China Paradigms

Matthieu David interviews Matthieu Rochette-Schneider, Greater China General Manager at centdegrés. Building a brand in China might look like a very different process than the way brands are built in the West. But there are many businesses in China that were very fortunate to have the veteran brand builders from centdegrés on their side. They've been in China for more than a decade and if you ask anybody from centdegrés if they are a French agency or a Chinese agency you will get the inevitable response: "centdegrés is centdegrés". Let's find out why in this new China Paradigm interview.

0:15 Guest introduction

2:11 centdegrés - a company history

3:15 centdegrés - current company size in China

5:48 7 years in China - how many brands trust centdegrés their business?

7:47 An adventurous mind - branding came early to China thanks to centdegrés

9:19 China - a reasonable size of centdegrés

12:00 The centdegrés approach to branding

14:37 Managing the core of the business - Creativity

18:58 The centdegrés work process

24:02 Start and end point - the centdegrés brand building journey

27:22 The tools centdegrés provides their clients with to make them successful

29:58 How does centdegrés manage to stay competitive?

33:16 It's never to early to start pitching ideas

36:19 Leveraging the heritage of China - examples of successful Chinese brands

42:40 Brand domination - is it China's time to shine?

48:15 Case Study - what did centdegrés did for MG Mask?

53:27 Case Study - branding HAPSODE

54:32 Brands and politics don't mix - setting up Chinese-Korean business link

56:35 Case Study - bringing Marvel to Sephora

1:00:00 What books have inspired Matthieu Rochette-Schneider in his career?

1:03:25 What does Matthieu Rochette-Schneider read to stay up to date with China?

1:05:00 What book or movie about China does Matthieu Rochette-Schneider recommend?

1:06:25 Should Matthieu Rochette-Schneider have extra time what other business would he pursue?

1:07:38 What unexpected success and failure has Matthieu Rochette-Schneider witnessed in China?

1:10:00 Outro

Building an event-native agency in China's digital world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui4wkQPoi6c

Learn more about centdegrés: https://www.centdegres.com/

Listen & Subscribe:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/china-paradigms-daxue

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78qDpsYgQXWrkPpJyZJLtx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber

Website: https://chinaparadigm.com/

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

Matthieu David interviews Guillaume Rué de Bernadac, Founder & CEO at Académie de Bernadac. Etiquette is a tool that any person should possess whether they use it in professional interactions or social ones. In China, royal etiquette is a subject of interest and more and more people are enrolling for courses. How does Académie de Bernadac service the need for royal etiquette on the Chinese market? How do they market their service and how are the courses structured? Find out the answers to these questions and many more by listening to the interview.

0:15 Guest introduction

2:30 Académie de Bernadac - a brief company presentation

5:10 What prices and services does Académie de Bernadac offer?

8:03 More details about the size of the company

10:28 Royal Etiquette classes - why clients may enjoy them for different reasons

13:54 Why is Tier 1 of royal etiquette the most popular set of classes?

15:33 Adapting to the Chinese market - how have the lessons changed to accommodate Chinese culture?

19:00 Selling luxury - the brand of a product is all about emotions

20:17 Do clients apply etiquette outside their professional lives?

22:18 Adapting the lessons for luxury brands the function on the Chinese market

27:30 How does technology mesh with the heritage component of luxury brands?

28:57 Using live streaming for open advertisement

31:09 Best practices to get the most out of livestreaming

32:51 The importance of the Zhihu QA platform for Académie de Bernadac?

35:53 Specifics: how does Académie de Bernadac use Zhihu?

42:06 Misperception - how is French culture viewed in China?

44:11 Royal dreams can be motivators for etiquette learning

46:44 What book has inspired Guillaume Rué de Bernadac in his entrepreneurial journey?

47:57 What does Guillaume Rué de Bernadac read to stay up to date about China?

49:04 What can be learned from using WeChat?

50:07 What book about China would Guillaume Rué de Bernadac recommend?

51:38 If he has extra time what other business would Guillaume Rué de Bernadac pursue?

53:27 What success and failure have Guillaume Rué de Bernadac witnessed in China?

57:38 Outro

Learn more about Académie de Bernadac: https://acdebernadac.com/

Creating opportunities through connections (关系): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWEmgoyK9kE

Listen & Subscribe:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/china-paradigms-daxue

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78qDpsYgQXWrkPpJyZJLtx

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber

Website: https://chinaparadigm.com/

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

Matthieu David interviews Lucas Englehardt, founder & CEO at xixilab. Hard work pays off. At least this was the case for Lucas’s first business which was food delivery. Using flyer marketing he’s managed to grow it into a sizable business and then eventually sell it to a German company for a great deal. Now Lucas Englehardt is focusing on the dental care market and has been successful in building xixilab into a profitable business in China, in a country that has a powerful public healthcare system. But what products does xixilab sell and what marketing strategies does it employ to generate revenue? Let’s find out in this new China Paradigm podcast.

