Audio Interviews Archives - Entrepreneurs in Action

Human and AI Hosts Interacting on Podcast Neville McKenzie discusses the rapid development of AI technologies and their integration into his production processes. He notes that new AI tools are constantly emerging, requiring continuous learning. The AI Threat: The concern about the potential for AI to make podcasters redundant, necessitating a “radical readjustment” in the podcasting field. He mentions a peer already using AI platforms to produce podcasts without human guests. Experiment: Neville conducts an experiment using a recently launched AI platform to produce a podcast based on his own career documents. He acknowledges that the AI-generated content may contain errors or “hallucinations” that might seem real to unfamiliar listeners. The Experiment: A deep dive into Neville McKenzie’s Career with the podcast transitioning into a discussion of Neville’s career, analysing his diverse experiences and entrepreneurial journey Neville’s Early Work Career as an electronics test engineer, then into IT and Project Management. His Career path changes with a move to China where he immerses himself into the culture, even learning 600 technical Chinese words. The move to Singapore and AsiaBizStories are discussed and the Use of AI in Podcasting to streamline podcast production, such as refining show notes and generating interview questions. The Educator: As an adjunct lecturer at the University of Newcastle in Singapore, teaching creative industries entrepreneurship. Athletic Background: Neville’s is also revealed to be a professional volleyball player for the England national team, earning 71 international caps. Where he developed as an athlete, such as discipline and resilience, that have contributed to his entrepreneurial success. Key Takeaways: The show notes suggest several key takeaways for the future of podcasting: AI integration is becoming inevitable, requiring podcasters to integrate AI technologies into their production processes. This integration may lead to a “radical readjustment” of the field, potentially impacting the role of human podcasters. Despite AI advancements, human creativity remains essential, particularly in creative industries. Podcasters will need to engage in constant learning to adapt to new AI tools and platforms. Experimentation with AI can reveal valuable insights, but podcasters must be aware of potential errors or “hallucinations” in AI-generated content which are present in this experiment.  

Kelly Shan Guojiao Kelly Shan is an experienced healthcare professional in the areas of nursing and public health. She started as a scrub nurse in the operating theatre before transferring to a pre-operative anesthesia assessment clinic, “after a few years in the Outpatient Clinic you realize that a lot of even higher education background you know even there are lawyers or teachers they don’t have much knowledge about what is the meaning of the blood pressure the two numbers right so they do not understand what is the meaning or about diabetes they don’t really know much even they have higher educations “ This inspired her to take a specialist diploma in nutrition and health promotion and pursue a Master’s in public health and health promotion at Brunel University in the UK. After returning to work in Singapore, Kelly is now looking for a career change to expand her horizons further. She has elicited the help of the Brunel Alumni to help her with this. “I would just send a message in a group I didn’t really expect any reply but yeah Mario is one of our member I think that afternoon he messaged me for a quick call yeah to just know a little bit more what I want to do because he’s the international head of HR department” This conversation is the seventh in the pilot for the Brunel Alumni Association (Singapore). The format is based on Entrepreneurs in Action and we are looking to evolve it into a stand-alone podcast series focused on Brunel Alumni based in Singapore Send your ideas and suggestions to me on LinkedIn, or in person at the next Brunel Alumni Association meetup in Singapore So now without further delay lets begin Kelly Shan Guojiao on LinkedIn Kelly Shan Guojiao on XiaoHongShu Kelly Shan Guojiao on Instagram Brunel Alumni Association Webpage

CJ Tan CJ Tan is a regular member of the Brunel Alumni Association. He has extensive experience in manufacturing and quality management, including start-ups and high-volume production. He is skilled in building quality systems and ensuring the safety of employees and the environment. CJ has led initiatives to improve quality  company wide and worked closely with manufacturing partners to maintain quality standards. He actively engaged with customers to support their engineering and quality initiatives. “It is true you know you always been treated as a bad guy in the the company a stopper in a company right and then when the quality is not right we tend to be more aggressive and stop the production from going on” He has worked in QA for some of the biggest names in the Semiconductor industry. CJ’s last role as a quality director ended in 2016. After taking some time out he started a fresh new career as a realtor (CJ Tan, Realtor). His motto is “Customer Comes First”. “semiconductor Manufacturing in Singapore there is less and less uh jobs or rather demand for the kind of skill set that I have you know there are jobs out in the market but outside for the kind of skill set that I have” CJ Tan is the second in this series to have graduated from the Henley Brunel MBA Program. Contacts and Links Mentioned: CJ Tan on LinkedIn CJ Tan ERA Realtor on Facebook Brunel Alumni Association Webpage

Stanley Mak Stanley Mak is a regular member of the Brunel Alumni Association Experienced entrepreneur with a rich history of working in the marketing and communications industry. Skilled in Inbound Marketing, Digital Marketing and Integrated Marketing Communications. With an MBA from the Henley Brunel MBA Program. Originally from Hong Kong he moved with his then employer to Singapore in 1986. Eventually the desire to build his marketing own company took over. Today he leads iSmart Communications. He has successful navigated the innovations that have radically changed marketing and has an insatiable appetite for innovations to come. “and then in the second and third year the business really boomed then I said wow Hallelujah never look back then during the.com boom period I I saw the opportunity of the internet” He was also Vice-president of the Hong Kong – Singapore Business Association. He was the original president of the Henley Brunel MBA Alumni Association which which has now been renamed to the Henley Alumni Association and no longer affiliated to Brunel University.  “some people even say that why don’t you become president forever I said no no no I don’t want I’m not Lee Kuan Yew I don’t want to be become a president for life” His outside interests include being a keen language learner based on his professional languages use and recreational travel. Contacts and Links Mentioned: Stanley Mak iSmart Communications. Brunel Alumni Association Introduction and Background [00:00.7] Stanley Mak is a member of the Brunel Alumni Association with a background in marketing and communications. He moved from Hong Kong to Singapore in 1986 and eventually started his own marketing company, iSmart Communications. He has successfully adapted to the changing marketing landscape and has a passion for innovation. Starting iSmart Communications [02:05.5] Stanley shares how he transitioned from working in multinational advertising agencies to starting his own business. The initial years of the business were challenging, but it eventually boomed. Recognising the potential of the internet, he made the decision to switch from traditional advertising to digital marketing. Despite lacking a background in computer engineering, Stanley partnered with a computer engineer to complement his expertise. Adapting to Industry Changes [08:00.1] Stanley discusses the changes and challenges faced by the marketing industry, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He highlights the high costs of operations in Singapore and the need to find innovative solutions to maintain profitability. Outsourcing and working with partners in other countries became a strategy to control costs and provide quality services. Stanley predicts a major shakeout in the industry and believes that digital marketing will continue to be a driving force. Henley Brunel MBA and Alumni Associations [15:04.6] Stanley shares his educational background, starting with his accounting qualification and then pursuing an MBA with Henley Brunel in Singapore. He discusses the differences between the Henley and Brunel alumni associations, including their demographics and focus. Stanley expresses his admiration for Chris, the founder of the Brunel alumni, and his active involvement in both associations. Language Learning and Community Involvement [21:21.1] Stanley reveals his passion for learning languages and how it has enabled him to communicate with people from different countries. He mentions his current focus on learning the local dialect Hooken and the Filipino language. Stanley emphasises the importance of community involvement and voluntary services in building networks and friendships. Contacting Stanley Mak [24:12.8] Stanley mentions that he is active on LinkedIn and encourages people to connect with him there. He expresses his willingness to share experiences and knowledge with others and highlights the value of sharing and continuous learning.

Chris Pardey Chris Pardey is the Brunel Alumni Association Representative in Singapore. Chris grew up and was educated in the UK. He has spent over 40 years working in the commodities industry. Spending 20 years with one company, working in the UK, Switzerland and Germany. His move to Singapore saw him eventually being in the right place at the right time co-investing in a company and taking the role of CEO/Director. “the banks like to spread their risk em and so it’s you know so it I think our Peak we were we were borrowing around 350 million dollars” After cashing in, again, at the right time, he is currently Head of Agribusiness at R1 International PTE LTD. From the beginning he has been a sports enthusiast starting as Captain of the Brunel University Football team and member of the Cricket Team, he now makes time to watch sports of all kinds. He links his work, love of sport, Brunel Alumni Association and current students to his charity work as Trustee with the Bali Sports Federation. “So it’s basically been my initiative with Brunel but it’s partly what the University alumni is looking to achieve in terms of providing work experience opportunities for students ” As Well As: 0:02:05 Chris Pardey introduces himself. 0:02:10 Over 40 years of experience in the commodity business and living in Singapore since 2005. 0:02:21 His passionate for sports and involvement in charitable activities in Indonesia. 0:02:31 Becoming the Brunel alumni representative in Singapore. 0:03:13 Chose an international career for job opportunities and to experience Asia. 0:03:40 Passionate about football and cricket, ran a football team in Singapore. 0:05:09 President of Brunel Alumni Association. 0:05:35 Creating the association and the connection to Brunel’s 50th anniversary and his reason. 0:09:44 His commitment to the Bali Sports Foundation, and the provision of sports opportunities for disadvantaged individuals in Bali. 0:10:38 Creating the link between Brunel and BSF. 0:11:20 The role for Brunel students within BSF from 2016, and the two years due to COVID-19. 0:12:16 The commitment BSF places on students for the charity and helping disabled individuals in Indonesia. 0:18:35 Chris’s after university, selected based on his involvement in sports. 0:18:57 His Work for 20 years in Geneva, Germany, and the UK, before he moved to Singapore. 0:19:01 Investing in RCMA with two colleagues, a commodity business and taking the role of CEO then selling in 2018 to a Chinese company. 0:19:46 Getting lucky and diversifying into other products and services 0:20:33 His current role working for another Chinese company. 0:21:58 The risk involved in taking on the role of CEO and learning along the way. 0:23:44 Why the business needed to deal with the 12 different banks. 0:24:52 Asking for money from the banks, relationships and not being nervous. 0:27:20 The reasons for selling and the outcomes for everyone involves. 0:28:17 Being able to walk away from the business. 0:28:40 Thanks to Chris for a great chat 0:28:42 If you have interest in the Brunel Alumni Association, are a Brunel student looking to get involved with the Bali Sports Foundation reach out to Chris on LinkedIn or visit the webpage. https://youtu.be/6rzArvyTs38 Contacts and Links Mentioned: Brunel Alumni Association Bali Sports Federation Yaya San kahaya Mutiara Ubud

Ben Clark Ben Clark in 2010 whilst on a break from training for the London Olympics as a swimmer dove into the sea and broke his neck changing his life forever. Despite having 75% of his body paralysed he was determined to not let it defeat him and set out to live his life to the full. That thinking led him to Adapt To Perform which Ben started as a way to help himself and others get fit and healthy no matter their circumstances, a first of kind! “also make sure they’ve got the right equipment and the right trainer on the door and so that if somebody comes along they’re not just “umming and ahing” what to do they are there to be like oh welcome we’ve got a we’ve got a program this guy knows how to show you around the gym tell you what you can do Etc…” Adapt To Perform is now the world’s largest resource of adapted fitness helping over 10,000 individuals all over the world live their life to the fullest. Ben does this all through content creation via both the Adapt To Perform website and social media. Which now reaches places he didn’t expect or plan for “but I realized quickly that it went out to multiple places in the world and it was helping people that were in very very different situations to myself despite having the same disability so they would be maybe in India Indonesia even in parts of Africa or in the Middle East ??” This conversation is the third of a new venture with the Brunel Alumni Association (Singapore). The format is based on Entrepreneurs in Action and we are looking to evolve it into a stand alone podcast series focused on Brunel Alumni based in Singapore Send your ideas and suggestions to me on LinkedIn, or in person at the next Brunel Alumni Association meetup in Singapore one final thing at around five minutes 40 seconds I asked Ben about the accident, he does go into some details so if you are of a sensitive nature please skip forward to around seven minutes 45 seconds where I ask him about his recovery. Due to possible editing changes please visit the website for more accurate details so now without further delay let’s begin As Well As: 00:00 Introduction 02:35 Ben’s life before his accident 03:41 The event and sport Ben trained for 05:01 Was Ben the kind of athlete that needed to be pushed or did he push himself? 05:41 the accident: what happened and the effect it had after thinking his life was over 06:39 What saved his life? 07:43 After the accident and the obvious changes, rehab, the new challenges and swimming 09:31 The next swimming goal to make the Great Britain Paralympic Swimming Team 2012? 09:56 How the Stable Disability rule was missed. 11:07 The low point in around 2015? 12:57 Re-evaluation based not on role but higher values and becoming a coach? 13:30 The thought process behind becoming a coach, and success or failure? 15:41 Taking the discovery that there was an empty niche and the desire to progress with it further 17:48 Origin of the name of the company Adapt to Perform? 18:39  Funding Adapt To Perform 20:11 The biggest challenge for Adapt To Perform? 22:44 The surprise after the start of Adapt To Perform? 24:35 The future of Adapt To Perform 27:56 Ben’s and Adapt to Perform’s involvement with with Brunel University? 29:13 Posting the Bali trip on your YouTube channel? 29:59 How people can contact you? 31:09 Next episode Chris Pardey who is the Singapore Alumni Association president and Trustee of the Bali Sports Federation BSF Contacts: Ben Clark on LinkedIn Adapt To Perform on Instagram Adapt To Perform on FaceBook ali_and_benji on Instagram  

Mario Ferraro Mario Ferraro is a thought leader in the area of Global Talent Management and an active member of the Brunel Alumni Association, Singapore He moved to Singapore in 1998 But his unusual journey began in 1987. At the age of 18 one week after graduating from secondary school he moved on his own from Italy to the UK. Mario had no job and spoke very little English. His early jobs were for basic survival and during his commute he began reading books on physics. His interest grew, and In 1987 he enrolled to study a degree in physics at Brunel University. Mario’s first job after graduating required him to use his physic knowledge but a gradual shift towards the people within organisations occurred. “Because you know you will have the best idea in the world If you don’t have the people to execute it in the right place, at the right cost, at the right time. It’s just not going to happen. The world is full of great ideas which were never properly implemented…” However, his physics training was and still is an important part of the approach Mario takes in his role. When I think of how my physics interest and my physics background has help me throughout this, is I have found so many parallels and so many similarities between the laws of physics and what I observe in individuals in organisations and in societies in general. So now without further delay let’s begin As Well As Introduction Early life in UK, basic jobs interest in physics, interview and starting at Brunel Curiosity and how things work, a Basic under standing of Physics, a developing interest, Education in Italy and his specialisation First job in the UK with a tailor, factory then hotel, experience the UK and avoiding the Italian community. Panic answering the phone in English leading to increased confidence Early locations in UK and saving money to complete degree The goal to survive in the UK The evolution of Mario’s career from physicist to human capital How his first job move after graduating came about How the move to Singapore occurred and the role Building and maintaining continuous career improvement Mario’s role and purpose as employee number one for his current company Naming and describing his role in detail as an “Integrator” How Mario deals with conflicts in large organisations and the connection to individuals personal lives Equations that describe human behaviour Dealing with culture shock using physic’s law of refraction to explain and deal with top performers failing in a new environment The mistaken assumptions that can be made when English speakers move to Singapore Mario’s thoughts on his career progression over time and adapting when people no longer move physically and have to work remotely. The different approaches countries have taken post covid and allowing foreign employees to cross borders. Benefiting from the global talent pool Benefit of being part of the Brunel University Alumni Association (Singapore) Advice to current Brunel University Students Meeting at the next session Mario Ferraro ITX Brunel University

Laurence Barrett Laurence Barrett is a pioneering aviation engineer, entrepreneur and active member of the Brunel University Alumni Association. He has worked and lived in Singapore since 2014. His career in aerospace started as a systems engineer in 2002 in September 2012 he started an MBA in Aviation at Brunel University after making the challenging decision to leave a successful career as an engineer. After graduating He moved to Singapore working as a self-employed Aviation Business Specialist. Then in May 2015 he made the daunting decision to found his own aviation company Barrett Aerospace. “And I do actively employ people that are passionate about the jobs that they do. So much so that I would even create the job around the person” I sat down with Laurence in his engineering workshop for a conversation that covered his path from engineer, then founder, a few of the exciting developments that are occurring in the aerospace industry and the role that Brunel has played in his career and business development. “The MBA taught me a lot but I think the real world teaches you a lot more, and when you have something that’s a deadline that’s looming” This conversation is part of a new venture with the Brunel Alumni Association (Singapore). The format is based on my Entrepreneurs in Action series and we are looking to evolve it into a stand alone podcast series focused on Brunel Alumni based in Singapore. Send your ideas and suggestions to me on LinkedIn. So now without further delay let’s begin As well as: 0:02:00 Leaving school with less than exemplary A-level results getting him into Polytechnic or RAF, or A-level repeat 0:02:58 Followed by 15 years in industry with Multinational companies 0:03:31 Learning how companies work by changing roles every 3 to 4 years 0:04:39 The role that overwhelmed him and revealed what he was not good at 0:05:05 supply supply relationship/analyst or engineer and the opportunities presented 0:07:14 Decision process of the next career move that led to quitting and a full-time MBA at Brunel University 0:09:12 Consulting wife, family and friends 0:10:48 Learning as a mature student and why choose Brunel University 0:12:33 Thinking about career options after the MBA 0:13:40 The realisation of the goal of doing something financially successful in the commercial aerospace industry 0:15:41 The Human-Powered Aircraft the Merlion Project 0:15:56 A bad joke by the host that’s cleverly sidestepped by Laurence 0:16:04 Back to the serious business of human powered flight 0:18:47 Barrett Aerospace’s journey from drones to other aircraft and the effects of covid 0:19:53 electronic aircraft and electronic flight cooperation with Eviation and Deadlines 0:21:01 The importance building a network over time in an industry that enables working with other people and collaborating 0:21:27 project on time and on budget, the Alice Aircraft, July 2019 Paris 0:21:56 Eventually not just an engineer but the CEO and Founder 0:22:32 Creating jobs and roles around passionate, determined and driven people to create innovation 0:23:32 The real world need to bring engineering and return on investment together to the Human-Powered Aircraft Merlion Project 0:25:37 Working with other companies and start-ups that use crowdfunding and other non-traditional finance 0:26:24 how can and does the Singapore Alumni Association help? 0:31:08 Barrett Aerospace looking for engineering students for industrial placements 0:32:35 Finally we can be both contacted via LinkedIn A reminder if you’re a Brunel Alumni or a current student and you wish to contact Laurence Barrett or myself Neville J Mckenzie you can do so through LinkedIn Links: https://www.barrettaerospace.com/ www.eviation.co https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurence-barrett-ab164846/ linkedin.com/in/njmckenzie

Chanfang Wang Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:56 — 15.4MB) | Embed Subscribe to Entrepreneurs in Action Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | More Chanfang Wang gave insightful answers, highlighted here, during The November China-Team ChinaWebinar Expert Talk: German Manufacturing Machines for Future Chinese “Red Ocean” Companies saw the moderator Xiaolong Hu interesting and informative discussing the Chinese machinery and automation market that is not only the largest, but also one of the fastest growing markets in the world. With German machine builders increasingly doing business with Chinese customers the future may look bright However, in many areas of application, the Chinese competitors even have an advantage due to their proximity to the production locations. With our experts, we discuss how German mechanical engineering companies can assert the Chinese market and serve Chinese customers in the future with market-oriented product concepts and high product quality. Xiaolong Hu Managing Partner China-Team GmbH He is expert and ChinaCoach supporting European small and medium sized enterprises archiving sustainable market success. As founder of China-Team (www.china-team.de), Xiaolong Hu looks back on 20 years experience in consulting business in Europe and China. Chanfang Wang Founder China Expert Services Digital China-Europe Network Chanfang Wang has more than 13 years of experience in Europe in corporate strategy, change management, market & competitive intelligence, business development in IT, machinery automation & robotics industries. Now she’s the Founder of China Expert Services (CES) and Digital China-Europe Network based in Frankfurt. She’s passionate about connecting people, ideas and technology. CES helps European high-tech SMEs expand and digitize in China, Chinese high-tech SMEs expand to Europe with transformational educational programs and digital tours. Time Stamp 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:17 Opening of Webinar by Xiaolong Hu 00:00:35 Introduction of Chanfang Wang. 00:01:20 Question to Chanfang Wang: What does your company do and what is your experience in China? 02:35:16 Question to Chanfang Wang: What are the trends are seen in the specialised area of automated warehousing market in China? 08:14:16 Question to Chanfang Wang: How has the European companies’ competitiveness in automated warehousing market changed in China over the past 5 years in relation to the Chinese Competitor Producers? 00:11:27 Question to Chanfang Wang: Why to take China as a field of innovation? 00:17:09 Audience member Question to Liu Tianyu and Chanfang Wang: How do you find suitable partner who will not copy you later? 00:19:19 Closing remarks and end This podcast it’s made in partnership between ChinaTeam and AsiaBizStories  

