Big Fish in the Middle Kingdom

Welcome back to the show! This week’s guest is Jennifer Hsiung. Jennifer is a Canadian born to Taiwanese parents; she lives and works in Beijing as a TV anchor and reporter, a budding standup comedian, and - as she is 7 months pregnant at the time of posting this - is a very busy mother of “two and a half” kids.    Jennifer first came to China on a cultural exchange trip, but her big break after she moved to the mainland was when she became a sports reporter for CCTV during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. That opportunity led to many others as a reporter and news anchor, and Jennifer is now a host of the popular show “Culture Express” on CGTN, formerly CCTV English International, where she interviews prominent guests from the arts and entertainment world. She is also part of the growing standup comedy scene in China, which we discuss in detail.    This episode is as real as it is comedic. Jennifer brings a very interesting perspective to the show; as someone who is a foreigner from North America, but is of Asian ancestry, she has unique insights into both worlds that are worth hearing, and she has a way of making the truth funny that I think you’ll really enjoy.    If you DO enjoy it, please SUBSCRIBE to the show if you are new here, tell a friend or two about us, and check out the links below to get in touch or learn more!   "BFMK" Website: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com     Jennifer Hsiung links: https://www.facebook.com/JenExpress https://www.youtube.com/user/pumpkinvive88 Weibo / WeChat: JenniferHsiung熊邦欣   Carl King (composer): www.carlkingdom.com

Our very first guest on the show is former investment banker turned serial entrepreneur, Loren Heinold! We discuss the ins and outs of doing business in China from an experienced investors's perspective, the "aspirational" nature of contracts here, and the true meaning as well as some practical, real-world applications of the easily misunderstood and oft-abused term guanxi.   Loren first came to Beijing as a student of Chinese language and history, and has lived here full-time since the mid 2000s. He has been an investor in or cofounder of many successful businesses and brands in China, including Q-Mex restaurant, Mantra sunglasses, and Beijing's newest East–West culinary mashup, Baozza!    Most recently, Loren and his wife left Beijing for Yunnan province and the gorgeous mountain town of Dali, where he is taking his loves of food, entrepreneurship and social responsibility to a whole new level with the launch of an ambitious organic farming enterprise, with the aim of making a serious contribution in the areas of food safety and security here in China. It's an ambitious project and a great talk, so if you're looking to improve your China business skills or just want to learn more, this one's for you. I hope you enjoy.    Links: "BFMK" Website: https://www.crazyinagoodway.com Baozza! http://www.baozza.com Q-Mex: http://www.qmex.com.cn Mantra: https://www.findyourmantra.com