, and the how to’s, it is important to know the smallest details whenever you plan to start up in a new land.
Kathy De Leye is an international businesswoman who has lived in China from 2009 to 2019. She opened a company with her Chinese husband in Shenzhen in 2017, and they are both currently in Belgium to expand their business.
In this episode, Kathy talks about the musts of opening a business in the European market. She discusses the mistakes Chinese people make in terms of the law and other barriers due to lack of knowledge and also shares ways that you can be a multimillion-dollar business owner in the near future.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the pitfalls Chinese people experience in entering the European market
- Know how a talk with an expert who knows the European market well and that will allow you to both be secure and save money
- Find out how a mindset change can drive you towards a multimillion-dollar business
“Just keep on believing in the business and keep on persevering. Keep on being there for the business, and know that it's going to be a multimillion-dollar business.”
– Kathy De Leye
Topics Covered:
01:37 – Kathy describes her ideal clients.
01:57 – Problems Kathy solves for her clients: The European struggle with local laws, VAT issues, and languages.
02:33 – The typical symptoms; Why European VAT awareness is a must when entering the market.
03:25 – The mistakes; The reason why underestimating the problem is a huge mistake.
04:15 – Kathy’s valuable free action: “Talk to experts and attend webinars.”
05:01 – Kathy’s Valuable free resource: Webinars. The internet. Search how to sell in Europe.
05:35 – The most impactful book/concept/program/talk: (1) TonyRobbin’s “Unleash the Power Within”, (2) T. Harv Eker’s “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth", (3) Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”
06:25 – Question that will help you nourish: “How do you change your mindset?”
07:53 – Bonus question: The most valuable lesson or action that really helped her in her change of mindset.
Key Takeaways:
“A lot of Chinese here in Europe, they have difficulties because first of all, they don't understand VAT. They don't know how serious it is. When stock arrives with the wrong certificates, it can be destroyed or be sent back, which has huge costs. And there can be big fines as well, just because they're not compliant with local laws.” – Kathy De Leye
“I would recommend people to really talk to experts, not just a Chinese person who says they know the European market. Also, go to webinars. I would really recommend to attend these. It can save a lot of money.” – Kathy De Leye
“I know Google is blocked in China, but just find a way to go on Google, and search how to sell in Europe.” – Kathy De Leye
“I am a businesswoman. I can be successful in business. It took a long time to change my mindset, but because of that, I now have a multimillion-dollar business.” – Kathy De Leye
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Tony Robbin’s“Unleash the Power Within”
- Harv Eker’s “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth”
- Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”
Ways to Connect with Kathy De Leye:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathydeleye/
- Website: https://www.alando.global/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you seeking a knowledge that you don’t quite know exists? Are you certain that you really know what you’re saying and what you’re doing? Do you want to practice using etymology and NLP in order to understand language in its finest form? Listen to this episode and be guided to a wonderful treat!
Mastering your mind is not an easy task, but you should remember that it gives results to you, mastering your world, once done successfully. Learn how language and programming affects you in this episode.
Rodney Josephson is from a different place and time! He woke up travelling, living, working and experiencing life as it comes. He has been working to help people master themselves in order to master their world.
In this episode, Rodney shares insights about the concept of programming in language or linguistic terms. Here, he talks about how programming plays a huge role on your progress towards mastering your world and also shares how NLP and etymological dictionaries will help you along the way.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn what NLP is and how NPL and etymological dictionaries help you master your mind and the world
- Know the importance of knowing what you’re actually saying and doing
- Discover how you can master your world once you’ve fully and successfully mastered your mind
“Programming is programming. Either you're being programmed or you get to program yourself.”
– Rodney Josephson
Topics Covered:
01:57 – Rodney talks about his ideal clients.
03:16 – Problem Rodney solves for his clients: Knowing how to use various tools or methods to seek the hidden truth of what is or how things function.
04:07 – The typical symptoms; Why people not knowing what they’re saying and doing is continuously happening.
05:05 – The mistakes; Not being able to understand why a program is happening, not being able to grab it, and failing to do anything with it.
05:56 – Rodney’s valuable free action: “You have to learn to breathe. Deep breathing.”
06:48 – Rodney’s valuable free resource: Use etymological dictionaries and seek things based on NLP methods.
07:37 – Concept alert: Read things about NLP so you can learn how language functions, then later on start to write.
08:34 – Question that would give great value: When you master your mind, you can master your world. The question is, can anyone master their mind?
Key Takeaways:
“Through the process of learning NLP, you can get a better picture of the world and how it functions based on language or linguistics.” – Rodney Josephson
“To be able to grasp a new idea or a new method or process, the person or the people have to have a different perspective; and the only way to do that is that they have to use various tools or methods to seek the hidden truth of what is or how things function.” – Rodney Josephson
“Due to the fact that language, especially English, is one of the most mixed languages in the world with hundreds of contributing languages, most people don't even know what they are saying.” – Rodney Josephson
“We've been raised getting programmed in society and these programs run without us even knowing it. If you're not able to understand why that's happening and be able to grab it and do something with it, you're gonna keep repeating the same issue.” – Rodney Josephson
Ways to Connect with Rodney Josephson:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodney-josephson-a81911b/
- Wechat: rodneyarvid
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you a Western manager handling Chinese employees or is it the other way around? Do you want to resolve misunderstandings at your workplace but have no idea where to start with? Listen to this episode and you’ll know why misunderstandings are present at work and how you can act to that.
Difference in culture is indeed a huge factor of how people fail to successfully interact with one another. The boundaries and traditions not shared by people involved play a huge role in connecting workers, thus the importance of understanding the other side of the coin.
Jerry Grey has lived and worked in the UK, Australia, and China. Apart from business experience and qualifications, he knows China pretty well because he's cycled across it 3 times. He was once a teacher in China, and now, he’s helping people understand China in its real form. Jerry has the honour of being the only guest so far who has no desire to sell you anything.
In this episode, Jerry shares insights discussing why Chinese and Western workers usually go through a lot of misunderstandings in their workspace. He talks about the concept of cultural linguistic and the issues that surround that. Jerry also shares a resource and a good advice on how you can be aware of what China is really like, so you can be free from the misconceptions the media has made you think.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Know what cultural linguistic is and how it affects people in their workspace;
- Discover how important it is to have cross-cultural change management in your HR department;
- Find out where you could find genuine stories and experience of what China is really like and how that affects your perspective.
“Almost everything that you have ever learned about China from reading a newspaper is not correct. There's so much misinformation. China is a very safe place. China is a very stable place. China is a good place to do business.”
– Jerry Grey
Topics Covered:
02:12 – Jerry describes his ideal clients.
03:04 – Problems Jerry solves for his clients: The cultural linguistic issues present in a company or organization.
04:30 – The typical symptoms; How workplace psychology and national identity can clash sometimes and result to something catastrophic.
05:23 – The mistakes; Why trying to resolve an issue in the traditional way you'd resolve it in your own country is a big mistake.
06:45 – Jerry’s valuable free action: “Employ someone who has cross-cultural change management experience.”
07:26 – Jerry’s Valuable free resource: Go to https://www.hofstede-insights.com and be informed of the differences you’ll encounter in a different country’s workspace.
08:10 – Books alert: “Beyond the Chinese Face: Insights from Psychology” by Michael Harris Bond
09:11: Question that helps you understand Chinese people’s work culture better: Where should a potential investor or business manager go to get information?
Key Takeaways:
“If I say to a Chinese person, “Hey, what's the best holiday you've ever had?” they'll tell me about Spring Festival or National Day or one of the festivals that they have where they get together with their family and do things. If I asked yourself or somebody from Germany or Holland or a European manager, American manager, they’ll say it was two weeks in an island in the Pacific or something completely different. And this is what I call cultural linguistic.” – Jerry Grey
“Workplace psychology and national identity – these two things can clash sometimes. It could end up being production failures, legal problems. It could be all kinds of different things. It could be catastrophic failure of your business.” – Jerry Grey
“The manager is the most important person in a company because the manager needs to tell people what to do and how to do it.” – Jerry Grey
“If you're in a company and you have a human resource manager who is Chinese, managing Chinese people, even that HR manager doesn't understand the management philosophies. If you've got someone who's trained overseas and understands and has been trained in a management philosophy from overseas, they would do better.” – Jerry Grey
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Geert Hofstede
- Beyond the Chinese Face: Insight from Psychology by Michael Harris Bond
Ways to Connect with Jerry Grey:
- Medium: jerry-grey2002@medium.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-grey-ma-69375376?trk=people-guest_people_search-card
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jerry_grey2002
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Have you experienced investing in real estate but haven’t tried doing it across borders yet? Do you want to learn how to develop your investment portfolio across borders and in an international level? Do you want to invest in real estate without any bother of pain? If you do, then you’re up for a great treat.
Real estate investment alone is already complicated enough, and the process just gets more complicated in cross-border investment. There, you don’t only consider your home country’s rule, but also the subject countries’ rules and the cross-border rules. You need experts to guide you in every move that you do, and this episode will show you the road towards that cross-border goal of yours.
Lauren Cohen is a serial entrepreneur as she works as an International Lawyer, Realtor and Cross-Border Expert. She was originally from Toronto, but now she’s based in South Florida. Lauren is also a best-selling author and sought-after speaker, and she launched her podcast “Investing Across Borders” in late 2020. Lauren’s overriding goal is to help clients navigate the path to invest, live, work and play across borders. Her superpower rests in paving a path to immigration visas through real estate investments.
In this episode, Lauren talks about the concept of cross-border investing alongside actions people have been doing wrong that keep them from growing. She shares insights on what people need to know with regard to investing across borders, and also mentions the huge importance of having an expert guide you.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the picture on how real estate investment across borders work;
- Know the things you must be aware of in order to develop your investment portfolio across borders and in an international level;
- Find out why it is important to consult an expert before doing anything in the world of investment.
“Go to the expert. Just always go to the expert and don't try to become an expert yourself. There are professionals in their professions. Use them and abuse them as much as you can.”
– Lauren Cohen
Topics Covered:
03:00 – Lauren and her ideal client: A real estate investor or an aspiring real estate investor that wants to develop their investment portfolio, not only in their home country but across borders and internationally.
03:21 – The problem that she solves: The frustration of going to a bunch of different places and not getting the right answers, and trying to figure out who to talk to, who's the right professional.
04:03 – The typical symptoms people experience: Not knowing where to start and not having the proper guidance.
04:48 – The common mistakes people make when they're trying to solve those problems by themselves: They create a lot of legal problems for themselves.
05:44 – A valuable action listeners of this episode can implement right away: Consult with a cross-border tax advisor before you do anything at all.
06:43 – Valuable Free Resource: (1) Go Global Report with coupon code: INTERNATIONAL and (2) How to Invest in Real Estate Across Borders Painlessly with coupon code: REI4FREE
07:25 – A book that has been the most impactful in her life: The E Myth: Why Most Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber
08:21 – One question that will give great value to the audience: “Why should you hire me?”
09:50 – Lauren and the book she wrote: Finding Yourself Aligning in the Business Immigration Process.
Key Takeaways:
“A lot of people, especially investing into the US, there's so many companies that help you invest in the US but they pay no attention to your home country. And so here you are, suddenly you're investing and they're like, ‘here's your plan’. But what happens when you go back to England, or go back to Canada, or when you file your tax return in China or wherever? Nobody's giving you that guidance. So, you're going to end up with a lot of challenges, and you may end up losing a lot of money and having a lot of legal problems in the process.” – Lauren Cohen
“Consult with a cross-border tax advisor before you do anything at all. Just always go to the expert and don't try to become an expert yourself because we are trained to be experts for a reason. There are professionals in their professions. Use them and abuse them as much as you can.” – Lauren Cohen
“I think every entrepreneur is guilty of working in their business at some given point, but if you work on your business, you're going to be able to scale.” – Lauren Cohen
“I'm a very impact-driven entrepreneur. I'm not a typical lawyer. I'm not a typical entrepreneur, and I'm definitely not a typical realtor. I'm all of those packaged into one, so I have the professionalism, and the business acumen, and the understanding and the scope of knowledge, and the expertise to guide you through this process painlessly.” – Lauren Cohen
Ways to Connect with Lauren Cohen:
- Website: https://www.ecouncilglobal.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecouncilinc
- Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/creativecrossborderacademy
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Do you want to enter the Chinese market but you have no idea of the whats and hows? Have you tried involving your business with China but you experienced a huge differential shock? Do you want to know the essentials of the market, especially e-commerce? If so, sit back and relax as we dive into the system with today’s guest.
Daniel Albrecht is a German lawyer based in China. He specializes in trademark law, commercial law, as well as corporate and labor law. Daniel also assists his clients in drafting and negotiating complex contract documentations, aside from advising international businesses on the acquisition or sale of public and private companies. It was in 2004 when Daniel had his first professional encounter with China as a law clerk.
In this episode, Daniel guides you towards the Chinese market as he discusses the country’s e-commerce law. Here, he explains how important it is for companies to be prepared if they want to be involved with the market. Moreover, Daniel shares insights business owners should know in order for them to properly situate themselves in the e-commerce system. Listen as he makes e-commerce law easy in just eight minutes of interview.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how e-commerce works in China
- Know the difference between European and Chinese e-commerce markets
- Learn more about the pitfalls of wanting to join the Chinese market
“Register your trademarks in China, register your IP in China. Otherwise, somebody will see it and register it for you.”
– Daniel Albrecht
Topics Covered:
02:13 – Daniel’s ideal clients: A family-owned business with 50 to 500 employees, and embassies in China.
03:06 – The problem that he solves with regards to e-commerce: Clients’ problem with fakes.
03:58 – The typical symptoms people experience when dealing with problem of fakes: Not being prepared and lack of market observation.
04:57 – Common mistakes people make when they try to solve the problem by themselves: They have no language abilities.
06:00 – Valuable Free Action: Prepare yourself and your activities as early as possible
06:48 – Valuable Free Resource: European Union's SME centre.
07:31 – The concept or talk that has been most impactful in his experience: Working in Chinese law firms.
08:17 – The difference between the Chinese and the European e-commerce market.
09:24 – Last question: Is there a ballpark as to how long it would take to obtain a trademark for one's company or sector?
Key Takeaways:
“If you visit an international exhibition in your own country, or in a second country or in China, register your trademarks in China, register your IP in China, otherwise somebody will see it and register it for you.” – Daniel Albrecht
“My most important experience was to work for Chinese law firms, because during this time, I gained a feeling for how Chinese companies function internally and also how Chinese lawyers work and think, and this is from time to time a little bit different from our mindset. And that was maybe the most valuable experience during the last couple of years.” – Daniel Albrecht
“If you are not familiar with the preparation, you have no chance to prove evidence because nobody takes it seriously.” – Daniel Albrecht
“I think a lot of companies are not aware that we have no Amazon here or let's say we have Amazon but the market as a whole is not dominant. It's a niche company here with market share about one point something percent. If you want to do commercial activities, you need to be aware that there are other social media platforms.” – Daniel Albrecht
“I’m quite worried because if people are calling or waiting from overseas, quite often they forget the time difference and then you'll get messages in the night or whenever.” – Daniel Albrecht
Ways to Connect with Daniel Albrecht:
- Email: law@beijing-starke.com
- Website: starke-ip.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dadanielalbrecht/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Have you noticed that you’re not improving and/or perhaps, you’re not happy with what you do? Have you been recently bothered by the eagerness to do better, but you keep on failing each time you try? Do you want to see the world through a bee’s perspective? Do you want a change of mindset that will lead you towards a successful life?
As human beings situated in this pandemic, we tend to think of nothing but ways on how we can survive; however, that’s not even an easy thing to accomplish. People are getting emotionally unstable for more than a year now, and this is affecting the way they think and see life. In order for us to get better, we need change to happen; however, that will only happen if you’ll allow it to take place.
Matt Beadle is a British ex-pat that is currently situated in Germany. He works as a management consultant and facilitator, and this allows him to specialize in leadership development for young and new managers. Matt works with Fortune 500 companies and global players across the world and is also an author of four books. He’s a regular speaker and presenter at business events, panel discussions, and TV shows, and is actually a Chelsea fan.
In this episode, Matt guides you towards seeing the world with your bee glasses on. Here, he discusses how a bee approach is different from that of a fly, and how a changed mindset would result in a happy and bountiful life.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the difference of a life under fly glasses and bee glasses approach;
- Find out how the bee glasses approach actually helps you see the world differently and live a better life;
- Know more about the beauty of strengths orientation and having your mindset changed towards a bee glasses approach.
“Sign of excellence is experiencing genuine joy and flow when you're doing things that you're great at and they come easy to you.“
– Matt Beadle
Topics Covered:
02:12 – Matt and his ideal client: An organization that cares about their staff and wants to help their staff develop themselves.
02:40 – What is the problem he solves: The epidemic of focusing on weaknesses.
03:33 – The typical symptoms people experience: Trying to be a jack of all trades.
04:32 – The common mistakes people make when they're trying to solve the problem of being good at everything: Work harder and work faster.
05:24 – A valuable action listeners of this episode can implement right away: Get a cup of coffee and sit down for a pause.
06:19 – Valuable Free Resource: The five signs for talent: desire, rapid learning, flow, glimpses of excellence, and satisfaction.
07:17 – A book that has been the most impactful in Matt’s experience: The Leading Brain by Hans W. Hagemann and Friederike Fabritius and his own book Strengths Oriented Leadership: The World through Bee Glasses
08:25 – The beauty of strengths orientation and changing your mindset towards a more sort of bee glasses approach: It works in all walks of life.