Peter Bornschein, Thomas Wiedemann, Dr. Roland Rohde, Jan Lambacher and Rolf Kupek Christmas time and unreliable Supply Chains don’t go well together! Join our latest China Webinar! In the coming year, things are likely to look different. The banking association BdB assumes the strongest consumer boom since reunification in Germany. Despite the high order backlog, industrial activity is likely to be subdued into the coming year. With our experts, we discuss in an open panel about: What supply chain challenges will German companies have with regard to the Chinese market? What risks do the supply bottlenecks entail? How to prepare preventively? Panel Experts: Thomas Wiedemann, Senior Project Manager at Korn Consulting Group Dr. Roland Rohde, Representative Hong Kong South and West China at Germany Trade & Invest Jan Lambacher, General Manager at Yardistry Limited Rolf Kupek, Managing Director at Kupek Consulting & Business Development Moderator: Peter Bornschein, Lean Project Manager at msg systems AG Expert Introductions: Thomas Wiedemann Senior Project Manager Korn Consult Group Mr. Wiedemann has a degree in mechanical engineering and brings practical experience in automotive projects, especially with purchasing, supplier development and customer management and has also proved himself as an excellent team leader. He brings the following company experience: Webasto, JTEKT, BMW. He speaks German, English, French, Italian and Mandarin. Dr. Roland Rohde  Representative Hongkong South and West China, GERMANY TRADE & INVEST Roland Rohde has a doctorate in economics and has been working as a market observer in Asia for Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) for 18 years. He is in Hong Kong for the second time. From there he reports on industries and markets in China. His reporting focuses on the electronics industry, the digital economy and aviation. Dr. Rohde speaks fluent Chinese (Mandarin) and a little Cantonese. Jan Lambacher  General Manager Yardistry Limited Jan has been based in China since 2009 and has worked across the supply chain of multinationals and SMEs in the medical, industrial and consumer goods sectors. Central theme of his work has always been optimizing supply chains for import and export in and out of China within a global supply chain strategy.  Rolf Kupek  Managing Director Kupek Consulting & Business Development After studying mechanical engineering, more than 30 years of professional experience in project management at home and abroad with large corporations and more than 20 years as founder and managing director of a service company, the company was handed over to a successor. With Kupek Consulting & Business Development , the network built up and cultivated over the years is used alongside the company’s own expertise to support medium-sized companies in their transformation processes and current problems. Especially the organization and development of international business connections are a main focus and have been successfully implemented several times. In doing so, a holistic, cross-functional approach is important, which is implemented in a pragmatic and goal-oriented manner. Peter Bornschein Lead Project Manager msg systems ag Seasoned General Manager and Leader in Business Software and Services Industry. Track record of growth, business development and client coordination. Exceptional competence in restructuring and turn-around. Established proficiency in transferring know-how and implementing company structures. Experienced in project steering and management. Demonstrated ability to communicate technical knowledge to different clients. Superb team player and leader with the ability to train, coach and motivate team members. Extensive multi-national experience in Germany, China, Poland, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Sweden; communication skills in German, Swedish, Chinese and English      

Xiaolong Hu, Martin Ebner, Chanfang Wang, Dr Martin Kovacik, Dr Tianyu Liu The November China-Team ChinaWebinar Expert Talk: German Manufacturing Machines for Future Chinese “Red Ocean” Companies saw the moderator Xiaolong Hu interesting and informative discussing the Chinese machinery and automation market that is not only the largest, but also one of the fastest growing markets in the world. With German machine builders increasingly doing business with Chinese customers the future may look bright However, in many areas of application, the Chinese competitors even have an advantage due to their proximity to the production locations.  With our experts, we discuss how German mechanical engineering companies can assert the Chinese market and serve Chinese customers in the future with market-oriented product concepts and high product quality. Panel Experts: Mr. Martin Ebner, CTO, Strama-MPS Group Chanfang Wang, Founder China Expert Services, Digital China-Europe Network Dr. Martin Kovacik, Director Engineering Energy Storage, Manz AG Dr. Tianyu Liu, General Manager Machine Sales Asia, voestalpine eifeler Vacotec GmbH Expert Introductions: Martin Ebner Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Strama-MPS Maschinenbau GmbH & Co., Straubing Trained in one of the first dual courses of study in Bavaria to become a mechanical engineer and at the same time holding a certificate as an industrial mechanic, as well as a consecutive master’s degree at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Nurnberg-Erlangen, Mr. Ebner has already been working at Strama-MPS for 13 years in different areas. For two years now, as CTO, he has been managing the company’s digitalization, strategic fields as well as innovations in the areas of automation technology. Besides he is a member of the Wirtschaftsjunioren Deutschland as well as a former scholarship holder of the Hanns-Seidl-Foundation. Xiaolong Hu Managing Partner China-Team GmbH He is expert and ChinaCoach supporting European small and medium sized enterprises archiving sustainable market success. As founder of China-Team (www.china-team.de), Xiaolong Hu looks back on 20 years experience in consulting business in Europe and China. Chanfang Wang Founder China Expert Services Digital China-Europe Network Chanfang Wang has more than 13 years of experience in Europe in corporate strategy, change management, market & competitive intelligence, business development in IT, machinery automation & robotics industries. Now she’s the Founder of China Expert Services (CES) and Digital China-Europe Network based in Frankfurt. She’s passionate about connecting people, ideas and technology. CES helps European high-tech SMEs expand and digitize in China, Chinese high-tech SMEs expand to Europe with transformational educational programs and digital tours.    Dr. Tianyu Liu  General Manager of machine sales Asia voestalpine eifeler Vacotec GmbH Dr. Liu received his Ph. D degree from Humboldt University in 2004. Since then he has over 15 years work experience based in Shanghai. This  includes 7 years business consulting to support SME customers to formulate China business entry strategy and in addition to implement running the business. He has a very good knowledge of the Chinese market and is able to establish business relations and strategic orientations in Asia, especially in China.  He devoted himself to support German SMEs to do the business development in Asia right after his consulting career was over. Market and customers needs orientation in addition to his strong technology background can always lead to successful business development stories in China. Dr. Martin Kovacik Director Engineering Energy Storage Manz AG Martin is mechanical engineer with PhD. in Bionics and Innovation strategy. He built up two engineering centers in Slovakia and China for German Machine and System manufacturer KraussMaffei Technologies and in China developed two serial machines for local Chinese market. Both of these machine series are currently succesfull at the market in China. Currently he is leading global Engineering Department of Energy Storage at Manz AG, where he is responsible for three European Engineering sites in Germany, Italy and Slovakia. His passion is to follow up trends and development of Chinese market and that is why he is still in close contact with ChinaTeam. Time Stamp 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:17 Opening of Webinar by Xiaolong Hu 00:03:58 Delivery of Keynote by Martin Ebner 00:25:34 Xiaolong Summarises the core message keynote 00:17:00 Question to Dr Sandra Bell: What was the most famous building that you equipped with Viega systems? 00:26:02 Opening up the discussion and introduction of Expert Panel.  00:27:31 Introduction of Chanfang Wang. 00:20:54 Question to Chanfang Wang: What does your company do and what is your experience in China?  00:27:31 Introduction of Dr. Liu Tianyu 00:30:35 Question to Liu Tianyu: What kind of consulting projects did you do 10 years ago for German mechanical engineering customers?  00:27:31 Introduction of Martin Kovacik 00:35:36 Question to Martin Kovacik: How did the mechanical engineering market in China change between 2014 and 2020?  00:37:48 Question to Chanfang Wang: What are the trends are seen in the specialised area of automated warehousing market in China?  00:41:59 Recap and Question to Martin Ebner: What kind of market information is important for you as you developed your China strategy and what kind of information was important and difficult to obtain? 00:45:56 Recap and Question to Martin Kovacik: What competitive situation did you find in China in 2014? How many Chinese companies that you didn’t know of before? any competitors back then?  00:49:33 Recap and Question to Chanfang Wang: How has the European companies’ competitiveness in automated warehousing market changed in China over the past 5 years in relation to the Chinese Competitor Producers?  00:52:57 Question to Liu Tianyu: Why do Chinese customers today continue to buy your products, which are designed in? 00:57:26 Recap and Question to Martin Kovacik: How to recruit and develop your product design team and engineering team in China? 01:03:39 Question to Chanfang Wang: Why to take China as a field of innovation? 01:09:57 Question to Martin Ebner: What is your plan to use China as an innovation location? 01:12:08 Question to Liu Tianyu: How to develop an after sales service network alongside the expectation of Chinese consumers expecting special deals? 01:16:41 Recap and audience member Question Patrick Frick to Liu Tianyu and Martin Kovacik: When should a local R&D  or engineering team  be established? 01:19:17 Audience member Question to Liu Tianyu and Chanfang Wang: How do you find suitable partner who will not copy you later? 01:22:29 Audience member Question to Martin Kovacik: What does an ideal inter-cultural team in China look like in your opinion? German and Chinese sales manager and some German technical experts as well? 01:09:57 Question to Martin Ebner: Where would you like to cooperate with other companies? 01:09:57 Audience member Question to Martin Ebner: Can your company supply a banding machine as there are difficulties finding a supplier in China? 01:25:50 Closing remarks and end This podcast it’s made in partnership between ChinaTeam and AsiaBizStories

Prof. Peter Sachsenmeier, Dr. Sandra Bell, Johannes Kreissig, Corinne Abele, Winfried Mayer, Claudia Sanders Prof. Peter Sachsenmeier is a strategist, expert in complex technology management, industrial innovator and visionary. He is actively involved in knowledge transfer from research to industry, and combined outstanding appointments in academia with important posts in international companies. He combines deep technology knowledge with a keen sense of new business and management modes based on the digital transformation of all industries. With the national engineering academies of China and India, he has been engaged in smart city research and with the associated technologies for the last 15 years. In his International Innovation Center he leads smart city, green technologies, green materials and green finance teams. In 2014, Professor Peter Sachsenmeier 院士 received an award from the Chinese Green Rooftops association for his contribution to green ideas and technologies. Dr. Sandra Bell is an accomplished business leader, lifelong China expert and visionary strategist. She has 20 years working experience in strategy, go-to-market, and e-commerce. She worked 10 years for The Boston Consulting Group, and had leading positions in Henkel and Hershey, both in Germany and China. Today she leads the China & India region for Viega. Viega is a family-owned company and a hidden champion from Germany. Viega is global market leader in copper press technology and hygienic & potable drinking water solutions for infrastructure buildings. Johannes Kreissig is a visionary and thought leader in the field of sustainable construction. He has over 25 years of professional experience in the areas of life cycle assessment, sustainability assessment and strategy consulting. He worked for more than 15 years as a acting partner in the software and sustainability consulting specialist thinkstep. Since 2016 he has been CEO of the German Sustainable Building Council – DGNB, which is Europe’s largest network for sustainable construction. The DGNB certification system, a planning and optimisation tool for sustainable buildings and districts, which helps to increase real sustainability in construction projects, is DGNBs key instrument to achieve sustainable buildings for everybody – everywhere. Corinne Abele is the Head of the Foreign Trade Information Bureau of Germany Trade & Invest in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Corinne has been living and working in China for nearly 20 years. An experienced journalist and economist, she has documented China’s economic development with analyses, articles and lectures. A big part of her work focuses on the observation and analysis of innovation-driven technology markets and industrial digitalisation in China. Her other main topics are environmental protection, renewable energy, engineering and competition in China. Since 2014, Ms. Abele has been heading the Trade Information Section of Germany Trade and Invest in Shanghai. Prior to this she worked in the same position in Beijing (2004-2012) and in Taipei (1998-2004). Winfried Mayer, founded MPS in 1984 in Stuttgart MPS designs factories and industrial buildings in accordance with German standards and, depending on the area, according to local regulations. We also supervise local planning, take care of tender procedure as well as monitor and direct building operations on-site all over the world. Branches: Shanghai, China; Pune, India; Beverungen, Germany Projects: Over 500 projects in 25 countries Claudia Sanders is with the Network for Architecture Exchange NAX, the Federal Chamber of German Architects (BAK) supports German architects of all disciplines, engineers and specialist planners on their way to new markets. NAX thus promotes planning quality and the brand “Architecture Made in Germany” abroad with a wide portfolio of formats and activities. NAX brings together export-oriented planners and mediates contacts between domestic and foreign colleagues, decision-makers, developers and investors. Time Stamp 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:10 Opening of Webinar by Peter Sachsenmeier 00:02:06 Delivery of Keynote by Dr Sandra Bell 00:17:00 Question to Dr Sandra Bell: What was the most famous building that you equipped with Viega systems? 00:18:20 Introduction of Expert Panel 00:18:47 Question to Dr Sandra Bell: What’s the market segments that you address in China and what kind of ecosystem do you need to be effective? 00:20:54 Question to Johannes Kreissig, Will sustainable buildings become more important and how is this linked to smart cities? 00:24:03 Question to Winfried Mayer, What are the developments with regard to industrial buildings in china? 00:29:54 Question to Corinne Abele, Are people becoming more aware of higher energy efficiency in private and industrial buildings and the changes in standards and quality criteria linked to this? 00:36:26 Question to Claudia Sanders, What contribution can German architects, planners and others make? 00:41:06 Question to Johannes Kreissig, What uh can be done about the prolongation of the lifespans and the prolongation of the life of this built-up infrastructure? 00:46:58 Questions to Dr Sandra Bell, What do you do with all those people that deal with waste electricity heating etc what’s the ecosystem that you need? 00:52:08 Corinne Abele adds to the question. 00:53:08 Questions to Winfried Mayer, What are the most required green building technologies now in China? 00:56:13 Question to Johannes Kreissig, Do you have any green building council ideas? 00:58:06 Sandra Bell adds to the question. 01:00:00 Winfried Mayer adds to the question. 01:01:16 Comment and Question from audience Member Mr Wang, What is the policy for carbon neutrality compared to China’s continuation in using coal and the recent worldwide price increase? 01: Peter Sachsenmeier gave an answer related to Germany’s us of coal. 01:02:53 Corinne Abele commented on the question related to the overall energy crises and how it affects the industrial commercial and private household prices in China. 01:06:12 Johannes Kreissig then expanded on the question. 01:07:45 Peter Sachsenmeier commented on the energy costs in Germany. 01 :09:14 Question to Sandra Bell, How to develop and hold on to a skilled workforce that can install Viega products? 01:11:08 Comment from Thomas Fritzsche writing in the chat as a working architect in China: that Chinese clients trust German us and expect from us to bring in new technologies and ideas. 01:12:29 Claudia expanded further on audience member Thomas Fritzsche comment and architects in general. 01:14:39 Peter Sachsenmeier ask Audience member Alex Walschewski question from the chat. How German/ European SMEs will be impacted by the “source locally” approach in China. Most of the time it means that Chinese customers will prefer a local supplier. What is your view on that? 01:14:47 Question answered by Sandra Bell. 01:16:00 Peter Sachsenmeier end the discussion. 01:24:00 Final Closing remarks from experts. 01:33:00 End This podcast it’s made in partnership between ChinaTeam and AsiaBizStories

Laurie Underwood Laurie Underwood is an American professor, author and consultant specializing in cross-cultural business communications She has studied worked and lived in Shanghai since 2002 Together with Prof Juan Fernandez at CEIBS, she has co-authored China CEO (2006), China Entrepreneur  (2009) and most recently China CEO II (2020). The audio book was released in June 2021. Book links below. After around 10 years of work in Corporate Communications (most recently as Communications Director Asia Pacific for Air Liquide) she got her doctorate finished in 2019 and switched to consulting and teaching. She is a senior consultant with Sino Associates, focusing on intercultural business communications and crisis communications, and she teaches at several business schools including NYU Shanghai, University of Aberdeen, SKEMA and EmLyon. Today, she speaks with us about the realities of working in China post covid, working with China if you cannot travel there because of covid, and more generally sharing advice from China CEOs on the challenges and opportunities of doing business with China today. As well as The answer to the most Northern City in the USA Laurie’s career journey Moving to China and reasons for staying Career transitions and motivation for the changes The origins of China CEO and China CEO II,  The differences in the people performing the role of CEO in China A hint at how they became CEOs The routes to becoming a CEO The personality traits that a CEO should have to not fail in China How someone can fail at being a CEO in China Laurie’s perspective on Westerners recently trying to move to live and work in China The speed of change and the changes that have taken place The freedom to reinvent yourself What does the word “culture” mean to Laurie? What do the different generations think about Career, Work and Entrepreneurship  How Laurie’s classmates careers have changed The recent need for Laurie’s knowledge and experience Laurie explains why she isn’t a CEO What she has learned from CEOs, and as a professor and consultant so now without further delay let’s begin  

Jochen Schultz, Qiang Rong, Wei Zhang, Stefan Sack, Hsiao J Chiu (Top Left, clockwise) Jochen Schultz is the Managing Director and Member of the Board at China Netzwerk Baden-Württemberg, He has been supporting institutions and companies with professional training for 16 years (Schultz Professional Trainings). Which specialises in the development and implementation of qualification measures in China as well as for Chinese companies in Germany. In this podcast a recording of the webinar “Future Leaders in Sino-European Enterprises”, his role is moderator. The keynote: Qiang Rong who has dedicated himself for the Chinese city Foshan and German cooperation for more than 10 years Qiang represents the sponsor, Foshan Sino German Industry Service Zone. He has helped many companies from Germany to invest in Foshan and promotes the benefits of setting up in Foshan. The industrial service zone is also open to companies to setup from all part of the world. The expert panelist joining Jochen and Qiang are: Stefan Sack General Manager Zobele China – Director APAC Zobele Group Zobele is manufacturing company with 2,000 employees located in Shenzhen. After completing his PhD Stefan has lived and worked in manufacturing in China since 2005, His various roles have been with German and Italian companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen.  He has also served as Vice President and Chairman of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai 2013-15. Wei Zhang is the founder of Beijing For You International Management Consulting Co., Ltd, China which provides training, coaching and blended learning solutions to local and international clients in China. She has worked with many German companies in China, helping them identify and develop talent. Wei Zhang uses her unique insights and valuable experience to combat the rapid changes still taking place in China. Hsiao J. Chiu is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of JP contagi Asia, an Executive search firm with offices in Germany, Switzerland and China. As a professional recruitment consultant and cultural hybrid, he has been supporting European and Chinese companies for more than 15 years’. Hsiao J. Chiu’s family are originally from Zhejiang province, with Hsiao being born in Germany and has been based in Asia since 2004. The combined teams wide and varied experience allows them to tackle the following questions: What is the status quo of people management in China, what are the current challenges and how does this effect the leadership management? How to identify future leaders? How to qualify future leaders? So now without further delay lets begin Time Stamp 00:00:31 Introduction 00:03:43 Opening of Webinar by Jochen Schultz Introduction to keynote 00:05:48 Delivery of Keynote by Qiang Rong 00:25:26 Questions to Qiang Rong 00:30:26 Introduction of Experts 00:33:26 Discussion with Experts led by Jochen Schultz 00:35:26 Stefan Sack, Wei Zhang and Hsiao J. Chiu and Qiang Rong 01:22:17 Dr Tumis’s comments on Cultural aspects of trust 01:24:00 Final Closing remarks from experts 01:33:00 End This podcast it’s made in partnership between ChinaTeam (on LinkedIn) and AsiaBizStories

Frank Epping in 1995 founded CUP&CINO in Germany. He is still the sole owner and CEO of the company that started with coffee shops. This podcast is a recording of a moderated webinar titled “How to Participate in the Boom of the Food and Beverage Market in China?” We fast forward to today where this entrepreneur along with his team are about to enter the Chinese market. They bring with them CUP&CINO’s own Coffee machine and business concept. Kerstin Kaehler, Fabian Berndt, Maik Juengst on the panel and moderated by Adrian de Riz. They are all experts at doing business in China and give guidance to a CUP&CINO as it to steps into the new and unknown. Frank Epping is in the audience listening. However, the keynote is delivered by Sven Keysers the Chief Business Development Officer of CUP&CINO. From this point on the podcast speaks for itself however. But, Sven does present a series of slides before the moderated discussion takes place. If you’d like a copy of the slides visit China team on LinkedIn and make a request. So now without further delay let’s begin. Time Stamp 00:01:33 Introduction of the experts by the moderator 00:03:40 Delivery of Keynote by Sven Keysers 00:25:05 Panel Discussion 01:22:17 Closing Remarks 01:26:00 End

