Intro:
Thanks for tuning in to listen to this special China Business Tips Podcasts Part 2!
As the summer vacation approaches, I would like to create a few short podcasts to share the valuable tips from the guests of this season about doing business with China. As you know, at the end of each podcast, I ask my guests to share their tips. Last Wednesday, I published Part 1 in Dutch, and next week, you can listen to Part 3.
As some of you may know, after recording 7 podcasts in both Dutch and English, I switched to recording all podcasts only in English. This is because I noticed that more and more people from different countries are downloading these podcasts. I want to make all the content accessible to as many people as possible.
I hope you will gain valuable insights through these Tips Podcasts. I would love to hear from you. Please send your comments or feedback to mei@iibboo.com.
In episode # 3, I talked to my good friend Bei Wang. Bei is the Co-founder of StraightFire Studios and FIVE DEGREES, she is also Lecturer of Creative Business, and Course creator Digital China at University of Applied Sciences Utrecht .
In this episode, Bei shared her personal story about the disability of her son Elias and how this experience changed her and helped her to see the world through a different lens. It was a beautiful story and it really touched me!
Our Chinese upbringing is very much focused on having a lot of ambition and achieving a lot of success. But what’s the definition of success? Bei told us that Elias brought her to reflect on her old beliefs and redefine her mission and what she wants to contribute to this world.
Bei also shared her experience of living in The Netherlands, about how certain skills, values, ways of thinking helped Bei to navigate her life and her career in this fast changing world.
In the end, Bei shared tips about doing business in China and how you use historical and cultural context to create a nuanced view to navigate your business in China. I hope you will enjoy this part of the episode from Bei Wang.
In episode #5, I had a conversation with Yan Liu, from Systems Innovation Amsterdam Hub.
Yan is a social entrepreneur, community builder, and ecosystem builder. Over the past 20 years, Yan has co-founded numerous innovation ecosystems and platforms in China, the Netherlands, Australia, and Southeast Asia. She has brought together people from different sectors, disciplines, and cultures to engage in listening, dialogue, and co-creation.
In this episode, Yan shared her experiences of building the co-working center Xindanwei in China in 2008. Xindanwei was recognized as one of the ten most innovative companies in China by FAST Company in 2013. It was a leading creative hub in Shanghai at the time, inspiring many young individuals to establish their own collaborative communities.
Yan also discussed the valuable learning and insights she gained from coordinating the China Australia Millennial Project. Through this initiative, 200 Australian and Chinese young leaders were brought together to address cultural challenges, foster collaboration, and tackle 20 global challenges.
Yan's tips on building intercultural connections are so beautiful. I hope you enjoy this short video with tips from Yan Liu from Systems Innovation.
In episode #8, I had an interesting conversation with Vincent Djen.
Vincent is a Sustainable Clothing Manufacturer in China and the director of Cheng Kung Garments. Cheng Kung Garments is renowned for supplying high-quality garments and fabrics to leading lifestyle fashion brands in Europe and North America.
In 2019, Vincent co-founded REMAKEHUB, a dynamic social enterprise with a powerful mission to transform waste into innovative lifestyle products for future generations. REMAKEHUB follows the "Cradle to Cradle" design concept and offers circular solutions to combat waste pollution in the fashion industry.
During our discussion, Vincent shared his journey and the challenges he faced while transitioning into and transforming his family's fashion business in China after living and studying in America for ten years. We delved into the development and evolution of the Chinese fashion industry, exploring the crucial role of sustainability in shaping its future. We also explored the main drivers behind sustainability within the Chinese fashion industry.
I gained tremendous insights from Vincent's knowledge and experiences. I hope you will enjoy the tips from Vincent Djen from Cheng Kung Garment.
In episode #9, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Sun from China Talk. Jessica was born and raised in China. In 2013, she moved to the Netherlands.
Jessica is a certified first-degree teacher of the Chinese language and culture. Since 2014, she has been actively teaching Chinese Language and Culture at various secondary schools, vocational schools, and universities. Additionally, she provides training in Chinese Language and Culture for business professionals and companies.
In this episode, Jessica shared how she builds meaningful relationships with her students and how learning the Chinese language and culture provides them with unique perspectives on the world and themselves. We explored the valuable insights students gain through exchange programs in China and living with Chinese families. Furthermore, Jessica also shared her perspectives on the cultural and educational differences between China and the Netherlands, and how people can overcome challenges to learn Chinese language with fun and ease.
I hope the practical tips from Jessica Sun from China Talk will encourage you to make connections with the Chinese people.
In episode #10, I had the pleasure of speaking with Rijk Schipper.
From 2005 to 2008, Rijk lived and worked in Shanghai as the Business Group President for all SCA Packaging and Hygiene businesses in the Asia Pacific region. SCA is a leading hygiene and forest products company in Europe with a global presence. Rijk gave us unique insights into the challenges of leading SCA businesses and joint ventures in China. During our conversation, Rijk shared his experiences navigating cultural differences, both in general and within the business context, and how he approached these differences. He also highlighted the remarkable strengths he observed in the Chinese people during his time there and emphasized the importance of cross-cultural learning.
Additionally, Rijk discussed the second phase of his business journey in China, where he represented many Chinese contemporary artists and sell their artworks through his Gallery in Europe for a decade. He shared anecdotes about the friendships he built with these artists, how he cultivated those relationships, and how his China journey added new dimensions to his life and enriched his experiences.
I have really enjoyed this conversation with Rijk. He is so humble and kind. I hope you will enjoy the tips from Rijk Schipper from Gallery Kunst Broeders, in English Art Brothers!
Outro:
Hopefully, you enjoyed the tips from these 5 interviews. I really loved all of the conversations and I learned a lot from Bei, Yan, Vincent, Jessica, and Rijk. I hope you have gained valuable insights from their tips and that you can apply some of the tips for your business with China and your contacts with Chinese people. If you're curious about the stories these guests shared, I highly recommend listening to the complete interviews.
Next week Wednesday, you can listen to part 3 of the summary of the tips from episodes 11 to 15. Thank you all very much! Until the next episode!