0:15 Guest introduction

3:13 Story Time: Why xixilab?

7:21 Customizing and Remixing - how xixilab develop their product

11:03 How to maintain product quality while going through the approval process

13:00 Supply and Demand - how xixilab keeps its prices low

16:19 The state of the market - how privatized is teeth care in China

18:16 How does xixilab market directly to their consumers?

19:25 Teeth whitening and teeth straightening - which one is xixilab's focus product?

22:34 More about xixilab's company size and business

23:29 How did Lucas Englehardt raise money for his business?

25:24 China Accelerator - why would a seasoned entrepreneur benefit from it?

28:10 Social Media Marketing - China vs The West

29:54 About food delivery marketing - Lucas Englehardt's second business

36:04 Making It Work - the vision behind Lucas Englehardt's food delivery business

39:26 The state of the food delivery business in China right now

43:39 Two Different Approaches - Lucas Englehardt's xixilab business vs his former food delivery business

47:39 What book has inspired Lucas Englehardt the most in his entrepreneurial journey?

49:50 What books about China would Lucas Englehardt recommend?

51:30 What productivity tool does Lucas Englehardt like best in China?

55:09 What failure and success has Lucas Englehardt witnessed in China?

57:40 Outro

Learn more about xixilab: http://xixilab.com/

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6...

Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.

Matthieu David interviews Philippe Ricard, Founder of La Creperie in Asia. The restaurant business in Asia and all around the world took a big hit with the coronavirus outbreak. But there are some places that can survive anything. La Creperie is a well-established brand in China, Vietnam, and Hong Kong because of its longevity on the market and its originality when it comes to creating an atmosphere. Find out how La Creperie came to be and why it is succeeding in this China Paradigm interview.

0:15 Guest introduction

2:23 La Creperie - a brief history and current situation

4:32 The La Creperie locations throughout Asia

7:07 The coronavirus outbreak impact - advice on re-opening restaurants

8:57 First actions taken when closing the restaurants

11:31 Will adding a delivery service affect the La Creperie brand?

14:12 The New Normal - how to make a comeback after the outbreak

20:08 La Creperie - how it all started

22:52 Before La Creperie - ideas that did not make the cut

26:24 From 2007 to the present day - an evolution of running a restaurant

29:47 How is La Creperie viewed by the Chinese customers?

33:30 How did Philippe Ricard manage to scale his restaurant?

36:20 Negotiating good rent is an important task

42:30 Building a brand - does it happen naturally or intentionally?

45:06 Originality is in the details - why La Creperie is a trademark

46:39 The hassle of managing a business in 3 countries

48:10 No Copy-Pasting - the reason La Creperie is not a franchise

52:00 What is the criteria on the basis of which Philippe Ricard would consider partnering with someone and opening a new restaurant?

54:32 What books or resources have inspired Philippe Ricard in his entrepreneurial journey?

58:08 What unexpected success or failure did Philippe Ricard witnessed in China?

1:04:13 Outro

Learn more about Philippe Ricard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippe-ricard-220a1236/

Meet the founder of the iconic 17 year old restaurant in Shanghai’s ex French concession: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjL6OHsNpQo

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6...

Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.

Matthieu David interviews Yoann DELWARDE, CEO & co-founder at Infinity Growth. If your company is struggling with Sales, do not fire your sales team. It’s probably way more efficient to hire a Sales coach. Infinity Growth can be helpful when it comes to teaching Sales tactics and knowledge to Chinese B2B businesses. But just how good are they? And what principles do they apply when approaching a sales pitch? Let’s find out in this new China Paradigm podcast.

0:15 Guest introduction

1:33 Infinity Growth - what they do to help their clients

5:17 Success is not random - why ChinaAccelerator plays an important part for Infinity Growth

8:20 The Tools of Trade - what are the means which Infinity Growth employ to help clients

11:09 Focus, Fun and Follow-up - how Infinity Growth coach their clients

12:56 How deep does Infinity Growth do research for their clients?

15:19 Are sales an art, a science or a practice?

18:06 What mistakes or difficulties can be encounter in Sales?

20:49 Why is selling with integrity important?