Neville J McKenzie Erin Soutar of the Hive Co-working Space Lavender Podcast studio in Singapore reverses the roles on Neville J McKenzie as he is the one discussing his thoughts on podcasting. The Hive has allowed AsiaBizStories to share the podcast on it’s platform. As Neville talks about the topic of podcasting generally. From using podcasts in education Neville: So then you’re not asking students to sit down and read or watch videos in the class. You’re actually sending them to a website or a podcast and saying, read listen to this then when we come into the classroom we’ll discuss what you’ve learned from it. Erin: It certainly sounds like a better way of learning I suppose we just need to convince the parents now. Building a community around podcasting Neville: I find them very interesting. I get to meet a good range of people because podcasting crosses all sorts of boundaries and this is where I hope that we can build a community, because it’s not, it’s not about the competition between podcasters, because there’s and I think there’s a niche for everyone that is interested in podcasting. In this conversation Neville gives a brief insight into the potential, and changes Erin’s mind on a few beliefs about podcasts and podcasting. So now without further delay lets begin. As well as: Entrance to the world of podcasting in China and entrepreneurship. A perspective on how the senses relate to podcasting The challenges faced by podcasters. His role in encouraging potential podcasters to give it a go. What makes a successful podcast What it means to build a community around a podcast. The growth of podcasting in Singapore Advice on the first steps to becoming or improving as a podcaster The mind set of a podcaster What effort and operating costs are involved in podcasting Key points to consider when choosing where to hosting a podcast What to focus on when building your audience What to prioritise in order not to make a bad podcast Engaging the youth with podcasts Using podcasts for education and blended learning and the need to convince parents and students. Convince Erin that she should not feel guilty about listening to free content and why it is good for the content producer What podcasts listened to and used Inform Erin that there is a podcast out there for every listener, you just have to find it. Up and coming projects at the Hive Lavender. How and why subjects are selected for the AsiaBizStories podcast series    

Elvis Simon Elvis Simon is a barber with 33 years experience as a salon owner and teacher of barbering in London, England. He has also founded the Quality Barbers Association, QBA, which is involved in raising the professionalism of barbers. His colleagues include some famous names in the UK barbering and hairdressing world such as Rudi Page the former sales manager of Dyke and Dryden, Derek Clements, former Artistic Director of Splinters International and MK a mens stylist with Andis. He has also worked on TV and film sets, first the 90s TV show “Dance Energy, where he planned the hair styles of the DJ Normski and then a film starring  Jean-Claude Van Damme, Until Death. Where he was responsible for the hair styling of British actor Gary Beadle of East Enders fame. Our conversation took place when he took a break during his short visit as he explored the potential of the Singapore market. Generally everyone needs a hair cut and his introduction to someone thinking of becoming a barber or hairdresser… If you don’t like what you’re about to do, don’t do it. because this is something that even when you want to get out of you can’t With the average haircut taking 45 minutes and the nature of being a barber bringing you into intimate contact with thousands, Elvis has learned a thing or two about people. I’ve been doing this for thirty years. I’ve seen people evolve from really clever to really stupid and you know in thirty years. Man has not progressed he has regressed, unfortunately. Just got thicker and thicker. This podcast covers a lot of ground in the black barbering industry. As well as Why he founded the QBA and who else is involved The events that led him to becoming a barber, learning from his elders and opening his own barbershops How and the reasons why hairstyles have changed since the 60s and links to hairstyles dating back hundreds of years Using hair as a tool for personal branding and the reasons why footballers such as Paul Pogba, Djibril Cissé and Matteo Guendouzi. Being judged by your hairstyle and the effects of cultural biases Why Singapore is now looking attractive to an entrepreneurial barber from London The favour that got him into teaching and new opportunities The latest trend in men’s hair care scalp micro pigmentation Traditional black barbershop culture and how it is evolving to provide health information to the community The limits in China for black haircare in the 90s and early 2000s and the DIY and self-help approach Teaching and training other nationalities how to cut black people’s hair and what NBA players do in China The request for a (free) haircut Working in TV and Film and the challenges it posses Barber—client confidentiality and a story he can tell us The wisdom, knowledge and advice coming from the barber How to approach embarking on a new and challenging venture Thanks to Elvis for that great insight into his plans for the future in Singapore and the business world of Black Hairdressing. We wish him all the best You can follow Elvis Simon on Instagram @ebs748

Moses Kakanga Moses Kakanga was born by Lake Victoria in the old capital Entebbe, Uganda where he attended school before moving to the capital Kampala Makerere University, the oldest university in eastern and central Africa. Where he graduating with a degree in biomedical laboratory technology. Moses then went on to work for an infectious disease Institute for three years before returning to study for a Masters degree in structural molecular biology, which culminated with study at Birkbeck College University London. He then returned home and continued with his previous employer for another four years. He then decided on another round of graduate study finding a scholarship on the Singapore international graduate award. And move to Singapore to pursue a PhD in biochemistry. From young Moses wanted to work in the medical field as a scientist. He was surrounded by several role models. His father was a practice in physician for 40 years and is still practising although semi retired. His mum is a nurse and many of aunts are nurses and growing up in a hospital community he saw he was exposed to many other role models in the medical profession. Initially he wanted to go to medical school but didn’t get the points before settling on biomedical laboratory science. When he looks back he looks back Moses attributes his success to working hard, which was based on his desire to attend medical school and in Uganda like most countries required the highest grades and to be top of your class. Moses believes he’s achieved everything he’s wanted academically. Initially he wanted to remain in academia and become a professor then after doing his Phd and living in Singapore he came to the realisation he wasn’t suited for a career in academia saying “If you wanna be in academia in the Western World you have to publish well. The pre-requisites are very stiff.” It wasn’t the challenge of academia as his previous employer wanted him back, offering him a position in the USA for two years. But he realised he wanted to have a career in Bio-med Innovation  and create devices for unmet clinical needs. Moses grew up in the 90s in Entebbe before leaving in 2004 to go to the capital, Kampala to study at the  Makerere University, which was a former College of the University of London and after independence it was handed over to the government of Uganda. It has the oldest medical school in Uganda. The medical school is ranked highly internationally is one of the top five in Africa. During the time he studied there a lot of international students from Kenya and Tanzania Moses then received a commonwealth scholarship and was attached to a scientist in Uganda. However the final six months were finished at Birkbeck, University of London while still attached to a Scientist in Uganda. He wasn’t lonely in London as he had cousins there and had a pleasant time. Missing out on the scholarship didn’t feel so bad because Moses was young at 17 and his dad was a bit scared about sending him alone to Hungary where he would also needed to learn a new language as well as the fact that he was already going to university in Uganda. Looking back at the time going it may have seemed like a missed opportunity but the other opportunities that have presented themselves have more than made-up for it. The desire to develop by a medical devices arose during his Phd studies as he worked on Biosensors for screening anti-cancer drugs and his interest shifted to a desire on innovation, drug or devices development. Moses feel that by remaining in academia he would not be able to accomplish as much due to the rigid and competitive career development. The challenge he sees for a scientist entering the world of entrepreneurship, are a lack of business skills, which for example may be business model development, customer development, market access. This lake is something that can be overcome by hiring a person with these business skills. Scientists can still learn the business side but it will take a little bit longer for a person that come from academia. Currently  Moses is working with a CEO who is also a technical and scientific person and who also has developed the skills to handle the business side. He does get involved to a small degree. But his focus is primarily on the science and technology. This is reflected in his title of Chief Science and Technology Officer (CTO). Moses sees himself continuing in the role of technology building as his focus is on the science and being in charge of running clinical trails in order to bring them to the market. Moses has always looked up to his father as a role model. A man “who set a high bar”. Next came his father’s boss who was a woman that came from a family of five doctors. He always looked up to them. He found these role models stimulated his interest in having a career in the medical field. The professor that supervised him On his PhD has also acted as a role model in ensuring that he completed his PhD and graduated. As Moses enters the world of entrepreneurship new role models are beginning to appear one of which is Sir Richard Branson. Who Moses admires in the way he built his business from scratch. Through reading his books he has discovered that Sir Richard Branson started out with a lot of challenges in school but then found his niche and has built a number of businesses and has become a very successful business man. His methods have been cautious, unaggressive and without putting other people out of business. He also has integrity and consciousness. Although  Moses is in medical field he plans to follow Sir  Richard Branson on the business side. A few days after our meeting Moses will be taking part in an event as the moderator with the title, “From Scientist to Entrepreneurial Scientist: The Creation of BioTech Companies”. The purpose of the event is to help motivate early stage start-ups in the field of biotech and med tech. And get mentorship and advice from experienced biotech founders who will share their experience on the transition of being a scientist, scientist entrepreneurs, starting their own companies from research in the lab. The main premise for young start-ups to get more added information and guidance from established scientist. Three scientists are from the National University of Singapore, Duke NUS will share how they built their companies that was spun off from the University. The audience will come from a broad spectrum of Singapore, which will include academia and start-up biotech companies. A 127 people registered have registered so far. But Moses is being cautious and expects a turnout of 50 to 60% for the event. Registration and entry is free via the SGInnovate.com website in collaboration. SGInnovate is a government organisation that helps to develop tech ecosystems in Singapore. SGInnovate supports DeepTech entrepreneurs and start-ups develop their ideas into a marketable products and also helps them to fund raise. 27 Deep Tech can be a confusing term which is used for ideas that take a lot of time to develop for example developing a robot that requires patents and many of iterations in order to get to the final product. Another example is developing a medical device that requires development of a prototype, do prototype testing and looking for trials. The gestation period takes a long time. This is how Deep Tech is commonly defined. The time to develop a DeepTech product can be two years or three years or longer. There is further ambiguity as it can also include AI algorithms used for imaging of cancer cells as it can uses AI for diagnostics methods. There is a constant need for development in the Bio-Tech and Medi-Tech field. A constant need for new drugs and medical devices particularly in areas connected to the ageing population in Asia. As well as devices for mobility, which is also a growing field. Due to Asia’s ageing population so there will be an increasing need for biotech and med tech products. If you consider the US in the Bay Area where, biotech and med tech is really big and you will see a lot of investors. In that the ecosystem in the US is well developed. While in Asia it has recently started growing and is predicted to grow bigger . Moses reasons for starting a business in Singapore are that it is small country where everything is close. He completed his PhD at the innovation hub called One North, where there are universities with research centres and start-ups in the same facility. Also gave access to many people on different tracks due to their close proximity. The final piece into doing this venture is being able to get into an incubator that gives support in building the company. At present the company consists of a CEO and Moses who is the CTO as it has only existed for eight months. They are still raising money and expect to hire a specialist in the medical device regulatory area in the second quarter of next year in order to facilitate the launch of the product into the different markets. The first market to enter will be Europe where they are working with a number of hospitals on clinical trials and expect to get the CE mark. After that will expand in to Asia and the USA. This order is chosen as buyer certification procedures are a little bit easier in Europe than getting an FDA. So like most medical companies in the world they tend to start off with Europe to get a CE mark because it’s a little shorter than the FDA. From there a move into Asia is fairly straight forward if you have a CE or FDA. For the African market the company has to examine the reimbursement systems to determine who will be able to pay and may be considered later on after some revenues have been gained. So the important first step is to prove the product is viable then once proved to raise finance and show that it works and then you can look up expanding into other markets. The product is a device that was patented by his CEO to treat a genetic disease that causes bulging of an eye. It is inserted to reshapes a patients eye It is a genetic disease and while it is not a common it does affect 15 million people worldwide particularly in Asia and the Middle East. In the near future the priorities of the company are to raise money, build the start-up through clinical trials then bringing the device to the market and growing the business in to being a leading company in the ophthalmology space. Faced with the low success rate of startups Moses takes the same approach he applied to his PhD where you go give your all to a project if it doesn’t work out you move on. Since being involved with the startup Moses has had to gain new areas of knowledge. Taking a certificate in medical device regulations and importantly for a startup writing and designing investor pitch decks. In order to communicate the business to potential investors and containing, the business model, market, team and representing a snapshot of your business ant its idea. 37 As part of an incubator Moses was exposed to people that had a great deal of business experience who offer guidance on various aspects of business. Since his focus is on the technology side of the startup he’s not required to do much direct pitching and he doesn’t desire or see his role changing from being the back room CTO. Currently Moses is not looking to expand his role because as a scientist his interest is in the science behind the products not in the business side. There is alway risk associated with a startup and Moses is confident that the project will be successful. Moses’s states “the co-founder and CEO holds the patent for the product and has been working on this project for more than two years. As well as being a scientist himself the CEO also has developed the necessary business skills to take the project forward.”, over those two years. For those that wish to follow in his footsteps Moses offers the following advice, “Work hard, work hard” Moses says he has always worked hard his whole life.  He’s a person that thinks luck has played a part in his life since in various examples in his academic life luck has been there but it’s always a result of hard work. At secondary school He was always in the labs. He advises reading because many opportunities have come his way through reading books and papers. The missed opportunity to go to medical school in Hungary came from a newspaper article. During his undergrad I was able to apply for a scholarship which also came from a newspaper. His Masters he also received a scholarship through recommendation by a friend. Finally the PhD research opportunity in Singapore came from reading a journal. So summarising, it’s hard work with a little bit of luck but more hard work. We thank Moses very much for this brief conversation on what it takes to go from scientist to entrepreneur and will keep in touch and we expect to keep in touch. EIA 052 From Scientist to Entrepreneur was introduced by Andy Kerr of St James Wealth Management the company sponsoring “Scientist to Entrepreneurial Scientist: The Creation of BioTech Companies” Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/kakanga-moses-phd-8112b126/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/recornea-pte-ltd/ https://www.recornea.com https://www.sginnovate.com/events/scientist-entrepreneurial-scientist-creation-biotech-companies

Ann Morgan is new to the world podcast production and joins Graham Brown the founder of Asia Tech Podcast and myself in our latest conversation recorded in the Asia Tech Podcast studio for the Ask Me Anything Podcast, where we discuss podcasting with a focus on Ann’s questions as she navigates the world of podcasting from a complete beginner. “Because funnily enough I know there’s a lot, we’ve talked about a lot about confidence and just getting on with things and for me actually doing the podcasts is a step, and I’m not saying it’s not scary, finding your voice and becoming natural at it and just making improvements Anne’s passion is growing as she develops her project and works out who and where her audience is, and with the launch phase approaching the excitement is increasing for us both all. ““You’ve literally gone Live, or you’ve started to go live. Would you… Do you think you have to do a pre, some kind of pre-thing? Do you have to be on every single social media… What’s a simple way of doing it?” Even though Anne has a non-technical background she has in our view comfortably reached the publish stage of her podcast production journey and constructed her website. You can contact Anne on Linkedin and her website at celibratethestory.com As well as Ann describing her journey towards being a podcast producer from nowhere to recording four episodes, one hour in the studio with four colleagues on a roundtable Publishing your podcast and the next step After recording the podcast, the first thing, then what do you do? The editing and the process of making it live. Choosing where to publish iTunes, Spotify, the next two Google, Stitcher Including music in the podcast, Royalty free or buy, outsource or commission starting out at a low price or even free and the pitfalls. Free music source websites as well as get a family member to create Professional production can be low cost or costly, see fiverr But do you need music at all just go straight into the intro, DIY approach, or use a voice over professional again see fiverr Can someone not like your podcast because there is no music? Domain naming your podcast, How to choose and where do I put my podcast. Server, Soundcloud, Blubrry, Possible problems, Free, Paid options, stepped options. Where to put show-notes and integration with website Audio file hosting. Taking the paid option with SoundCloud, Blubrry or the free one stop option for example with Anchor which is free, but has the potential pitfall of who owns the content. Designing your Cover Art: The fiverr option the low price option, the restrictions and potential pitfalls Publishing on Sound Cloud and iTunes followed by how do you attract an audience and who to hustle and how. The confusion of subscribe and how to overcome it. What are the platform algorithms doing and how to give the podcast a boost to reach escape velocity and get reviews Should you launch 1, 3 or more podcasts, publish regularly or irregularly? Different approaches to podcasting: Experimenting or putting out your podcast for business reasons The effect on media of noise in the content world and the need to hustle. The importance of producing something that is good, but remember it has to appeal to a specific audience that is interested. How to make it easy for your friends and guests to share the podcast with the example of a ATP’s live card. Brief explanation of getting onto SoundCloud without a website The ATP’s live card, creating a template and where to get the guests picture The challenge that appears after recording: the editing. Eliminating excuses to not publish and overcoming the loneliness of editing Preparing for the conversation it helps with editing. What happens during the conversation the challenges and how to overcome How to decide when to stop the editing process. What to do with Ums and Ahs. Annes choice of editing software Summarising: The fact that Ann’s gone from zero to completing several recordings, which will soon be publish Finally sharing the links to Anne’s podcast and website Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamdbrown/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/njmckenzie/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemorgan1/ www.celebratingthestory.com          

Graham Brown is the founder of Asia Tech Podcast. This is our second one on one conversation and was recorded in the ATP studio for the Ask Me Anything Podcast, where we discuss podcasting with a focus on Asia along with the wider personal aspects of podcasting. “Now a podcast is personal as you say. So really, I think this is a mistake people make this come to this they try and focus podcast on a very specific subject area, which is fine. However that may change over time, and it probably will like any human being you’re going to evolve and find new interests and so on.” Graham is very passionate about podcasting and warning that this is revealed in the language he uses to express what he is doing with Asia Tech Podcast and podcasting in general. As well as: Graham’s podcasting series and conversations with other podcasters. Some of the specific issues with podcasting in China, for example the blocking of Google web services. Learning how to use web services outside of China. Cooperation between podcasters by sharing podcasts. Listener questions The growing interest in podcasting in Asia, which likes Europe and the USA. The show stopper question, what should I broadcast about? and how most people get it wrong. The importance of telling your personal story that enables growth. Evolution ending a podcast series and starting a new podcast with the story that you really want to tell The host enabling the continuity of the podcast and dropping clues to their own personal experiences. The difference between a podcast host and the traditional interviewer. The listener eavesdropping on a conversation and building a relationship of trust with the host. Breaking away from the traditional interview with Asia Tech Podcast’s Camp fire like podcast ‘the Grind’. The audience as the third person in a conversation. The difference between private conversations of the past and public conversations and its dangers. Being able to witness peoples views changing and allowing people to grow. The repercussions of Elon Musk smoking marijuana on the Joe Rogan show, changes in language and leaving in swearing and the ‘ums and ahs. Errors during the podcasting recording process. The individuality of each podcasters working in different ways. The belief that everyone should have a podcast to tell part of the story. Using the tools available to market yourself. FEAR, the reason why people don’t market themselves in the way they should. Podcasting as a way of bringing your thoughts together. All you have to do is step up. You don’t need 1 million downloads. You just need to reach the people you need to reach. The interest in how to podcast? Start off with your friends and asked the question, what should we podcast about? The next question how long should a podcast be? The different types of audience, just for, information, entertainment and edutainment. The podcaster’s journey of improvement. What’s a good length to start off with? If people can find the time to binge watch Game of Thrones, why should you worry about producing a 3 hour podcast on your topic of interest and ignore the advice to keep it around 10 minutes. The listener is in control and can pause the podcast. Is the flexibility of podcasting up to the imagination of the podcasters? The world before social media and the change it brought about, for example hijacking the heart. Audio formats fight back against social media. Did TV start the process of desocialisation or did it bring us together? Mass broadcast TV losing its social currency versus video on demand. Podcasting using the Starbucks model to reconnect people. Increased understanding with audio and video communication. Human to human hormonal response. Turning humans to machines and the missing soul in AI. Podcasting as a way of getting your thoughts together, germinating crystallising ideas. An explanation of phatic communication. The listener thinking through the conversation as it unfolds, agree or disagree. Acknowledging that we could be wrong and in a years time we may have moved on. Links Graham Brown on  