Key Takeaways:
“Can I go through life wearing these ‘fly glasses’ where I'm only looking for the crap, or can I put my ‘bee glasses’ on and look for the color and the talents and the development, and try and spread that around a little bit? That is what I've noticed.“ – Matt Beadle
“Why are we expecting people to be great at everything? Why don't we encourage people to focus on their talents and try and be great at a handful of things, instead of being jack of all trades? You wouldn't ask a plumber to build something out of wood and expect it to be top quality. You wouldn't ask a pilot to incise, you know, an operation into somebody's chest and expect them to be a great surgeon. So why do we expect executives and business people to be good at everything?” – Matt Beadle
“Have a think about how you do something, not what you do, not the role on your business problems cognitively, and go through those five steps. And when you recognize those five things, then you're almost certainly looking at and dealing with talent.” – Matt Beadle
“The beauty of strengths orientation and changing your mindset towards a more sort of bee glasses approach is that it works in all walks of life.” – Matt Beadle
Ways to Connect with Matt Beadle:
- Email: matt@mattbeadle.com
- Website: https://www.mattbeadle.com/management-training
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbeadle/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you endear yourself to the Chinese and make a lasting impact on a country like China?
The mistake many of us make is to stereotype people but that only makes us foolish.
When you’re in a country like China, there’s one thing that you should learn - treat people with respect regardless of country, belief or religion. Contribute to making a change to better society and don’t solely focus on making an income.
Karl Weaver has 3 obvious passions: wireless technologies, softball or baseball and finally, speaking, reading and writing Mandarin Chinese, the latter of which he’s been doing since 1982. Indeed, Karl was pretty much the first person to sell a computer to China in 1989. Those are his passions aside from his family, friends, and his career.
In this episode, Karl highlights the goodness that Chinese people have shown him. The stories he shares of meaningful memories experienced in Taiwan and Greater China prove that more than the place being magical, it’s the people themselves who are special. The respect he showed them was met with fondness and kindness, making it easier to adapt and become successful in a foreign place.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Find out the 80/20 rule you need to consider, especially for a business person, when you're not in your native country
- Find out the key things you need to be consistent with when you are an expat so you contribute to bettering society and not just generating income
- Find out the predictions made to get a sense of the expat world in China in future
“Treat people the way you would expect them to treat you. Don't be pretentious, don't be condescending and realize that everyone is just a person just trying to survive.”
- Karl Weaver
Topics Covered:
02:43 - How Karl became an expat
03:30 - How it was back when Karl was living in Taiwan in terms of technology and food
04:19 - What makes life so special in Taiwan that Karl stayed longer than three years
04:50 - The courtship style in Taiwan that Karl finds fascinating
06:07 - Sharing a personal story of an expat’s struggle that Karl experienced and the kindness of the Taiwanese people
09:26 - The important lessons Karl learned in terms of dealing with people of a different race and religion
10:56 - The 80/20 rule that Karl advises
12:32 - The three key things that you need to be very consistent with when you are an expat
14:52 - An interesting highlight of an experience in sports while living in China
16:51 - The one biggest lesson Karl learned being an expat
18:35 - Sharing his most meaningful memory while living in China
19:45 - How you don't have to be Chinese to do things successfully in the Chinese world
20:55 – Karl’s significant predictions over what will happen in the ex-pat world in China
23:58 - Why recruiters need to have an unbiased view with hiring foreign nationals for the Chinese market
26:45 - What Karl would have done back when he started living in Taiwan
Key Takeaways:
“Taiwan is a magical place because of the people, who are very westernized. But I think more than the physical presence of the place, it's the people that make the place in Taiwan so special.” - Karl Weaver
“I think this is a very important rule in life, especially for a business person, especially when you're not in your native country, which is the 80/20 rule. Well, listen 80% and talk only 20% because you're out of your comfort zone.” - Karl Weaver
“I always try to use EQ when dealing with the Chinese world and dealing with the Chinese people, trying never to stereotype.” - Karl Weaver
“I believe there are some key things you need to be very consistent with, which is your tenacity, your persistence to live in a different world and a different way of doing things is very, very critical. You just never know when you might be unintentionally insulting somebody, it can happen.” - Karl Weaver
“This is the most important thing that I've learned, which is that when you're dealing with another culture, these people may speak a different language and they may look a little bit different than you but their thoughts and their emotions are virtually the same.” - Karl Weaver
Resources:
- 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More by Perry Marshall
Ways to connect with Karl Weaver:
- Website: https://newport-technologies.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karljweaver/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Can’t think of a business to start in China? Are you interested in creating a company in China?
Finding a business idea that ticks with the market is sometimes a hard thing to do.
Look into the problem you face yourself and find a solution that no one has done yet.
Jay Thornhill is the Co-Founder and Head of Product Development for Baopals. Baopals (baopals.com) was launched in March 2016 and opened the gates to Taobao, Tmall and JD for non-Chinese. Over 3.7 million products have been purchased on Baopals in 4 years, and the co-founders are the only foreigners ever awarded "Top 10 Up-And-Coming Entrepreneurs" by the Shanghai government.
In this episode, Jay Thornhill shares how, from his own challenges of dealing with an inconvenient and non-enjoyable shopping experience, he found a solution and made a business out of it. That way, he not only made shopping easy and fun for himself but other non-Chinese people too.
What you will learn from this episode:
-
Find the easy way to navigate Chinese platforms and shop conveniently in China, even if you are non-Chinese
-
Discover where people get what they want, or get their money back and get the same type of response and communication every time from the team behind the platform
- Find out what you should do if you want to start a business in China so you won’t get bogged down with all the legalities
“Focus on solving a problem that you face personally, and make sure it's a problem that other people haven't solved already. That's when you're really on to something. And don't get bogged down too much in the kind of legality of it and worried about all the formal setup you need.”
- Jay Thornhill
Topics Covered:
01:50 - Making it easy for people who don't know how to navigate Chinese platforms to shop in China
02:32 - Making shopping on Chinese platforms for non-Chinese people easy and enjoyable
03:52 - How the language gap, communication issues, platform design and user interface cause problems for non-Chinese people in their shopping experience
05:16 - Why asking somebody else to buy for them on Chinese selling platforms is one mistake non-Chinese people are making
05:53 - One valuable free action is to discover good products and sellers in China here: https://www.baopals.com/discover/whatshot/products
07:23 - A book that helped Jay deal with stress, pressure and the emotional roller coaster of having his own business: Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman
08:19 - What should I do if I want to start my own business in China?
Key Takeaways:
“First, make sure you have a viable product that people really want and seek out honest feedback and criticism, so that you get on that right track. And then if you need help sorting the rest out later, go to our business services page and get in touch.” - Jay Thornhill
“I think it's good for people to delve into the sphere of psychology and neuroscience because when the pressure hits and emotions flare up, you might say things or make decisions that you regret. And in business, that can be very costly.” - Jay Thornhill
“If they want to discover good products and sellers in China, they can do that for free if they go to the Baopals blog, or they follow us on WeChat. And they could check out a section of our site called Discover where they can see what other expats in China are buying and collections they're creating and sharing on the platform.” - Jay Thornhill
Resources:
- Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman
Ways to Connect with Jay Thornhill:
- Website: https://www.baopals.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thornhilljay/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you improve your process, position yourself better on the market, create a professional-looking presence online to impact sales?
Not being able to do things the way it’s done in the digital world today gets you lost in the process.
Finding technical solutions and understanding its framework will help achieve your goals and make your business thrive.
Tommaso Sora is the founder and managing director of Sinaweb, a Shanghai-based digital web agency that develops Web and WeChat applications and solutions In China and for China.
In this episode, Tommaso shares how he creats solutions through web applications to improve business processes, find new channels or ways to sell one’s product, or solve business problems for a more relevant digital presence.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn about the technical solution and framework needed to improve the way things are done today in the digital world
- Find out how to articulate your value proposition by telling your story so people can resonate with you
- Discover one methodology that helps you get organized to have a clear idea of what you want to do and plan for the future
“What are the small steps that we can take to put the pieces together, instead of just looking at an outside solution that we don't know very well. Needs to prepare a little bit before having a consultant that can then help you.”
- Tommaso Sora
Topics Covered:
01:36 - Catering to individuals or organizations who need a tailor-made or a package solution for web application processes
02:44 - Providing technical solutions or frameworks to improve the way things are done today
03:19 - How failure to tell their story despite having a great value proposition is a symptom of a client’s problem
04:24 - Mistakes clients usually do before consulting with Tommaso
05:00 - A valuable free action that can help solve the problem you have now: Stop for a moment and see what other resources are available instead of just looking at an outside solution that we don't know very well.
05:53 - The best way for Tommaso to meet people and talk about things
06:23 - How does the methodology of Getting Things Done [GTD] work
Key Takeaways:
“Sometimes if we're looking about improving a process, we're like finding new ways of doing things. The solution is easy, to see people that they want to change, but they're not really willing to take new steps to actually do it.” - Tommaso Sora
“This way of methodology, Getting Things Done [GTD] increases productivity if done in the right way. It helps organize you as you take small steps, do things and feel satisfied with what you do because you achieve some goals.” - Tommaso Sora
“I think it's important for everyone to have something, to have a tool that helps them to withstand the outside pressure of the world, then go from inside.” - Tommaso Sora
“One advice I can give is to set your goals and be satisfied. Go and achieve and finish on time.” - Tommaso Sora
Ways to Connect with Tommaso Sora:
- Website: https://sinaweb.cn/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommaso-sora-97ab789/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Many companies are now expanding overseas and it is challenging to adapt to a different market workwise and culturally. How then do you rise above this situation and come up with a win-win outcome?
It's very important to build trust and camaraderie, as well as to actually understand the way the Chinese market and companies are handling their businesses and processes. That way you know what’s going on; you find and learn ways to adapt to the culture.
Sean Upton-McLaughlin is a PR & Communications professional who specializes in working with foreign companies wishing to enter the Chinese market and Chinese companies looking to expand internationally. He has previously worked for Weber Shandwick, Huawei, and other Chinese tech firms.
In this episode, Sean shares how you need to put in the time and effort to have face-to-face experiences, talking and being around Chinese people and the community. You can read as many books as you want but there is no substitute for having on-the-ground experience if you want to make it and thrive in China.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how to successfully expand your company globally without having to worry about adapting to a different culture
- Find out why, in addition to being on the ground in China, you also have to take the time to speak and interact with Chinese people face-to-face
- Learn how to look beyond your experiences and accomplishments and really put in the time and effort to know how things operate in the Chinese market
“The thing that has been most impactful to my own experience is not just being on the ground in China, but taking the time to speak and interact with the Chinese people face to face, most simply talking to them at work and then going to their own community, going to dinners with them. There is no substitute for this.”
- Sean Upton-McLaughlin
Topics Covered:
02:04 - Who for him is an ideal client
02:12 - Helping bridge the working and cultural divide between China and the West
03:23 - How having rose-colored glasses won’t let you see a forest with trees on it
04:05 - Why trying and jumping on too directly and early into the Chinese market is one big mistake
04:57 - One valuable FREE action that will help you understand the Chinese market: Check out Sean’s articles on management difficulties in China on his website. Click here: https://chinaculturecorner.com/
05:37- Useful organizations that will help you solve your problems concerning the Chinese market
06:41 - An impactful experience that helps him navigate the Chinese market and which he recommends everyone doing it
07:45 - Should Westerners think about working for Chinese companies, Chinese tech companies?
Key Takeaways:
“I help to connect both sides to help them see that they're both working towards the same goal and to find a way to maybe not do everything perfectly for one side or the other. But you make things work so that everybody can have a win-win outcome.” - Sean Upton-McLaughlin
“Especially in the professional world, they are very experienced, they have many accomplishments, and they are often convinced that they are right, they will always be right. And that it's very hard for them to see past that hubris or experience. And if you have rose-colored glasses on, you can't see the forest for the trees in many cases.” - Sean Upton-McLaughlin
“What often is a very big problem is that if you are unable to be on the ground in China. It's very hard to kind of make that cultural leap. And so, starting off by being members of Chamber of Commerce, whether actually through the organization or groups on LinkedIn or other places. That is a very good way to get your toes wet and to start hearing experiences from people who have been working in the Chinese market in this example, for a number of years.” - Sean Upton-McLaughlin
“You can read as many books as you want. But unless you have that experience yourself, there really is no substitute.” - Sean Upton-McLaughlin
“We see many companies now expanding overseas, but people might worry about whether or not they could make it in that culture. It does take a lot of commitment. It is not for everyone. But there is, I think, an enormous opportunity for those with the drive and the interest to try and figure out what's happening with these Chinese companies.” - Sean Upton-McLaughlin
Ways to Connect with Sean Upton-McLaughlin:
- Website: https://chinaculturecorner.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanum/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
In addition to looking at job descriptions and resumes, how do you find not just the best but the right talent for your organization?
Optimizing your chances to hire for the long-term requires the essential steps of preparing, planning, writing a script, and enjoying the interview.
Fabien Guerin is the Founder & CEO of Talent Fishers with Executive Search in China and with six offices in China.
In this episode, Fabien talks about how it is important to know who you are as a company, define your HR brand and value proposition so you hire the right talent that will benefit the company long-term.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how to hire talent that brings value beyond looking at the competitors and the job description
- Find out why you need to objectively sell your organization to the right talent
- Discover how to have valuable time in the interview to find and search for the right talent
“Knowing who you are is extremely important. If you don't objectively sell your organization, then the person is going to join for the wrong reasons.”
- Fabien Guerin
Topics Covered:
01:34 - Who are his ideal clients
02:28 - Questions that need to be asked to uncover the problem that needs to be solved
03:25 - How lack of vision and unity in the organization presents symptoms of the company’s problem
04:24 - Why knowing who you are is extremely important
05:00 - One valuable free action that helps solve client’s problem: prepare, plan, write a script and enjoy the interview
06:00 - The need to define your HR brand and your value proposition
06:47 - What’s the reason for creating Talent Fishers?
07:46 - Why is it so important to invest enough time, resources, energy and money to select a non-transactional search partner with a consultative approach?
Key Takeaways:
“A lot of people think that our job is actually to type a few keywords in the database, extract a couple of resumes, give a call and then pray that everything is going to go well. It's much more than that, there’s actually much more value to add to the process. If you don't fish for talent properly, it doesn't work.” - Fabien Guerin
“The key issue is actually to rely on a team for what we're looking for and what's relevant as well as to focus on what they will get from the talent.” - Fabien Guerin
“You need to prepare; you need to plan scripts. You need to be organized if you want to have a valuable experience during an interview, you need to have as much time to prepare as the time you spend with candidates.” - Fabien Guerin
“The key is to define what's your HR brand? What's your proposition? And then you're ready to go.” - Fabien Guerin
“You have to be ready, don't take chances, prepare, know who you are, sell, search for the right talents, and then you're going to find the right people for long-term.” - Fabien Guerin
“You need to optimize your chances. It is not hiring for tomorrow, it's hiring for the long-term and to benefit the whole organization.” - Fabien Guerin
Ways to Connect with Fabien Guerin:
- Website: http://www.talent-fishers.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabienguerin-recruitment-asia/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
China is one of the challenging countries to get into. The same speaks truly of the Chinese culture.
What benefit would you gain from learning the Chinese culture and tradition?
Understanding and learning them improves your way of life and impacts greatly the way you connect and relate with people every day.
Nic Doering and AJ Donnelly are the British husband and wife team who co-founded Cultural Keys Chinese Culture Centre, a Beijing-based start-up that teaches traditional Chinese culture to companies and individuals.
In this episode, Nic and AJ share their experiences -- both the bad and the good-- living in a challenging country like China. Here, you get to take a glean on how they are making a good time, turning around those difficult situations into opportunities for learning and growth. The mindset they displayed shows a lot of the qualities needed of someone living in a foreign place. That there’s no reason to complain, that it’s better to come from a place of humbleness, of curiosity, and willingness to learn so you have that worthwhile experience of things surrounding you. Most importantly, learn to smile, it always goes a long way. And that, believe there is always a way, there surely is, no matter what your best way is.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Find out helpful ways you can explore, enjoy, and embrace the Chinese culture and be a successful ex-pat in a challenging country like China
- Find out the positive qualities to imbibe as ex-pats to get you through the day and treat any difficult situation as an opportunity to learn and be appreciative of the place you are in
- Learn how to have that leap of faith that no matter what, there will always be people who are willing to help and things will turn out well in the end
“Chinese culture is the most important thing to me. And that's the basis of how I live my life and what we do with our company. We try to let people understand the value that is in traditional Chinese culture and how it can improve their lives.”
- Nic Doering and AJ Donnelly
Topics Covered:
01:47 - How Nic came to Beijing
02:26 - AJ recalling how he came and stayed in China
03:30 - Nic comparing Beijing from the place she used to live in the personal and business perspectives
04:06 - Having the convenience of the city just an hour away and a slower more traditional pace and aspect of life in the suburb
05:59 - What gives AJ the idea of starting Cultural Keys
08:33 - How is it like coping with being far away from their place of origin
10:27 - Ways you can be a successful ex-pat in China
12:16 - What to them are the advantages and disadvantages of being an ex-pat
14:53 - How having faith in people turn around difficult situations while living in China for many years
15:59 - There is always a way -- no matter what the best way for you
17:43 - An inconvenient but funny experience they went through as a couple
20:08 - AJ’s funny experience -- mistakenly took what he said as terrorist for a tourist with him arrested for questioning
23:25 - Why Nic would keep a diary if she’s given the chance to go back when she first started in China
25:45 - What's the value in learning Chinese culture?