24:55 B2B Sales in China - is digital an avenue to explore?

29:40 Getting in touch successfully - how to write a great e-mail

32:57 What book about Sales would Yoann Delwarde recommend?

35:45 Toastmasters - a passion for public speaking

41:43 What does Yoann Delwarde read to stay up to date with China?

44:22 What productivity tool does Yoann Delwarde like most?

47:11 What unexpected success has Yoann Delwarde witnessed in China?

48:43 What unexpected failure has Yoann Delwarde witnessed in China?

50:30 Outro

Learn more about Infinity Growth

https://www.linkedin.com/company/infinity-growth-shanghai-ltd/

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6...

Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/

Building a B2B sales network all over China: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQINVIEAYsY

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.

Matthieu David interviews Renata Thiébaut, Head of Research & Business Intelligence at Web2Asia. The most important foreign online selling brands in China are so successful probably because they had Web2Asia as their ally when they were first starting out on the Chinese market. It takes a lot of strategizing, data accumulation and re-strategizing to be successful on the different Chinese product selling platforms and this will be broken down into details in this new China Paradigm podcast.

0:15 Guest introduction

1:51 Company history and field of work

4:10 Size of business and details on revenue

6:38 Initial vision for Web2Asia

10:57 Case Study: How well was Web2Asia able to sell Jellycat on Alibaba?

16:36 Changing brand strategy was the key to success

24:16 Focusing on the market place - How to drive traffic to your online store

26:14 100% data-driven - re-marketing and re-strategizing

30:12 Strategizing for success - bringing a European brand to China

34:16 The coronavirus outbreak can also have a positive effect on some brands

35:23 Food delivery sales are still going strong after the coronavirus outbreak in China

37:06 The new era of retail - does offline compete with online?

39:12 Managing the different aspects of building a brand requires a great team

41:34 Creating a marketing campaign - stages and involved people

49:31 Double 11 - the shopping festival impact

52:22 China has many platforms that suit many types of products

1:00:06 What book inspired Renata Thiébaut the most in her entrepreneurial journey?

1:02:27 What does Renata Thiébaut read to stay up to date with China?

1:03:45 What would Renata Thiébaut recommend for foreigners to read, watch or follow in order to learn more about China?

1:05:21 What unexpected failure has Renata Thiébaut witnessed in China?

1:08:07 What unexpected success has Renata Thiébaut witnessed in China?

1:11:00 Outro

Learn more about Web2Asia: https://www.web2asia.com/

The related interview: Why using WeChat for B2B sales is a game changer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMXFBCFCbcI

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber

Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.

Matthieu David interviews Liang Sun, CEO at Generate and Board Member at Benelux Chamber in Shanghai. Selling anything on the Chinese market as a foreigner isn’t an easy endeavor since the language and cultural barriers make it difficult to understand how your product fits on that market. Luckily for European companies, the solution to this problem is Generate. But how does Generate help their clients sell their products on the Chinese market? How hard is it to recruit experienced Sales Associates and how does Generate define a successful business relationship? Let’s find out in this new China Paradigm podcast.

0:15 Guest introduction

1:43 Company size and the services Generate provides

5:39 The key is to be flexible - Generate's a business model

7:17 Sales Navigation - Generate's incentive for new clients

9:18 The 3-month plan to generate success

12:28 Exhibitions - are they efficient?

17:02 Sales Associates - recruiting and dealing with conflict of interests

20:32 How does Generate make money?

25:06 Success is when the clients leave

26:53 Why Generate usually outsources digital marketing with the exception of Wechat marketing

29:54 What skills does a good Sales Associate need to have?

31:43 What made Liang Sun want to start the business?

37:08 Trusting results vs knowing the process

39:36 When can Generate deliver the first results to their clients?

41:10 How has the coronavirus outbreak impacted Generate and their clients?

43:38 Is China back in business?

45:04 Liang Sun's conclusions on Made in China 2025

46:25 How does Generate handle the proposition of a Chinese clientele?

47:34 What books have inspired Liang Sun in his entrepreneurial journey?

49:01 How has built a business affected Liang Sun's personal life?

50:20 What does Liang Sun read to stay up to date with China?

51:58 What book about China would Liang Sun recommend for foreigners to read?

53:00 What productivity tool does Liang Sun like to use for his daily work?

58:21 What unexpected success and unexpected failure has Liang Sun witnessed in China?

1:00:16 Outro

Learn more about Generate: https://www.generatebvba.be/

The related interview: Why using WeChat for B2B sales is a game changer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMXFBCFCbcI

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber

Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.