Graham Brown is the founder of Asia Tech Podcast. In this conversation Graham tells us about his journey from an AI graduate in the 90’s, when there was no demand, becoming an entrepreneur in several industries, going into semi-retirement to travel the world, before being lured back to the world of entrepreneurship in Singapore. “If you were into music they were all made by Japanese companies and you had a stereo at home, which was Japanese and you watched it on a Japanese TV, and we learned about Japanese cars, samurai and ninja. Wow! This world just blew me away and I wanted to be part of that and I looked at where I grew up and just wanted to get out.” The failures that often accompany entrepreneurs before the overnight success. “We went from people playing like 10 to 15,000 dollars to speak, to be on a conference, to sponsor it, to be on that. To like the next week nothing. Crickets! just wants right to be on that they like the next week nothing crickets sorry. That completely went belly-up. So he has a wild ride. That was the second business” This is the first time that Graham has appeared as a guest and the conversation was recorded in the studio of Asia Tech Podcast, where I also appear as a guest host. So now without further delay lets begin. As well as: The first radio style interview in 2002 with an employee of Hewlett-Packard who later became the founder of Angry Birds. The break into marketing, founding a property company, a telecom company. How the switch between different Industries is an essentials part of peoples lives. His life in Japan in the 1990s, returning to the UK and determined to start business even with no connections in entrepreneurship. The big break to start his own business, a phone number in the newspaper and making 120 calls a day selling Financial Services The lessons learned from working in a tough environment Are you joining a cult? Overcoming the disheartening response from the people around him. Silence and the quest for self-improvement. The type of person that ended up in Japan in the 1990s Why Graham idolised Japan and a graduate in AI 20 years too early, so go teach English in Japan just as the bubble bursts 2 years in Japan Returning to the UK after two years in the late 90s as the UK economy picks up. The rumours of people walking out of university and picking up good jobs in the city. Unable to get that job in the city so taking the job selling Finance in the city as a stepping stone The first business building computers with his best mate and a marketing strategy based on what he’d learned in finance making hundreds of calls a day. Building Computers the business fails after a year and his friends returns to a job Graham left with the debt but determined to go as an entrepreneur with the debt paid off 10 years later. The second business 1997-98 organizing meet-ups in pubs on the internet, meeting people on ICQ. Reasons why around 2000 people started getting interested. How confusion led to conferences appearances in the USA and opportunities with CNBC on the topic of Mobile and WAP commanding fees of $10–$15,00 to speak on a conference panels and then the following. The effect of the Dot Com crises. The third business the firs and only at the time to research “mobile phone usage with young people” Rejection by Nokia but accepted by Disney, MTV, Intel, European Union, United Nations and the published UN report “Children and Mobile Phones”. (https://www.unicef.org/adolescence/files/SOWC_2011_Main_Report_EN_02092011.pdf). The reasons why this business was a success why he got out with as much cash as possible, where he put the cash and selling the business to his partner and then sitting down with his wife and explaining what he wanted to do next. A father selling ancient Japanese Scrolls around the world and why his wife understood the entrepreneurial world. 2012 semi-retirement so let’s travel the world. First stop New Zealand, then Fiji, Hawaii, California, Florida, Cypress and back to London. Flew out the next day without even telling his mother to the Canary Islands. Eventually settling in Lanzarote with blue skies, white houses, palm trees and a passion for Iron Man was ignited. How his non Spanish speaking wife enrolled their son in a none English speaking local Spanish school. 2 years in Lanzarote, iron Man and slow Internet connection next stop Japan, Island of Okinawa. Wanted to get his son to learn Japanese. 49 minutes The difficulties of living on the Island of Okinawa, which led to a quick exit to Mainland Japan On to Kugune makaigan and the bronze budda, and the surfing capital of Japan near Mount Fuji for two years. Leading back into the world of entrepreneurship by doing favours and keeping busy. Brief dabble in the podcast world with Founder FM, which later evolved into ATP and the need to go to where the action was as there were few startups, Now in a financially self-sufficient state the first thought in his mind was semi-retirement to Thailand, Phuket before he was turned-off this. The next thought was the idea of Singapore, which he put to his family, which would require full commitment. The questions of what makes him happy, the struggle and doing something or the life in? The link between the excitement of making a full commitment that involves financial risk, burning bridges, risk, not trundling along, with the pain of Iron man. Taking on a leadership role in pulling together podcasters in Asia. The drive that comes out of proving the doubters and the voices telling you it can’t be done wrong The pain of the teenage years creating the fighter and the motivator of producing of amazing things. Graham’s vision for ATP in five years being the MTV of the startup ecosystem in the same way it changed the music industry for black music artists such as Michael Jackson and hip-hop. The aim to bring amazing stories of people that are not recognised. How to convince entrepreneurs to become self-promoters and reach out to VC’s and investors through story. His belief that pitch contests are the wrong way to get entrepreneurs to tell the world what they do. Give the unheard entrepreneur a voice How do entrepreneurs startup, hire and connect with fellow podcast hosts.   Links            

John Cheng, Aaron Wong and Wynne Peh are three participants of Feed Camp 2018 and we find out the background to their participation The issue and what if a solution is not found stated by John from Cheng Yew Heng Candy Factory.             “… even in FEED Camp 2018 which is really about feeding, you know a very big 9 billion population in 2050, where if we don’t come up solution right now, when we reach that stage, you know, food as a resource can be seen as a tool for war.” Innovative ideas based on waste from Aaron Wong from SinFooTech             “ Because I mean what we’re trying to do is that we’re taking a waste by-product and turning them into Innovative consumer products that never been seen before and they have a fair bit of commercial value as well…” And top secrets under development from Wynne Peh also with Cheng Yew Heng Candy Factory             “We have right now before the new office and the new labs comes up in Q1 next year. So I think we were doing good with kombucha but it’s all secret right now. We can’t reveal too much of it.” This conversation was part 2 of a four part series published on the AsiaTech Podcast platform where I am also a guest host. So now without further delay lets begin. As well as: John: States his role as director of Cheng Yew Heng Candy Factory a very traditional family business modernising and the creation of Innovate360 Aaron: States the benefit of SinFooTech being part of the Innovate 360 initiative to develop new startups that develop new foods. Aaron: The creation of a new Soya alcoholic named Sachi from soya waste. John: scouting for individuals and startups to join the Innovate360 program during the FEED Camp 2018 Wynne: states her role supporting John and Innovate360 as they move into uncharted territories in Singapores food industry Wynne: Innovate360 and the creation Singapores first incubator facilities focused on food in order to produce a more sustainable food ecosystem, is the focus of FEED Camp 2018 John: The uncharted territory that Feed Camp 2018 will explore John : adds his grand father starting the Cheng Yew Heng Candy Factory’s history in 1947 making Chinese candies and preserved fruits, trading their own raw materials in the 1990s to now being one of the bigger players in Asia in sugar, rice and flour John: Along with automation and maintaining the traditional sugar based products John: The Jewels was initiative started in the last 2 years ago that transformed a very traditional rock into something young and trendy John: How he was called from a career in the banking industry back to the family business where he found himself as a young manager having to modernise the business John: The challenges of changing processes, building trust with the employees in order to move the company in a new direction with his brothers John: Entering the business with a vision to put in place systems, raise productivity, attract younger talent, talk about succession, and grow the business Aaron: The gratitude towards John in passing on his fantastic experience as a mentor and partner to help develop SinFooTech as a startup in the food industry Aaron: his journey from a brief corporate background in the aviation industry before joining SinFooTech was only a matter of time as his parents were entrepreneurs Aaron: Why food entrepreneurship should not be overlooked Aaron: Overcoming the biases associated with using waste to produce new forms of food, which are nutritious and tasty. Aaron: Producing alcoholic beverages from waste soya Aaron: Going from producing food in the laboratory to factory production with the help of Innovate360 John: How he through Innovate360 will use the new factory facilities to be the foundation of taking new foods from the laboratory to commercial production as a one-stop-shop solution for startups who are looking to scale-up. John: The depth of the food startup industry in Singapore, which includes six startups at Innovate 360 since May this year and recognition as an incubator in Singapore that can support startups with funding from the government grants through Innovate360. John: Innovate360 working with startups in nutrition (Eatobe) and clean meat (Shiok Meats). Wynne: Hinting at things to come with the startup involved with Kombucha (Kombynation), John: Building a sustainable food innovation ecosystem for startups with the partners PlatformE, FocusTechVenture as well as Temasek Poly Wynne: The role she occupies, which is to find people, startups and organisations that want to get involved with innovation in the food industry and the completion posed from the hype around FinTech, banking, finance etc John: Remembering that the core is food and while crypto is all the rage at the moment you can’t eat Tech Aaron: How he and SinfooTech became involved with Innovate360 ecosystem created by the government agency Enterprise Singapore (ESG) John: Innovate360 as an Accredited Mentor Partner, AMP that can access startup applications for a certain grants for startups that might be more scalable have better market response. The role of Enterprise Singapore (ES) John: Strange or surprising sources of foods that require previous preconceptions to be ignored John: Involvement in vertical farms John: The need for FEED Camp 2018 being the projected 9 billion population in 2050, and the potential for war John: The talk about sustainability and the need for preserving what we have right now, making it more efficient, vertical farming, urban farming, to ensure that there is enough food John: Developments needed in automation in farming to ensure future generations have enough food John: One of the primary motivations being the scarcity in Singapore of land that requires lots of food has to be imported and the potential threat to the food supply chain and the priority being placed on initiative like the FEED Camp 2018, which is about looking at the future John: The dates the FEED Camp 2018 takes place 8th to 10th November John: The first of its kind food boot camp that it’s planned to inspire people, wannabe entrepreneurs and companies to look at food issues and take the first steps to find solutions Aaron: ultimately food and Maslow’s hierarchy is obviously at the base FEED Camp 2018 is a fantastic opportunity for corporates for startups, for SMEs to come together, bounce ideas off each other to tackle the issue of food shortages as well as food security Wynne: meet people with a passion for food firstly and second new ideas that we can help them to incubate or to grow further into business actually that is sustainable John: FEED Camp 2018 is an opportunity to disrupt, ideate and develop. A participant or entrepreneur can consider develop a business in the food industry John: The opportunity for corporates to see how they can innovate and disrupt their own businesses. Bring about change and hopefully do something that can impact positively future generations. The existence of the opportunity to include entrepreneurs with no background in food to participate at the FEED Camp 2018   Links https://www.platforme.asia/ https://www.tp.edu.sg/ http://www.innovate360.sg http://www.focustechventures.com https://www.shiokmeats.com https://www.kombynation.com http://www.sinfootech.com/ https://www.eatobe.com  

Glenn van Zutphen Glenn van Zutphen is the founder of VanMedia Group a company he founded over twelve years ago and based on his knowledge of over twenty-five years as an international journalist. The mission he chose is to guide thought leaders to significantly shape their organisation and industry by creating and communicating provocative & memorable messages across digital and traditional channels for news media interviews, conferences, and TED Talks. Now due to the rise of social media and the rise of social selling the need for entrepreneurs to get to grips with what is happening is on the rise.             Literally anybody can buy these days with just a few hundred dollars, maybe a little bit more depending on the type of gear you get, and then put together a podcast like this or any kind of a news story and upload it whether it’s on your own website or on Stitcher or on any number of podcast hosting sites. In comparison in the past being an entrepreneur or business executive was a lot simpler and easier. Now the ability to communicate credibly both personally and professionally is exponentially increasing as social selling becomes more demanding.             Generally speaking, executives don’t like to see themselves on TV, or hear themselves on the radio, or they don’t really like this idea of exposing themselves externally to whatever… whatever audience it is. So from that perspective there was a bit of hesitation on most peoples… you know the reaction. In this conversation, which was recorded at the 1880 Members Club in Singapore we get a brief insight into the thoughts of one of the top media professional in Asia.   As well as: Glenn van Zutphen’s journey from a graduate in media studies in the USA to Singapore: Why and how the self confessed news junky at heart decided to step away from daily journalism and build a business of his own: How much do you need to put together a podcast or news story and upload it to a website: Which is more important interviewing skills or being curious?: Why the process of developing a podcast requires understanding the need to figure out first, what is the voice of the podcast: The requirements to become a credible source: Understanding that fake news has taken on a new importance: Facing the challenges of leaving a stable job to create a media company and taking a long hard look and asking the hard personal questions: Running a business successfully takes longer than the 6 months it takes to getting started: Using the network to reach out and let everyone know what you are in business: Who has the budget to give you business large companies or SMEs Training to overcome the fear of appearing in front of a camera and understanding why executives should do it: The complete novice to strong communicator in 8 hours: Why should an executive should have hands-on with Social Selling: The arrival of the Smart Asian Leaders communicating globally in their own style: Communication style: one size doesn’t fit all: Personal reflections on what makes journalism and passing on the skills enjoyable: The first step in the personal coaching process: What needs to be achieved, how many, what are the issues?: The age we live in and the communication noise, watch, read, listen and using your voice to become clear, concise, confident, hopefully even captivating: A personal experience of not managing information overload well: A solution to managing rabbit hole of information overload: Relaxing with the family and disconnecting from the digital world:   Links: Glenn van Zutphen on LinkedIn    

Virginia Cha and Patricia Lim   Virginia Cha and Petrina Lim discuss Feed Camp 2018. Virginia Cha, professor-in-residence at Platform E and Petrina Lim, Head for the Centre for Applied Nutrition at Temasek Polytechnic. Feed Camp 2018 is an initiative orgainsed at PlatformE in which Virginia and Petrina are key participants. The issue as thought out by Virginia.             “Wondering out loud, you know we’re going to be something like 9.7 billion people on this earth very soon in the next 20-30 years…” And technical guidance from Patrina             “So that’s targeting the food manufacturing sector, also the food service sectors as well, and trying to encourage this environment of healthier eating for the people…” This conversation is part 1 of a four part series published on the AsiaTech Podcast platform where I am now a guest host. As well as: A look at innovation and entrepreneurship in the food industry. Feed camp 2018 the first step to make Singapore the food start-up. The need for a paradigm shift in food production in the way food is delivered, made, and the way waste is dealt with. Virginia Cha’s role as the former entrepreneur professor in residence at Platform E we’ll help to create a framework to stimulate innovative thinking for prototypes and products at Feed Camp 2018 Patrina Lim’s role is as the technical expert and sees her role as being a nutritionist and food scientist from the Temasek Polytechnic is to develop meals and food manufacture systems that will provide healthy eating for Singaporeans hobby of eating The different types of collaboration international and domestic. The benefits Feed Camp 2018 will bring to create an ecosystem at Platform E. The Feed Camp / Boot Camp held on a Thursday night, Friday night and all day Saturday to bring new concepts of food and the experience. What Hershey recent acquisition of pirate brands means to the food industry. Feed camp 2018 idea for conceptual prototypes and people in the food science space meet the needs of an increase of vegetarians in Asia by 140% and the interest in China. Patrina’s passion as a nutritionist and food scientist to see the creation new food from inception to the shelf to satisfy the future needs of people and solve the major food issues. Patrina’s participation in a recent conference on food with industry partners manufacturers, restaurateurs that examined potential new food sources. Who is involved in making new plant-protein based foods tasty and where demand is coming from and the effects on the food industry. Who’s mind needs to be changed and the challenges Local examples of Singaporean startups that are leading the way. The NDA that stops the mention of the major food company that will attend to find out what are the innovations and experience what is happening. Patrina’s experience of working with large companies verses startups, where each excels and are there any preferences. Find out the importance that Platform E and Singapore places on food innovation and the plans for April 2019. The qualifications that Singapore; the abundance of F&B outlets, described as foodie nation and a trusted brand. How a future motivated Singapore involved in the food production with Government support with provide new initiatives in food. Involved in the Feed Camp 2018 ecosystem are PlatformE, Temasek Polytechnic, Innovation360 and FocusTech Ventures Links to the FEED Camp 2018 joint initiative by Platform E, Temasek Polytechnic, Innovate360 and Focustech Ventures.

Jeroen van Overbeek Jeroen van Overbeek is the founder of Social Impakt a social impact enterprise. Previously he spent over twenty years working in manufacturing in Europe and Asia. He then decided he wanted to change track and switch to making a social impact. The mission he chose was to bring clean water to South East Asia specifically Bali in Indonesia. Now, due to natural disasters in the area he finds that as a social entrepreneur the need for his product has increased drastically along with an expansion of volumes and the area where his product is needed “A problem which is 3, 4 times the magnitude of the Bali issue, because there’s about half a million people, close to half a million who have no roof right now and that will last for a while, They are reconstructing now.” Being an entrepreneur in normal times is difficult enough but in an environment where nature is unforgiving the stresses are greater. “Try to get more sleep. You trying to get as fit as you can in the conditions. Just give you and example, because of the Lombok earthquake I scaled my business 30 times in the period of two weeks.” In this conversation we get a brief insight into the world of the social entrepreneur at the sharp edge where nature is unforgiving. As well as: The journey to Bali to become a social entrepreneur starting from a career and experience in general management in manufacturing, food, pharma, selling products B2B internationally leading to a final role handling 3.5 million and overseeing a thousand people. The formation of reasons behind the change in wanting to start a business based on his experience, knowledge and a desire to return to Asia and work on something with a social value The first ventures which were starting two companies in 2013, one a peer to peer lending micro-finance social enterprise and the other supplying clean water to rural communities The emotions and challenges of going from corporate to social impact from a regular salary to no salary and the challenge of living off savings with the goal of reducing the mortality rate of children by providing clean water. And so to Indonesia where finding the right, safe, affordable product with local production facilities that provide an effective clean water solution to the people of Indonesia was important. The benefits of attending the Social Enterprise World Forum in Edinburgh, Scotland with 1500 hundred other social entrepreneurs enabling Jeroen to make connections, exchange ideas, and gain happiness with the knowledge that the social impact community is doing good work all over the world. Witnessing corporates and social enterprises working together to expand the social impact ecosystem though procurement through a diverse community of delegates from all over the world interested in developing the social enterprise ecosystem. Including innovative initiatives at getting marginalised people and ex-prisoners back into the workforce. The event helped to overcome the loneliness of being a social impact entrepreneur that specifically offered the opportunity for future cooperation and collaborations with like minded entrepreneurs working on clean water provision in the future. Facing the practical reality of frequent recent disasters in the region. The first being the eruption of Mount Agung, which saw his company supply 1200 units in a three month period, the second the Lombok earthquake in August and then the third and most recent Tsunami in Sulawesi. Working-out the cost of supplying the product during a disaster with balancing being a for profit company with social entrepreneur that tackles environmental social problems of access to clean water which require that company costs are covered. Compounded by a personal responsibility to reduce margins further and to supply with the help of donations. Sourcing donations from private people, organisations, friends, family and crowd funding pages. At this stage selling the filters for four and a half years a typical day before the disasters consisted of the proof of concept phase by making sure the product could be accepted, used and paid for by people living in Karangasem one of the poorest remote areas in Bali. This was achieved with a local colleague for two years by meeting with the heads of the villages, the woman of the villages and others and others to introduce and sell the product. The process of education of the local population about what the product is, how it works, and to trust it is safe and was achieved by meeting with the influencers, which included Hindu religious leaders and eventually provided income for a local network of 30-35 women resellers. The expansion into southern Bali, which had a greater population in towns and cities for example Denpasar and Ubud and the effect of recent disaster on Jeroen and the business leading to the need to set up a new team of 5 volunteers, a new storage in Mataram in Lombok with volunteers. And realising that the operations and storage was the main challenge taking about one week. Mention of a planned visit to Lombok to check on what’s going on in the camps, monitor the filters and how they are being used. Learning that the success of the operation is built on setting up a system that provides who wants, who can, who has paid for the filters, who can pick it up, where the filters are going and tracking where they are. Understanding the cost of being a one man operation on a physical and personal level comes in the form of your own life, time but this a choice that is consciously made and requires the discipline to try to get more sleep, keep as fit as you can in spite of the conditions. While a the same time meeting the incredible feat to scale the business thirty times in a period of two weeks. The toll on physical health that it takes as well as the required effort to get sleep also requires not to work too hard and also to keep the weekend free and to continue personal physical activities like running and a passion for dancing. The benefits of having a good supplier located manufacturing the filters in Bandung , West Java which is a city about 2 hours East of Jakarta and transported overland by truck to either Bali or Lombok The ease in the ramping up of production was enabled by Nazava, a ten year old company’s experience of previous disasters. Nazava met the challenge of drastically increased demand in a matter of days and produced a pleasure that working with the supplier that is ready to support and meet the demand for the product when disaster strikes. Local government or Government support is vital when disasters strike and while Jeroen and Social Impakt carry out work with the support of public and private donations government help coming in the form infrastructure by getting water to the camps is critical step. In the case of the most recent disaster in Sulawesi Jeroen and Social Impakt may be working with the Health Department and are currently looking at options to provide a valuable service.   Links   Email: Jeroen van Overbeek Linkedin Jeroen van Overbeek