Key Takeaways:
“You live in Beijing city, you're part of that metropolis, that city life. Out here, we have the convenience of the city as an hour down the road but we also have that slower pace of life, and more traditional aspects of life living out here.” - AJ Donnelly
“I really want to do something, to help people understand more about China, to access China, because I'm a big believer in the idea that if you understand the culture if you understand the history, you understand the people in the modern world better.” - AJ Donnelly
“If you know where you want to go, if you know what you want to achieve, you will find a way to do it. Never believe that there is no way. There sure is.” - AJ Donnelly
“I think I wish I'd learned the language before I moved here. That would have made my life infinitely different. I would never have had to rely on other people. And I would always have known what was going on and I think I would have settled in much, much quicker if I'd had the language sooner.” - AJ Donnelly
“I would say it's the ability to accept the unpredictable, you can't be afraid of just totally random things, particularly in China. I think that's the key to surviving in a place like China.” - Nic Doering
“I think for me, it would be, you know, write things down as a diary or whatever and take more photos. Because I think it's always interesting to sort of look back and see, not only what decisions you made because you probably remember what you decided to do, but you might not remember why you made that decision.” - Nic Doering
“I think, in any new situation, it requires a leap of faith, and the vast majority of times it is going to work out for you. Maybe not in the way you thought, but it will.” - Nic Doering
Ways to Connect with Nic Doering and AJ Donnelly:
- Website: https://www.culturalkeys.cn/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-donnelly/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CulturalKeysCN
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culturalkeys/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CulturalKeysChina?
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/
- Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
More than the challenges and limitations we talk about women these days, how do we encourage women to take concrete steps to be more intentional and strategic in their growth and achieving their goals?
We say, vouch for her, recommend her, speak well of her, and encourage her to be bold to take those steps to invest in herself.
Raquel Ramirez has an 18-year background in the public, private and international sectors, including prominent roles held in the Mexican Foreign Ministry to the United Nations. She is known as a keynote speaker globally, including in the USA, Mexico, Switzerland, and China.
In this episode, Raquel shares that women can achieve more beyond their expectations. With the right insight, support, and guidance, they can take on more risks to be more relevant to the community. That women hold power within them to make significant contributions to the world. And more importantly, that they will likely more to succeed if they invest and bet on themselves.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Find out what mistakes women mostly commit so they know how to get clear on their strengths and talents so they likely succeed faster
- Find out valuable resources for more women support and uplifting for them to be able to succeed in a much faster way
- Learn how women can create an impression of being confident and having something of value and importance to say
“The fundamental ground to build on is self-awareness. Just know that your mistakes don't define you; the lessons do.”
- Raquel Ramirez
Topics Covered:
01:45 - What for her is an ideal client?
02:07 - The problem that Raquel responds to: The gap between what women are achieving today and what women can be achieving.
03:24 - Symptoms of the problem women find themselves in: Women are feeling overwhelmed, unseen, unheard, a lot of times unsupported, or with the lack of having strategies on how to achieve their goals.
04:06 - Mistakes she believes women do: Not asking for help, being afraid to be vulnerable, but ultimately, and more fundamentally, not actively seeking a mentor or a coach.
04:46 - What consolidating self-awareness can do to start solving women’s problems.
05:24 - A three-day FREE masterclass you can look forward to in December entitled ‘How To Get the Top Six Skills in Order to Improve your Career.' Visit here: https://sites.google.com/view/rrconsultingforher/career-master-program
06:00 - Quintuple-packed value of resources to make women achieve faster in their goals
07:51 - One meaningful piece of advice she has for women: I encourage women to become aware of their patterns and their power to choose a different way to respond to the different situations they face.
Key Takeaways:
“When women are trying to solve problems on their own, I view it as taking the slower path. I believe that one of the mistakes is not asking for help, being afraid to be vulnerable, but ultimately, and more fundamentally, the mistake of not actively seeking a mentor or a coach.” - Raquel Ramirez
“The beginning of solving this problem is consolidating a self-awareness. I encourage people to get clear on their strengths and talents and start holding them today.” - Raquel Ramirez
“How do we as women make our presence felt in different conference rooms? Be ready to be between the first and the third person to speak when you're in the meeting because this creates an impression of being confident and having something of value and importance to say.” - Raquel Ramirez
“I truly believe in the impact that using affirmations in overcoming our difficulties can do.” - Raquel Ramirez
Resources:
- A three-day FREE masterclass you can look forward to in December entitled ‘How To Get the Top Six Skills in Order to Improve your Career.' Visit here: https://sites.google.com/view/rrconsultingforher/career-master-program
- For powerful, scientifically validated personality tests to help you grow and find your way in life, click here: https://www.truity.com/
- Book Resource: Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers by Lois P. Frankel
Ways to Connect with Raquel Ramirez:
- Website: https://sites.google.com/view/rrconsultingforher/home
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RRconsultingforher/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raquelramirezconsultingforher/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
We know for a fact that moving to a new place, a different country is no breeze at all. How much more if you’re a trailblazer spouse/partner who got no job, stays home, takes care of the kids and supports the spouse? How do you face the challenges brought about by moving into a new country like China?
Find your tribe and stretch out of your comfort zone. Going to places you wouldn’t normally go will help you change perspective.
Hailing from the land of the long white cloud, New Zealand, Nicole Webb moved to Australia as a teenager with her family. There she went on to pursue her dream of becoming a television journalist and newsreader with Sky News. She then moved to HK in 2010 and to China in 2014.
In this episode, Nicole shares how she identifies herself with trailblazer spouses and partners -- the struggles and tribulations they face when moving to a new place like China. She attributes loneliness and loss of identity as among the challenges facing these trailblazers. She’s not without ways and means to find a solution to this dilemma with her own experience. And she counts social media as the one big factor in connecting with other like-minded people. And that it’s important to give it [adjustment] the time it deserves.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how to be a confident trailblazer spouse or partner who is secure in the thought that she has a lot to contribute to her new-found community and the world at large
- Find out ways to connect with like-minded human beings who are also trailblazers looking for important necessities
- Learn how to find your purpose when moving into a new place so you won’t lose your identity
“Often, I think it can seem quite an insurmountable task when you arrive in a place like China, you are out there on your own and, your spouse is off to work doing what he or she does. It takes time and to really give it the time it deserves. It can be an incredibly enriching and lasting experience, and often even a better one for the trailblazer.”
- Nicole Webb
Topics Covered:
01:53 - Nicole defines who her ideal client is
02:57 - She shares the need for spouses or partners to take the time it deserves to settle in and find their feet in a new place like China
04:00 - Why loneliness becomes a symptom of the problem for the trailblazers
04:54 - Giving her thoughts on spouses trying to pigeonhole themselves into a certain box which shouldn’t be the case
05:54 - One actionable tip you can do to help solve a trailblazer’s problem: Find your tribe and step out of your comfort zone.
06:32 - One valuable free resource that can help a trailblazer spouse find her place in her new-found community in China: Facebook group - Shanghai Mommies
07:22 - Talking about her blog, ‘Welcome Musings in Hongkong’ that connected her to a lot of other expats
08:10 - One great resource for anyone moving to China: CHINA BLONDE: How a newsreader's search for adventure led to friendship, acceptance...and peroxide pandemonium by Nicole Webb
Key Takeaways:
“I think as an ex-pat, social media is something that can connect you with people all over the world that are in similar shoes to you.” - Nicole Webb
“I started an ex-pat blog, ‘Welcome Musings in Hong Kong’. And I think that just helped to connect me with people from all over the world as well.” - Nicole Webb
“China Blonde, I think would be a very great resource for anyone who's thinking about moving to China, or anyone who's thinking about moving anywhere out of their comfort zone, for that matter, because it takes you through all of those trials and tribulations of moving from your beloved country and setting up in a new country.” - Nicole Webb
“I think what I'd like to say on help solve is just to remember that it takes time to settle in and time to find your feet.” - Nicole Webb
“One of the problems is that we often try to pigeonhole ourselves into a certain box, which is what I did as well as a newsreader. I thought that's kind of all I am. And you forget what you have done over the last 10 or 20 years and what makes up you as a whole. And that can be so many other things besides that work title that perhaps you've been in the past.” -Nicole Webb
Resources:
- One great resource for anyone moving to China: CHINA BLONDE: How a newsreader's search for adventure led to friendship, acceptance...and peroxide pandemonium by Nicole Webb
Ways to Connect with Nicole Webb:
- LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoledwebb/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
There are challenges other than being expensive in bringing people from different places and making them do one thing. How do you then uncover the hidden cost and reduce it to get your resources, energy, and time to more meaningful investments?
Hiring qualified people is helpful. And it is best to tap into your current pool of talents to avoid dealing with adaptation issues. The concept of ‘divide and conquer’ comes in handy in this regard.
Jerry Jones is a Leader, trainer, coach, consultant, and communicator whose passion is partnering with people to do their thing better. He has worked with entrepreneurs, global educators, executive leadership, trainers, teachers, coaches, families, and individuals who have a vision for what could be but struggle to get there in both professional and personal capacity.
In this episode, Jerry talks about how challenging it is to deal with transient organizations. To seemingly solve the problem, they try to provide perks and fancy things to their people which don’t help as problems are beneath the surface; that’s where they failed to look into. Jerry shares how he peels off the layers where hidden costs are found and help reduce it to lessen the cost of doing international business.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Find out the common transition problems so you learn to channel your money, resources, energy, and time to the right investments and people
- Learn how to hire qualified people so as to avoid problems of adaptation all over again
- Find out the concept of ‘divide and conquer’ to help you create a solid plan and move forward
“It's taxing to bring people from different places and to get them to try to do one thing. And so, I tried to uncover what those costs are, whatever they are, and reduce them.”
- Jerry Jones
Topics Covered:
01:46 - Jerry defines his ideal clients
02:22 - Robert shares about the problem his clients encounter and which he helps solve
03:28 - How miscommunication and mistrust add up to the symptoms in the transition problem
04:26 - What people do wrong in trying to solve problems on their own and before consulting Jerry
05:04 - Jerry sharing his thoughts about the ‘wrong-end investment’
06:32 - Free resource to help you deal with transition problems. Head over to https://geerthofstede.com/landing-page/
07:15 - Jerry sharing the concept of ‘divide and conquer’
08:01 - How can people connect with their people?
Key Takeaways:
“It's taxing to bring people from different places and to get them to try to do one thing. And so, I try to uncover what those costs are, whatever they are, and reduce them.” - Jerry Jones
“They think that if they give more perks or more fancy things along the way that it'll take care of people's problems, but the problems are really beneath the surface. And that doesn't help.” - Jerry Jones
“They're investing a lot of money, energy, time resources into people who haven't been through the process of adjustment and adapting yet. And if they would move that investment to the other end and really invest in the people that they already have, it's a much higher return.” - Jerry Jones
Resources:
- Free resource to help you deal with transition problems. Head over to https://geerthofstede.com/landing-page/
Ways to Connect with Jerry Jones:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-jones-621ba227/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you navigate a new place with the language barrier and cultural differences being a possible hindrance? How do you thrive and become successful in living and working as a flexpat in a foreign country like China?
Flexibility and open-mindedness to the possibility of what China has to offer give you an edge to enjoy your stay there. Sure, there are sacrifices to be made as you are away from family and home. But being positive about the good life the new place can offer makes one appreciate staying in China.
Francis Kremer is an expert in sales, the latest manifestation of which is as the Sales Director in the Chinese Electric Vehicles (EV) market, a massive part of the automotive industry. His role is to make a Chinese company truly international in scope.
In this episode, Francis talks about how everyone was apprehensive about his decision to become a sales guy in China. Undeterred, he pushed through with it—four years in China and no signs of regret on his part. Although he has made China his home, it is not without struggles to be living there. He’s got plenty of tips on how he dealt with challenges at work, his personal life, and his everyday life in China. He also made known what a flexpat is and the qualities one should possess to make it in a foreign land.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn to look through the lens of positivity and find inspiration in the littlest of ways to see you through the day
- Learn how to be open-minded, have the initiative, and become resourceful when faced with problems while working in China
- Get an insider’s tip on what to expect when living and working in China
“It’s very important that you should be a master in your skill, you should have something that you can bring to the table that you can do better than anyone else.”
- Francis Kremer
Topics Covered:
01:46 - What made Francis decide to be an expat
03:25 - What endeared him to be living and working in China
05:06 - How does he deal with being away from family and home
07:06 - What important qualities an expat should have to thrive in China
08:47 - Francis shares how different a holiday experience is in China compared to Europe
13:16 - How does he define a flexpat
17:42 - What the future looks like for flexpats with the onset of the virtual trend
22:40 - Sharing happy experiences he has around China
25:02 - Why he would have wanted to come to China earlier
Key Takeaways:
“I really enjoy being in China and to feel this development that people do something from scratch and they enjoy it.” - Francis Kremer
“Whenever I think that I'm far away from home, I think, well, this is my home, and I take my family with me.” - Francis Kremer
“What I learned from myself is to understand, okay, something's work differently than I thought. And I have to cope with it somehow, and nobody's going to help me. I have to get it done.” - Francis Kremer
“Currently, it's a very comfortable situation, because I'm an expat, well-paid, and with a low cost of living in China. Not sure if this stays this way. But I think there will be a change in this industry; there will be many opportunities for people who want to try it. But they will not be in a position to sell themselves as the very kind of small species that wants to be well-paid and well-treated with everything with what is associated with an expat job.” Francis Kremer
Ways to Connect with Francis Kremer:
- Website: https://www.chinaflexpat.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/in/francis007
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How can changing your mindset change your way of living, way of working and way of creating your future?
Breaking through the glass ceiling and shifting paradigms may be a hard thing to do, but it’s never impossible. Your mindset matters. And when changing your mindset for the better, you must remember your future rather than your past. You must keep moving forward and break the shackles that are limiting you from growing and allowing positive change into your life and work.
John Peck is a lifelong trainer and coach, from martial arts to mindset. He teaches audiences throughout Europe and Asia a comprehensive process of transformative mental paradigm shift. Through his remarkable system, John facilitates positive, profound and permanent change in any area of your life.
In this episode, John shares how you can break through the glass ceiling and change your mindset through the help of coaches. He also reminds us to remember our future rather than our past.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how to shift paradigms and change your mindset
- Learn why remembering your future is important and better than remembering your past
- Know more about how to break through the glass ceilings in your life and welcome change
“Remember your future because people spend most of their time remembering their past.”
- John Peck
Topics Covered:
02:02 - John defines his ideal client
02:31 - Breaking through the glass ceilings, the areas in your life where you feel stuck is the problem John helps solve for his client
03:06 - Typical symptoms clients experience: Frustration or anger in the office or at home
03:59 - Why trying to go through it and do it alone is the biggest mistake you can make?
05:10 - John’s valuable free action: “Remember your future because people spend most of their time remembering their past. And I help people pivot to begin to see themselves in their future because the body, as an expression of the subconscious mind, and our subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between the past, present and the future.”
06:29 - John’s valuable free resource: Go to Your Mindset Matters 2020 to register for John’s webinar
07:14 - Books Alert: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
08:33 - Question that should have been asked to John: “How do I shift my paradigm and shift my disempowering paradigms into empowering ones?”
Key Takeaways:
“As you are creating future memories, so you create your future memories. It’s a type of goal setting and visualization but you create a future memory, and then you begin to repeat that memory every day instead of repeating the old things from the past.” - John Peck
“Most people gather information, and information does not lead to transformation. If information changed our lives, we'd all be thin, healthy, wise and rich.” - John Peck
“‘How do I shift my paradigm?’ is the question and: ‘How to shift my disempowering paradigms into empowering ones?’ And the answer to those questions is basically you need a coach to be able to do that because we're not aware of everything that we're perceiving.” - John Peck
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- The Go-Giver by Bob Burg
Ways to Connect with John Peck:
- Website: https://coachingintoresults.com/your-mindset-matters-2020-registration/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wealthinsidersnetwork/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Do you want to expand your market to China but don’t know the basics of Chinese business culture? Are you confident with your sales strategies for China?
Do you want to know how you can successfully sell in China?
Heidi Dugan is a TV host, celebrity, author, entrepreneur, and China Market Expert. These are the terms often used to describe her.
Having lived and worked in China for over 24 years, she has her own TV show with 6 million viewers daily and is Director and Founder of Arete Group, which helps foreign companies expand and succeed in China. Her influence across China has been recognized through her coverage on ABC News, Australian Financial Review, Harper’s Bazaar, and China Daily.
Heidi was recognized by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as one of the 45 people who represent the breadth and depth of the friendship between Australia and China.
In this episode, Heidi shares her insights on the importance and benefits of having a clear and planned pathway in expanding your market to China. She also talks about how cultural understanding and continuous business learning is important as well in expanding your market, specifically in China.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how to expand your business in China even with no knowledge
- Discover the reality of Chinese business culture and remove any false expectations
- Know more about what stage you are at and what you should do if you want to expand to China
“We erase people's doubts and concerns, give them absolute clarity on how they can enter one of the biggest markets in the world. And basically, we help them succeed.”
- Heidi Dugan
Topics Covered:
02:41 - Heidi defines her ideal client
03:16 - Problems that Heidi solves for her client: Erase doubts and concerns, and give absolute clarity
04:00 - Fear due to lack of knowledge, unsuccessful stories, and false expectations are some of the symptoms
05:02 - Being paralyzed and confused or jumping into things with no knowledge, two common mistakes when trying to solve the problem
06:50 - Heidi’s valuable free action: “I think advice is what people need. And so, if they go to the website heididugan.com/chinaaccelerator, they can log in and select a 15-minute call with me. I can go through things, see if they're ready, and see what stage they're actually at.”
07:24 - Heidi’s Valuable free resource: Go to heididugan.com/chinaaccelerator to download Heidi’s tool
08:16 - Books Alert: The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss, and The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino
09:32 - Question that should have been asked to Heidi: What is the next thing that people should do, besides getting the 15-minute phone call and the download?