Matthieu David interviews Cotton Ding, Owner at Cottons restaurant and bar. The restaurant business is a tough business. That’s especially true in China and more so if we are talking about the last few months when people were under strict restrictions to socialize due to the coronavirus outbreak. How has Cotton Ding managed to stay in the industry for 17 years, what threats did her business face and what type of management does she promote? Let’s find out in this new China Paradigm podcast.

0:15 Guest introduction

2:58 Cottons - a brief history

4:28 Cotton Ding’s professional history

9:13 Size and scope of business

11:08 The cost of doing business – managing rent and business hours

16:20 Cottons team cost structure

19:26 Managing the everyday inventory needs and inspiring people

27:12 How has the coronavirus outbreak affected Cottons and what measures were taken to stay afloat?

31:52 How has the delivery strategy changed due to the outbreak?

34:19 What is it like to work with food delivery platforms?

37:04 How has Cotton Ding handled the common threats to a restaurant staying in business?

40:18 How was Cottons' brand identity built?

44:47 How the restaurant business takes a toll on free time

47:23 What has inspired Cotton Ding in her entrepreneurial journey?

49:50 What does Cotton Ding fight for?

51:03 What does Cotton Ding do to stay up to date with business in China?

54:08 What books about China would Cotton Ding recommend to foreigners?

56:04 How does business after the outbreak look like for Cottons?

57:20 Should Cotton Dings have extra time what other types of business would she pursue?

58:57 What surprising success has Cotton Ding witnessed in China?

1:00:22 What surprising failure has Cotton Ding witnessed in China?

1:02:09 Outro

Learn more about Cotton Ding and Cottons restaurant and bar

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotton-ding-370680109/

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber

Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.

Matthieu David interviews Gordon Dumoulin, founder and CEO at Dumoco Natural Ingredients. When it comes to eating healthy everyone knows that “natural” is the way to go. But where does Gordon’s company fit on the Chinese F&B market? Is there a need for an intermediary between a customer and Chinese farmers, processing companies, etc.? Find out the answer to these questions and more in this new China Paradigm podcast.

0:14 Guest introduction

2:50 The business of natural ingredients – how does it work?

8:35 Doing business in China vs the West - the win-win scenario

12:30 How do natural ingredients fit on the Chinese medicine market?

18:24 How does Dumoco Natural Ingredients collect their product?

20:39 Who are Dumoco Natural Ingredients' clients in the West?

22:33 Transparency and pricing - how does one affect the other?

25:12 Managing the exports - a necessity for both small and large companies

27:40 Instant Bridge Education - another success story in China

31:53 Who are Instant Bridge Education's clients?

36:25 Education adapted for the need to express

39:47 Change is inevitable - why is that a positive thing?

41:58 5iZ - name origin and mission

45:32 What books have inspired Gordon Dumoulin the most?

50:46 What unexpected success and failure has Gordon Dumoulin witnessed in China?

53:45 What does Gordon Dumoulin read to stay up to date with business in China?

56:06 Outro

Learn more about Dumoco Natural Ingredients:

http://www.dumoco.net/

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber

Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/

Related interviews:

1) How to succeed in China's tea market while starting from scratch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3pBFyMmCLE

2) Starting a healthy lifestyle business in China - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSzBkv8_GHI

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.

Matthieu David interviews David Beutin, Sales Manager – HORECA Food Service at Lactalis International. HORECA was and is one of the most impacted business industries by the Coronavirus outbreak. How does a food service company manage to recover from such a crisis in China and how different is the business model of such a company compared to the West? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in this new China Paradigm podcast.

0:10 Guest introduction

02:53 State of the HORECA industry right now

08:48 How has the outbreak affect distribution?

13:29 What advice does David Beutin have for the HORECA companies in the west that are going through the outbreak?

18:38 China is back in business - how should foreign companies react?

21:31 Back in business after the outbreak - what challenges does that pose?

24:01 Hygiene can mare or break a HORECA business

26:29 How does business look like for Lactalis in China compared to the West?

30:47 A China Paradigm for Lactalis - does the business model need to be different?

34:42 Does Lactalis externalize any department?

40:04 How does Lactalis handle deals with its distributors?

46:46 Outsourcing distributors vs direct sales

51:12 What's missing in the Chinese food market?

55:20 Top priorities to consider when trying to sell food in China

01:00:19 What sources does David Beutin use to stay up to date with China?

01:02:27 Outro

Learn more about Lactalis International:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeutin/

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber

Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/

Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes.

What is China Paradigms Podcast?

China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.