Jo Anne Sukumaran Jo Anne Sukumaran initially wanted to be a cellist and auditioned for the Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) at age 12. However this lead to her receiving a full bassoon scholarship and being tutored by Zhang Jin Min. After reading a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Literature Jo Anne followed her passion as a professional musician. And now like many entrepreneurs she is taking the plunge and looking to raise funds to take her career in a new direction. “It’s a bit hard to say when inspiration strikes. It’s not everyday that it comes. So when it comes I try to make a voice memo of the idea.” She talks about the challenges “So long in this game and you still talking about privacy.” and the expectations that others have As well as: The unpredictability of when inspiration comes.  The challenges of combining entrepreneurship and being a musician The journey to become a musician and significant events along the way,  The role the movie the Music Garden played and Yo Yo Ma  Music, Finale of Saint-Saens Sonata for Bassoon and Piano Research into raising funds and the government restrictions as a classical musician, which led to Kick Starter and the alternative Patreon Life as a teenage musician in the Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore and moving on to adult orchestras and ensembles Playing internationally with the Asian Wind Consort in Jeju, Korea  playing for the Korean  The difference between rehearsing for a festival and orchestra Auditioning internationally and self-financing The stresses of being a classical musician The effect of the quality of the reed The Grandfather Theme for bassoon from Peter and the Wolf, by Sergei Prokofiev. The inspiration that led to the bassoon, an instrument that she had never heard of Reasons for personalising musical instruments and giving them names Choosing and the cost of buying a bassoon Borrowing the buying her first bassoon which was a Püchner and the current a Moosmann and the cost Maintaining a bassoon The benefits to mental health that her music can bring The recommendation from a mentor to do Vipassana Meditation and how it help her set goals and overcome the negativity surrounding her The lifestyle that stops her from fitting in and difficult situations that being a woman may place her The inspiration for the album Being able to relax in nature and its connection with creativity Using Bjork techniques to help find inspiration through nature, and the unpredictability of finding inspiration Composers whose work will be used for original improvisation, Camille Saint-Saëns, Alexandre Tansman, Charles Koechlin, Robert Rønnes Music, Excerpt from Saint-Saens Sonata for Bassoon and piano (last movement) Favourite place to play concert hall, Concertgebouw The National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands (NJO), Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands and finally Save the Bassoon closing concert Parents prefer their children to play violins The personal relationship and taking care of a bassoon Jo Anne’s podcast “Legends of the Reed” and the benefits of sharing online Performing in the future and making the decision to play solo and in Chamber music ensembles and opportunities in the future Self Management and own business development Major challenge from detractors and critics The changes in revenue model for music The snapshot of life that the album will bring The future role of the album and its use as as a calling card Being scoffed at for the path she is taking Being encouraged and career advice from a famous bassoonist, Bram van Sambeek, who gave her the confidence to follow her new path as an independent bassoonist Advice from Bernhard Kerres of Hello Stage leading to the five year plan Jo Anne’s ambition to emulate the cellist, Yo Yo Ma Taking up the challenge to start her crowd sourcing campaign from scratch Over coming shyness and making the leap of faith The Newsletter and the start of the podcast, which grew of the blog following in the footsteps of French horn player, Sarah Willis’ “Horn Hangouts”   Links Home page of Jo Anne Sukumaran Welcome to the  Night Garden Kick Starter campaing  Inspired by Bach’s Cello Suites 1 & 2 : The Music Garden & The Sound of the Carceri https://youtu.be/RQrQvrqwwRE  

Muriel Boutin-Becuwe, was an entrepreneur I met a few months after I arrived in Singapore in October, 2016, you can listen to our conversation in episode EIA 032 where she discussed her start-up, which was focused on environmental sustainability and social impact. Recently Muriel has become involved with a not-for-profit organisation The Young Professionals’ Group (YPG). In this episode Muriel will describe what YPG offers young people. You will also hear from six participants just starting out on the YPG mentorship programme. So now without further delay let’s begin. Links The Young Professionals’ Group (YPG) EIA 032 The Challenge with Muriel Boutin-Becuwe  

Craig DeLarge is a digital healthcare executive in the Pharma Industry. In a career that spans over thirty years. His focus has developed into challenging leadership roles that have advanced digital health outcomes globally. From his base in the USA specific projects included digital mental health, digital healthcare strategy development education & advisory and change leadership strategy consulting & coaching. He knows what it takes to make an organisation change when it faces a crises. “It’s Just that in my experience what I found generally people will agree with you about an opportunity but they will act on a crisis.” Three years ago he moved to Singapore to support clients & stakeholders navigate the emerging digital healthcare ecosystem and develop the capacity to lead in ambiguous change scenarios. He describes himself as an intrepreneur. This is our first meeting. Our conversation takes place just a few days before his return to the USA, in his bare bones apartment. A reflection on move which is about to see him start a Master of Public Health in Global Mental Health, a family reunion, and the next phase of Craigs passion project and the change from Intrepreneur to Entrepreneur “The Digital Mental Health Project”. “…the point in life where your most susceptible to becoming mentally unwell, between about 18 and 25, I hope the university that he goes to, has a whole suite of support systems, technologies, data algorithms, notifications to the family, and an absence of stigma.” During our conversation Craig reveals the motivations behind his career choices and how he sees the potential benefits that digital technology can bring to the field of mental health. As well as: His origins as a regional hybrid from the southern United States before moving to north-east and Philadelphia. His initial career choice and the reason for switch to the Pharma industry. His memory of going to his VP who advised him that his career choice was going to ruin his career. The role love and novelty in his career replaced burning out. The nature of the digital cycle of adoption in the Pharma industry and how this led to him become a serial intrapreneur. The last three years in Singapore working as the head of the digital accelerator for for Takeda Pharmaceutical. Similarities and differences between the roles of intrapreneur and entrepreneur. The forces working against the intrapreneur in an organisation and the reasons. Well know failures that did not capitalise on their own R&D innovations. The point when an organisation recognises a crises, before during and after. The thing that makes an organisation successful is also the thing that can make it fail. Solutions that reduce the possibility of organisations from failing. So why don’t most companies do that. The 3M model is well known. I know about it. Why organisations conserve of energy. and the connection to complacency and then crises Employees that see a crisis coming and what should you do. The Fortune 500 today is not the same as a decade ago. How the switch to a career based on love of being a designer.began with an MBA at University of Westminister to connect the intrapreneur, and innovator within to design management. How “nudge” is helping healthcare is get human beings to take better care of their health. The sabbatical that led to linking being an entrepreneur in the pharma industry to his mental health advocacy for the creation of the Digital Mental Health Project. Future benefits that digital technology will bring to improve mental health. How in the future mobile digital devices can move from damaging mental health to improving it. The move from intrapreneur to entrepreneur, the nervousness, the advantages and disadvantages of each The loneliness of being an entrepreneur and advice on how to maintain mental health How Silicon Valley is recognising the negative mental toll that the pressure, and the loneliness and the drivenness of tech entrepreneurship is having on its workers. The symptoms to look out for with your own mental health and what mistaken beliefs exist when the psyche breaks and the stigma surrounding it. Strategies on improving and protecting mental health How to overcome the stigma surrounding mental health issues and Craigs hope for the support, in the future, that will be available at university and for 18 and 25 year olds, which is the point in life. When to start taking care of your mental health and who to start with and the challenge. The importance to remember, the advantages we have today in society are because somebody in the past stepped out of line and began to challenge the status quo and how we can create the same for someone in the future. Finally he tells us about his family and the number one motivation for leaving Singapore and how it fits into the plan. Links On Linkedin Craig DeLarge The Digital Health Project

Chris Morris is a Relationship manager & Entrepreneur his previous career roles have been with NHS Trusts and Department of the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs in the UK. This was before setting up a new life in Singapore where he initially supported his wife’s career before finding a role in Change Management and then as an independent consultant. Now, he splits his time between being a Regional Relationship manager and his real passion as an Entrepreneur with his restaurant the Lime House in the heart of Singapore. “I took on the lease for Lime House I didn’t have a chef. So I actually took on the lease, because a lot of people think I am a restaurateur and I am not. I don’t cook at all. My wife is a very good cook not me. But I like to entertain and so I see myself very much as a founder anyway, so I took the lease on and I thought oh shit you know we’ve got to find a, we need to find a chef from somewhere. So actually got a plane flew to London, on the way to London I googled top Caribbean chefs in the UK. I landed I interviewed three of them, two of them thought I was just crazy Caribbean guy from Singapore and didn’t want to engage.” During our conversation Chris reveals the motivations behind his founding of the Lime House, difficulties, career changes, family and his positive purposeful attitude he creates for the future. As well as: The only Caribbean establishment in Singapore Arrived in Singapore as a trailing spouse in 2008 Background as Management consultant Start of the job business transformation practice as a consultant for five years The reason for the row Then became a entrepreneur Passion of the Caribbean led to him creating a Caribbean footprint in Singapore f or his children and the Caribbean diaspora The opportunity for a positive Caribbean experience in Singapore Its all about the food and ambience The size of the ground floor restaurant, second floor bar and third floor event space. The Trinidadian and Tobago meaning for the word “Lime” and its origins A history and cultural lesson of rum and the largest rum collection in Singapore at 168 The journey of growing up in the Caribbean, moving to London and then to Singapore, Corporate to Cultural Entrepreneur Specialism from IT to change programs in organisational culture in government agencies. However mentor and locked his passion to mix food culture. Overcoming opening a restaurant with no cooking skills. The top Caribbean restaurant chef in London solving the cooking issue for a crazy Caribbean Guy Using passion, belief and culture to achieve success The years of pain to produce success The dark lonely moments of being an entrepreneur and the don’t do it message from the naysayers, Singaporean success Fridays and Saturdays full Singaporeans creating authentic Caribbean food Localised in the food. The connection between the food in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia The competitiveness of the Singaporean restaurant market, fine dining the failure then the chance meeting Creating a grab and go experience in Singapore that failed and then moving it halfway around the world to London using the lessons learned in Singapore Three minutes to walk out with a meal learned in Singapore. A new fusion food experience. The entrepreneurs need for the support of family but it helps when they eat the food Creativity is in the family fashion design father, set designer sister, artist brother and the link to Central St. Martins Chris’ excitement of changing perceptions of the Caribbean diaspora The most difficult task for the entrepreneur is always dealing with failure The painful road of luck When did you realise you have to close How an entrepreneur knows when to stop Being comfortable talking about failure and playing it safe and the role exposure plays to opportunity, capital and expertise through mentors Caribbean business groups in the UK and the importance of mentorship both Singapore and London. The location of home Singapore or London Finally making time for relaxation Links [email protected]  

FocusDigit Team Shubham Barat, Anushka Singh, Anchal Gupta and Vipul Srivastava are four of the staff members that work with Abhinav Sharma the CEO and Tanisha Chawla the COO, of the startup FocusDigit. An eCommerce platform that provides sellers with end-to-end solution to reach their customers online across multiple channels. In the previous podcast “Supplier and Client Fighting for the Seller” (EIA 035) Abhinav and Tanisha discussed FocusDigit and if you haven’t listed we suggest you do. All six live and work in Dehli, India and represent the growing number of entrepreneurs that are building companies successfully out of India to challenge on the world stage. During the first part of this podcast we get insights from Shubham, Anoshka, Anchal and Vipul four members of the execution team. In the second part we continue where we left off in EIA 035 with Abhinav and Tanisha revealing more of what is driving their success. Following on from Tannish’s the revelation that Abhinav’s kept and from who in the first 6 months, in EIA 035, Abhinav reveals Tanisha’s secret passion, which she is finding difficult to indulge in due to her commitment to the startup. “Adding to her persona she plays…” The dynamic and humorous relationship between Abhinav and Tanisha is still apparent. As well as: Shubham Barat, Anushka Singh, Anchal Gupta and Vipul Srivastava describe their roles and some of the task required in FocusDigit. What employees look for in a company Abhinav reveals another source of income. International and local coworking spaces in Delhi. Abhinav and Tanisha reveal weaknesses and what they do or plan to do about them. Employee expectations from management The competition, execution and the business environment and Blue Ocean. FocusDigit’s approach to meetings with customers. Advice to those following in the Startup arena. Links   Website Abhinav Sharma on Linkedin Tanisha Chawla  on Linkedin

Abhinav Sharma & Tanisha Chawla   Abhinav Sharma is the CEO and Tanisha Chawla is the COO, entrepreneurs of the startup FocusDigit. An eCommerce platform that provides sellers with end-to-end solution to reach their customers online across multiple channels. Abhinav and Tanisha live and work in Delhi, India and represent the growing number of entrepreneurs that are building companies successfully out of India to challenge on the world stage. During the conversation Abhinav and Tanisha reveal what makes them a successful team, based on their knowledge and experience with a touch of humour. Tannish also reveals the secret that Abhinav’s kept and to who in the first 6 months of the company, “Six months later he actually broke the news to her.” In the podcast Abhinav reveals Tanisha’s secret passion, which she is finding difficult to indulge in due to her commitment to the startup. Abhinav and Tanisha also kindly allowed me to talk briefly to other members of the company, which is why the podcast is over two episodes (EIA 035 and EIA 036). As well as: Abhinav Describes his entrepreneurial journey that started when he was still a student to earn money. His early failure because of his lack of maturity. The start of his passion for retail industry. Tanisha’s conventional educational path before breaking away and turning a hobby into a business and realising it was not what she wanted to do. Her father’s entrepreneurial influence and working in the family business. How supplier and client came together to help build the business. What occurs on the bad days. The source of the difficulties they face. Spending zero on marketing and still grow the business. Being operationally profitable in a year and a half. Starting in a basement. Where to recruit and what to look for and the key qualities in a startup employee. An Indian’s approach to working internationally with colleagues. The problems faced and working to the rules of my company. The support of family, single mother’s influence, secrets, and an entrepreneur as a father role model. The madness of being an entrepreneur and the shift from the old rat-race to the new. As we are in India we have a cricket anecdote to discuss failure along with a Hindi saying for the road to profitability. The entrepreneurial game of short-term gain vs sustainable long-term business. Links  Website Abhinav Sharma on Linkedin Tanisha Chawla  on Linkedin

JC Sekar JC Sekar is a cofounder of the startup AcuiZen. A startup that is looking at simplifying training and empower a dynamic and dispersed workforce. JC as he is know has after a career that spans 3 decades in the corporate world decided to take the plunge and become an entrepreneur. This is based on the belief that a career interacting and working closely with customers across different sectors and geographies has enabled him develop the skills to uncover unstated pain points. To then create and conceptualise solutions and produce new service offerings. During the conversation JC revels his thoughts and experiences as one member of a team of cofounders in a thoughtful and controlled manner. Find out in this episode some of what it takes to make the jump after thirty years from the corporate world to entrepreneur. “I keep telling people that this is probably a startup which somebody out of college would not have come up with because it’s really a distillation of my experiences together with that of my cofounders” “my company believed that it was pointless to go and waste your effort with so many small companies”. As well as: A career that spans several continents, industries, public and private sectors. Gaining experience through changing rolls within a company and between companies The conversation with a senior parliamentary secretary at the World Safety Congress in Germany that was the genesis for the startup The different decisions that small and medium local businesses compared to large multinational businesses have to make when deciding who to serve. Singapore’s businesses need to look to the world for their market after starting with the home market. The relationship between protection, comfort; the talent from China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and going international. Where the opportunity lies for his startup with “Point of Need Learning”. The cofounder structure and how developers are selected Deciding the focus now is Singapore but what about India, the Middle East, China the USA and Europe? Dealing with the cultural diversity of Singapore. The weekend sacrifice his family has made. The advantages of becoming an entrepreneur when he did. Making money and when to look for outside money. The process of the startup refining the product.    Links AcuiZen website JC Sekar on Linkedin

Adeesh Agarwal Adeesh Agarwal, is the founder of the startup dKreator, a furniture marketplace personalised to a buyers preferences. It applies data science to connect buyers ‘likes’ to a sellers products. Its aim is to get buyers to collaborate, discover products and social proofs, manage their budget and buy the product using its online platform. Adeesh has diverse experience in many roles and by following his path you can see how the dots connect architecture, real estate and healthcare, which lead to him becoming a consultant and then a Business Development Advisor, the final stepping stone into the perilous world of his own startup. During the conversation Adeesh revels quite unexpectedly that things are not going to plan as a major disaster is taking place. His manner shows that the experience he has gained allows him to take it in his stride as he looks into the future to find solutions with a positive frame of mind. Find out in this episode how when bad things happen you should behave. “All of that to get to where we were three hours prior to launch. To give it all away just because one person is off the grid. Doesn’t make sense to me. And honestly, I don’t have a Plan B.” As well as: The links between Architecture, Real estate, medical devices and finance come together to make and entrepreneur. Looking back with fond memories at the secure company job with Medtronic. The founder is full-time and everyone else is part-time. Disaster strikes when you least expect. Ask yourself, how would you handle the situation? Challenges and building things makes you look past the temporary disaster with a positive look to the future. Family support and where it leads Insights into an online startup: how to measure success, knowing what you want to achieve and how to test the market. Finally a mention that bigger startups have fallen. Links dKreator website Adeesh Agarwal on Linkedin

Muriel Boutin-Becuwe Muriel Boutin-Becuwe, is a Co-founder of PAPAYAPATHS and Originator of the H3Rs Giveaways Program, a business focused on environmental sustainability and social impact. Muriel previously worked for Schlumberger in North and South America, Europe and Asia, learning a great deal in her various roles. Now an entrepreneur based in Singapore we spoke together a few weeks before the official launch of the PAPAYAPATHS web platform. During the conversation Muriel reveals part of her journey and what it takes to bring her vision to reality covering many aspects of the entrepreneurial journey, and to bring the vision into reality of enabling the Hotel industry meet the growing demand for sustainability by facilitating access to best in class pre-validated green solutions that can demonstrate positive returns to all stakeholders. In this conversation Muriel reveals the determination and some of what has been overcome to make her vision a reality. Muriel talks about the decisions she made to leave her native France for the US, being employed by a major MNC. How the dream to challenge herself to create a Business focused on environmental sustainability and social impact grew to the point in her life when she made it happen. “If you work alone you’re doomed. You have to surround yourself. So surround yourself with the right people. Filter out the toxic people. Be patient and have faith, don’t give up.” As well as Graduating then looking forward and choosing to leave for the USA to be employed by Schlumberger The mayhem of divorce, moving, death in the family and leaving your job for a startup occur at the same time Beginning the dream with a cofounder with the same ideals Carrying on when her cofounder had to step down Making the decision to sell up, move house in order to save the business How to include children in the important decisions that need to be made and spending time with them. What the Angle that believes in you is willing to do to help you establish the business dream What she learned from applying for government grants in Singapore compared to other countries The role of interns partners and sweat equity How to select and reject Hotels, NGOs and Do Good Organisations to join the H3R platform Controlled grow and a hint of the future objectives Surrounding yourself with the right people and removing toxic people from your life What was learned working in the different cultural environments of North, South America, France and Asia and getting results Who, where and how to spend time with do deal with the ups and downs of entrepreneurship Reveal a possible cure for insomnia Who and where inspiration comes and the result of coaching How to get over screw-ups and the difference between a community and a network Wishing and knowing that the clock can’t be wound back and what to do about wasted time in the future Setting goals and measuring progress Advice if anyone is thinking of creating a startup business Links PAPAYAPATHS website  

Mark Kay Mark Kay is the CEO and Founder of MJ Creative Ventures; a company that specialises in providing mobile friendly, SEO optimised websites for Small Business owners and non-profits. This is a follow on from the previous podcasts where we discuss how small business owners can develop their websites in order to improve their business. In this episode Mark takes a look at the making a website mobile friendly and helps us to understand better some of key features and terms that newbies should be aware of. What is a mobile friendly website Does my website need to be mobile friendly What are the advantages apart from the look of your website Your current website and what is needed to make it mobile friendly Making an old website mobile friendly using current content Optimising content for a mobile friendly website Popups are annoying even on a desktop The hamburger or three horizontal lines stripes The effect of social media and share buttons The differences for mobile friendly SEO Business advantages of having a mobile friendly website Links google mobile friendly test

Daryl Saw Daryl Saw is the CEO of the Stewords Riverboat a food and beverage facility that caters for 100 diners as well as having a bar for 150, which is located at the Marina South Pier in Singapore.   “A large portion of the young people want to start their own cafes… but they are not aware of the sustainability and the amount of hours of hard work that goes into it.” During the conversation he touches on the following: His introduction to F&B without having a formal education Surprising legal requirements for boats and cooking in Singapore His own personal touch for building his network Social networks, Instagram vs Facebook Wine tasting qualifications, corporate, birthday and running events and eating as much as you can The limit reached as a young F&B CEO and the work and the sacrifice required Look ahead into the future for business His understanding of the pros and cons of the restaurants location and its special features The gamble his father took when the family bought the business Knowing his limit and a warning to others that wish to follow him    

Mark Kay Mark Kay is the CEO and Founder of MJ Creative Ventures; a company that specialises in providing mobile friendly, SEO optimised websites for Small Business owners and nonprofits. This is a follow on from the previous two podcasts where we discuss how small business owners can develop their websites in order to improve their business. In this episode Mark takes a look at the WordPress theme, and helps me to understand better some of key features and terms that newbies should be aware of. How is a theme created How to select a theme Security issues around a theme The advantages and disadvantages or free verses paid for themes Factors to consider when selecting a theme How easy is it to change a theme HTML, CSS and coding As a business develops what can be done with WordPress How long does it take to become a developer The visible and hidden things that slow down a website and how they are found Selecting a developer to work with you on your theme, the questions to ask and what the developer should ask you And finally: if you have any questions you’d like Mark to answer send them to comments and suggestion.