Key Takeaways:
“China as a market is incredibly confusing. So, people have this sort of confusion of, "Where should we start? What should we do?" And then they also have a real fear of it because of their feeling of a lack of knowledge, and also some of the stories that they may have heard from other people that perhaps were not that successful.” - Heidi Dugan
“When people come to the China market, because they don't know the culture and the market, they think, ‘Well, we don't know anything.’ And what happens in those circumstances, they put all good business knowledge to the side, and they do some really silly things, like handing their brand, even their product over to someone they don't know, to let strangers market them to China.” - Heidi Dugan
People / Resources Mentioned:
- The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
- Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss
- The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino
Ways to Connect with Heidi Dugan:
- Website: https://www.heididugan.com/china-accelerator
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-dugan/
- WeChat: HeidiDugan
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you struggling to find the perfect photo as your profile picture? Are you stuck with a casual, not-so-professional, and cropped out photo of yourself?
Does it even portray the true you and the potential you behold? Do you think you will be able to get an awesome first impression on your clients with that?
Professionalism and new connections start with the right profile picture. For others to see your potential, you must show them a face that carries passion, power, and authenticity. How can you expect to attract more clients and make good first impressions if your headshot does not speak about who you truly are?
Una Zhu is a portrait photographer who focuses on business portraits. She specializes in relaxing people so their true personality can shine through!
In this episode, Una shares the importance of a professional headshot and how it is the key to important first impressions and getting potential clients.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how to look more professional in your profile picture and at the same time, show your authenticity
- Learn more about how communication can happen through the use of a proper profile picture
- Find out how to attract more potential clients and make long-lasting important first impressions through a picture
“I believe the headshot makes us real in the virtual worlds.”
- Una Zhu
Topics Covered:
01:40 - Una defines her ideal client
01:55 - Problems that Una solves for her clients: lack of professionalism and bad first impression through the use of profile pictures or headshots
02:48 - The importance of a professional headshot, why you shouldn’t undermine the power of a profile picture
03:47 - Professionalism and potential in a headshot, how finding the right photographer is a necessity to show yourself and your business
04:58 - Una’s valuable free action: “You know what we can do is just simply going through the media and the company website to see if those existing photos core represent yourself truly and professionally. We are taking our career seriously, and the fact if you're willing to invest in a quality professional image shows that you also invest in your education, career, and personal development. So, I believe that professional headshots give your prospects an idea of how you will represent them in the care you’re, well, taking, and meeting their needs.”
05:43 - Una’s valuable free resource: Go to www.unazheadshot.com
06:30 - Concept alert: What is actually the fundamental of beauty to life?
07:24 - Question that should have been asked to Una: What makes me become a portrait photographer?
Key Takeaways:
“The use of the photo profiles has become as usual as actually email addresses, and professionals who deal with clients and shareholders, in particular, need the right photos to help them to establish the very important first impressions on, you know, social media.” - Una Zhu
“Choosing the right photographer who can really portray you authentically is important.” - Una Zhu
“I believe that professional headshots give your prospects an idea of how you will represent them in the care you’re, well, taking, and meeting their needs.” - Una Zhu
“It's a question that keeps recording in my mind, so I started to revalue what I’m really interested in, and human emotions are always intriguing to me. I want to freeze the moment of a smile, a laugh, a sense of realness of how you will see this person face to face.” - Una Zhu
Ways to Connect with Una Zhu:
- Website: https://www.unazheadshot.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unazhu/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you sure you’re on the right track with your joint venture with the Chinese? How sure are you that you really know what you’re doing? Are you starting to have problems understanding the Chinese or are you just putting those problems under the rug?
Collaborating with the Chinese unlocks a new world full of possibilities, more leads, and higher sales. Though it may sound exciting, you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of it. How should you deal with joint ventures with the Chinese? Do they have the same perspectives as the Europeans have? Before diving into and committing your time and business to a joint venture or collaboration with the Chinese, it is important to understand the similarities and differences of both parties.
Change and difference are unavoidable. Break the barriers. Break the walls, and build a force of mutual understanding, and connection in order to achieve a fruitful collaboration.
Valérie Hoeks is a seasoned sinologist. She supports management teams throughout intercultural integration processes in post-M&A and JV scenarios in finding strategic and practical alignment among managers.
In this episode, Valérie talks about the value of understanding the differences between how the Chinese run a business from how Europeans do it. She shares her insights as well on how you can run a better connection with your Chinese partners through mutual understanding and communication.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the importance of being aware of different perspectives in a joint venture
- Learn how you can improve internal commitment and support from your team and counterpart
- Find out how to deal with the cultural and work differences of the Chinese from the Europeans
“You can break through that wall, the only thing you need is time to establish a connection and a true effort of mutual understanding.”
- Valérie Hoeks
Topics Covered:
01:44 - Valérie defines her ideal client
03:07 - Problems Valérie solves for her clients: Inability to understand the Chinese counterpart and lack of alignment and communication
04:10 - Frustration, disbelief, and doubt, why understanding the counterpart and good communication is needed in avoiding the bad scenarios
05:10 - Closemindedness, and sticking to one’s perspective is one of the common mistakes
06:26 - Valérie’s valuable free action: “I believe communication is a make or break of the Chinese collaboration. So, without a structural communication setup, all efforts taken prior to the step may be lost. So, this setup is for free, right. So, to better understand the interests of your Chinese counterpart, and related parties, and together and maintain support for your proposals, it's really crucial to ask the right questions and read between the lines.”
07:30 - Valérie’s valuable free resource: Go to chinainroads.com to know more about how you can break the walls of assumption in your business
08:23 - Person Alert: Sun Tzu
08:58 - Question that should have been asked to Valérie: Why should we change? Are the Chinese people also willing to change?
Key Takeaways:
“I believe communication is a make or break of the Chinese collaboration. So, without a structural communication setup, all efforts taken prior to the step may be lost.” - Valérie Hoeks
“So, to better understand the interests of your Chinese counterpart, and related parties, and together maintain support for your proposals, it's really crucial to ask the right questions and read between the lines.” - Valérie Hoeks
“I believe that awareness of the different perspectives is really the first step towards a successful collaboration.” - Valérie Hoeks
People/Resources Mentioned:
- Sun Tzu
Ways to Connect with Valérie Hoeks:
- Website: https://chinainroads.com/nl
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriehoeks/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How well do you know the online world? How sure are you that your marketing strategy online is working successfully? Are you making the most out of it or are you all over the place and not getting enough leads from it?
We are in the so-called “digital renaissance” now because of the big change the pandemic has brought upon us and our businesses. Adjusting to the current situation is a must, but how can you make sure that you really are getting the most out of it online, especially in LinkedIn, the website that connects businesses to new opportunities and sales?
Tamar Hela is an entrepreneur based in Shanghai and the COO of the digital agency, Genius Encel. She helps Fortune 500 companies generate leads through LinkedIn.
In this episode, Tamar talks about how to maximize the use of LinkedIn in order to generate better leads and sales for your business. She also shares the importance of having a LinkedIn strategy to ensure that you are targeting the right clients who are able to get the most out of your business and pay you back!
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how to generate more through LinkedIn
- Discover the power of having a LinkedIn strategy
- Find out how having a specific target and knowledge on who you’re prospecting can help your business gain more clients and sales
“Marketing is never for fun. It's always for a purpose, and the purpose is the bottom line, which is money.”
- Tamar Hela
Topics Covered:
01:47 - Tamar defines her ideal client
02:19 - Problem Tamar solves for her clients: Lack of lead generation and inability to keep the sales funnel full
02:52 - Why understanding the true purpose of marketing and long-term thinking will help you save your business?
03:37 - Hiring an expert instead of doing it alone, how getting help from an expert in this digital renaissance is important
04:29 - Tamar’s valuable free action: “Be really specific with your targeting, and get to know who you're prospecting. It's almost like being an assassin online. If you can understand more about your target than anyone else and identify their pain points, and also show them how you're going to solve it, that's the best thing you can do.”
05:16 - Tamar’s valuable free resource: Go to blog.geniusencel.agency to know more about LinkedIn and prospecting
05:53 - People Alert: Dan Peña and Jack Daly
07:13 - Question that should have been asked to Tamar: How did my agency had success?
Key Takeaways:
“Be really specific with your targeting, and get to know who you're prospecting.” - Tamar Hela
“If you can understand more about your target than anyone else and identify their pain points, and also show them how you're going to solve it, that's the best thing you can do. Otherwise, again, it's just kind of here, there, everywhere without any sort of purpose. So be very purposeful in your targeting.” - Tamar Hela
People/Resources Mentioned:
- Dan Peña
- Jack Daly
Ways to Connect with Tamar Hela:
- Website: https://geniusencel.agency/
- Blog: https://blog.geniusencel.agency/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarhela/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you become a successful expat? Is it by counting how many years you’ve stayed in a foreign country? Is it based on how good you are at your work? Or maybe it’s how fluent you are in Chinese that can get you some jobs in China? Maybe your perseverance plays a role as well?
There are so many factors that can help you become a successful expat in China. But on your road to success, there are struggles such as communication barriers and homesickness. It is important to have a concrete goal as an expat and perseverance in order to succeed.
RobbertGorrishas lived for more than 10 years in China and came to the conclusion that he is still at the beginning of his understanding. In his professional life, he works for Sovereign as the Business Development and Director of China and guides companies to enter China. He’s also the proud dad of two daughters who are both undergoing education in Chinese public school.
In this episode, Robbert shares bits and pieces of his journey in becoming a successful expat in China. He also shares the lessons he has learned during his journey that can help answer other people’s questions on what it’s like to be an expat in China.
What you will learn from this episode:
* Learn the value of perseverance and its effect on becoming a successful expat in China
-
Discover what life in China is like through the eyes of an experienced Dutch expat who has stayed in China for 10-11 years
- Find out how to manage living in a foreign country like China, far away from home, family, friends and familiar places
“You need to accept the situation and move forward as quickly as possible but understand that things will change and will not go as planned.”
- RobbertGorris
**Topics Covered:**
01:37 - How Robbert became an expat
03:30 - Robert shares his opinion on what makes China different from the rest of the world
05:00 - Qualities needed to become a successful expat in China, according to Robbert
06:49 - How Robbert copes up with long-distance connections away from family and friends
08:26 - Is Robbert planning on becoming an expat in China permanently?
09:27 - Did becoming an expat strengthen Robbert’s resilience?
11:27 - Robbert shares tips for everyone who’s got a global focus or is planning to move to a foreign country
12:37 - Robbert’s biggest learning from his years being an expat
14:40 - Robbert shares one of his funniest memories of living in China
18:11 - Robbert’s view on the changes in the expat world in the future
21:32 - What would Robbert change if he was able to do it all again, 10-11 years ago
Key Takeaways:
“You need to be resilient and say, "Alright, let's go on, let's move forward." And also accept that where you came from has formed you and has formed the way you look at the world. And it doesn't mean that you need to change but you need to be conscious about that, that you have a specific view on the world, and that view can be - I don't want to say wrong - it's different.” - RobbertGorris
“I think it's important to understand that where you are born, it’s shaped you in the way you view the world. And as long as you accept that you view the world in a specific way, you will also be more open to views from other places in the world.” - RobbertGorris
“Deadlines are something that are in my imagination.” - RobbertGorris
“By the end, China doesn't care about what you think. It only influences yourself. So then by accepting that, by letting that go, you become more flexible. I think that also makes you more resilient because you're accepting things are not the way you think they are. And I think that's building your resilience by getting knocked down and getting surprised by the many things that happen in daily life in China.” - RobbertGorris
“Plans are important, especially in China, but you should not be bound to your plan because it could be your plan could be just faulty. By staying rigid to your plan it’s a very strong possibility that you will run into a disaster.” - RobbertGorris
“I say deadlines are not set in stone. Be flexible on what you're doing.” - RobbertGorris
“If you're here, you can maybe learn things that you can implement in your company in your home country.” - RobbertGorris
Ways to Connect with RobbertGorris:
* Website: https://www.sovereigngroup.com/
-
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbertgorris/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
-
Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you open yourself to working with different nationalities in your workplace? Do you think you’ll be able to adapt to cultural differences?
China is a huge, productive, and progressing country. We cannot avoid the fact that we have to be open to change and new ideas coming from different people whether they are of the same nationality or not. It is crucial to expand our businesses, to find more buyers and market businesses in different countries and locations. With this in mind, it is important for us to learn how to be adaptive and open-minded to our surroundings and the people around us. If we are able to venture out, adapt, and be open to new opportunities, as well as different cultures and nationalities, then we will be able to grow both ourselves and our business.
Gabor Holch is an intercultural leadership consultant. He's also a coach, an author, and a speaker.
In this episode, Gabor shares how understanding culture and nationality are crucial in the workplace, principles that are not limited to working in China. He also shares his insights on how you can adapt to an intercultural workplace, give comfort to yourself, and show acceptance towards others.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the value of understanding cultural differences between you and other people in your workplace
- Learn how you can remove a “blueprint” mindset of sticking to your own culture and how you can be more open to others
- Know more about how you can adapt to change, and how to deal with cultural differences amongst your colleagues and in different surroundings
"That is the absolutely amazing aspect of intercultural relations because it comes from personality, the culture that we inherit, and the culture that we build."
- Gabor Holch
Topics Covered:
01:32 - Gabor defines his ideal client
02:01 - The wrong expectations, the precise problem that Gabor solves for his clients
02:47 - Inability to understand other’s nationality or culture, being angry and blaming the other person because of differences are one of the symptoms being experienced
03:18 - One of the mistakes is keeping a blueprint from your own culture and pushing it through, the lack of fusion between nationalities and culture
04:10 - Gabor’s valuable free action: “Culture and leadership and the values that we use when we communicate with each other are we would think they are not measurable, we would think that they are extremely intangible, but what they can do for themselves, to do themselves a favor, is get some facts.”
05:02 - Gabor’s valuable free resource: Go to www.holch.biz/ to learn more about how to work and adjust to an intercultural workplace
05:47 - People Alert: Erin Meyer’s Culture Map, Csaba Toth’s Global DISC Assessment, and Mai Nguyen’s Cross-Cultural Management Book
08:13 - Question that should have been asked to Gabor: How do I know all this stuff?
Key Takeaways:
“Just because yours are right, it doesn't mean that the other is wrong.” - Gabor Holch
“When you find yourself in a cultural conundrum with one or more of your colleagues, then either grab that colleague for a cup of whatever your poison is, a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, some beer or wine and make them talk about how they do things in their culture. If that would be too sensitive, then do a lateral move and grab somebody from the same culture that you have a trustful relationship with.” - Gabor Holch
“Culture and leadership and the values that we use when we communicate with each other are we would think they are not measurable, we would think that they are extremely intangible, but what they can do for themselves, to do themselves a favor, is get some facts.” - Gabor Holch
“If you work in a cultural constellation of two or three different cultures, how are they different from each other?” - Gabor Holch
“This is why a book cannot actually tell you how to solve a cultural-related leadership problem because you have to build awareness about your own personality, the culture that you, let's say, benchmark yourself to, like nationality, or your family values, and so on, and the culture- cultural construct that's around you, even the corporate culture of the company, where you work and the constellation of the cultures that people bring into the team.” - Gabor Holch
“There is no right or wrong way to do it. You have to come up with a fusion.” - Gabor Holch
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Erin Meyer’s Culture Map
- Csaba Toth’s Global DISC Assessment
- Mai Nguyen’s Cross-Cultural Management Book
Ways to Connect with Gabor Holch:
- Website: https://www.holch.biz/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaborholch/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Wanting to reach more than 1,000,000 people & Get Maximum Visibility with Julien: Visit this Form to Know More: https://geniusencel.typeform.com/to/qCACvv
Did you know that you can move your business online and digitally?
Do you want to know the secrets of how you can make the most out of that digital transition, like marketing, getting more clients, and many more?
For you to make the most out of the digital world, you need to be more organized online. Organize first how you’ll be introducing your business online, how you’re going to pitch in your products, and how you’ll be marketing it.
Julien Sicard is an entrepreneur based in Shanghai and the CEO of the number one LinkedIn Marketing Agency, Genius Excel. He helps Fortune 500 companies get new clients through LinkedIn.
In this episode, Julien shares his insights on how you can make the most out of your business online, especially through the use of LinkedIn. He also shares how due to global issues and globalization, transitioning online and making a legacy with your business is critical and can furthermore make your business better.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how to put your business online, especially through the use of LinkedIn
- Learn how you can make the most out of LinkedIn by being organized
- Find out how you can bring more awareness to your business online, and turn it into a legacy
“Create content more regularly to bring more awareness.”
- Julien Sicard
Topics Covered:
01:39 - Julien defines his ideal client
02:34 - A problem that Julien solves for his clients: Client acquisitions
03:52 - Typical symptoms people experience of generating interest on LinkedIn
04:43 - One of the common mistakes is talking about the product right away
05:49 - Julien’s valuable free action: “Create content more regularly to bring more awareness. Go to your favorite coffee, in Shanghai or any city where you live, and begin to prepare all your posts. People often don't consider that content is important, but that definitely is a key to attract people into your profile and to bring this awareness about the value you have to offer to this world.”
06:28 - Julien’s valuable free resource: Go to www.geniusencel.agency to access Julien’s FREE LinkedIn Master Class
07:02 - Podcast Alert: London Real
08:03 - Question that helps you be reflective at this time: What legacy do you want to bring to this world?
