Made in China Podcast: International Business | Crowdfunding | Entrepreneurship

In this episode, Rico checks in with Chinamike to talk about their yearly goals, for the business or personal growth. Discussion was made about the success and failures for 2018 then after they shared what they aim to reach this 2019.

Topics incl:

Summary of Rico's year and 2018 goals

Profitable year High Revenue but high expenses

Being in debt and getting out of it

Getting sued by an ex employee

1st goal Maximizing work with a small team (Failed)

2nd goal: Releasing an episode a week on podcast and youtube Videos (Success)

500 subs & 1k Youtube subs in 6months (failed)

3rd goal - muscle up and 14% Body Fat (Success)

Grade: B

Summary of Mike's year and 2018 goals

Reading books (Failed)

Reaching the Timeline of the sales goal with the lifestyle brand (Failed)

Being more social! (SUCCESS)

2019 GOALS

Rico's 2019 Goals

20% increase of sales revenue 7% increase of profit : Controlling the expenses

Social Media Goals/ youtube video goals

Get an intern

Youtube ads to result in 5 figure revenue

Revamping the website

Organizing Meet Ups

Batman goals : Stay in the Philippines concurrently; and learn MMA

Mike's 2019 Goals

Audio Books

Getting to Africa

Meditation, Wellness retreat

Getting quality Interviews on the podcast

Social up!

Running a successful meetup.

While in Manila, Rico discovered a gentleman's club that defines him, The Refined is a members only lounge that provides a gentleman's lifestyle experience. Rico sits down with the owner, another Toronto Boy, Noel Naguiat who was very gracious enough to share his experiences in entrepreneurship and the birth of his "Mancave".

Topics Includes:

Coming Back to Manila

Advantages leaving in the Philippines compared to North American countries

Beginning with Mankind then opening Refined after

What didn't work at Mankind then corrected at Refined

Finding the right Investors 

Making Connections

Mastermind groups

Finding Focus

Early Mistakes with the Refined

Paying for The "Experience" of Refined

Being present as an owner 

For this week, Rico and Harrison connected at the Refined, Manila to talk about the lessons they learned after 3 years in China. They give their very own perspectives about how different individuals particularly expats decide to stay or while some others like themselves eventually leave even if they have their businesses connected in China.

Topics Includes:

Transitioning from living in to leaving China

"Lifestlye creep"

Price hike in China

Why some guys stay longer

"Health Issues" a reason for leaving

Business lesson learned by the 3rd year in China

The advantages of being in China while doing FBA Amazon Retailing

Anxieties about transitioning out.

Present tools such as podcasts and youtube channels to help expats in China.

Finding the right Supplier for your Amazon business

"analysis paralysis" - Figure the first step and then go on from there.

Guru Courses are unnecessary expenses

In this episode, let's listen to Rico and Noam Once again where they talk about how to further systemized a consulting business in their respective areas, to make it easier for them to manage the company.

Topics Includes:

The Ups and Downs of running a company

Hiring process

Language Barrier Between Clients and Chinese Employees

How much can you systemize

Reaching Unrealistic Goals

Focusing on your own work

Amazon investments on Technology

People vs Apps that can help ease your business effectively

A "hockey stick" chart is a line chart in which a sharp increase occurs suddenly after a short period of quiescence. The line connecting the data points resembles a hockey stick.

This week, we bring you one of the last throwback episodes from the series of Rico and Noam's recorded Podcast 2 years ago (2017). Their conversation circled around the benefits or importance of having a home base for your business and the pressures of maintaining a company's rapid growth .

Topics Includes:

What it means to be Riding a "Hockey Stick"

Why having a Home Base for your business is Essential

Being Consistent is the fundamental key

Operating around your Schedule

Systemizing will lessen the stress

Your City Surroundings can motivate your drive

Handling a rapid expansion

Fast Growth Company needs to look at their quarters like a normal company would look at their year.

Keeping your feet on the ground despite having quick success

"Pessimistically Optimistic"

For this week’s episode, Rico and ChinaMike or now known as ChiangMike, Hangs out yet again to share each other’s observations of China’s rapid development through their respective duration of time spent living in the country.

Topics Includes:

The Sourcing Table Meet Ups

The Changes in China from 2008 to it’s Present

The Government has tighten up

The Decreasing Quality of Food as the Cost of living Increases.

Nantong, A City that’s much cheaper then it’s neigbouring Cities.

Old School Sourcing vs Present Day Sourcing

China being the first to develop the apps

Pollution is getting better

More Businesses being established.

The Challenges retaining workers/ and dealing with the minimum wage hike

How Different this generation of workers compared to it's predecessors

A back to back episode with Alan Scanlan at the Pullman Hotel in HK. Let's talk about building connections in Hong Kong. One of the places where you can meet some of the most successful people. Let's find out some tips on how you can meet those people so you can do business more effectively.

Topics Includes:

The advantages of Moving and Living in HK,

Making a lot of connections in HK

Supportive Expat Community

Joining Networking events such as Invest HK*

Banking in China

Email Inbox Organization

Working on weekends and holidays

Living in mainland China vs HK

Handling distractions while trying to focus on Work Goals

Dealings of a Boss: Making it Work for your staff as well

This week's episode is another video cast episode Featuring Alan Scanlan, who runs a Family Sourcing Business that was started in the 1970s by his Father. They talk about the history of how his dad coming from Ireland came about sourcing in HK and how he turned it into an 8 figure dynasty for more than 4 decades now.

Topics Includes:

Difficulties during the first 5 years

Tipperary Crystals

History of the Family Sourcing Business

Manufacturing and Importing from everything irish such as the Shamrock

Coming to Hong kong

Allied imports and allied international

Doing business with Mark and Spencers

Coming into the business as a young man

How he found Rico

Sourcing for Whiskey Bottles

Newlands Sourcing

In this Episode, Rico and Noam Discuss how they respectively manage clients and what lengths they have to do to maintain them.

Topics Includes:

The difficulties of maintaining a Routine!

Approaching from the Clients perspective

What's your Brand Story

Making your decisions base on your core values

Just be honest with your clients; Never give bad news without a solution

Clients who negotiate for cheap price

Selling Service vs Selling Finish Products

Taking on Enough Projects that you can Handle

Getting clients is just like "Dating"

For every negative there's a positive

Systemizing your Business: SOPS SOPS SOPS

It's good to have friends in your industry even if they are your competitors

This week, we welcome back to the Podcast, Noam Lightstone, who is one of Rico's Core of Best Friends from way back during college in Canada. In this episode they exchange each other's Growing Pains that comes with running a Consulting Business, their shared values and how it is being a Young Entrepreneur.

Topics Includes:

Micro Expenses

Big Sin City vs Small Transitioning City

Does Systemizing your business really give you more free time?

Making the right Hire and managing your staff.

Having someone who can get task done aside from yourself

S.O.Ps

Strategizing and moving your staff like chess pieces

Wearing different "Hats" within your company

Challenges of working with an unreliable Company or Client

Giving Trust to your employee as part of encouraging growth.

Can there be balance when starting a business and having a relationship?

"You can have it all you want but not all at once"