Mark Kay Mark Kay is the CEO and Founder of MJ Creative Ventures; a company that specialises in providing mobile friendly, SEO optimised websites for Small Business owners and nonprofits. This is a follow on from the last podcasts where we began taking a look at how small business owners could develop their websites in order to improve their business. In this episode Mark takes a look at the WordPress dashboard of my own website; asiabizstories.com, and helps me to understand better some of key features and terms that newbies should be aware of. In this episode we look at: The purpose of the dashboard Post, Widgets and Plugins How a business can use a website to improve business. The standard options, posts Organising by categories and tags WordPress’s management of Media images, hot linking and image size The difference between Pages, Post and meta data The required basic Plugins and updating Free, Premium and Paid for Themes balancing features and speed Import security changes that should be made Tools selection Domains and sub domains to create more websites Basics settings to improve your websites speed The best option for the address bar And finally: if you have any questions you’d like Mark to answer send them to comments and suggestion.

Mark Kay Mark Kay is the CEO and Founder of MJ Creative Ventures, a company that specialises in providing mobile friendly, SEO optimised websites for Small Business owners and nonprofits. This is the first in a series of podcasts to help small business owners improve their websites in order Reason why a business have a website. Advantages of having a webpage over a Facebook page and Linkedin page Solutions for a business with zero budget. The suitability for WordPress as a solution Skill level for a professional looking page from 0 to 100% The next step to improve the website to develop the business  What is SEO and how to improve your Google ranking? The three big mistakes made by novices, images, widgets and cheap hosting account. Where to start as a business. And finally: if you have any questions you’d like Mark to answer send them to the comments and suggestion.      

Jane Jia, Jia Wenting Jane Jia, AKA Jia Wenting is the founder of Pawnstar, Shanghai. As sustainability, recycling and upcycling become more main-stream Jane positions herself as a pioneer in the changes that are taking place in China by breaking the negative traditional view of second hand clothing and goods in the Middle Kingdom. Passing through the Pawnstar consignment store are great quality high-end fashion items at vastly discounted prices. In this conversation Jane helps me to understand the world of the high-end fashion consignment. Jane tells us how as a girl she would ask other girls for their unwanted clothes and carry plastic bags with her to avoid waste. Her constant laughter is an expression of how much she enjoys what she is doing as she tells her story “When I was a kid I hated plastics so much, when polyester became very popular in China I just couldn’t bear it” Her background in software design and energy management for government departments and starting a company at the age of 26. Her career switch to recycling and sustainability lifestyle based on her childhood and work experience. A look behind the scene at the running of the Pawnstar consignment shop, which is follows on the examples of similar shops found New York’s Manhattan Island and Central London’s Camden. How to use the technology platforms, WeChat and TaoBao, available in China as business tools to connect with your customers. The issue of fake goods being sold online and quality control. The Monday Carnival free give-away that creates positive online revenues The reaction of her family, friends, peers and other people feel about what she does. How she sees the future of the recycling, upcycling industry in China. The range of items varies from unusual prints to high-end fashion. As well as advice to those that wish to follow in her footsteps. Links “Pawnstar on Stylites”  

Nick Moritz Nick Moritz is the founder Wolfpack Response Limited, Shanghai (上海狼群信息技术有限公司). He is an entrepreneur from Detroit Michigan, United States and graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in communication. After graduating he moved to Chicago for a couple of years where he worked as an IT salesman for CDW a large third-party reseller of IT equipment. There he learned about supplying enterprise equipment for IT infrastructure. Significantly, since he was a child he has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. At nine years old he had a paper round and worked throughout high school and university. He first came to China in 2010 during the depths of the financial crisis in the United States to work as a teacher, His drive to search for ways to improve his students’ education and his failure to convince his bosses of the benefits of his idea led him to getting involved in the start-up community in Shanghai. After entering a start-up weekend in July 2014 with a version of his tool and a business proposal and then winning second place he quit his job and founded WolfPack Response Limited, Shanghai. He has ensured that his business is built on a solid base by involving a well know mentor Dean Merritt who led him through the WFOE registration process and other important business building processes in China, which also secures his Chinese visa as a business founder and helps him to be fully focused on driving his business forward. The challenge of finding the correct message that can convince people that the service he offers is one that can enhance an audience experience. His biggest regret is that he didn’t buy fifty clickers and get them into peoples hands so they could test them out earlier and see how audience engagement is improved. He has secured partnerships with a Chinese manufacture called SunVote after being turned down by US companies that didn’t see the benefits of entering the Chinese market. Also discussed: The value of the experience learned by being a teacher Communication and being concise with language Participating in the start-up community and its events with your idea to get feedback on its feasibility Obtaining a mentor, its importance and ensuring that you are taken seriously Being well informed by reading from various sources Understanding what the challenges are that the business face and overcome them Knowing what your core business is and explaining how it benefits its target customers Applying correct and legal practices to enable a focus on building the business Seeking out the right strategic partner to create mutual benefit through barter exchange Creating your own videos using freely available software applications Using the benefit working with you brings to others as a negotiation tactics Knowing your character and how it relates to others and what you bring to any interactions Links Nick Moritz can be found by search on Linkedin              

Morry Morgan Morry Morgan is the Managing Director as well as Head of Consulting at ClarkMorgan Ltd., an award winning corporate training firm that develops teams and individuals of multinational companies across the Asia Pacific region, in particularly China, Singapore and Australia. His team works with HR Directors, Managing Directors and APAC Business Leaders post-merger, or when high performance team development is necessary. Morry discusses the details of how he uses Linkedin as a sales and marketing platform for ClarkMorgan and gives his own personal example. He describes himself as a “Mismatcher that is not afraid to give his opinion”. The road he has taken from Australia to founding of his company in China and its expansion across the APAC region, the personal failures and disasters that he has encountered along the way; his passion for marketing, sales and technology. Morry also provides knowledge and advice that can help entrepreneurs at present or thinking of doing business in China and the APAC region. Morry is also the author of Wiley published, “Selling Big to China: Negotiating Principles for the World’s Largest Market”, and “Managing the Millions: Practical HR Management in China”. He has also been named as a Top 30 Global Sales Guru, by research firm Global Gurus. Today, he lives in Melbourne, and travels to Singapore and China every six weeks running training programs and consulting clients. Also Discussed in this episode The Google search that revealed his recent award. ClarkMorgan was founded in China in 2001 and in 2012 they open up in his native Australia, becoming an APAC company. Adjusting from the fast paced business environment of China to the slow pace of Australia for him was challenging. As well as in China his Mandarin has proved good enough to get him through doors in Malaysia and Singapore. The next challenge is to open up in Dubai. The next step in the long-term expansion of the company The lows have seen SARS when all business was lost during the confusion but surviving by being young and subsisting on low salaries. During the 2008 financial crises, all Q4 revenue was lost when 75%, around 65 employees, of the company was fired, voluntarily redundancy, sweetened by allowing staff to take their laptops. Subsequently some returned to occupy senior positions within the company, which is a testament to his Morry’s people skills. However conflicts have occurred over intellectual property theft and lack of professionalism with colleagues and employees, due to his no nonsense manner approach to building a successful business. This has led to the creation of friends from enemies. Working in China people forgive errors due to the speed of change. Business happens in Australia is slow. Singapore and Malaysia small market size limits opportunity Singapore multiple meetings a day up to 5. Australia fewer business people to meet with. Dubai looking to make new connections. The pace of change in China has seen his business model change from English training, 15 years ago to soft skills training, 7 years ago and a prediction that mobile apps will be key in the next 5 years as technology plays an ever increasing role. Morry gives the steps he uses to create business relationships on Linkedin in an easy to follow case study. By giving a solution to a problem with no strings attached in the gentle approach to sales. Linkedin now has a Chinese version and so open to Chinese users to leverage it’s advantages in the sales and marketing process. Since 2011 ClarkMorgan insights has been used to market and generate sales. Interviews with thought leaders on doing business in China. 150-160 five minute video interviews with staff, MDs, VP’s, General managers, Founders, Authors set to their own format of theory and anecdote. All for free and providing a marketing channel to potential clients. Further insights in to his personality revealed to him through psychometric test that relate to his love of learning and his passion for technology and travel. Time to produce content writing, video and He was the General Manager and did everything before he hired an accountant then operations director to ensure eventually making himself redundant so that he could focus on his passions of marketing, sales and closing deals areas. Based on a philosophy of “delegate, delegate, delegate”. From microbiology to Sales guru. Accidentally got into mandarin before starting a business qualification. After graduating then spent one year working as a microbiologist, got hired by a pharmaceutical company. Before eventually arriving in China and faced with the limited choice of jobs available at the time decided to create his own position. Entrepreneurs should be willing to get involved with all aspects of a business. They need to be generalists but also need to be aware of when to hand over to a qualified specialist within the company and concentrate on what they are passionate about. His book a “Selling Big to China” published in 2010 based on his experience building a sales team and selling to purchasing managers of Chinese and multinational businesses. He is currently working on the updated version and apart from that free information is available on the ClarkMorgan.com website Finally the roller-costa ride is not one for those that need security and stability. If that is what you need and you want to work for a start-up then find an entrepreneur when the startup has stable cash flow. Links Morry Morgan can be found by search on Linkedin or scan here for WeChat QR Code  

Barbara Yu Larsson Barbara Yu Larsson is the founder and CEO of PAKT, which is a Hong Kong-based startup which offers a creative tech solution to the acute space issue that plague all city dwellers globally. Prior to launching her business, Barbara had careers in investment banking and executive search in New York, London and Hong Kong. She has lived all over the world and in her own words has “a wanderlust”. She is multi-lingual and has an extensive and diverse global network. Barbara discusses how her change from the corporate world into the world of tech was unexpected but developed out of her own need and thinking of a solution to the problem of what do you do with the clothes that you don’t need now but you will need when the season changes and limited space. The idea extends into wardrobe makeover, vintage clothing care, sustainability, the use of organic clothing care products and clothes sharing with your best friends. Growing a tech company that provides a much needed service that catches the eye of established players that see the benefits of creating strategic partnerships is something that was not originally planned for but came out of focus groups. This led to partnerships with “Quintessentially Lifestyle” a famous worldwide an award-winning luxury lifestyle management & concierge service company and using a range of products supplied by “Mrs. White’s”. Barbara’s adaptability sees her develop skills as a councillor and coach during the financial crises to help men and women in their prime overcome the disaster. She is then able to use these skills to build PAKT. How it is possible to create a tech startup with no tech skills of your own apart from being numerate and wanting to… and to communicate successfully your vision to the other three core members of the team who are themselves engineers with varied interests. As your startup develops the benefits of having outside opinions in the form of WHub and Karen Farzam (interview here) give you advice that enables you to raise the level of your pitches to a conversation where you know every detail of your business. Family support to is important when the decision is made to build a startup and if you can get your children involved to suggest name that is short, relevant and reflects trust; and also provides a great source of interns that are a vital part of many successful startups. In just over a year the company has grown from an idea to four core members plus six in the office and two more about the join. While Barbara does not believe she is successful she is following the path of “If there is a will there’s a way and being flexible, willing to pivot and that the original idea can change based on the customers feedback” is a vital part for the success of a startup. Links http://www.pakt.hk/ https://www.quintessentially.com https://hk.linkedin.com/in/barbarayularsson China    

William Leong William Leong worked in Hong Kong for nine years before moving to China in 2001. He is one of the two founding partners of Willsonn Partners Limited, which has been involved in providing accounting services in China since 2003, and has offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Malaysia and Singapore. He has a total of twenty years experience that places him in a privileged position to know what the difference is between success and failure in these markets. In this conversation he gives his own insights on how to achieve success in China. He reveals why his own failures occurred and how he met his current partner in 2003 to form Willsonn Partners Limited, which still has the original first three employees among its now eighty staff. William stresses the importance of considering the risks that can lead to failure and also discusses the practice he follows for the continued success of Willsonn Partners Limited for both the short and long term. Throughout he gives practical advice on how to seriously approach doing business in China and touches on many other important ideas. Also discussed in this episode: Important insights in how inexperience can lead to failure. What questions to ask when going into a partnership whether foreign and Chinese. Who will stay with you in times of trouble your business partner or spouse. Some of the factors that lead to business failures His assessment and knowledge of his own partner and how it fits in with his own roll. Using entrepreneur events to learn about and find partners. The difficulties of a business breakup. The influence of Li Ka Shing on his thinking and how he uses it to drive the success of Willsonn Partners to take account of the risks involved in a start-up business. The surprise admission that many entrepreneurs have about keeping financial secrets from their accountants and how this leads to failure. When he gives advice and when he remains silent on how the business is run. The relationship between, previous success and future success or failure. The relationship of speaking the local language with success or failure. We hope that you enjoy this episode and would like to invite you to leave your comments and suggestions.

Paul Hu Shownotes: Paul Hu is the General Manager of the Naked Hub on Fuxing Road in the heart Shanghai. This Naked Hub is first in the series of four planned to create a creative co-working community that brings together a cool, fun, diverse group of companies and people where everyone shares resources and helps each other. Paul describes the core concepts and the values of a health, environmental awareness and sustainability are being brought into the work place at the Hub, the latest addition to the Naked brand founded by Grant Horsfield in 2007 when it provided a refuge for city dwellers in Moganshan. The official launch party for the Naked brand is scheduled to be held on the eighteenth of November at the hub, 2015. So now without further delay lets begin. Full Transcript NJM:    Hi I’m with Paul Hu and Paul is the General Manager of the new workspace that has just opened in… Where are we? PH:       We’re in Fuxing Lu the exact address is 1237 Fuxing road on the third floor next to Xiangyang Road NJM:    And can you just describe what you do here PH:       Sure we are a creative co-working community; we’re not just about the space. We’re about bringing cool, fun diverse group of companies and people together and create a community where everyone shares resources and help each other. NJM:    OK so can you give me a tour? PH:       Sure, sure so here we have the living as part of our membership. All of our members can host events in the living room for free it’s a great benefit. It’s a great space. Up the stairs leads directly to the forth floor. We have both the third and the forth floor. We have about two thousand square metres we seat about three hundred fifty people. Hear at the bar we have a really cool nine metre wide green wall. NJM:    Why green? PH:       Because Naked is all about sustainability, green, being good to the environment and also sustainability in terms of health as well. Being healthy work life balance etc. So green wall, it’s all real plants. It’s kind of our signature. NJM:    Oh they are real plants. I didn’t realise that. I just assumed that… PH:       They are real. So we not only have a great filtration of air in place we generate actual real fresh air with our green wall. NJM:    Because most of the workspaces I’ve been to in Shanghai have concrete floors, very cubicle like and this workspace looks ideal to hold relaxed meetings rather than industrial type of place. PH:       That’s true, that’s the feel we’re trying to give off and Naked Hub is done by Naked Retreats. So it’s definitely got that feel of being one with nature, , relaxed, comfortable. NJM:    The whole Naked Retreats maybe I will have to look into that and bring somebody back to talk about that some other time. PH:       Oh we will, yes. Definitely NJM:    OK. Lets carry on PH:       OK. Well at the bar we have great filtration water, we have coffee, soda and also beer completely free to all of our members. Here we have a couple of vending machines which we will have some healthy juices, fruits, sandwiches, simple fruit salads. Provide healthy food for our members. NJM:    And this space is well lit. Lots of daylight coming in. PH:       Yea, right. The building, we actually have 360 degree windows, so a lot of lights. Here turning the corner we have a conference room. We call it the Xiao PingPang Room. NJM:    Why is that? PH:       In tribute to Deng Xiao Ping. Also our conference table is a ping-pong table. So we can remove all the dividers, and after hours you can play ping pong. So we basically have two types of seating the private pods (POD), small offices, and also the open desks. We can take a look at them. NJM:    What’s this area on the right? PH:       This area is the meeting booth. They’re more casual. With our conference rooms obviously you have reserve but the meeting rooms you don’t. So it’s casual meetings, you can have lunch, you can chat with your friends. Here, for the open desks. So these are dedicated desks for our unlimited members. In terms of our pods, right lets to into one. Our pods are constructed double paned on everything so when we close the door the sound proofing is quite good. NJM:    That could be quite useful for somebody like me whose doing podcasting. PH:       There you go NJM:    It’s a bit echoee in here PH:       You know what? I just realised that. Right. I think you’re the expert on the sound, yea. NJM:    But in terms of a work environment if you want to keep the noise out then you can. But I think that you have a solution. PH:       Exactly. We have a silent room on the forth floor which is completely sound proofed and completely private. So that somewhere where a lot of podcasting and other work can be done. NJM:    Great. PH:       Oh. Each pod has it’s own light dimmer and also thermostat so you can control your own temperature in each small office. And here we have another area of open desks. The pricing is quite simple it’s per desk per month, per seat per month. No matter what the location of the open desk or pod. Everything is per seat per month. NJM:    And has pricing been sorted out? PH:       It’s been sorted out. If you’d like the pricing please contact me, and we are doing some great promotions right now. Because right now for us it is about the community, so building in the beginning is the most important. Building that core community. We find the right group of people, then everything else can happen around them. That ecosystem can grow all by itself so right now for the type of companies that we feel that matches our brand we are willing to give a great promotion, great package to bring them in. We’re will to work with their budget to bring them in. NJM:    So you’re being selective? PH:       We are being selective in terms of wanting some companies and giving really great incentives for companies and people that we feel can help us build this community together. NJM:    OK, What type of area is this? This is our biggest pod. This is a nine people pod. NJM:    And do they have the choice of how they lay the space out. PH:       They do. All of our desks none of them are built in. All of them are movable. It’s just we laid out the power plugs very nicely for each desk along the wall for example for these pods, so each desk has it’s own power and line, feel free to move the desks but it’s more efficient keeping it this way. NJM:    And this area over here, what’s this? PH:       Oh. This is still an open desk area. We’re throwing a big launch party for our entire brand on the eighteenth here at Hub so we’re bringing some models. NJM:    And the models are? PH:       This is a new project that Naked has at Xiaoxing. It’s called Naked Spring, I believe. This is called Naked Creek. We also have a Naked Castle that will be launched next year. We have a very exciting Naked Sail it’s a yacht down in Puchet. A lot of Naked projects going on right now. It’s very exciting times for us. In terms of Hub, this is the first location on Fuxing Road. Our second location is opening next March in Nanjing West Road, in Jingan, and then Lujiazui will open right after that, so shortly after that it will be Hongqiao. So we’re launching four at a time, and that’s actually one of the cool things. We provide very good flexibility so if you join our Fuxing Hub you are able to use any of the other Hubs. NJM:    That’s a good option for entrepreneurs PH:       Right the flexibility I think important, and also speaking of flexibility this location is twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours, Seven days a week, three sixty-five days a year so they can come in any time. PH:       Oh this is! We’re walking past the Mandela Room. Our founder Grant is from South Africa so it is a tribute to Nelson Mandala, The Mandela Room is a general meeting room that people can reserve by the hour. This is a print station with a membership here you get fifty print pages per seat per month. Obviously we’d like for people to save more paper and print less any additional pages is just one RMB per page. We’re not trying to make money were just recovering our costs. Here we have our bathroom. We do have showers on site in the bathroom we have a small workout area upstairs. You can workout be health, shower and get back to work. NJM:    And as you can hear some noise in the background, that’s because there is a lot of construction still carrying on. PH:       Some, yea. We’re tying up the last minute details here on the third floor. There are more constructions going-on on the forth floor. All happening at night though. We try not to do anything noisy during work hours. So we’re not disturbing our members NJM:    And I’ve noticed these coloured symbols. PH:       So we’ve sectioned off our hubs with fruits. Again we are healthy, we are sustainable so this is the banana section. We have the pear, we have tomato, we have eggplant and upstairs we have I believe broccoli, we have peach and another fruit that I can’t remember at this point. NJM:    That’s OK. PH:       So this pod is Banana One, That’s Pear One, Pear Two, Pear Three. Oh and these guys on the wall this our mascot. We call them Hubbies. They all have a different head. This is a scientist guy. We have one that’s idea guy with the light bulb. I think over there is a statistician and a beer dude. I guess that’s the party guy. That’s the idea of hub. We bring different people from all different parts of the world, different industries all together to create this amazing community. NJM:    And if anyone wants to get in touch with you how can they do so. PH:       Please contact me anytime. My email is (p a ul. h u at n a k e d r e t r e a t s . c n ) Mobile maybe easier 18602158348. NJM:    Thank you very much PH:       Right. Thank you. NJM:    And I’ll be keeping in touch with you. Awesome. Thank you so much.  