Key Takeaways:
“You cannot run a business if you don't prospect for new clients.” - Julien Sicard
“People often don't consider that content is important, but that definitely is a key to attract people into your profile and to bring this awareness about the value you have to offer to this world.” - Julien Sicard
“Where bits of trust of globalization by using the wonderful tools that are the internet and more specifically, a digital platform where, like, LinkedIn that can help this company to achieve its goals. They are different key performance indicators.” - Julien Sicard
“Nothing can buy you bags of time. And I think, unfortunately, how modern society destroys completely this capacity to our free will for the majority of people, they are totally living in fear. And because they live in fear, they don't know how to live their life properly. So, I encourage them to take a step back and see how they can eliminate this fear and achieve their own dream, not the dream of other people.” - Julien Sicard
People / Resources Mentioned:
- London Real Podcast
Ways to Connect with Julien Sicard:
- Website: https://geniusencel.agency/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julien-sicard-genius-encel-agency/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Do you want to live a healthier lifestyle but feel that you don’t have enough time for it? Do you want to know the secrets of how to get the ideal body and the lifestyle you’ve always wanted?
When you want a healthy body and lifestyle, you need to set aside myths and follow facts. You don’t need a diet, you just need the proper nutrition and the right mindset for you to get up and going, and to be one step closer to having your ideal body and a healthier you!
Alex Garcia has had over 10 years of experience in Wellness and Nutrition and is a former Economist and MBA graduate with a double Master’s degree in Nutrition and Coaching. He is also currently a Ph.D. student in Physical Medicine.
In this episode, Alex shares his insights on how you can achieve a healthier you through the proper professional help you deserve. He also shares the secrets on how to have a healthy body and mind, with a better and more powerful way rather than dieting!
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the secrets of what you can do to have a better and healthier lifestyle for you and your health
- Learn the importance of getting information from the right professional people who can further help with your health, diet and nutrition
- Find out how focusing on getting the proper nutrition can do wonders for you both physically and mentally
“Diets are not good for us, it's proper nutrition.”
- Alex Garcia
Topics Covered:
01:51 - Alex defines his ideal client
02:56 - The main problem that Alex solves for his clients: lack of time for a healthier lifestyle and health
04:02 - Lack of energy, mental fog, not productive, aching body, and aging faster are some of the symptoms of an unhealthy lifestyle or poor health
04:42 - Why going all or nothing is a bad mentality in achieving a healthier body and mind
05:39 - Alex’s valuable free action: The main thing is just trying to make sure that you get your information in the proper manner and from a professional person.
07:08 - Alex’s valuable free resource: Go to Wellnessrepublic.com to check out science-based health articles
07:36 - Concept alert: I just think that awareness is something that is undervalued nowadays, and something that we need to recover. I invite my clients to be self-aware. We're always like zombies, walking around with our phone - so just turn off your phone and be aware. This is the most valuable thing that I can say. Be aware.
08:29 - Question that should have been asked to Alex: What is one thing that everyone could start implementing for free, even people that don't have time to have better health?
Key Takeaways:
“Everything is allowed in moderation. That's the goal to know what we can eat when we should eat it for our goals.” - Alex Garcia
“Trying to make sure that you get your information in the proper manner and from a professional person.” - Alex Garcia
“They need to understand that nutrition and medicine are not the same, right? So just get a trusted, professional certified person to guide you on your journey, and that looks the way you want to look because we don't, with my respect, I would never hire a fat personal trainer, right? I would never hire a dentist with rotten teeth.” - Alex Garcia
“Hire someone that leads with a body that walks the walk and talks the talk. This is absolutely important!” - Alex Garcia
Ways to Connect with Alex Garcia:
- Website: https://online.wellness-republic.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgarciaphdc/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you become the best of the best, especially in a foreign country? Have you asked yourself if becoming an expat in China is the right thing to do? Do you want to know how you could become one of the most successful expats in China?
Hopping into a foreign country with a whole new culture and way of living right before your eyes can be overwhelming, especially if you’re there looking for a job as an expat. “How will I start?”, “What should I do?”, or “Do I really need to study Chinese?” are some of the things you’re probably thinking when starting as an expat in China. Set those aside and learn how to experience success as an expat in China, one step at a time.
Mark Suchy has been in China for 17 years and real estate for 16 years and is a Managing Director for Core Capital Asia, an investment agency based in Shanghai, which focuses on real estate investment transactions and debt financing. Mark is a Canadian who came to China straight out of university with a one way ticket and a dream to succeed.
In this episode, Mark shares how his perseverance and passion led him to success as an expat in China. He gives valuable tips and tricks on how life is different in China from Western countries, how you can gain connections and respect from others, and what are the key points that need to be focused on in yourself and in the business that may lead you to success.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how you can make your road to success easier as an expat in China
- Find out if learning Chinese is necessary to become successful
- Get insights on how life may look as an expat in China and its advantages and disadvantages
“Keep positive, stay focused on one profession, and you can rise very quickly.”
- Mark Suchy
Topics Covered:
01:48 - Mark shares what led him to become an expat in China: “I realized that Asia had huge opportunities for growth, and my personal development and business future”
02:50 - Getting the right people in your life is one of the important qualities that best defines a long-term ex-pat
04:09 - Mark shares how it took him years to start developing positive relationships and connections with the expats and locals around him
06:07 - Keep yourself focused and positive are the qualities you need as someone who works far from home
10:00 - Mark’s realization “But what I realized quite quickly is that you're only as strong as your network, and the more you rely on other people to help you, the more you can accomplish.”
11:56 - Mark shares his experience and realizations on the existence of status in China compared with Western countries
13:18 - The usually levels of status do not exist amongst expats in China: “Your background or where you are from or how great you are doesn’t really matter. All that matters is if you’re a good person who’s willing to help others and add value to their lives.”
14:09 - Mark shares one of the most remarkable and bizarre things he experienced as someone who stayed in China for a long time
16:17 - Question asked to Mark: How do you think, as a result of 2020, the expat world will change in the future?
18:32 - It is possible to run a successful business without being physically present, an important lesson Mark learned from remote working due to COVID
20:34 - Advice for newly arrived expats in China: Go to a remote part of China instead of Shanghai to learn Chinese diligently
Key Takeaways:
“It's important that you have a network of people that you look up to and rely on, and you can count on to be good friends. And you need to focus on getting the right people in your life because you're going to meet so many people as an expat, but it's the people that you really respect and, you know, who are in some ways better than you. You hope to hook yourself into these circles, then become friends with. That allows you to feel comfortable and give you what you need to stay happy and positive. Then you have a kind of family away from your family. That's really critical.” - Mark Suchy
“The biggest advice is just to get out as much as you can because then you'll stay well balanced.” - Mark Suchy
“You need that kind of positive attitude to keep yourself focused. And you have to see the light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how bad things get.” - Mark Suchy
“Have a long-term vision that everything is going to work out for you, and the business is going to come together and your job’s going to improve. Keep focusing on it, because if you don't have that kind of light guiding you, you're going to feel lost.” - Mark Suchy
“The two keywords for success for an expat are 'capable' and 'driven'. If you have a past track record of being able to get things done, then you will be able to do anything you want if you're really focused because that's what the real value of an expat is. Just being able to accomplish tasks at a much more effective rate than maybe a local, similar employee would be able to do. So, you have that capability, and you can believe in yourself.” - Mark Suchy
“One thing I've learned is to just ask people around you to help you as much as possible. And because you're an expat, there's something about being isolated in a foreign country that makes people support each other, much more so than at home.” - Mark Suchy
“That's actually a good example of how it doesn't really matter what your background is, or where you're from, or how great you are. All that matters is if you're a good person and if you're willing to help other people and add value to their lives.”
“One thing that I've learned from COVID, working remotely, is that it's very possible to run a successful business without physically being there.” - Mark Suchy
“Just to get conversational, just so that I can build relationships with Chinese businessmen and work with them, and show respect. Like, I don't think you need to be able to read and write and speak, especially outside of Shanghai, it's not necessarily a good thing for a foreigner to speak fluent Chinese, because then they're like, "Okay, this is a university student that's pretending to be something else." - Mark Suchy
“What I realized quite quickly is that you're only as strong as your network, and the more you rely on other people to help you, the more you can accomplish.” - Mark Suchy
Ways to Connect with Mark Suchy:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-suchy-a2bb2b10/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Do you have good communication engagement with your customers? Do you know the importance of having public relations for your business? Do you want to know how to turn your customers into evangelists of your business?
Having good public relations is a must if you want to increase your chances of getting higher sales, more customers, and better engagements in your business. Public relations is one of the key factors to the growth of your business as well and helps turn one-time buyers into loyal customers!
Jim James is an international entrepreneur who founded the EASTWEST Public Relations Group in Singapore in 1995.
In this episode, Jim shares the value of having good connections with your customers and listening to their needs as a business. He also shares the importance of having public relations as to increase engagement in your business and the satisfaction of your customers towards your business or product.
**What you will learn from this episode:**
- Discover the importance of giving value to public relations for your business and its growth
-
Learn how to improve your public relations by listening and conveying one message that has meaning and value to your customers instead of multiple
- Find out how to know and analyze the different audience groups in your business and how to address their needs as customers by giving the right message
“Often they should stop talking, and start listening.”
-Jim James
**Topics Covered:**
01:43 - Jim defines his ideal client
02:03 - Problem that Jim solves for his clients: Identifying the different audience groups and how to engage or communicate messages that fit the needs of those audience groups
02:41 - Knowing which part of their business to communicate, why focusing on the problem of your business and having one message is important for you and your customers
03:32 - One of the common mistakes is business owners either aren’t focused on what really is the problem and says tons of things or says nothing at all
04:37 - Jim’s valuable free action: “Take your phone, and take one minute, time yourself, and record your proposition as if you were speaking to an audience. One minute, and then play it back to yourself. And if you can, write it down and read it to yourself.”
05:17 - Jim’s valuable free resource: Go to http://www.speak-pr.com/ to access the toolset
06:00 - Concept Alert: Verne Harnish: Rockefeller Habits
06:52 - Question that should have been asked to Jim: What should people stop doing?
Key Takeaways:
“Take your phone, and take one minute, time yourself, and record your proposition as if you were speaking to an audience. One minute, and then play it back to yourself.” - Jim James
“So, companies have got three different audience groups, they've got their internal, and they've got their external, and they've got their partners. They need different messages for each group. - Jim James
“And I'd say, they probably do, stop talking for a moment, and listen first, and then understand what their audience is really needing from them, and only then to proceed with sharing their message. - Jim James
People / Resources Mentioned:
* Verne Harnish: Rockefeller Habits
Ways to Connect with Jim James:
* Website: https://www.eastwestpr.com/
-
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesjim/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
-
Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you planning on expanding your company to China? Is your company ready for that growth? Are you aware of the challenges and differences that may arise once you expand your company to China?
If you are planning or already have a company in China, you should be aware of the challenges that may arise. Running a business in China is far more different than running a business in other countries. You need to have enough knowledge, transparency, and a good flow of communication between your headquarters and your local team in China in order to avoid or lessen the future conflicts that may arise.
Arie Schreier is the General Manager of the PTL Group in China and is a former diplomat who came to China 23 years ago as the Consul of Israel in Beijing. And then 15 years ago, he came back to Shanghai to work with the PTL Group.
In this episode, Arie shares his insights on how to properly run a business in China and how to avoid future conflicts that may arise between the headquarters and local team in China through proper communication, sufficient knowledge, transparency and many more.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how to properly run a company in China through transparency and enough knowledge on how companies are run in Chins
- Learn how to deal or solve conflict between the headquarters and the local team in China and how to avoid miscommunications
- Find out more about valuable resources and ways on how to expand your knowledge on China businesses and how to solve future conflicts
“I find that there's a lot of forums online, whether it's on LinkedIn, whether it's on WeChat groups, whether it's on other resources that people can join, and learn from the experience of other managers who've been here for many years, that has been running a business for many years or still running a business.”
- Arie Schreier
Topics Covered:
02:01 - Arie defines his ideal client
02:42 - Some of the problem that Arie solves for his clients: HR problems, logistics issues, importation or exportation warehousing
03:37 - Lack of transparency and conflict of knowledge between the headquarter and local team in China is majority of the symptoms
04:30 - Headquarter thinks that there’s a problem and asks a single-channel they know in China to solve the problem, one of the common mistakes
05:44 - Arie’s valuable free action: “I find that there's a lot of forums online, whether it's on LinkedIn, whether it's on WeChat groups, whether it's on other resources that people can join, and learn from the experience of other managers who've been here for many years, that has been running a business for many years or still running a business.”
06:54 - Srie’s valuable free resource: Go to www.ptl-group.com to download materials and guides
07:46 - Program Alert: PTL Group China Boot Camp
08:31 - Question that should have been asked to Arie: How to contact the PTL team in order to get a free consultation and free advice on how to manage your business in China?
Key Takeaways:
“They don't think why it should be so, so hard to run a business in China, which it is. So, definitely it's the lack of knowledge, the lack of experience, which leads to conflict with the local management.” - Arie Schreier
“The headquarter is thinking that there's a problem. And they asked the single-channel they know in China to solve the problem, whether it's the local GM, whether it's the local salesperson, whether it's the distributor, whether it's an agent. That's who they know, and they asked them to solve the problem. But many, many, many times we found that they are the problem, and unfortunately, they cannot fix themselves so they need to have an external third party, somebody who has expertise with the knowledge and experience.” - Arie Schreier
People / Resources Mentioned:
- PTL Group China Boot Camp
Ways to Connect with Arie Schreier:
- Website: www.ptl-group.com
- LinkedIn: www.Linkedin.com/in/arieschreier
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you sure that your legal entities in China are properly structure or does it need some re-structuring? Are you aware of the legal environment and the laws of China?
You wouldn’t want to step on the wrong foot when structuring or re-structuring your business in China. It is important to know the legal environment and the laws implemented in China when expanding your business for you to avoid future issues with your legal entities, partnership, etc.
Zach Lichtblau is a Shanghai partner at Bonnard Lawson, an International Law Firm. He is one of the partners in Equasia which provides consulting and corporate secretarial services in Hong Kong and in China.
In this episode, Zach shares his insights on the importance of properly structuring or re-structuring your business in China since it has a different legal environment. He also talks about the do’s and don’ts of what you should do before building a long-term business relationship and how to avoid future legal issues.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how to structure your legal entities in China and deal with your corporate dispute with proper help
-
Learn more about the do’s and don’ts of business structuring and re-structuring in China
-
Find out how to handle your legal issues and how to avoid further problems
“Before entering a long-term business relationship, I would recommend that people stop for a second and examine whether the relationship is likely to be stable in the long run. You need to understand the incentives of both sides and create what we call a mutual friendly leverage.”
- Zach Lichtblau
Topics Covered:
01:32 - Zach defines his ideal client
02:25 - Problems that Zach solve for his clients: Structuring their legal entities in China and dealing with corporate disputes
03:31 - Businesses could go wrong, how understanding the legal environment and the risks are important, especially in countries you are not familiar with
04:21 - Not realizing the risks, no protection from liabilities, and entering a business relationship with little-to-no knowledge about your partner and their motivations, one of the common mistakes people make trying to solve the problem
05:20 - Zach’s valuable free action: “Before entering a long-term business relationship, I would recommend that people stop for a second and examine whether the relationship is likely to be stable in the long run”
06:04 - Zach’s valuable free resource: Go to Equasia.com to avail the free introductory consultation
06:40 - Books alert: Mr. China by Tim Clissold and The Imperialism Imprisoned: The Fate of British and French Firms in China from 1949 to 1954
07:43 - Question that should have been asked to Zach: Share a war story or example of how things went wrong in a situation that we handled.
Key Takeaways:
“Of course, people can also set up everything right and things will still go wrong because of personal differences, or because they did not realize that there's a divergence of interest at a certain point in time, but I would say it is very important to keep on paying attention to the business relationship, and not assume that no news is necessarily good news.” - Zach Lichtblau
“Misaligned expectations are the number one reason things go wrong in a joint venture stage.” - Zach Lichtblau
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Mr. China by Tim Clissold
- The Imperialism Imprisoned: The Fate of British and French Firms in China from 1949 to 1954
Ways to Connect with Zach Lichtblau:
- Website: https://www.equasia-group.com/
- Website: https://www.bonnard-lawson.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachi-lichtblau-903a362/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How can you be sure that your business will do well in China? What is the perfect and practical approach to marketing in China that will help you bring more sales and income into your business?
The marketing approach that works best in America may not be the best approach here in China. Marketing your content and building your brand using a Chinese approach will help you save bucks and will grow your business both in China and internationally.
Mike Golden is the co-founder and China President of Brandigo, which is a marketing communications agency, which has its China office in Shanghai. Mike's been based in Shanghai for the last 18 years.
In this episode, Mike shares his insights on how to approach the complications of marketing in China in a simple and practical way by understanding your target audience, building digital campaigns and content that works in China, building awareness, and getting leads in China.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how to market your business in China without wasting too much money
-
Discover how to build digital campaigns, and content that works in China
-
Know more about practical China marketing that can help you gain more customers specifically in China
"Test out different types of meditation. And then, choose one and stick to that."
- Fionn Wright
Topics Covered:
01:37 - Mike defines his ideal client
02:45 - Problem Mike solves for his clients: Building awareness and getting leads in the Chinese context
03:33 - Applying the correct approach in marketing, why coming out with a Chinese approach but with a global understanding is important when expanding to China
04:17 - Starting off with poor localization and not understanding their local audience in China, one of the common mistakes people make trying to solve the problem of China marketing
05:11 - Mike’s Valuable free action: “I think a good action they can take and this is some part what we do to help our clients, they can also do themselves to some degree, is really talk to people, their target audience, their target customers, get them in a room or give them a call and dig into what type of channels they actually use.”
06:13 - Mike’s Valuable free resource: Go to Newrank.cn to see the live listing of social media channels
07:29 - Books alert: Advertising by Ogilvy and The Sales Playbook by Jack Daly
08:15 - Question that should have been asked to Mike: How do we grow our WeChat channel?