Shownotes: Peter Lloyd is a very different type of entrepreneur. In his own word he is “Hong Kong British, whatever that is?” He is an interfaith minister, psychotherapist, and importer. He has worked as a journalist, started a publishing company, an online magazine, and also writes articles for newspapers, magazines and websites. It was in his role as an interfaith minister when I first met him. And for him this is his most passionate role. One he chose after he realised his life should follow a different path than to those around him who measure success to different standards. He is clearly a sharer and links his roles as an interfaith minister and psychotherapist with his beliefs. One of which is that we all share a responsibility to help and support each other. His importing business could have failed right at the start but now provides the finance that allows him to follow his true passions. His past life and work guides him as he looks towards the future, and life that revolves around being physically present where people are during life changing moments and offering services few entrepreneurs think to provide but are vital for meaningful lives. And this is theme in his advice to everyone as well as entrepreneurs. Our conversation was recorded in a coffee shop and due to this there is noticeable background noise. We hope that you enjoy the content but just in case we have supplied a full transcript on the website. So now without further delay lets begin. Full Transcript (2:08) NJM: Hi, I am with Peter Lloyd. We met about two years ago when I was in Hong Kong and I was lucky enough to get married here. And, Peter can you just introduce yourself and tell us what you do. PL: My name is Peter Lloyd. I do a few things the reason I know Neville is that I am an interfaith minister and a celebrant. I celebrate weddings, that’s one of my hats. I… I’m also a psychotherapist and I sell spirulina, as one of my incomes. I used to be a journalist. And I set up a publishing company in Hong Kong, I set up a magazine, one on line and one in print. Um, I used to have a small column in a local newspaper, the “South China Evening Post” I’ve done a few bits and bobs, yeah. And yeah. I was born in Hong Kong and came to live here again as an adult just before the hand over and I am still here more or less. NJM: So how long have you lived in Hong Kong? PL: Most of my life. NJM: When you haven’t lived you haven’t lived in Hong Kong where have you lived? PL: In the UK, mostly. NJM: In the UK. So would you consider yourself British or Hong Kong? PL: British, but I am a Hong British, whatever that is. It’s a something (3:25) NJM: So you said you’ve done a few things. OK. So what do you want to start off with first? What do you want to tell us about? PL: Lets do the ministry first because that’s how we met. NJM: Yeah, that’s how we met. How did you get into that? PL: : Maybe it was a personal thing. I used to live in a spiritual community in the North of Scotland called Findhorn and then I came back here and after a while I kind of felt spiritual a little bit, like I was missing things I couldn’t keep up with my meditations and stuff like that, so I wanted to do more, and eh yeah, I heard about this course and everybody I knew who did it seemed to really benefit. And it seemed to be really good for the stage of life I was in, so I ummed and ahhed and then I signed up for it. Yeah. (4:20) NJM: So how long ago was that? PL: That was 2006 to 2008 a long time ago. I actually almost did it in 2005 but I thought I was going to move to India. But I moved to India but as soon as I landed at the airport I knew it wasn’t for me. So I had this either or. But I was setting up a… I had this online magazine called holistic Hong Kong, which became “Holistic Asia” and some friends moved to Bangalore so I set up a Bangalore edition and so I thought I would do the India thing, um, but it didn’t quite take off. (So) I delayed it a year because of that. (4:51) NJM: So the ministry, How, how did you go about telling people, informing people that’s what you were doing and that service was available. PL: Sort of like promotion? NJM: Yeah, promotion, yeah. PL: It’s really been word of mouth. But I had an online magazine so I put it on there, which it, and it was a spiritual environmental magazine so it was a good target market. I was lucky enough to be booked for my first wedding (5:19)noise) before I’d even been ordained by some friends in Hong Kong. Um, and then its really just a bit random. You know I’ve got a website, I’ve had a website for a long time. Is that how you found me? NJM: I found you did a search, online search and your name popped up interfaith minister. I thought because was, I had people coming from different faiths, different backgrounds, different countries and different places. I thought this would be ideal. Um, and it was one to few things that I pushed for in my wedding because I felt it would bring everyone together. (5:59) PL: I am really passionate about particularly weddings with the work of interfaith ministry actually. Because I feel it offers something that is lacking. Because there are a lot of people that fall between the crack of either being in the Church and of a faith, or no faith and there is a whole bunch of people who are in between and they are not being catered for and that’s who the interfaith is for like people who have some faith, abut are not regular church goers or mosque goers or synagogue goers or whatever they are, you know. So I really genuinely believe in it and feel like it’s a good thing. So that helps too. (6:40) NJM: How do you feel you are doing a service? PL: I really love it now. I’ve done about thirty maybe three-dozen. Something like that I haven’t counted recently. The first two I was incredibly nervous. like almost shanking. But now I feel quite, quite relaxed actually. I try not to get too relaxed. Like, I try and turn up an hour or two before and double check I’ve got the scripts and I’ve got everything. I feel I’ve got more and more into what ceremony means actually and I’m in a Skype group of people who look at ceremony and writes of passage I feel like I’m understanding more as each year goes on what a ceremony is about, what a wedding is about, what a funeral is about, what a baptism is, yeah. So I feel a bit more confident. (7:28) NJM: So, You mention funerals, baptisms? PL: In Hong Kong it tends to be mostly weddings. That’s not just me. That’s, you talk to any of the priests that are here, just because it’s an expatriate population, as an English speaker. Um, Like, Interfaith ministers in England they tend to do more funerals. (Ah) But in Hong Kong then tends to be more weddings just because bluntly put less people die here and more people are married (7:53) NJM: So you basically you rely on word of mouth. PL: Word of mouth and website NJM: And website so is there anything that you do special with your website that helps move you along. Do you do any SEO? PL: Um. No. I used to link it to my other site and eh and I probably should do more of that I do do Google ads. I’ve done Google ads for about four years and then I’m on a, I get a lot of reference from a website called marriage.com. Did you come through that? Or did you come to mine? NJM: It was just a straight search, straight Google search or yahoo. PL: Yeah. So, that’s, that’s in terms of tech that’s what I could probably write more articles, maybe I’ll do that in the future. As anything it’s a time and space type question. I’m always like fiddling with it. Last week when I contacted you actually I had a real push and I reviewed every page and I up dated stuff and I changed things. Like I also became an Australian Civil Celebrant. Now I have lost that because I haven’t moved to Australia. So, little tweaking things I’ve offered pre wedding counselling. Things like that I’m always playing a bit with stuff. (9:14) NJM: So you’re looking for new products, not products services? PL: In a sense you could say that. Yeah. Um, which I feel because it has an ethical component product, seems a bit weird. But actually it is a product, a different offering. (9:29) NJM: So apart from the um, interfaith ministry. What else do you do? PL: I’m a psychotherapist NJM: Can you tell us about that? PL: I’ve been studying for six years and I’ve got at least another two years of psychotherapy based, in the UK, um, called process-orientated psychology. It’s accredited with the UKCP, the counselling board in the UK. Also so like very deep, very transpersonal, very challenging, very rigorous training. So I’m benefiting from it. Grappling with it the whole thing. Working on it. I have a small practice here. I tend to give talks every couple of months. (10:10) NJM: Who to? PL: Just offering it to people, just trying to get more clients. I work with asylum seekers as a volunteer. Of which there’s actually quite a number of them Psychosocial Counselling Unit, so um, I’ve been working there for three years. That’s rewarding and challenging too. And, it ties in a bit with the ministry. Like, this pre wedding counselling I just mentioned it’s sort of a marrying between the two. Because it’s actually got a counselling component so it’s on my ministry hat. So, I’m trying to find my own authentic voice. Yeah. I actually just gave a talk on (10:45 Noise) divorce and separation, which is a bit weird when I conduct weddings but actually a lot of weddings do end, so it’s good to do that as consciously as possible too. So I’m trying to like find my unique curiosity and what moves me and then I bring it into my work as a psychotherapist. As a therapist it’s quite important for me to bring my faith in, but not impose it, but more that it’s there. That I find meaning in what I do it’s not just like a technique I do. NJM: So how do you promote that? PL: Physiotherapy has been quite tough, to be honest. Because I know some people who go straight away and have got the full quota of clients. And I, I haven’t really flown in that sense. (11:30) NJM: Are they based in Hong Kong? PL: In Hong Kong (In Hong Kong). Err, I’ve had. You know I’ve had two, three, four it depends, um… Now I’m sort of half time in the UK, half time in Hong Kong with the family reasons as well. So it doesn’t help. So, I ‘m keeping it to a small practice. Yeah, I have a website, That’s the first thing I did. Once I could take clients. And um. And I give talks. Those are my main promotional ways that I do it. I’ve written an article. Yeah, so… (11:59) NJM: So it’s, it’s not like some… It’s not really something that you can sort of advertise in a newspaper? Is it or…? PL: I guess you could. I’ve got Google ads as again, and maybe I need to like up that. Because what I noticed is that a lot of therapists put a lot of money into Google ads. NJM: Is there a lot of competition? PL: There’s quite a lot of competition in Hong Kong and in the English speaking territories. NJM: Why is that? PL: Um, I think because there is a course based in Hong Kong, which is with a Melbourne University. Eighteen months. So a lot of people are sort of giving up corporate careers and becoming counsellors. NJM: Is that because they want to solve their problems or solve…? PL: I don’t know why people do it. I know that’s why I do it. (Yeah) So I don’t think… To be honest any think any therapist who doesn’t have a personal reason for being a therapist is a bit dubious. (11:59) NJM: Really PL: Because then it implies that you’re kind of superior, (Yeah) and that actually you have affected. And unfortunately this is true of a lot of therapist who just like look at their poor clients that are suffering and they’re in this comfort zone and that’s not the way I’ve been taught or live. You know like we all struggle and have issues that we grapple with, so. Jung said that therapy is like two people sharing a bath. I like that your together you try your best. You know you got some skills that will be useful but you are also a human being their a human being at that moment they are suffering more than you are but you can certainly empathise do what you can (Yeah). So I think that’s important. I think one of the things about Hong Kong I don’t know about Shanghai so much is there is a real emphasis on goals, obviously money and success and in terms of my psychotherapy that I’m less oriented that way. I’m more into finding the meaning of something less quick fix. More like what’s really going on. so yeah that’s a factor maybe too. Like I’m really fascinated by dreams. That’s one of my main subjects of interest. Dream are just awesome. (14:20) NJM: Is it something you learned on the course, or is something you…? PL: Yeah. But it’s something I’ve developed a personal passion, personal thing. What we do. And it ties in spiritually because. Dreams to me are where my spirituality comes out, because it brings the world of mystery and of god to daily life. Like when you really notice that. It’s quite powerful. Um, and also like on a collective level. In my particular psychotherapy process orientated psychology. Um, One of the few psychologies which has a social activist agenda, we call it world work in our jargon. Because if you are the recipient of something like homophobia or racism or some other ism. Like on one level that’s a personal problem (Yeah) but on another level it’s a collective issue so if we can work on collective issues, then that will make the world a better place, which will then effect the individual. So that’s very much our philosophy, and in Hong Kong I don’t know about Shanghai, um, there is such a stress on success and on work that there is a flip side to that. I gave a talk, three months ago, it’s the best talk I’ve given in terms of numbers and I only gave two days notice, actually. I had eighteen people and, um, it was called finding yourself in Hong Kong. But really it was about what it is really like to live here. Because scratch the surface of like go-go-go-success-money and there is quite a lot of alcoholism, drugs, malaise really (16:00) NJM: Is that people that have moved here or is it just…? PL: I think a bit of both, yeah, so… Um, and there is a real questioning of like, who we are and that comes from both individually and as a society. So… Yeah… There is that collective level to, which I am fascinated about. Because for like me I sometimes I sometimes wonder “Oh my god, I’ve lived here so long and all my friends are super successful and I’m not in terms of strict financial success, but I am rich in other ways and in trying to articulate those values of rich in its different forms. That’s another hat, psychotherapy. (16:46) NJM: So that’s two hats. What’s the third hat? PL: Spirulina. So I import spirulina, got a website spirlllinaplanet.com.            This is a lovely story actually. That time I almost move to India, I had this fantasy that I would be a tea importer and my great-grandfather and grandfather worked in India in the time of the British Empire doing tea stuff, I don’t know what. So I thought ‘Oh we’re the same’. And my best friend here was setting up Hong Kong’s first veggie restaurant organic veggie health and I said I’m going to get into tea and I was in india and I sent him back six or seven types of tea and as an after thought I threw in a pack of spirulina. And I got an email a week saying, terrible tea, bitter and nobody drinks loose tea anyway. The spirulina was amazing. And so that’s just sort of become more popular and the moral of the story for me is. Like I thought I was giving I was more or less volunteering my whole work for spiritual and environmental magazines, living like very low cost, but getting a joy from doing something I was passionate about. And I felt in my cosmology that god was taking care of me through this sort of rather unexpected way so I just did…. And it’s still bubbling away, you know, um. And I’ve got licences for Australia and I sell a bit in other places. It’s one of those things. Actually I also sell organic cashew nuts but then we had a problem with like hygiene and sprays and insect repellents, and it kind of went. It’s kind of interesting to try different things and then see which one works. (18:44) NJM: So the spirulina is that something you want to grow or are you happy with it as is? PL: I try to grow it. I put a lot of effort. I got this Australian licence that took a while. And I’d be happy for it to grow but at the moment it’s sort stable for the last two or three years. NJM: Where are you importing form and to? PL: From India to Hong Kong NJM: From India to Hong Kong PL: And sometimes I sell on to other countries. I put up a website. And there’s always the issue like that because 90% of my sales are to shops, you don’t want to compete with shops, and sell it at the retail not the wholesale price. But then you’re up against cheaper goods, quite often from China. (China exports), Which is crazy because it should only be grown in hot climates and I notice it’s from Shandong. So, and water quality is really important because it’s a type of algae. And anyway there’s always a cheaper good somewhere, isn’t there. (19:47) NJM: How are they able to grow it? PL: Guess, in greenhouses. NJM: Would it be organic? PL: Maybe. NJM: Is yours organic? PL: It’s not, and actually it’s really interesting because I‘ve been really passionate about organic food for many years. But the reality of growing spirulina organically is really complicated, because it needs to have a really high PH, alkali level, so it’s not quite as straightforward as it seems. And it’s a social product with no chemicals in it but to be organic you need to get an extra… NJM: What is spirulina used for? PL: It’s used for smoothies, its used, it’s a superfood. So people add it to usually smoothies. I put it on my cereal my salads. NJM: How much would you use? PL: I take a lot personally 5 to 10 grams a day. NJM: What would be the average persons? PL: Less 2 or 3 grams NJM: 2 or 3 grams (20:45) PL: But I am vegan as well and its full of good stuff, protein, iron, B12 that vegans don’t get and, um, quite a few minerals. So it’s a useful thing. (21:00) NJM: So that’s your third hat PL: Those are my existing ones right now. NJM: What did you do before? PL: I was a journalist. NJM: Can you tell us about your journalist days? PL: Yeah. So, I came to Hong Kong and I got a job working for the New Age shop and I edited their magazine for two years. And I went back to the UK for a year and then I came back and I set up basically the same magazine because they were folding in my absence, no fault of mine I would stress. Um, but I did it on line and I did it for ten years. I think… You know it kind of went pretty well but it never like fully took off. I tried to bring it to Asia, um, but it was good. I had this holistic column in the South China Morning Post. There was a lot of work and a lot of detail and it was quite uncreative by the end a lot of copying and pasting. So I am glad I did it. I also, Um, I also set up a book publishing company called pilgrims guides. NJM: What did that do? PL: Mainly travel guilds to spiritual centres but a few other health type books. And, that to me was really clean. It didn’t work but I’m really glad that I lived the dream. NJM: Why didn’t it work? (22:15) PL: Because I was going for too small a market. But I was trying to be the lonely planet of the twenty-first Century. And that was a nice dream. I’m just really glad I tried something, which didn’t quite happen but which you do it. You mean, I’d love to be a book publisher, you do it. I’d love to be a journalist, I did that. So I think that the lesson for me is that if I could go back in time like my online magazine I did for 10 years. NJM: How long ago was that? PL: That was like, 2001 to 2012-13 and I wished I’d stopped early, and I think that’s why I’m a bit more brutal now. It’s like if something isn’t really flying, just let it go, give it a go, see if it works. If it doesn’t work, just let it go. Unless it’s something like the ministry where it just so easy and pleasurable to do, you know, it’s not my main income, it’s a wonderful job to do, on the side, you know. 23:11 NJM: So how did you assess that it wasn’t worth doing? PL: The magazine NJM: Yeah PL: Well, two things. One. The income just never really, flew just enough. Two it was quite draining, actually. Like the, the work of it, became less creative as time went on. And that’s when I started the ministry training and I found there was more impetus, yeah, so, yeah, I think. Long time ago I did a business course and they talked about the S-curve and you want to continually grow and never be static and that made sense to me. I didn’t at the time but now I get it. So, I’m kind of watching that right now. (23:54) NJM: Do you think you could use the newer technologies to start, restart your journalism? PL: I’m quite happy not to become a journalist. Because I actually feel I’m not temperamentally that way. Because it’s a highly detailed job. not only do you have to be word perfect, literally, but everything, every photo needs a credit. That’s why I check with you like I’m so trained, to get that photo credit for my website. Like everything has to be just perfect. If you make a mistake. I once wrote an article and forget the journalists name, you know. She’s very forgiving, you know. Little things like that are in front of you for however long the magazine is there. Online you fix it. So I’m quite happy not to do that again. Every so often I feel like it might be nice. But I’m a bit hesitant. Because also you don’t want to six months. You want to think where will I be in four years. Like and if I’m really bigger what will I be doing? It’s like publishing another one of the reasons why I’m happy not to do it is, in all the time I put into that probably the actually writing of the book was five to ten per cent of my work and admin was eighty, ringing up shops, sending books, doing my accounts and that doesn’t really buzz me. So you got to have a type joy in that which I don’t. (25:19) NJM: When did you have the publishing company? PL: Ninty-nine (Ninty-nine) NJM: And you know about self-publishing, now? PL: That was self-publishing. Yeah I’m just, glad I’m not in it. So in terms of technology, like I’ve actually taken a step back. I mean I run still four websites. But em, I don’t, might have a twitter account but I don’t use it and… And I wish I wasn’t on facebook. NJM: You wish were not on Facebook. PL: Yeah NJM: Why’s that? PL: I don’t like to spend much time, if I don’t use it. Um, so I’m trying to limit. If I have an addiction in life, it is to checking the news online and too much time in front of the computer. So I wish… I like to do more outdoor stuff and that’s what I like about therapy. It’s like meeting people (26:11) NJM: When you say outdoor, you mean…? PL: Like also gardening. NJM: Oh gardening PL: Gardening, So that, that’s very, that’s where I get a lot of sanity from. So, yeah at the moment not too enamoured by technology. Trying actually, I’m writing a thesis, which I’m writing on a laptop, but it’s making me think like take notes and little comments and put them in like that. (26:37) NJM: If you were going to advise somebody to be an entrepreneur. What, what advice would you give from your perspective. PL: I have a friend here maybe an acquaintance, who is one of those sort of Hong Kong success stories. Turned up here aged eighteen with a backpack in the eighties and left, well more than a millionaire, probably, whatever that is. And hear his story that he says, is that he just kept saying yes. Got this job, got that job and was in the right place at the right time and everything just grew. Um so, in terms of… That is one level of success, financial. And I’m from a privileged family and I would also like to put a shout out for different forms of success, than having a family eating well, having a relaxed life, finding personal meaning. That’s a different type of success that doesn’t get valued so much in Hong Kong, which will play out in our health, our mental well being and ultimately our soul. So that to me is really important. So that, that, that’s, that’s a drama with a different beat, you know. Sometimes they over lap and sometimes they don’t. So, eh… Yeah, listen to both of them I think. (28:00) NJM: So if anyone wants to get in touch with you, look at your websites. www.peterlloydcelebrant.com www.peterlloydpsychotherapist.com www.spirulinaplanet.com OK so, thank you very much well keep in touch as I’ve always done. (28:20)  

Shownotes Ben Ivey is a young entrepreneur from the United Kingdom. Ben graduated from Exeter University in 2014 and has visited China twice as a student to gain living and business experience, which he is now using to build a start-up in Shanghai while at the same time applying his expertise as a productivity specialist and motivational speaker. He is already an author and is passionate about using outsourcing to build a successful business. He has an excellent academic record and could easily have chosen to rise in the corporate world but instead has chosen to enter the unpredictable and exciting world of entrepreneurship in China. Ben explains how and why he chose to begin his entrepreneurial journey at university and what he hoped to learn from other whilst there. He also takes us on the beginning of his start-up “OnePinkElephant. His book “How to Dominate Any Exam” is based on his prolific ability as a student and gives the secrets to how he achieved three A*s at A level and a first class degree at Exeter University, one of the UK’s top universities. Ben gives clarity to the strategy and techniques used to pass exams. Ben’s entrepreneurial activities at university included selling espadrilles, shoes and hats before his success with a university sports bag. He also began studying the Mandarin. However his first entrepreneurial venture produced his greatest failure. Ben’s first visit to China was an immersion study in a program lasting two and half weeks that included an internship, study course and home stay. The second period lasted 3 months with time spent at Fudan University in Shanghai and working in a company’s import and export department in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. He learned about the peculiarities of business in China and later travel around China led to the realisation that Shanghai was the place to begin his post university entrepreneurial ventures. When asked can entrepreneurship be taught he stresses that an entrepreneur must take action and that his expertise as a productivity specialist is to get the best out of his team, knowledge learned from experts such as Brian Tracy and other productivity books. Ben explains why the outrepreneur will succeed and the intrepreneur will fail and the connection with trust. Adding, that entrepreneurs should work to their expertise using outsourcing in the areas that they lack. While at the same time gaining an understanding of the requirements to select and employ the best outsourcer and uses a marketing scenario to demonstrate this. Discussing his current startup OnePinkElephant Ben explains that the idea was born while working on his bag and wanting to find a better way to learn Chinese Characters by using memory techniques. The development started during “StartupBus Europe”, which is a 72 hour hackathon that started in Manchester, England. A prototype was produced using “MindCraft”. The idea won third prize at the pitching event in Vienna, Austria against hundred of other teams, OnePinkElephant then moved to China to conduct field and beta testing. Along the way the original team of has changed, however Raphael Weninger described as a “sharpened tool” with his marketing expertise as well as other areas, is the second member that has remained from the start. Ben admits he lacks technical skills but his expertise allows him to find the best outsourcer and the right people to get the job done. Using lean analytics to get the job done he is able to apply the philosophy of the, “build, measure, learn: feedback loop. Building simple, fast and low cost prototypes to test and obtain data for the next cycle. The OnePinkElephant is producing is a character learning tool and not a language learning platform and in the future the technology could be used in other areas where the memorisation of information is required. Ben also educates us on the origins of memorisation tools with Simoides of Ceos and the accident at the banquet hall, and that visualisation is how humans learn best and how in the future virtual and augmented reality tools can overcome the current weaknesses of current brut force learning tools. The next stage of OnePinkElephants development will be one month in San Francisco, the reward for 3rd place in Vienna, and the chance to pitch to investors in the educational, 3d gaming, virtual reality and augmented reality. Ben explains that the tool OnePinkElephant allows people to learn using the same techniques that memory and mental athletes use to memorise cards and will cut SRS times up to 10 times, which are results seen over past thousands of years and demonstrated in studies carried out in the 1970’s and confirms that modern research is revealing changes within the brain structure are occurring which tools such as the one being produced by Ben and his team at can also help to develop and improve intelligence. Finally Ben ends with some general advice to entrepreneurs. Links www.benivey.co.uk How to Dominate Any Exam by Ben Ivey: UK Show Notes: Title: Revolutionizing Language Learning with Virtual Reality and Gamification Introduction: – Host introduces the guest, Ben Ivey, an entrepreneur and founder of Ben Ivey Language. [00:00.0 – 00:02.5] – Brief overview of Ben’s background and expertise in language learning. [00:02.5 – 00:06.4] – Mention of Ben’s innovative approach to language learning using virtual reality and gamification. [00:06.4 – 00:08.3] Main Discussion: 1. Ben’s Language Learning Platform: – Ben explains his language learning platform, called Wamban Gallivan, which uses virtual reality and gamification techniques. [00:08.3 – 00:17.8] – The platform is designed to create a more immersive and engaging learning experience. [00:17.8 – 00:19.2] – Ben emphasizes the importance of creating a memorable learning environment to enhance language retention. [00:19.2 – 00:22.9] 2. The Benefits of Virtual Reality and Gamification: – Ben discusses how virtual reality and gamification align with human learning patterns. [00:23.1 – 00:26.0] – He contrasts his approach with traditional methods that rely on repetitive memorization. [00:26.0 – 00:29.2] – The future potential of virtual reality and augmented reality in education is explored, with an emphasis on efficiency. [00:29.2 – 00:36.3] 3. Potential Applications for Chinese Students: – Ben addresses the potential use of his platform by Chinese students, known for their exam-taking prowess. [00:36.3 – 00:44.0] – He suggests that the platform could help Chinese students improve their exam-taking abilities by offering a more efficient learning method. [00:44.0 – 00:50.0] 4. Future Plans and Investment: – Ben shares his plans for seeking investment during his trip to San Francisco. [00:50.5 – 00:52.5] – He explains that his company has already gathered enough data and customer feedback to prove the concept. [00:52.5 – 00:56.6] – The focus is on finding the right investors and assembling a skilled team to accelerate development. [00:56.6 – 01:00.4] 5. Integration of 3D Technology: – Ben highlights the integration of 3D technology into his language learning platform. [01:00.4 – 01:05.3] – He emphasizes that traditional flashcards are static and boring, while a 3D immersive environment can make learning more enjoyable and efficient. [01:05.3 – 01:12.2] – Mention of mental athletes and their use of visualization techniques for memorization. [01:12.2 – 01:19.0] 6. Impact on Brain Structure: – The discussion touches on recent research showing that video games can change brain structure. [01:19.5 – 01:26.8] – Ben suggests that his platform could have a similar impact by engaging the right brain and fostering creativity. [01:26.8 – 01:32.5] – The conversation reflects on the changing ways humans think and adapt to technology. [01:32.5 – 01:36.5] 7. Advice for Entrepreneurs: – Ben offers advice for entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and personal development. [01:36.5 – 01:44.0] – He suggests surrounding oneself with positive and successful individuals to foster growth and success. [01:44.0 – 01:51.5] Conclusion: – The host thanks Ben for sharing his insights and expertise. [01:51.5 – 01:54.0] – Contact information for Ben and his website, benivey.co.uk, is provided. [01:54.0 – 01:58.1] – Encouragement for listeners to visit asiabizstories.com for more entrepreneurial inspiration and resources. [01:58.1 – 02:02.6] [Music outro] Note: The show notes are a condensed summary of the main topics and key points discussed in the transcript.

Shownotes Jonathan Brown from Edinburgh, Scotland and Liang Sun from Shanghai, China they are both business consultants and have created a positive business relationship. Jonathan is a senior executive and an industrialist who has worked in seven countries, started five companies two for himself and three for employers. His passion for China started back in 1983 and it is now his base. Liang is a start-up management consultant who has been educated in Belgium, India and the USA and since returning to his native Shanghai has built his own management consultancy that specialises in client and partnership development, market intelligence, due diligence and human resources. Together the two have formed a team that can bridge the gap to enable start-ups and established companies gain a foothold in China. Jonathan and Liang explain the role of transactions play in China and the difference between the western and Chinese experiences and understanding when building business relationship and trust in China? Jonathan and Liang reveal the contrasting views they have when creating business relationships and how both their experiences of living and working in several countries has equipped them to deal with doing business and understanding their short comings with regards to patience in creating business relationships. Jonathan explains that companies should understand the difference and importance of the role that government plays in China and the importance of paying attention to the government five-year plan influence on specific business sectors, creating the grow and development experienced over the recent years and remembering not to let personal frustrations and comparison with other systems affect business decisions. The two consultants reflect on the concept of “face” in China and what can cause business relationships breakdown give details on their own personal behavior and what they believe should and should not change. The example of their own partnership reveals the benefits of having complimentary outlooks and skills and how cultural differences may matter to one side and not to the other and the adaptions that each might or might not make in order to maintain a positive business partnership. Both use their experience to explain how businesses in China can overcome the worldwide challenges of finding and retaining qualified employees and the part the interview process plays in industries and markets where some companies can have attrition rates of 25 – 30% and the choice entrepreneurs have to make with this important issue. Finally Jonathan and Liang end with their own piece of general advice for entrepreneurs that will equip them to face up to the challenges of doing business in China. Jonathan suggests “Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono” Show links Sun Liang on Linkedin Jonathan Brown on Linkedin www.liang.be www.nu-linx.com Show Notes: Title: Building Successful Partnerships and Managing Talent in China Introduction: – [00:00 – 00:28] Host introduces the guests, Liang and Jonathan, entrepreneurs with experience in China. – [00:28 – 01:12] The episode focuses on building partnerships and managing talent in the rapidly changing Chinese market. Segment 1: Building Partnerships – [01:12 – 04:12] Liang discusses the importance of seeking counsel and finding partners with a balanced view. – [04:12 – 06:32] Jonathan emphasizes the complementary skill sets in partnerships and the value of different perspectives. – [06:32 – 08:54] They highlight the need for effective communication and understanding cultural differences in partnerships. Segment 2: Managing Age Differences – [08:54 – 13:20] Liang shares her experience of initially feeling nervous when dealing with senior individuals due to cultural values. – [13:20 – 15:34] Jonathan discusses how living abroad helped him overcome age-related issues and treat everyone equally. – [15:34 – 18:42] They emphasize the importance of respect and adapting communication styles when working with different age groups. Segment 3: Addressing Skill Shortages – [18:42 – 24:11] Liang suggests working with professionals, such as headhunters, to attract and identify the right talents. – [24:11 – 27:37] Jonathan emphasizes the significance of spending time in the recruitment process and conducting thorough interviews. – [27:37 – 32:49] They discuss the importance of adequate induction and providing ongoing training to retain skilled employees. Segment 4: Retention Challenges and Soft Skills – [32:49 – 37:00] Jonathan reflects on high attrition rates and attributes them to management issues and lack of communication. – [37:00 – 39:27] Liang suggests entrepreneurs focus on the art of communication, team building, and creating a positive company culture. – [39:27 – 41:12] They discuss the need for entrepreneurs to wear multiple hats and develop their soft skills to effectively manage their businesses. Conclusion: – [41:12 – 41:41] Liang and Jonathan provide their contact information for further engagement. – [41:41 – 42:28] Host thanks the guests for sharing their insights and concludes the episode. – [42:28 – 42:43] Encourages listeners to subscribe and visit the website for more information on turning inspiration into action in Asia’s business landscape.   BOOKS <br /> <br />  

Shownotes Drew Campbell is an Australian national. He is the Founder & CEO of WHS – which is the first independent retail chain of health food stores in Mainland China. His company is the first resident of a new workspace in Shanghai called the Node, and by whose management we were invited. He talks openly and frankly lets us know what it is like to be an entrepreneur in China, about the need to take on a much broader range of responsibilities and skills that are required to compete in, overcome and survive the day-to-day issues in the Chinese health, wellness and fitness industry that has seen many others fail. Originally from Melbourne, in 2002, Drew started work in the  health and fitness industry in Australia and in 2005 he moved to China. Drew and his team are proud to be the first to bring the real “Western” health food store concept to China. It is possibly one of the most challenging business areas to survive with product quality, the navigation of bureaucracy, and rule breaking competition creating extra hurdles that entrepreneurs must get over.  However, Drew has with his entrepreneurial  never give in fighting spirit has learned many aspects of business and sticks rigidly to doing business correctly in Asia. Drew discusses scope of his retail business, which is much broader than his native Australia. His reasons for choosing the Node, a new 2,000 sq. meter workspace in Shanghai, as his company’s base and why he rejected alternatives. The humble origin of his business in his Beijing apartment and why he has moved to Shanghai after eight years and the life he now leads. How his company deals with the issue of fakes, supply chain and the customers desire for the cheapest product. How he has overcome the difficulties of doing business in an environment that has competitors that don’t always play fair, import and supply chain issues and customers that want the cheapest deal in the health, wellness and fitness industry; and the trap that people with little experience of doing business in China fall into. The source of the motivation behind his move to the city of Shijiazhang (Capital of Hebei), and how this helped him to deal with life in China. Drew discusses frankly the two business models that he believes will produce success and how this links to the planned expansion of his business, the difference between marketing to the expat community or general population, the issue of moving production to China, the question of the Chinese market opening up, consumer pressure that affects pricing and product quality, why his competitors fail, the  pressure from and cleaning up the grey market as a sole distributor when USA producers don’t police the Asian market allowing product into China from other locations. The therapy session continues with Drew’s open and honest views reveal what it is like to work in the Chinese business environment and he describes the role of business planning, MBA’s and purchased market research, how failure leads to the inexperienced to the conclusion that they will never return. Drew states how businesses can overcome many of these issues that lead to failure by taking advice from entrepreneurs like him, and hints at the plans he is putting in place to take the next step in his own business’s development. China has changed Drew for the better but there is a cost to his entrepreneurial efforts and on self-reflection examines what his responsibilities are and what and how he can improve. The business is a bright light for growth and last year saw an increase in online sports nutrition and vitamins sales of 100%. Business strategy is the key and the concept of O2O (Offline to Online/Online to Offline) has to be considered, which will see the growth of stores and larger warehousing (Bricks and Mortar facilities), which builds brand trust. Drew finishes with advice with advice to anyone thinking of or taking up the challenge of becoming an entrepreneur in China. The link to World Health Store. Drew Campbell at Linkedin Show Notes: Title: Entrepreneurship in China: Challenges and Growth Opportunities Section 1: Introduction – [00:00 – 00:45] Introduction to the episode and its focus on the challenges and growth opportunities for entrepreneurs in China. – [00:45 – 02:10] Introduction of the guest speaker, Drew John Campbell, an entrepreneur with extensive experience in the Chinese market. Section 2: Understanding the Chinese Market – [02:10 – 04:25] Drew discusses the importance of understanding the Chinese market and its unique characteristics. – [04:25 – 06:15] Emphasis on building relationships and trust with Chinese partners and customers. – [06:15 – 08:20] Highlighting the value of localizing business strategies to adapt to cultural differences and regulatory challenges. Section 3: Overcoming Obstacles – [08:20 – 10:35] Drew shares the challenges he faced as an entrepreneur in China, such as navigating complex regulations and competition. – [10:35 – 13:05] Experiences of adapting business strategies and embracing a continuous learning mindset to overcome obstacles. – [13:05 – 14:50] Emphasis on resilience, humility, and self-improvement as essential qualities for success. Section 4: The Role of Online Channels – [14:50 – 17:10] Discussion on the rapid growth of online channels in China, particularly in the retail sector. – [17:10 – 19:30] Explanation of the significance of e-commerce and the opportunities it presents for entrepreneurs. – [19:30 – 21:15] Importance of differentiation and trust-building in a competitive online market. Section 5: Offline to Online (O2O) Model – [21:15 – 23:00] Introduction to the offline to online (O2O) model and its potential for differentiation in China. – [23:00 – 25:10] Explanation of how combining brick-and-mortar stores with online channels enhances customer experience and builds trust. – [25:10 – 27:00] Emphasis on the potential of the O2O model for entrepreneurs in the health product industry. Section 6: Advice for Young Entrepreneurs – [27:00 – 29:05] Drew provides advice for young entrepreneurs entering the Chinese market. – [29:05 – 31:15] Suggestions on focusing on simplicity, profitability, and early revenue generation. – [31:15 – 33:20] Emphasis on realistic expectations, continuous learning, and seeking credible mentors and partners. Section 7: Conclusion – [33:20 – 34:40] Drew reflects on personal growth as an entrepreneur in China and the lessons learned. – [34:40 – 36:15] Encouragement to approach challenges with resilience, humility, and adaptability. – [36:15 – 37:10] Recap of the potential rewards and opportunities found in the Chinese market. Note: The transcript provided has been edited and condensed for clarity and conciseness.

Shownotes: Jeronimo Ramos Leon is a Mexican national and an engineer by training. One of the warmest and friendliest people that I have met anywhere in the world. He grew up on the family cocoa farm in a place called Cardenas in the State of Tabasco, Mexico, which had a population of about 5,000. After school he moved to Merida in the state of Yucatan to study engineering. After graduating he spent two years working for a traffic light company before starting with the company that he has remained with ever since. He started working in China in 1998 and moved permanently to Xiamen, China, in 2005 and has helped his company turnover move from $250,000 to $120,000,000 through his work in R&D, prototype sampling, production costing, quality control, customer complaint management and qualifying subcontractors. A wide range of responsibilities for a company that produces magnetic components for GPS, power meters, computers and solar products. He has a love for cooking, which was initially expressed to family and friends and a chance meeting with Mexican teacher in Xiamen began the evolution of a Mexican restaurant. When a suitable site became available they set to work getting it ready with their own hard work and efforts. His background allowed him to set the standard for authentic Mexican food (not the fast food variety) and on opening day four times the number of people the restaurant could seat turn up to taste food from the heart of Mexico. This indicated that the restaurant would easily see it’s first birthday the most significant mile-stone for any restaurant. Since that day the restaurant has moved from strength to strength as indicated by customer reviews. However after 3 months the partner who inspired the restaurant’s beginning decided that his life lay in his home country and left Jeronimo a life changing decision. After consulting with his wife they agree to continue. From the start support and help was provided by a close Chinese colleague that helped to navigate the complexities of Chinese bureaucracy. In this conversation Jeronimo describes his key attributes that enables him to overcome the many challenges that working life in China throws at you such as staffing issues, which he has solved using these skills, and the supply of ingredients. Restaurant hours are Monday to Friday for dinner and weekends for lunch and dinner. Near the end he reveals his plans for the first time with work and his long time passion football and the meaning of La Catrina. By the way Spicy Michelada Worcester Sauce Maggie seasoning Tabasco Sauce tomato paste pineapple juice orange juice tomato juice salt paprika pepper black pepper white pepper Tajin Pepper lots of love… and some secret ingredients… Reviews for La Catrina on TripAdvisor. The La Catrina Homepage. Show Notes: Introduction: [00:00 – 01:21] 1. Opening a Restaurant: [01:21 – 05:02] – Challenges faced in opening a Mexican restaurant in Sherman. – Finding a suitable location and offering authentic cuisine. 2. Unique Selling Points: [05:02 – 10:05] – Lively atmosphere and friendly staff as key aspects of the restaurant. – Emphasis on excellent customer service and creating a welcoming environment. 3. Managing the Menu and Staff: [10:05 – 19:13] – Handling the restaurant’s menu and ensuring dish quality. – Role of the chef and managing different shifts based on customer demand. – Employment of part-time waitresses, often students, during peak hours. 4. Future Plans and Retirement: [19:13 – 25:43] – Geronimo’s future plans and decision to retire when the company’s owner retires. – Challenges anticipated during the transition of management. – Commitment to the restaurant’s growth and success. 5. Competition and Lessons Learned: [25:43 – 33:54] – Failure of a competing restaurant due to poor management. – Importance of being actively involved in the business and staff training. – Building good relationships with employees. 6. Personal Insights and Recovery: [33:54 – 34:47] – Geronimo’s passion for soccer and recent leg injury requiring surgery. – Linking retired footballers opening restaurants to his own situation. – Reflection on personality traits and discussion of the anti-social test. 7. Wrapping Up: [34:47 – 35:01] – Geronimo expresses gratitude for the interview opportunity. – Restaurant name (“La Catrina”) and suggestion to check reviews on platforms like TripAdvisor. – Brief description of the signature drink, the spicy Michelada. Outro: [35:01 – 35:11] – Host concludes the episode, thanks the audience for listening, and encourages subscription and website visit. Note: The time codes are approximate and may vary slightly depending on the pacing of the conversation during recording.