Key Takeaways:
“A good action they can take and this is some part that we do to help our clients, but you know, they can also do themselves to some degree, is really talk to people, their target audience, their target customers, get them in a room or give them a call and dig into what type of channels they actually use.” - Mike Golden
“We recommend getting out there and talking to your customers, talking to your sales team if you have one here, and really see what they're interested in because it might surprise you. It's not always what you think it's going to be.” - Mike Golden
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Advertising by Ogilvy
- The Sales Playbook by Jack Daly
Ways to Connect with Mike Golden:
- Website: https://brandigo.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanghaigolden/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
If you are in China, happy Golden Week!
Firstly, thank you for checking out my podcast. It’s really a privilege to interview some leading experts from East Asia and more recently, around the globe. I hope you’re finding them of value.
Many people I’m interviewing have years of valuable experience which they wish to share. This can’t easily be done in just 8 minutes, so I am launching an extension to my podcast – WWB Podcast Story Form. This will explore the experience of being an expat, including what it takes to succeed, advice for those who want to develop their expat careers, as well as one or two funny anecdotes!
I will be releasing these Story Form podcasts on an irregular basis, so do look out for them – the first one is with Mark Suchy from Core Capital Asia. For more about Story Form go here: LINK HERE
Yours strategically,
Howard”
It's just so easy to get distracted and become reactive. As entrepreneurs, there are too many things that demand attention, making you lose sight of your focus.
What a big difference it makes when you gain clarity. When you have a clear vision, it prompts you to identify resources that lead in the direction of working on strategies around achieving your purpose.
Fionn Wright is a Personal Coach for Entrepreneurs & Executives, China Market Strategist & Advisor, a Digitization Consultant, a ChinaDream & WorldDream Advocate, Media Personality & Speaker, Meditation Teacher, as well as a Worldschooling Father.
In this episode, Fionn shares how he helps entrepreneurs who have what it takes to scale up in their business but are not exactly sure what needs to be changed.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how to get clarity in your life and business, set a vision, create strategies, and identify resources, as well as tools to attain your goals
- Find one effective means of gaining clarity that’s suited to your personality and learning style
- Find one thing you can do right now to help bring back your focus, so you become more proactive instead of being reactive
"Test out different types of meditation. And then, choose one and stick to that."
- Fionn Wright
Topics Covered:
01:17 - Fionn identifies his ideal client
01:56 - Being a sounding board is what his clients go to him for - giving them third person perspective about life and business
04:08 - One valuable free action they can do to help solve some of their problems: Start meditating more, everything becomes clear, you have more capacity in your daily life, and you're able to make effective decisions.
05:53 - Get your FREE eBook, click here: http://fionnwright.com/
06:27 - The one book that has been most impactful in his life: Foundation by Isaac Asimov
07:31 - What can you do right now?
Key Takeaways:
"I offer a purely objective point of view on someone's life, business, their situation - and support them to really look at that from the third person perspective, and to be able to make effective decisions about where they want to go and what they want to do." - Fionn Wright
"The number one thing that I find with my coaching clients is, if they either learn to meditate or start meditating more, everything becomes clear, they have more capacity in their daily life, they're able to stay present with what's ever going on for them, and they're able to make effective decisions." - Fionn Wright
"Sleep / meditation, I would say are both important because it's like having downtime, having time to relax, having time or you can just be at peace with yourself."- Fionn Wright
"If you just learn to meditate, there's plenty of videos on YouTube or wherever you can learn. And my recommendation would be to test out different types of meditation, and then choose one and stick to that." - Fionn Wright
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Ways to Connect with Fionn Wright:
-
Website: http://fionnwright.com/
-
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionnwright
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you someone struggling to make an impact on your audience? Is it difficult for you to communicate your ideas and thoughts to the public?
Understanding the way you tell and speak out your story and ideas to your audience is as important as knowing what your story is all about. Having charisma, and knowing how to communicate your message can have a great impact on how your audience receives your message. Value the way you speak your message because you’ll never know how much your story can inspire others. Bring charisma into your talk!
Larry Schuster is a speech coach for TEDx for executives and entrepreneurs. He is also the founder of The Storytelling Company, a Shanghai-based company.
In this episode, Larry discusses the impact of having charisma in speaking to your audience, and the increase of influence that your speech can have. He also shares that the value of how you speak is at least the same as the value of your message.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the importance of charisma in narrating and communicating
-
Know more about how you can apply charisma in your talks
-
Find out how charisma and changing the way you talk can vastly increase your influence on your audience
“I found that in public speaking if you want an amazing speech, the journey to charisma is also a bunch of little nothings.”
- Larry Schuster
Topics Covered:
01:55 - Larry defines his ideal clients
03:05 - The main problem Larry helps solve for his clients: Little to no impact when speaking to their audience
04:43 - Understanding stories and changing your behavior: how changing your behavior and the way you tell your stories is important and can increase the impact on your audience
05:40 - Senior executives want to sound like most other speakers, but understanding the value of charisma in speaking can help you influence your audience and become better at speaking
06:40 - Larry’s Valuable Free Action: “Well, when people go to our website, our landing page, as you call it, there'll be an assessment waiting for them that will determine what are their weaknesses, what are their strengths, it may be that they have trouble with creating an idea that's unbelievable, that's amazing or they'll find that they're very flat and the list as you know, goes on and on.”
07:19 - Larry’s Valuable Free Resource: https://www.ted.com/talks
07:50 - Concept Alert: https://www.ted.com/talks
08:26 - Question asked to Larry: Can I give you one example of a problem I solved for an executive, for a senior executive, exactly who I'm hoping to reach with this?
Key Takeaways:
“No idea, there's no speech.” - Larry Schuster
“Why not be unforgettable in how you say it? You deserve it. Your audience expects it, and your compelling idea definitely is worth it.” - Larry Schuster
“After all, storytelling is 22 times more memorable than facts. If you want to change behavior, stories are the way to do it. And very often, the speakers, the executives, they need to change behavior. That's it.” - Larry Schuster
People / Resources Mentioned:
- TED Talks
Ways to Connect with Larry Schuster:
- Website: http://larryschuster.com/influence
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-schuster-396bab3/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you having trouble when it comes to understanding your clients? Are you being too ideologically driven that it’s drifting you away from the reality slowly?
Arrogance and close-mindedness are some of the things you need to avoid when leading your business. Problems and issues may arise because of those. It is a must for business owners to stick their heads into reality and objectively lead their business in order to avoid future conflict and issues that may end up being connected with higher-level issues.
Tibor Baranski is a counsel at Jun He LLP, the first private law firm in mainland China, post-1949. Tibor has also been a member of the Asian ex-pat community in China and in Japan for almost 35 years. In fact, he was the legal counsel to Japanese business interests regarding China since before people even realize that it existed.
In this episode, Tibor explains the importance of understanding the reality and being ideologically driven in leading your business in order to avoid future issues that may arise and to make your clients happy.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover the impact of legal issues on your business
- Learn how having a solid business plan can help you understand your clients’ problems and help you stay in the reality of your business
- Know more on how accepting the reality can help avoid future conflict and issues
“Avoid being trendy, keep your eyes on reality.”
- Tibor Baranski
Topics Covered:
02:01 - Tibor defines his ideal client
02:27 - Problems that Tibor solves for his clients: Legal issues at the operational level, Connecting legal issues to higher-level issues
02:49 - Denial of reality, lack of understanding of the objective reality, and being ideologically driven, typical symptoms that people with that problem experience
03:25 - Lack of understanding and arrogance are one of the common mistakes people make
04:00 - Tibor’s valuable free action: “Well get a very solid business plan and strategy in place, and this should be founded on scenario planning, both in positive and negative circumstances and avoid being trendy. Keep your eyes again on reality.”
04:16 - Tibor’s valuable free resource: Grab a copy of China Into the Future: Making Sense of the World’s Most Dynamic Economy by W. John Hoffmann and Michael J. Enright
05:48 - Mentor Alert: Professor K.H. Ting
06:32 - Question: Why did I choose my profession?
08:45 - Bonus Question: Why do you believe it's so important to be realistic when it comes to dealing with things in China particularly?
Key Takeaways:
“Well get a very solid business plan and strategy in place, and this should be founded on scenario planning, both in positive and negative circumstances, and avoid being trendy.” - Tibor Baranski
“Oftentimes the failures come from unrealistic expectations.” - Tibor Baranski
“Non-Chinese people, especially in the business area when coming into China tend to be rather detached, sometimes very detached from reality. So, expectations become such that the Chinese people simply cannot deliver on that for a variety of reasons, and it's something that we should be cognizant of when doing business.” - Tibor Baranski
People / Resources Mentioned:
- China Into the Future: Making Sense of the World’s Most Dynamic Economy by W. John Hoffmann and Michael J. Enright
- Professor K.H. Ting
Ways to Connect with Tibor Baranski:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiborjr
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Is your brand well protected? Are you sure other people won’t be stealing your ideas and claim them as their own?
Understanding the importance of protecting your intellectual property and claiming your brand, name, and ideas as your own can lead to more business opportunities and sales. Your trademark is not just an expense, it can also be the future of your business. Protect the authenticity of your business.
Edward Lehman is Chairman of LehmanBush, a China investment bank, PE, corporate finance, and strategic advisory services firm. He has also been the Current and Legal Affairs Commentator for China State Media for the past two decades. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Lehman, Lee & Xu, a mainland Chinese Law firm, licensed patent and trademark agency.
In this episode, Edward shares his insights on the importance of protecting your intellectual property and claiming ownership of your brand, name, and ideas. He also shares the value of proactively thinking about the protection of your intellectual property in order to prevent future problems and costs.
**What you will learn from this episode:**
-
Discover how to increase sales, business opportunities and avoid losses through proactively thinking and protecting your intellectual property
- Learn why it is important to protect your brand, name, and ideas through property ownership
- Know more about how understanding intellectual property can help you protect and claim your brand in different countries as well
“The idea of a trademark needs to be thought about and protected in a proactive way rather than a reactive one.”
- Edward Lehman
Topics Covered:
02:20 - Edward defines his ideal client
02:44 - Problems that Edward helps solve for his clients: No framework to protect their idea, brand, and name
03:31 - Understanding the idea of a trademark and intellectual property, why protecting your IP proactively is important and can help increase business opportunities
04:30 - Business leaders see the protection of intellectual property as an expense, how filing a trademark is necessary for protecting your business’ ideas
05:37 - Edward’s valuable free action: “Okay, now, I heard this from one of your other guests. And so, I would say have a lawyer on speed dial and so you're going to be able to have an opportunity to do that.”
07:12 - Edward’s Valuable Free Resource: http://www.iprhelpdesk.eu/
08:00 - Podcast Alert: https://ecorner.stanford.edu/series/etl/
Program Alert: https://www.selfauthoring.com/
Concept Alert: Wim Hof
09:12 - Questions asked to Edward: Is it worth protecting your Chinese name, a business name, or product? Is that of name or value?
Key Takeaways:
“Be certain, either yourself or use a professional, to get a non-disclosure, non-use, and non-circumvention agreement with regards to your employees because that is all a kind of intellectual property that is produced. There's work for hire, which would be employees when they are doing different things, their intellectual property rights may vest with them unless you have a work prior agreement.” - Edward Lehman
“When someone comes from a foreign nation, we have to call ourselves something.” - Edward Lehman
**People / Resources Mentioned:**
- Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Podcast
- Jordan B. Peterson Self Authoring Program
-
Wim Hof
Ways to Connect with Edward Lehman:
- Website: http://www.lehmanlaw.com/
- Website: http://www.lehmanbush.com/
- Website: http://www.lehmanjones.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-lehman-mongolian-lawyer-7063164a
- Email: elehman@lehmanlaw.com
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
-
Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Have you imagined a relaxed and happy retirement life? Have you thought about living better and spending less? Or have you ever thought of retiring early?
With the expensive cost of living in the US and with the reality that COVID 19 poses, workers over 50 are the first ones to be sacked out from work. And that would be an unimaginable thing to happen when you’re left with no work with dwindling finances.
It’s time you think about it and consider making a different choice, and that is living abroad.
Edd & Cynthia Staton are America’s best-known experts on retiring abroad and expat living. They are authors of 3 Amazon best-selling books & creators of an online course called RetirementReimagined!
In this episode, Ed and Cynthia shared about spending their retirement life abroad where they’ve managed a good standard of living by only spending less. They have never been happier in their lives after the 2008 crisis almost completely wiped out their finances.
What you will learn from this episode:
* Find out how to retire sooner than later
- Find out how to live better in your retirement years by spending less
-
Learn how to preserve your nest egg rather than deplete them
“Moving abroad can be a trifecta of reducing your cost of living, upscaling your lifestyle, and growing your nest egg. I mean, where else would that be possible?” - Ed Staton
Topics Covered:
01:52 - Who is Edd and Cynthia’s ideal client
02:29 - How living abroad makes living better for less
03:15 - When you don’t have money, that elicits a great amount of fear and anxiety and that would make for a symptom of retirement problems
04:48 - Doing nothing and hoping things get better is one mistake people commit before asking for help
06:12 - What is it that a lot of people don’t know about working until 70?
07:07 - One valuable free action that can help solve one’s problem: It's best to first do an honest self-evaluation of what you want that life to look like.
08:11 - Valuable free resource to provide you with a wealth of information about living abroad: https://www.eddandcynthia.com/program
08:33 - One experience that has been impactful for Cynthia and Edd about living abroad
Key Takeaways:
“We show baby boomers, how to retire sooner rather than later with the money they have, how to live better for less, and how to even preserve their nest egg rather than depleting it by moving abroad.” - Cynthia Staton
“When you realize you don't have enough money, there's always going to be a great deal of fear, anxiety, frustration, I guess even confusion. I mean, it's unnerving to work hard your whole life, and then discover that you may end up living in poverty when you thought this was going to be your golden years.” - EddStaton
“The biggest mistake is actually doing nothing and hoping that somehow things are going to get better. The truth is, if you're over 50 and don't already have a sizable nest egg, you just really don't have enough time to accumulate enough savings for retirement.” - Cynthia Staton
“If moving abroad is a possible solution to your retirement problem, what we advise is don't do what you think you should do, which is immediately jump on the internet and start looking at countries. This is a chance to actually literally make a fresh start in life. So, it's best to first do an honest self-evaluation of what you want that life to look like.” - EddStaton
“When we were at those conferences, we were really struck by how many people were interested in doing this thing called living abroad, and how thirsty they were for knowledge about how to make that happen.” - EddStaton
Ways to connect with Edd and Cynthia Staton:
* **Website:** https://www.eddandcynthia.com/program
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edd-staton
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
* **Website:**http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast:https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you struggling to communicate and to be understood in your cross-culture workplace? Did you know cross-culture barriers or challenges restrict your communication with your co-workers, specifically with Chinese Nationals? Do you want to solve that problem?
It is necessary for us to understand and learn how to communicate with other people in different cultures. Businesses are opening their doors to diversity, welcoming different people with different cultural backgrounds. China, as one of the biggest countries in the world, is also part of this change. Without understanding the importance of communication and solving the communication barriers across different cultures, it can affect not only you and your co-workers but also the business itself.
Betty Liu isan applied linguist, and anthropologist and a cross-cultural consultant. And Betty helps people to achieve better communication and collaboration given the challenges brought about by language culture, and communication differences.
In this episode, Betty shares with us how communication can be a barrier and a challenge in cross-culture activities happening in the workplace. She explains the importance of understanding not only communication but also culture when interacting with your co-workers in your workplace.
**What you will learn from this episode:**
-
Learn how communication challenges can happen in cross-culture activities and workplace, especially with Chinese Nationals
- Discover how cultural differences can affect communication between people
-
Find out ways on how to solve these communication challenges especially between English speakers and Chinese Nationals
“I think that we’re always going to find a way to connect with each other as long as we have goodwill, determination, and patience.”
- Betty Liu
Topics Covered:
01:37 - Betty defines her ideal client
02:06 - Problem Betty helps solve for her clients: Challenges in communication, encounters, and language in cross-culture activities
03:44 - If in cross-culture activities that the one side feels the other side is impossible to understand, why understanding and solving communication barriers between cultures is necessary, especially in your workplace
04:25 - What usually are the common mistakes people make while trying to solve the communication challenges in cross-culture activities?
06:06 - Betty’s valuable free action: “Well, first of all, I was saying people can go to my LinkedIn because I have put some podcasts on these topics. Second of all, I will introduce people to try to use a language dictionary more often. Not only say English to Chinese but also English to English and Chinese to Chinese.”
07:24 - Movie alert: Arrival (2016) directed by Denis Villeneuve
08:12 - Question that Howard should have asked Betty: What is a great time people should reach out to me and ask for my assistance or consultant?
Key Takeaways:
“Try to use a language dictionary more often. Not only say English to Chinese but also English to English and Chinese to Chinese. Then, you'll realize the very rich and complex knowledge behind the language and you will become more understandable and also patient when you communicate some way to the second language speakers.” - Betty Liu
“So, people do have to identify what is exactly is the culture factor we're talking about. Are we talking about perception, and are we talking about value? And also, what is exactly the activity and context we're talking about. So, we're able to solve that and if without clarification, that is a lot of ambiguity and people cannot do anything to solve their problem effectively.”- Betty Liu
People/Resources Mentioned:
* Arrival (2016) directed by Denis Villeneuve
Ways to connect to Betty Liu:
* **LinkedIn****:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettyliu/
Ways to connect with Howard Whiteson:
* **Website:** http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you know that you’ve got it all planned out in your workplace? How sure are you that your premeditated action is going to work in any kind of environment? Do you really want to gamble your time and efforts with that kind of action plan?
No matter what kind of environment we are in, it is a must for us to understand where we are in and to be flexible. We have to know how to adjust to possible immediate circumstances that may arise anytime, especially in our own workplace. Are you ready for the VUCA world?
Nick Obolensky has many years’ experience of leadership in the VUCA context as a practitioner (youngest Major in the British Army, and FTSE 100 director in charge of a truly massive turnaround). In addition, Nick is an academic, author, and consultant.
In this episode, Nick shares how understanding the VUCA environment can help you get better results faster, with less effort, less cost, and less stress in highly uncertain and dynamic environments Hear his insights on the importance of flexibility and adaptivity in the VUCA environment.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how to get better results with less effort, less time, less stress and less cost by understanding the VUCA environment
- Recognize the mistakes you make in a VUCA environment and how to fix them
- Learn how to respond and adapt to the VUCA environment
“As soon as things work, you push. When they fail, you pivot.”
- Nick Obolensky
Topics Covered:
01:41 - Nick defines his ideal client
02:09 - Problems that Nick helps solve for his clients: Understanding the VUCA environment to get better results faster, less effort, less cost, and less stress
02:45 - Understanding the VUCA environment as to not get overwhelmed in the complexity, why your premeditated action won’t work in a complex, dynamic environment
03:32 - You need to make decisions fast when working in a complex environment, how making fast decisions is a necessity in a complex environment
04:18 - Nick’s valuable free action: “I think the first thing is, is to stop and think, you know, get off the hamster wheel. Stop and think. Step back and look at what you're dealing with. Is what you're dealing with simple? Are things complicated? And by the time you know, when you've done the analysis, things have changed. Stop and think, what are you dealing with? Once you've identified what you're dealing with, then you apply the strategy that gets results”
05:08 - Nick’s Valuable Free Resource: https://www.linkedin.com/company/complex-adaptive-leadership-ltd?trk=public_profile_topcard_current_company
05:51 - Book Alert: Chaos: Making a New Science by James Gleick
07:01 - Questions asked to Nick: What's the value? What's the payback? Where's the beef? You know, it's a nice idea, nice concepts. But you know, in reality, and this is about wealth management, where's the wealth creation? Where's the value creation? And can you prove that?
Key Takeaways:
“I think the first thing is, is to stop and think, you know, get off the hamster wheel. Stop and think. Step back and look at what you're dealing with.” -Nick Obolensky
“Not just about money, it's also about less stress, better work-life balance, better family life, better results for less effort. So that is the result. That is the return on these ideas when they're implemented in a VUCA environment- volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous.” -Nick Obolensky
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Chaos: Making a New Science by James Gleick
Ways to Connect with Nick Obolensky:
- Website: https://www.complexadaptiveleadership.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickobolensky/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you practicing employee engagement in your business? Is the system that you are currently using in your business working on your employees or does it need a significant change? Are you ready to adapt to the new mobile world?
Matt Spriegel is originally from the US but moved to China 10 years ago. Matt's very passionate about continuous education, and then outside of work, he enjoys tennis, triathlons, and travel. He is the co-founder of ATIOM, an application that aims to make employee engagement and training fun and accessible through the use of technology.
In this episode, Matt shares the significance of having good employee engagement in your business and how it can have an effect on your employee’s productivity and creativity in the workspace. He adds how adapting to the current technological state we are in can help improve the current system of your business for employee engagement.
What you will learn from this episode:
-
Learn the importance of employee engagement before it’s too late
-
Recognize how adapting can result in the growth of your business and an increase in productivity from your employees
- Find out more on how to train and keep your employees engaged through Matt’s app called ATIOM - mobile-first, multi-lingual, plug and play technology to elevate learning and engagement across your organization
“Build a community and process of learning within the organization. Learning brings people together, increases creativity through the collective, and it gives people a sense of progress, confidence, and growth internally. But it also gives them the sense like they're contributing to themselves and the company.”
- Matt Spriegel
Topics Covered:
1:16 - Matt defines his ideal client
2:11 - Problems that Matt solves for his clients: Employee engagement and everyday learning gamification
2:35 - Lack of employee engagement can really damage their organization from the inside out, why employee engagement is important before realizing it too late
3:48 - We see a lot of desktop learning management systems that try to adapt clunky frameworks to a mobile device. And over and over, we see it does not work, how adaptation is a key for success in that area
5:02 - Matt’s valuable free action: “I'd say build a community and process of learning within the organization. Learning brings people together, increases creativity through the collective, and it gives people a sense of progress, confidence, and growth internally, but you know, also gives them the sense like they're contributing to themselves and the company.”
5:33 - Matt’s Valuable Free Resource: Go to www.atiom.cn (for those in China) or www.atiom.app (for those outside China)
6:29 - Book alert: Atomic Habits by James Clear
7:30 - Question: How did you get your company to where it is there? How did you start the company?
Key Takeaways:
“Many companies are actually lagging behind on the internal digital transformation. So while marketing is often an excellent activity, you know, we are missing the chance to build real advocacy from the inside. Providing employees a space to learn at their own pace is extremely critical to building this advocacy and to maintain their top talent.” - Matt Spriegel
“A lot of companies don't realize that a lack of employee engagement can really damage their organization from the inside out. Often, companies don't know the true cost of having disengaged employees until it's actually too late.” - Matt Spriegel
“I'd say build a community and process of learning within the organization. Learning brings people together, increases creativity through the collective, and it gives people a sense of progress, confidence, and growth internally, but you know, also gives them the sense like they're contributing to themselves and the company.” - Matt Spriegel
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
Ways to Connect with Matt Spriegel:
- Website: www.atiom.app
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-spriegel-b908157/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Many people, even some of those in the management team are finding it difficult to understand Finance. As such, generating more profit from their business is one challenge they face.
It is necessary that you cut through the complexities of understanding financial principles to drive business growth.
Andrew Stotz, Ph.D. is an author, financial analyst, and teacher.
He is the CEO of A. Stotz Investment Research. He was at one time voted no. 1 financial analyst in Thailand. He now provides research and research tools for institutions and high-net-worth investors, as well as helping other CEOs make their companies financially world-class.
He created the ValuationMasterClass.com, the world’s #1 online practical valuation course. And he hosts My Worst Investment Ever podcast, the #1 risk-management podcast that helps future generations reduce their investment risks by learning through the stories of others. Andrew lives in Bangkok with his 82-year-old mother, who will attest that he remains an analyst at heart.
In this episode, Andrew talks about how finance is perceived as confusing and overwhelming to many people. Andrew shares how he helps people break through that complexity, simplify it down to its core element.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how to make your management team understand fiance to improve your business profitability
- Discover helpful resources to help simplify the understanding of Finance
- Learn about which one is more important in a business - a high-profit margin or high-profit growth
“I think that it has to be about how do we really simplify these things so that people can start talking in the same language. And what I really work on is empowering people.”
- Andrew Stotz
Topics Covered: 02:20 - Andrew defines his ideal client
02:41 - How do Andrew make Finance not as confusing, overwhelming, and difficult as many people find it to be
03:23 - What symptoms do this financial problem bring to management
04:14 - What one thing management does wrong before they consult him about their problem
05:43 - Andrew shares valuable free action about stocks that gives you equity exposure without the risk of picking any one individual stock, country, region, or sector
06:41: Valuable free resource: Go to www.academy.astotz.com and get your FREE course called '40 Investment Words You Need To Know'
07:29 - The book that has been impactful in his life: Your Money and Your Brain: How the New Science of Neuroeconomics Can Help Make You Rich by Jason Zweig
08:59 - What's the number one thing that a business should be focused on to increase the value of their business?
Key Takeaways:
“Finance is confusing, overwhelming, many people just find it difficult. What I do is help people breakthrough that complexity, simplify it down to its core elements.” - Andrew Stotz
“Whether it's the HR manager, the Sales Manager, the Marketing manager, many of them find Finance difficult. It ends up being the CEO and the CFO that understand it, and sometimes not even the CEO that well. What I do and I have a program called the Value Accelerator Program where I train the whole management team in a simple way, Finance made ridiculously simple.” - Andrew Stotz
“I think my biggest experience in terms of people’s mistakes is that they allow the world to overcomplicate it. If they're in the business, they allow the CFO to speak in another language, basically. If it's in the investment world where people are investing, I try to help them cut through all the complexity that financial institutions actually create.” - Andrew Stotz
“This book,'Your Money and Your Brain' looks at functional MRIs and all of the latest studies at the time. That shows us that really when a stock goes up three times in a row, it's like taking a hit of cocaine. And when a stock goes down significantly, it's like being chased by a man with a gun coming after you.” - Andrew Stotz
“Should I have a high-profit margin? Or should I have high-profit growth? And the answer is profit growth.” - Andrew Stotz
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Get your FREE course called '40 Investment Words You Need to Know', click here: www.academy.astotz.com
- For your Value Accelerator Program go to Finance Made Ridiculously Simple
- For your VT stocks click here: Investor.Vanguard.com
- ValuationMasterclass.com
- Your Money and Your Brain: How the New Science of Neuroeconomics Can Help Make You Rich by Jason Zweig
Ways to Connect with Ben Ivey:
- Website: https://www.astotz.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewstotz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewstotzpage
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andstotz
- Twitter:https://twitter.com/Andrew_Stotz
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/andrewstotzpage
- Podcast: https://myworstinvestmentever.com
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson * Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net * Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
As a business owner, where do you want to focus on?--the income-generating task or the menial repetitive task of the business?
Are you aware of how much time you are really losing with menial tasks?
If the latter seems to be the reality, then, it’s about time to deal with it once and for all for you to live the entrepreneur lifestyle that you’ve always wanted.
Ben Ivey is an entrepreneur lifestyle expert, an international speaker, and a mentor. He is CEO of the Entrepreneur Lifestyle. His expertise on this matter helps one to accelerate his business while living a life one truly deserves.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover how to transform your business, create time freedom and live a lifestyle you enjoy
- Pinpoint symptoms to your problems to find solutions that will help you enjoy your journey instead of having your business as a burden to carry
- Become aware of the concept of income-generating tasks so you avoid doing the menial tasks
“If you can trade expectations for appreciation for what you have that create systems to sustainably keep you on track, it can help you move forward in a much more sustainable way.”
- Ben Ivey
Topics Covered: 04:32 - What for Ben is a definition of an ideal client
05:19 - What is the problem Ben solves with his clients as a result of them being pulled in multiple directions
06:15 - What symptoms does overwhelm in a client's business bring
07:17 - What are the mistakes entrepreneur commit in trying to solve the problem before they consult Ben
08:35 - One valuable free action they can implement to help them solve their problem: Trade expectations for appreciation.
09:35 - One valuable free resource to help you in solving the problem: Five Hacks to Overcome Overwhelm.
10:29 - Why the concept of income-generating tasks has been impactful in Ben’s experience
11:30 - What's the best way to go when you are overwhelmed and stressed in your business?
Key Takeaways:
“It's easy to be pulled in multiple directions, especially nowadays where the entrepreneur of 2020 has got so many options that they become overwhelmed.” - Ben Ivey
“We're in a time of information overload and we are starving of wisdom. So I help these people better manage their time, their emotional state and ultimately start to live a better lifestyle so then they can have a more successful business but enjoy the journey.” - Ben Ivey
“I see people that become so focused on their business that they forget that the business growth will never outgrow the personal growth. And they're scared to take an educated risk in their business and for themselves to move forward.” - Ben Ivey
“Understanding what tasks you do in your business affect income because there's a lot of people that waste time doing tasks in their business, which are quite menial.” - Ben Ivey
People / Resources Mentioned: * Five Hacks to Overcome Overwhelm * Muhammad Ali * Chuck Bodak
Ways to Connect with Ben Ivey:
- Website: https://www.ben-ivey.com/Entrepreneur-lifestyle-accelerator/
- Linkedin: hhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/benivey92/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson * Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net * Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Why does what we portray sometimes not translate to true results? How do you align your perception with actual results?
The building, designing, and facilitating of high impact boards can help address this challenge.
Alan Hepburn is Managing Partner for Asia at Advisory Board Architects. He and his family have been based in Shanghai for the past 18 years. Advisory Board Architects develop and operates strategic high impact fiduciary and advisory boards for private and public companies.
In this episode, Alan shares about the impact a company’s board have on steering the company towards achieving business goals.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn about a fiduciary board’s role in impacting business
- Find out one reason for failure to drive business to achieve its goals
- Learn about one big mistake traditional companies are committing that needs to be addressed
“Square pegs in round holes. You can have a great process, but if you don't have the right people you're not going to get optimum results.”
- Alan Hepburn
Topics Covered: 01:17 - What for him is an ideal client?
01:30 - They help companies achieve business goals. How do they exactly do it?
02:10 - What one reason where there is little done to drive business?
02:10 - A case of Management educating the Board. Or should it be the other way around?
04:01 - One valuable free action to help solve your problem: “There are better and worse ways to evaluate but just by the process of evaluating board members, you'll have a better board.”
04:04 - What is Psychometric testing - how does it help solve the problem?
06:20 - How impactful is the concept of bias in decision-making?
07:12 - Do virtual boards work?
Key Takeaways: “The symptoms really are low impact meetings, where very little is done to actually help drive the business.” - Alan Hepburn
“Have your directors there educating management, communicating how they can help management with advice, with suggestions, leverage their experience, and really have management listen, and boards talking rather than the other way around. - Alan Hepburn
“There are better and worse ways to evaluate but just by the process of evaluating board members, you'll have a better board.” - Alan Hepburn
“There are lots of techniques you can learn, but just the fact you're aware that you have bias can be a tremendous advantage when you actually come to make a good decision.” - Alan Hepburn
“Virtual advisory boards, virtual fiduciary boards can work, they can drive a lot of impact. And of course, they're perhaps a little more time-efficient and cost-efficient.” - Alan Hepburn
Ways to Connect with Alan Hepburn: * Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-hepburn-8a552a3/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson * Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net * Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Something that is very common in Chinese culture, people trust brands and especially big brands, but these do not fit their taste and the purpose for which they buy wine.
It is best to get information from trusted sources if quality and taste are your non-negotiables.
Cécile Israël a.k.a. The Wine Lady is the Founder of Easy Bacchus, a wine and tech company aiming to make wine easy & fun for everyone.
In this episode, Cecile shares how access to wine in China is complicated as there is not enough information to tell you about what specific wine is particularly for and what to have for a particular occasion. And the proliferation of fake wines online doesn’t help either. Aside from faking it, the quality and taste of the wine sold in the Chinese markets have been compromised due to wrong handling of these goods. This is why Cécile helps educate people on such matters.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Discover legitimate social media sites that have wine as their subject so as to give you guidelines for choosing quality wines - and which wine to use for specific occasion and purpose
- Be educated in terms of handling, tasting, and pairing which food goes with which wine
- Learn why you should not rely on recommendations from just anyone on which wine to have
“We think like, wine, it's super traditional, and tech is tech. But we can mix them together because I have consumers in China who live with their smartphones.”
- Cecile Israel
Topics Covered:
03:23 - She describes her ideal client
04:08 - What problem with wine does she help solve in China
04:50 - What symptoms does this ultra-complex problem over wine in China bring about
06:05 - Why not just rely on recommendations when buying wine in China
07:47 - The best avenue to help you find quality wine in China
09:32 - The talk that has impacted her everyday life and which has influenced her way of understanding the Chinese mindset
10:45 - An interesting question: How to mix wine and technology?
Key Takeaways:
“The problem I solve is how can we sell wine? How can we buy wine? How can we taste wine? Everything is very pragmatic, having some useful tools, and enabling customers to understand why? Because for 90% of customers in China, wine is ultra-complicated.” - Cécile Israel
“Something very common in Chinese culture, people do trust brands and big brands, but it will not fit their taste and the purpose for which they buy wine.” - Cecile Israel
“And also a huge problem is that they will maybe sometimes be influenced to buy some brand names. But there is a lot of fake wine in China like counterfeit wine which can also be a health concern.” - Cecile Israel
“People can find information from small influencers that will be really dedicated to their communities in trying to help them, trying to engage with them, trying to bring value to them, and learn some really pragmatic, easy, and free tools to select and enjoy wine.” - Cecile Israel
People / Resources Mentioned:
Simon Sinek
Ways to Connect with Cecile Israel:
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecile-israel/
- Instagram @theshenzhenwinelady
- WeChat account: Easy Bacchus 便利酒神
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
With everyone staying at home, learning and working from home are becoming the trend these days. No wonder sometimes the internet crashes. And some more other problems arise. That is why tips from an IT expert would come in handy.
Jon Robertson is a seasoned professional with more than 17 years of working experience within the Marketing & Sales field. With numerous roles where he was exposed to multicultural and diverse global working environments mostly within the last 7 years of working internationally.
In addition, Jon has led multiple teams throughout the years with consistent success both on the quantitative - revenues as well as qualitative - succession planning, teamwork, and professional humor throughout.
In this episode, Jon shares how localizing IT standards solve most problems in this space. Freebies are a welcome lot, and when it comes to handling minor issues with WiFi and internet connections, he shares free resources here, not to mention practical and easy guides to keep your computer and internet issues working well. He also shares what he covers with his expertise and service to help customers save money in the long run and not just do patchworks that would only serve short-term.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn about strategies to get free resources to keep your devices up and running and test your internet speed and capability
- Find out why you should investigate why the system is running badly and not do just quick fixes
- Discover about one app that combines the functions of Facebook, Messenger, Facetime, and restaurant bookings all in one
“Download a free internet speed checker on every device you've got just to make sure it is the internet that is a problem and not just one of your devices.”
- Jon Robertson
Topics Covered:
03:30 - Jon describes his ideal client
04:35 - How does he help solve the problem: Localizing international IT standards from basics of internet connections, WiFi dropping to full office reboot
05:29 - With symptoms showing everywhere - internet system just crashes
06:22 - What makes for a client's mistake before consulting about the problem
07:12 - One valuable actionable tip to help solve your business’s problem: It's not free but only cost your WeChat message to send me a message, and I will come and help you.
07:52 - Valuable free resource: Download free internet speed checker on every device you have to make sure it's the internet that's a problem and not your device
08:41 - His personal concept: Treat your customers with respect and loyalty
09:43 - Does he enjoy the IT world
Key Takeaways:
“We basically localize international IT standards to solve most problems.” - Jon Robertson
“The biggest problem with the schools is all the teachers are online at the same time, the system just crashes. It's never been tested properly.” - Jon Robertson
“The biggest mistake is they want a quick fix or a patch job, rather than actually investigating why the system is running so badly.” - Jon Robertson
“The most valuable free resource is always getting and downloading a free internet speed checker, personally on every device you've got.” - Jon Robertson
“I've got my IT career for 17 years with marketing and sales. And I've always put it trying to be like husband and wife, if they do not work together as a team, the team will not work together.” - Jon Robertson
Ways to Connect with Jon Robertson:
- Work:https://www.linkedin.com/company/4u-systems/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanghaisales/
- Mobile: 0086 156 1840 5795
- WeChat ID: JohnRobertson_1
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Do you agree that the secret of getting ahead is getting started?
According to Janine, you are responsible for your happiness, for your life path.
Janine Jakob is a Soft Skills Trainer and Happiness & Career Coach from Germany. She founded the consulting company Full Potential Partners and the online community Monday Morning Motivation.
In this episode, Janine shares her mission to bridge intercultural relationships by providing daily and weekly motivation to entrepreneurs and business professionals, resulting in productive habits that make the best out of their time.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn how the butterfly effect or taking action teaches us the small things that matter
- Discover the correlation between success and happiness and how happiness directly impacts your success
- Know how to be responsible for managing your career to achieve your full potential
“Take action. Start taking action, one step after another.”
-Janine Jakob
Topics Covered: 01:53 - Janine defines her ideal clients who are B2B multinational companies who have their locations not only in China but all around the world
02:39 - Problems that Janine solves for her clients: They all want to be successful and happy.
03:34 - They feel burnout, have anxiety, and depression: it's about them as a person, or in a broader sense in their organization.
04:44 - Oftentimes they forget about themselves and often think about other people – that’s the common mistake some business leaders make.
05:56 - Janine’s valuable free action: "Take action."
06:46 - Janine’s Valuable Free Resource: Online universities, i.e. University of Berkeley, Harvard, Yale, they have amazing, affordable, and free courses, especially during the Coronavirus period. Check out an MDX on Coursera.
07:28 - What concept or book, program, or talk has been the most impactful in Janine’s experience? I have various role models.
08:52 - Question: What are your last words something you want to share with our audience? A: Believe in yourself. Because if you don't believe in yourself, no one will.
Key Takeaways:
“You are responsible for your happiness, for your life path. You only live once.”- Janine Jakob
“Choose your career and the company according to what you want. Lead your team accordingly to the right values.” - Janine Jakob
Ways to Connect with Janine Jakob: * Website 1: https://www.mondaymorningmotivation.net * Website 2: https://meet-janine-jakob.jimdosite.com * Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-jakob77
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson * Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net * Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Sport plays an important role in educating students as it teaches them to become strong mentally and also develop a fit and healthy body.
Alan Wright is a former ATP player from the UK and one of a handful of high-level experienced coaches in Asia. His style of coaching is very hands-on with a focus on technical and tactical fundamentals. As he grew as a coach he developed “the 8 keys aspects of tennis development” which the academy now follows today.
Alan shares his passion to build a recognized and trusted brand sportED where players, parents, and schools can go for the very highest quality of sports education especially during this time when many people are at home.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn about Alan’s ‘Let’s Play’ coaching program that ensures well-rounded student-athletes.
- Find out why it is important to engage your kids to combine sport and education
- Learn why sports education is an important investment for any parents for their kids
“‘Let's Play’ which is our coaching method has a concept of you know, playing, and competing.”
- Alan Wright
Topics Covered:
02:09 - Alan defines his ideal clients who are expat families with children
03:08 - Problems that André solves for his clients: educational tennis programs with an international standard
04:19 - They can't find a program: no after-school sports program that has a structure
05:29 - Oftentimes families are just doing private lessons, which are one-on-one that means no interaction and lessons are facilitated not in a group
06:38 - Alan’s valuable free action: "Spend 10 minutes a day or half an hour a week or an hour on the weekend with their parents at home, doing a few extra drills, doing a few extra exercises, it shows to the child that that parent is supportive, involved, and it motivates them to do more."
07:37 - Alan’s Valuable free resource: Go to sportedlive.com
08:24 - All about Alan’s Let's Play coaching method
08:46 - Question: What is the return on investment of parents enrolling their kids to Tennis? A: Tennis is a lifelong sport that gives you lifelong skills. And it'll help them [kids] get in eventually with college applications.
Key Takeaways:
“If they [kids] can spend 10 minutes a day or half an hour a week or an hour on the weekend with their parents at home, doing a few extra drills, doing a few extra exercises, it shows to the child that that parent is supportive, involved, and it motivates them to do more.”- Alan Wright
“Let's Play which is our coaching method has a concept of you know, playing and competing.”- Alan Wright
“Tennis is a lifelong sport that gives you lifelong skills. And it'll help them [kids] get in eventually with college applications.”- Alan Wright
Ways to Connect with Alan Wright:
-
Website: http://sportedlive.com
-
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-wright-82974b27
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Talent is about people and most challenges are settled once the right person is assigned in the right job role.
Organizations need a balance between performance measurement systems and an energized management team that believes in empowering human potential including those who are weak and without a voice.
Brian JC Sun has over 20 years of experience in the corporate world and as an entrepreneurial experience, mostly based in Shanghai. He's got a distinguished career in talent acquisition and management.
In this episode, Brian talks about why talent is important in leading an organization and the challenges a multinational company faces related to a cross-cultural environment.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Determine the relationship between the quality of talent to business performance
- Find out why talent should not be fought for but co-exist holistically with the pulse of the organization
- Learn about the cultural problems encountered by multinational companies and how to resolve them through deeper knowledge and communication
“Common mistakes that people make in terms of if they are coming from international markets would be their habits and their existing knowledge.”
- Brian JC Sun
Topics Covered:
01:40 - Brian defines his ideal client: “My ideal client is a client that understands my value in providing alternative advice, giving them that third party perspective that they are not able to capture, especially in the area of assessing candidates, especially personalities, and also leadership skill sets.”
02:31 - Problems that Brian solves for his clients: Chemistry problem- the chemistry of aligning two different personalities and skillsets together
03:00 - Cultural awareness, understanding different regulatory practices, the common symptoms his clients faced
04:18 - The common mistakes that people make in terms of if they are coming from international markets: their habits and their existing knowledge
05:32 - What must someone who is going to a new market or coming into a new country do and consider? Be a wide reader. Have wider conversations with people who have been there and done that. And discerning how you interpret and receive information.
06:30 - Brian’s valuable free resource: Classical traditional reliability of entrenched media such as a good economist magazine, Financial Times, and also Glassdoor reviews and Linkedin comments
07:46 -What concept or book or program or tool has been most impactful in Brian’s own experience?: The Book of Tea by Kakuzō Okakura
08:55 - What are the core values that I practice regularly whether it is with a client or with a friend? Think about the values that are just beyond just an assignment or a business, or what are the values that are relevant to my existence.
Key Takeaways:
“The chemistry of aligning two different personalities and skillsets together because to differentiate the difference between organization and a candidate that is really about the line manager, the boss and what he or she demands or expects from the incoming incumbent.” - Brian JC Sun
“From a problem of analyzing a new market or coming into a new country. I think one, wider reading. Two, wider conversations with people who have been there and done that, and discern how you interpret and received information.”- Brian JC Sun
Ways to Connect with Brian Sun:
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunbrian
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
How do you adapt to the new normal? What can you ask yourself to ensure that you are ready for the challenges of the ‘new normal’ that you are facing?
We need to understand that looking back to old solutions for new problems we face today doesn’t work. We have to find new ways to constantly be up for new challenges for an individual’s or company’s growth on a larger scale.
André Gisiger has a professional background that spans several industries, including education, financial services, hi-tech, and consumer goods. In the last 25 years, André has worked in economic analysis and management consulting as well as sales and product development. In different roles, André has worked with business leaders in the US, Europe, and Asia. Having worked for MNCs and startups, André is familiar with the strategy and operations of global organizations as well as business and product development in startups. Passionate about helping people and organizations grow, André is currently managing the client-facing business of ILE and GloCoach.
In this episode, Andre shares about where to focus in order to bring real transformation to an organization and the need to employ proactive measures for a company’s survival. Hear his insights also on how to respond, adapt, and pivot to survive in this economic ‘new normal’.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn about insightful ideas on how to respond and adapt to the new normal
- Find out what Glo Coaching is all about and how it solves problems in the challenging times we are in
- Learn about the key points to focus on to attain lasting transformation in an organization
“If you want to transform an organization you can't just work with the executives, it's important to include the key talents on the mid-level and as well as the high potentials on the lower levels of the organization.”
- André Gisiger
Topics Covered:
01:49 - André defines his ideal client
02:09 - Problems that André solves for his clients: Organizational transformation, leadership development, and behavioral change
03:00 - Transforming the whole business, not just parts, why transformation is holistic and not just on the executive level
03:31 - Companies either thrive or die, how being proactive is a necessity for one’s survival
05:18 - What usually happens if people look to old solutions for new problems?
06:28 - André’s valuable free action: "It's about analyzing what the challenges are that you are facing and involving all levels of stakeholders so that you can make the team members own that responsibility for themselves and the organization."
07:45 - André’s Valuable free resource: Go to GloCoach.com to download white papers and articles, and free webinars
08:12 - Books alert: Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt
08:46 - Question that helps you be reflective at this time: What can you ask yourself to ensure that you are ready for the challenges of the new normal that you are facing?
Key Takeaways:
“So many coaching solutions out there are focused on executives only and what we felt was that it's important to work with the entire organization. So agility is bottom-up and not top-down. So this is about engaging and empowering frontline managers as well.”- André Gisiger
“Now with the COVID-19, there's been an increase in the importance of virtual solutions, and so this is of course from a practical perspective because of lockdowns, but certainly also from a financial perspective as this saves tremendous costs.”- André Gisiger
“The new normal requires us to look at the challenges through a new lens. People who are successfully mastering the new normal are the ones that are proactive and not reactive.” - André Gisiger
“You need to prioritize the changes that you want to make. And for organizations, it's really important to involve all levels of stakeholders so that we can make the team members own that responsibility for themselves and the organization.” - André Gisiger
People / Resources Mentioned:
-
Eric Schmidt
-
Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell by Eric Schmidt
Ways to Connect with Andre Gisiger:
-
Website: https://www.glocoach.com/
-
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-gisiger-283933/
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- [Website: https://wealthwithoutborderspodcast.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
If you want to be successful in China’s booming market, you have to be flexible in your approach and decisive in your market-entry.
You have to have the knowledge and the network to aid complexities and compliance you need to set in place before transacting in the market.
Kristina Koehler-Coluccia is the Head of Business Advisory at Woodburn Accountants & Advisors. She is a Hong Kong-born European and has over 16 years’ experience in helping foreign investors sell their products and services into the Chinese market stress-free. She had worked with over 500 international companies, across industries and sectors on their market strategy, implementation, and growth in China.
In this episode, Kristina shares the market-entry advisory and steps one need to have in place when transacting within the Chinese market. She also tackled why it is important to understand the bureaucratic and administrative matters you need to deal with. Listen in and learn why Kristina loves China so much despite it ever-changing and constantly evolving.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn about a market-entry advisory on how to transact with China stress-free
- Understand the bureaucratic and administrative matters you need to deal with in transacting with the Chinese market
- Learn how to eliminate complexities in corporate matters around the services industry, trading or manufacturing in China
“People have the assumption that they can do in China what they're doing back home, and they can incorporate what they're doing back home in China. That's probably the biggest mistake that you can actually make.”
- Kristina Koehler-Coluccia
Topics Covered:
02:28 - Kristina’s ideal clients: Somebody who is a leader, an entrepreneur, and investor who is looking into the Chinese market and who admits that he needs help
02:54 - How Kristina helps an entity to transact with the Chinese market
03:43 - Symptoms that people experience when trying to penetrate the Chinese market in terms of Chinese' bureaucratic and administrative matters
04:35 - Educate yourself, do the research. Why incorporating in China what you do back home is a mistake
05:26 - Kristina’s valuable free action people can do to solve the problem: To build your network. As it is the key thing in China.
07:07 - Valuable Free Resource: Go to Chamber of Commerce and access free educational tools that will help you learn how to transact in the China market
09:44 - Question: Why Kristina loves China
Key Takeaways:
“When you're going into China there's so much bureaucracy and administrative things that you do need to know, to protect yourself and your business. And people tend to leave that portion out, which then makes you hit the roadblocks and reach certain obstacles along the journey.” - Kristina Koehler-Coluccia
“There's a lot of free information and free data that are available that you can utilize to properly execute what you want to do in China.” - Kristina Koehler-Coluccia
“Build your network. That's the key thing in China. It's all about in your network, knowing people, meeting people, getting introduced to people.” - Kristina Koehler-Coluccia
“The best thing in China, especially amongst the foreigners that are based there, we love to share our stories. We love to explain how we entered, what was our success? What were our failures? So the more you network the more you will know, free of charge, how to do things right in China.” - Kristina Koehler-Coluccia
Ways to Connect with Kristina Koehler-Coluccia:
- Website: https://www.woodburnglobal.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-koehler-coluccia
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSzVTw0AC_gerxY-1CwObA
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Are you spending your time FIGHTING FIRES (working IN your business) at the expense of keeping up with competitive trends and setting strategic priorities (working ON your business)?
Scott I. Pollack is a Certified Scaling Up business coach -- helping entrepreneurial CEOs successfully scale up their businesses. He is the Founder & Chief Advisor of Rogue Scott Executive Advisory. He has over 25 years of “in the trenches" global executive experience including 20 years in Asia. In this episode, Scott shares how he helps businesses sharpen their focus on the priorities, processes, and structure in order to scale, digging deep into the challenges that every entrepreneurial CEOs face in scaling, and gives his insights about the key role of accountability to business leadership.
What you will learn from this episode:
- Learn about why giving in to ‘shiny object syndrome’ and shifting priorities never leads up to scaling your business
- Find out why nailing accountability is essential to growing your business
- Discover why it is important to scale your leadership skills as you scale your company
“It's important here that it's not just that they want to scale their business because wanting is not enough, but they also realize that success is going to require changes.”
- Scott Pollack
Valuable Free Resource from Scott:
Interested to learn more about what Scott Pollack has to offer? Contact Scott Pollack at https://www.roguescott.com/ to schedule a free consultation.
Topics Covered:
01:29 - Scott’s ideal client - an entrepreneurial CEO who is committed to changes even if he or she doesn't know just yet how to achieve them. Someone who realizes that not changing comes with a significant cost.
02:39 - How focusing and identifying the right questions helps bring to light the areas that need to be solved in scaling up a business
03:25 - A symptom to watch out for when scaling up a business: If every decision, every accountability leads back to the CEO, that doesn't scale up the business.
04:41 - How the 'shiny object syndrome' distracts your focus and disrupts the organization’s alignment
06:04 - One valuable free action that one can implement right away: Think about and write down a personal plan. This is not just about the business. This is about what the CEO wants, from relationships to achievements, from rituals to wealth from the long-term back to the short-term.
07:01 - For a free One Page Personal Plan template (OPPP) go to https://www.roguescott.com/ and contact Scott
07:44 - Book resource: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
08:11 – Q: Wouldn't getting a coach be admitting that you don't know how to do your job?
Key Takeaways:
“Shifting priorities and asking teams to shift priorities lead to distracted focus, alignment keeps breaking down, and there's drama everywhere. And that just doesn't scale.” - Scott Pollack
“[In SCALING] There's no one magic bullet. and the bottleneck is almost always at the top of the bottle. I always start with the CEO. How can the CEO be more focused?” - Scott Pollack
People / Resources Mentioned:
- Marshall Goldsmith - https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com
- Eric Schmidt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Schmidt
- Bill Campbell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Campbell_(business_executive)
- What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith
- Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't by Verne Harnish
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
Ways to Connect with Scott Pollack:
- Website: https://www.roguescott.com/
- Linkedin: https://cn.linkedin.com/in/scottpollack
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson
Welcome to Wealth Without Borders Podcast.
Hi, I'm Howard Whiteson, and I'll be the host on your show. This podcast is aimed at executive expats who want to receive a wealth of advice, whether that be financial, business-related, educational, or even sports-related.
The podcast is going to take a highly compressed format. I'll be asking each of my guests 8 questions in just 8 minutes. There's a couple of reasons for that.
Number one is that executive expats typically are time-pressured, and they're also looking for high value in the most efficient way possible. So I promise that every guest is going to provide you with one valuable free action that you can implement today. And one valuable free resource that you can download or access to your benefit.
The podcast is going to take that form for another reason as well. Wealth Without Borders was founded in China. And although I work globally, I love China. And in China, the number 8 represents amongst other things wealth.
So eight questions in eight minutes is wealth squared, or 8 squared. So my podcast is going to bring you high value in the shortest possible time. I encourage you to have a listen to a few of the episodes. And please feel free to leave feedback on how you liked the show.
Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson
- Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson