Wealth Without Borders Podcast

China is one of the challenging countries to get into. The same speaks truly of the Chinese culture.

What benefit would you gain from learning the Chinese culture and tradition?

Understanding and learning them improves your way of life and impacts greatly the way you connect and relate with people every day.

Nic Doering and AJ Donnelly are the British husband and wife team who co-founded Cultural Keys Chinese Culture Centre, a Beijing-based start-up that teaches traditional Chinese culture to companies and individuals.

In this episode, Nic and AJ share their experiences -- both the bad and the good-- living in a challenging country like China. Here, you get to take a glean on how they are making a good time, turning around those difficult situations into opportunities for learning and growth. The mindset they displayed shows a lot of the qualities needed of someone living in a foreign place. That there’s no reason to complain, that it’s better to come from a place of humbleness, of curiosity, and willingness to learn so you have that worthwhile experience of things surrounding you. Most importantly, learn to smile, it always goes a long way. And that, believe there is always a way, there surely is, no matter what your best way is.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out helpful ways you can explore, enjoy, and embrace the Chinese culture and be a successful ex-pat in a challenging country like China
• Find out the positive qualities to imbibe as ex-pats to get you through the day and treat any difficult situation as an opportunity to learn and be appreciative of the place you are in
• Learn how to have that leap of faith that no matter what, there will always be people who are willing to help and things will turn out well in the end

“Chinese culture is the most important thing to me. And that's the basis of how I live my life and what we do with our company. We try to let people understand the value that is in traditional Chinese culture and how it can improve their lives.”

- Nic Doering and AJ Donnelly

Topics Covered:

01:47 - How Nic came to Beijing

02:26 - AJ recalling how he came and stayed in China

03:30 - Nic comparing Beijing from the place she used to live in the personal and business perspectives

04:06 - Having the convenience of the city just an hour away and a slower more traditional pace and aspect of life in the suburb

05:59 - What gives AJ the idea of starting Cultural Keys

08:33 - How is it like coping with being far away from their place of origin

10:27 - Ways you can be a successful ex-pat in China

12:16 - What to them are the advantages and disadvantages of being an ex-pat

14:53 - How having faith in people turn around difficult situations while living in China for many years 

15:59 - There is always a way -- no matter what the best way for you

17:43 - An inconvenient but funny experience they went through as a couple

20:08 - AJ’s funny experience -- mistakenly took what he said as terrorist for a tourist with him arrested for questioning

23:25 - Why Nic would keep a diary if she’s given the chance to go back when she first started in China

25:45 - What's the value in learning Chinese culture?

Key Takeaways:

“You live in Beijing city, you're part of that metropolis, that city life. Out here, we have the convenience of the city as an hour down the road but we also have that slower pace of life, and more traditional aspects of life living out here.” - AJ Donnelly

“I really want to do something, to help people understand more about China, to access China, because I'm a big believer in the idea that if you understand the culture if you understand the history, you understand the people in the modern world better.” - AJ Donnelly

“If you know where you want to go, if you know what you want to achieve, you will find a way to do it. Never believe that there is no way. There sure is.” - AJ Donnelly

“I think I wish I'd learned the language before I moved here. That would have made my life infinitely different. I would never have had to rely on other people. And I would always have known what was going on and I think I would have settled in much, much quicker if I'd had the language sooner.” - AJ Donnelly

“I would say it's the ability to accept the unpredictable, you can't be afraid of just totally random things, particularly in China. I think that's the key to surviving in a place like China.” - Nic Doering

“I think for me, it would be, you know, write things down as a diary or whatever and take more photos. Because I think it's always interesting to sort of look back and see, not only what decisions you made because you probably remember what you decided to do, but you might not remember why you made that decision.” - Nic Doering

“I think, in any new situation, it requires a leap of faith, and the vast majority of times it is going to work out for you. Maybe not in the way you thought, but it will.” - Nic Doering

Ways to Connect with Nic Doering and AJ Donnelly:

•       Website: https://www.culturalkeys.cn/
•       LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-donnelly/
•       Twitter: https://twitter.com/CulturalKeysCN
•       Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/culturalkeys/
•       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CulturalKeysChina?

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson:

•       Website: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/
•       Podcast: https://www.wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
•       LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson

More than the challenges and limitations we talk about women these days, how do we encourage women to take concrete steps to be more intentional and strategic in their growth and achieving their goals? 

We say, vouch for her, recommend her, speak well of her, and encourage her to be bold to take those steps to invest in herself.  

Raquel Ramirez has an 18-year background in the public, private and international sectors, including prominent roles held in the Mexican Foreign Ministry to the United Nations. She is known as a keynote speaker globally, including in the USA, Mexico, Switzerland, and China. 

In this episode, Raquel shares that women can achieve more beyond their expectations. With the right insight, support, and guidance, they can take on more risks to be more relevant to the community. That women hold power within them to make significant contributions to the world. And more importantly, that they will likely more to succeed if they invest and bet on themselves.   

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Find out what mistakes women mostly commit so they know how to get clear on their strengths and talents so they likely succeed faster
• Find out valuable resources for more women support and uplifting for them to be able to succeed in a much faster way
• Learn how women can create an impression of being confident and having something of value and importance to say 

“The fundamental ground to build on is self-awareness. Just know that your mistakes don't define you; the lessons do.”

- Raquel Ramirez

Topics Covered: 

01:45 - What for her is an ideal client? 

02:07 - The problem that Raquel responds to: The gap between what women are achieving today and what women can be achieving.  

03:24 - Symptoms of the problem women find themselves in: Women are feeling overwhelmed, unseen, unheard, a lot of times unsupported, or with the lack of having strategies on how to achieve their goals. 

04:06 - Mistakes she believes women do: Not asking for help, being afraid to be vulnerable, but ultimately, and more fundamentally, not actively seeking a mentor or a coach. 

04:46 - What consolidating self-awareness can do to start solving women’s problems.

05:24 - A three-day FREE masterclass you can look forward to in December entitled ‘How To Get the Top Six Skills in Order to Improve your Career.' Visit here: https://sites.google.com/view/rrconsultingforher/career-master-program 

06:00 - Quintuple-packed value of resources to make women achieve faster in their goals 

07:51 - One meaningful piece of advice she has for women: I encourage women to become aware of their patterns and their power to choose a different way to respond to the different situations they face. 

Key Takeaways: 

“When women are trying to solve problems on their own, I view it as taking the slower path. I believe that one of the mistakes is not asking for help, being afraid to be vulnerable, but ultimately, and more fundamentally, the mistake of not actively seeking a mentor or a coach.”  - Raquel Ramirez 

“The beginning of solving this problem is consolidating a self-awareness. I encourage people to get clear on their strengths and talents and start holding them today.” - Raquel Ramirez 

“How do we as women make our presence felt in different conference rooms? Be ready to be between the first and the third person to speak when you're in the meeting because this creates an impression of being confident and having something of value and importance to say.” - Raquel Ramirez 

“I truly believe in the impact that using affirmations in overcoming our difficulties can do.” - Raquel Ramirez 

Resources: 

• A three-day FREE masterclass you can look forward to in December entitled ‘How To Get the Top Six Skills in Order to Improve your Career.' Visit here: https://sites.google.com/view/rrconsultingforher/career-master-program
• For powerful, scientifically validated personality tests to help you grow and find your way in life, click here: https://www.truity.com/
• Book Resource: Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers by Lois P. Frankel 

Ways to Connect with Raquel Ramirez: 

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/rrconsultingforher/home
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RRconsultingforher/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raquelramirezconsultingforher/

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net
• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson

We know for a fact that moving to a new place, a different country is no breeze at all. How much more if you’re a trailblazer spouse/partner who got no job, stays home, takes care of the kids and supports the spouse? How do you face the challenges brought about by moving into a new country like China? 

Find your tribe and stretch out of your comfort zone. Going to places you wouldn’t normally go will help you change perspective. 

Hailing from the land of the long white cloud, New Zealand, Nicole Webb moved to Australia as a teenager with her family. There she went on to pursue her dream of becoming a television journalist and newsreader with Sky News. She then moved to HK in 2010 and to China in 2014. 

In this episode, Nicole shares how she identifies herself with trailblazer spouses and partners -- the struggles and tribulations they face when moving to a new place like China. She attributes loneliness and loss of identity as among the challenges facing these trailblazers. She’s not without ways and means to find a solution to this dilemma with her own experience. And she counts social media as the one big factor in connecting with other like-minded people. And that it’s important to give it [adjustment] the time it deserves.  

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Learn how to be a confident trailblazer spouse or partner who is secure in the thought that she has a lot to contribute to her new-found community and the world at large 
• Find out ways to connect with like-minded human beings who are also trailblazers looking for important necessities 
• Learn how to find your purpose when moving into a new place so you won’t lose your identity 

“Often, I think it can seem quite an insurmountable task when you arrive in a place like China, you are out there on your own and, your spouse is off to work doing what he or she does. It takes time and to really give it the time it deserves. It can be an incredibly enriching and lasting experience, and often even a better one for the trailblazer.” 

 - Nicole Webb 

Topics Covered: 

01:53 - Nicole defines who her ideal client is 

02:57 - She shares the need for spouses or partners to take the time it deserves to settle in and find their feet in a new place like China 

04:00 - Why loneliness becomes a symptom of the problem for the trailblazers 

04:54 - Giving her thoughts on spouses trying to pigeonhole themselves into a certain box which shouldn’t be the case 

05:54 - One actionable tip you can do to help solve a trailblazer’s problem: Find your tribe and step out of your comfort zone.  

06:32 - One valuable free resource that can help a trailblazer spouse find her place in her new-found community in China: Facebook group - Shanghai Mommies 

07:22 - Talking about her blog, ‘Welcome Musings in Hongkong’ that connected her to a lot of other expats 

08:10 - One great resource for anyone moving to China: CHINA BLONDE: How a newsreader's search for adventure led to friendship, acceptance...and peroxide pandemonium by Nicole Webb 

Key Takeaways: 

“I think as an ex-pat, social media is something that can connect you with people all over the world that are in similar shoes to you.” - Nicole Webb 

“I started an ex-pat blog, ‘Welcome Musings in Hong Kong’. And I think that just helped to connect me with people from all over the world as well.”  - Nicole Webb 

“China Blonde, I think would be a very great resource for anyone who's thinking about moving to China, or anyone who's thinking about moving anywhere out of their comfort zone, for that matter, because it takes you through all of those trials and tribulations of moving from your beloved country and setting up in a new country.”  - Nicole Webb 

“I think what I'd like to say on help solve is just to remember that it takes time to settle in and time to find your feet.” - Nicole Webb 

“One of the problems is that we often try to pigeonhole ourselves into a certain box, which is what I did as well as a newsreader. I thought that's kind of all I am. And you forget what you have done over the last 10 or 20 years and what makes up you as a whole. And that can be so many other things besides that work title that perhaps you've been in the past.” -Nicole Webb 

Resources: 

• One great resource for anyone moving to China: CHINA BLONDE: How a newsreader's search for adventure led to friendship, acceptance...and peroxide pandemonium by Nicole Webb 

Ways to Connect with Nicole Webb: 

• LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoledwebb/

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net    
• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson   

There are challenges other than being expensive in bringing people from different places and making them do one thing. How do you then uncover the hidden cost and reduce it to get your resources, energy, and time to more meaningful investments? 

Hiring qualified people is helpful. And it is best to tap into your current pool of talents to avoid dealing with adaptation issues. The concept of ‘divide and conquer’ comes in handy in this regard. 

Jerry Jones is a Leader, trainer, coach, consultant, and communicator whose passion is partnering with people to do their thing better. He has worked with entrepreneurs, global educators, executive leadership, trainers, teachers, coaches, families, and individuals who have a vision for what could be but struggle to get there in both professional and personal capacity. 

In this episode, Jerry talks about how challenging it is to deal with transient organizations. To seemingly solve the problem, they try to provide perks and fancy things to their people which don’t help as problems are beneath the surface; that’s where they failed to look into. Jerry shares how he peels off the layers where hidden costs are found and help reduce it to lessen the cost of doing international business. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Find out the common transition problems so you learn to channel your money, resources, energy, and time to the right investments and people 
• Learn how to hire qualified people so as to avoid problems of adaptation all over again 
• Find out the concept of ‘divide and conquer’ to help you create a solid plan and move forward 

“It's taxing to bring people from different places and to get them to try to do one thing. And so, I tried to uncover what those costs are, whatever they are, and reduce them.” 

 - Jerry Jones 

Topics Covered: 

01:46 - Jerry defines his ideal clients 

02:22 - Robert shares about the problem his clients encounter and which he helps solve 

03:28 - How miscommunication and mistrust add up to the symptoms in the transition problem 

04:26 - What people do wrong in trying to solve problems on their own and before consulting Jerry 

05:04 - Jerry sharing his thoughts about the ‘wrong-end investment’ 

06:32 - Free resource to help you deal with transition problems. Head over to https://geerthofstede.com/landing-page/ 

07:15 - Jerry sharing the concept of ‘divide and conquer’  

08:01 - How can people connect with their people?  

Key Takeaways: 

“It's taxing to bring people from different places and to get them to try to do one thing. And so, I try to uncover what those costs are, whatever they are, and reduce them.” - Jerry Jones 

“They think that if they give more perks or more fancy things along the way that it'll take care of people's problems, but the problems are really beneath the surface. And that doesn't help.” - Jerry Jones 

“They're investing a lot of money, energy, time resources into people who haven't been through the process of adjustment and adapting yet. And if they would move that investment to the other end and really invest in the people that they already have, it's a much higher return.”  - Jerry Jones 

Resources: 

• Free resource to help you deal with transition problems. Head over to https://geerthofstede.com/landing-page/ 

Ways to Connect with Jerry Jones: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerry-jones-621ba227/

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net    
• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson   

How do you navigate a new place with the language barrier and cultural differences being a possible hindrance? How do you thrive and become successful in living and working as a flexpat in a foreign country like China? 

Flexibility and open-mindedness to the possibility of what China has to offer give you an edge to enjoy your stay there. Sure, there are sacrifices to be made as you are away from family and home. But being positive about the good life the new place can offer makes one appreciate staying in China.  

Francis Kremer is an expert in sales, the latest manifestation of which is as the Sales Director in the Chinese Electric Vehicles (EV) market, a massive part of the automotive industry. His role is to make a Chinese company truly international in scope.  

In this episode, Francis talks about how everyone was apprehensive about his decision to become a sales guy in China. Undeterred, he pushed through with it—four years in China and no signs of regret on his part. Although he has made China his home, it is not without struggles to be living there. He’s got plenty of tips on how he dealt with challenges at work, his personal life, and his everyday life in China. He also made known what a flexpat is and the qualities one should possess to make it in a foreign land. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Learn to look through the lens of positivity and find inspiration in the littlest of ways to see you through the day 
• Learn how to be open-minded, have the initiative, and become resourceful when faced with problems while working in China 
• Get an insider’s tip on what to expect when living and working in China 

“It’s very important that you should be a master in your skill, you should have something that you can bring to the table that you can do better than anyone else.”  

- Francis Kremer 

Topics Covered: 

01:46 - What made Francis decide to be an expat 

03:25 - What endeared him to be living and working in China 

05:06 - How does he deal with being away from family and home 

07:06 - What important qualities an expat should have to thrive in China 

08:47 - Francis shares how different a holiday experience is in China compared to Europe 

13:16 - How does he define a flexpat 

17:42 - What the future looks like for flexpats with the onset of the virtual trend 

22:40 - Sharing happy experiences he has around China 

25:02 - Why he would have wanted to come to China earlier 

Key Takeaways: 

“I really enjoy being in China and to feel this development that people do something from scratch and they enjoy it.” - Francis Kremer 

“Whenever I think that I'm far away from home, I think, well, this is my home, and I take my family with me.” - Francis Kremer 

“What I learned from myself is to understand, okay, something's work differently than I thought. And I have to cope with it somehow, and nobody's going to help me. I have to get it done.” - Francis Kremer 

“Currently, it's a very comfortable situation, because I'm an expat, well-paid, and with a low cost of living in China. Not sure if this stays this way. But I think there will be a change in this industry; there will be many opportunities for people who want to try it. But they will not be in a position to sell themselves as the very kind of small species that wants to be well-paid and well-treated with everything with what is associated with an expat job.” Francis Kremer 

Ways to Connect with Francis Kremer: 

• Website: https://www.chinaflexpat.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/public-profile/in/francis007 

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net    
• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson   

How can changing your mindset change your way of living, way of working and way of creating your future?  

Breaking through the glass ceiling and shifting paradigms may be a hard thing to do, but it’s never impossible. Your mindset matters. And when changing your mindset for the better, you must remember your future rather than your past. You must keep moving forward and break the shackles that are limiting you from growing and allowing positive change into your life and work. 

John Peck is a lifelong trainer and coach, from martial arts to mindset. He teaches audiences throughout Europe and Asia a comprehensive process of transformative mental paradigm shift. Through his remarkable system, John facilitates positive, profound and permanent change in any area of your life. 

In this episode, John shares how you can break through the glass ceiling and change your mindset through the help of coaches. He also reminds us to remember our future rather than our past. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover how to shift paradigms and change your mindset 
• Learn why remembering your future is important and better than remembering your past 
• Know more about how to break through the glass ceilings in your life and welcome change 

“Remember your future because people spend most of their time remembering their past.” 

- John Peck 

Topics Covered: 

02:02 - John defines his ideal client 

02:31 - Breaking through the glass ceilings, the areas in your life where you feel stuck is the problem John helps solve for his client 

03:06 - Typical symptoms clients experience: Frustration or anger in the office or at home 

03:59 - Why trying to go through it and do it alone is the biggest mistake you can make? 

05:10 - John’s valuable free action: “Remember your future because people spend most of their time remembering their past. And I help people pivot to begin to see themselves in their future because the body, as an expression of the subconscious mind, and our subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between the past, present and the future.” 

06:29 - John’s valuable free resource: Go to Your Mindset Matters 2020 to register for John’s webinar 

07:14 - Books Alert: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 

08:33 - Question that should have been asked to John: “How do I shift my paradigm and shift my disempowering paradigms into empowering ones?” 

Key Takeaways: 

“As you are creating future memories, so you create your future memories. It’s a type of goal setting and visualization but you create a future memory, and then you begin to repeat that memory every day instead of repeating the old things from the past.” - John Peck 

“Most people gather information, and information does not lead to transformation. If information changed our lives, we'd all be thin, healthy, wise and rich.” - John Peck 

“‘How do I shift my paradigm?’ is the question and: ‘How to shift my disempowering paradigms into empowering ones?’ And the answer to those questions is basically you need a coach to be able to do that because we're not aware of everything that we're perceiving.” - John Peck 

People / Resources Mentioned: 

• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 
• The Go-Giver by Bob Burg 

Ways to Connect with John Peck: 

• Website: https://coachingintoresults.com/your-mindset-matters-2020-registration/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wealthinsidersnetwork/ 

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net    
• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson   

Do you want to expand your market to China but don’t know the basics of Chinese business culture? Are you confident with your sales strategies for China?  

Do you want to know how you can successfully sell in China? 

Heidi Dugan is a TV host, celebrity, author, entrepreneur, and China Market Expert. These are the terms often used to describe her.  

Having lived and worked in China for over 24 years, she has her own TV show with 6 million viewers daily and is Director and Founder of Arete Group, which helps foreign companies expand and succeed in China. Her influence across China has been recognized through her coverage on ABC News, Australian Financial Review, Harper’s Bazaar, and China Daily.  

Heidi was recognized by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as one of the 45 people who represent the breadth and depth of the friendship between Australia and China. 

In this episode, Heidi shares her insights on the importance and benefits of having a clear and planned pathway in expanding your market to China. She also talks about how cultural understanding and continuous business learning is important as well in expanding your market, specifically in China. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Learn how to expand your business in China even with no knowledge 
• Discover the reality of Chinese business culture and remove any false expectations 
• Know more about what stage you are at and what you should do if you want to expand to China 

“We erase people's doubts and concerns, give them absolute clarity on how they can enter one of the biggest markets in the world. And basically, we help them succeed.” 

- Heidi Dugan 

Topics Covered: 

02:41 - Heidi defines her ideal client 

03:16 - Problems that Heidi solves for her client: Erase doubts and concerns, and give absolute clarity 

04:00 - Fear due to lack of knowledge, unsuccessful stories, and false expectations are some of the symptoms 

05:02 - Being paralyzed and confused or jumping into things with no knowledge, two common mistakes when trying to solve the problem 

06:50 - Heidi’s valuable free action: “I think advice is what people need. And so, if they go to the website heididugan.com/chinaaccelerator, they can log in and select a 15-minute call with me. I can go through things, see if they're ready, and see what stage they're actually at.” 

07:24 - Heidi’s Valuable free resource: Go to heididugan.com/chinaaccelerator to download Heidi’s tool 

08:16 - Books Alert: The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss, and The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino 

09:32 - Question that should have been asked to Heidi: What is the next thing that people should do, besides getting the 15-minute phone call and the download? 

Key Takeaways: 

“China as a market is incredibly confusing. So, people have this sort of confusion of, "Where should we start? What should we do?" And then they also have a real fear of it because of their feeling of a lack of knowledge, and also some of the stories that they may have heard from other people that perhaps were not that successful.” - Heidi Dugan 

“When people come to the China market, because they don't know the culture and the market, they think, ‘Well, we don't know anything.’ And what happens in those circumstances, they put all good business knowledge to the side, and they do some really silly things, like handing their brand, even their product over to someone they don't know, to let strangers market them to China.” - Heidi Dugan 

People / Resources Mentioned: 

• The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller 
• Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss 
• The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino  

Ways to Connect with Heidi Dugan: 

• Website: https://www.heididugan.com/china-accelerator 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-dugan/ 
• WeChat: HeidiDugan 

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net    
• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson   

Are you struggling to find the perfect photo as your profile picture? Are you stuck with a casual, not-so-professional, and cropped out photo of yourself?

Does it even portray the true you and the potential you behold? Do you think you will be able to get an awesome first impression on your clients with that?

Professionalism and new connections start with the right profile picture. For others to see your potential, you must show them a face that carries passion, power, and authenticity. How can you expect to attract more clients and make good first impressions if your headshot does not speak about who you truly are?

Una Zhu is a portrait photographer who focuses on business portraits. She specializes in relaxing people so their true personality can shine through!

In this episode, Una shares the importance of a professional headshot and how it is the key to important first impressions and getting potential clients.

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover how to look more professional in your profile picture and at the same time, show your authenticity
• Learn more about how communication can happen through the use of a proper profile picture
• Find out how to attract more potential clients and make long-lasting important first impressions through a picture

“I believe the headshot makes us real in the virtual worlds.”

- Una Zhu

Topics Covered: 

01:40 - Una defines her ideal client

01:55 - Problems that Una solves for her clients: lack of professionalism and bad first impression through the use of profile pictures or headshots

02:48 - The importance of a professional headshot, why you shouldn’t undermine the power of a profile picture

03:47 - Professionalism and potential in a headshot, how finding the right photographer is a necessity to show yourself and your business

04:58 - Una’s valuable free action: “You know what we can do is just simply going through the media and the company website to see if those existing photos core represent yourself truly and professionally. We are taking our career seriously, and the fact if you're willing to invest in a quality professional image shows that you also invest in your education, career, and personal development. So, I believe that professional headshots give your prospects an idea of how you will represent them in the care you’re, well, taking, and meeting their needs.”

05:43 - Una’s valuable free resource: Go to www.unazheadshot.com

06:30 - Concept alert: What is actually the fundamental of beauty to life?

07:24 - Question that should have been asked to Una: What makes me become a portrait photographer?

Key Takeaways: 

“The use of the photo profiles has become as usual as actually email addresses, and professionals who deal with clients and shareholders, in particular, need the right photos to help them to establish the very important first impressions on, you know, social media.” - Una Zhu

“Choosing the right photographer who can really portray you authentically is important.” - Una Zhu

“I believe that professional headshots give your prospects an idea of how you will represent them in the care you’re, well, taking, and meeting their needs.” - Una Zhu

“It's a question that keeps recording in my mind, so I started to revalue what I’m really interested in, and human emotions are always intriguing to me. I want to freeze the moment of a smile, a laugh, a sense of realness of how you will see this person face to face.” - Una Zhu

Ways to Connect with Una Zhu: 

• Website: https://www.unazheadshot.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/unazhu/

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net    
• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson   

Are you sure you’re on the right track with your joint venture with the Chinese? How sure are you that you really know what you’re doing? Are you starting to have problems understanding the Chinese or are you just putting those problems under the rug?

Collaborating with the Chinese unlocks a new world full of possibilities, more leads, and higher sales. Though it may sound exciting, you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of it. How should you deal with joint ventures with the Chinese? Do they have the same perspectives as the Europeans have? Before diving into and committing your time and business to a joint venture or collaboration with the Chinese, it is important to understand the similarities and differences of both parties.

Change and difference are unavoidable. Break the barriers. Break the walls, and build a force of mutual understanding, and connection in order to achieve a fruitful collaboration.

Valérie Hoeks is a seasoned sinologist. She supports management teams throughout intercultural integration processes in post-M&A and JV scenarios in finding strategic and practical alignment among managers.

In this episode, Valérie talks about the value of understanding the differences between how the Chinese run a business from how Europeans do it. She shares her insights as well on how you can run a better connection with your Chinese partners through mutual understanding and communication.

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover the importance of being aware of different perspectives in a joint venture

• Learn how you can improve internal commitment and support from your team and counterpart

• Find out how to deal with the cultural and work differences of the Chinese from the Europeans

“You can break through that wall, the only thing you need is time to establish a connection and a true effort of mutual understanding.”

- Valérie Hoeks

Topics Covered: 

01:44 - Valérie defines her ideal client

03:07 - Problems Valérie solves for her clients: Inability to understand the Chinese counterpart and lack of alignment and communication

04:10 - Frustration, disbelief, and doubt, why understanding the counterpart and good communication is needed in avoiding the bad scenarios

05:10 - Closemindedness, and sticking to one’s perspective is one of the common mistakes

06:26 - Valérie’s valuable free action: “I believe communication is a make or break of the Chinese collaboration. So, without a structural communication setup, all efforts taken prior to the step may be lost. So, this setup is for free, right. So, to better understand the interests of your Chinese counterpart, and related parties, and together and maintain support for your proposals, it's really crucial to ask the right questions and read between the lines.”

07:30 - Valérie’s valuable free resource: Go to chinainroads.com to know more about how you can break the walls of assumption in your business

08:23 - Person Alert: Sun Tzu

08:58 - Question that should have been asked to Valérie: Why should we change? Are the Chinese people also willing to change?

Key Takeaways: 

“I believe communication is a make or break of the Chinese collaboration. So, without a structural communication setup, all efforts taken prior to the step may be lost.” - Valérie Hoeks

“So, to better understand the interests of your Chinese counterpart, and related parties, and together maintain support for your proposals, it's really crucial to ask the right questions and read between the lines.” - Valérie Hoeks

“I believe that awareness of the different perspectives is really the first step towards a successful collaboration.” - Valérie Hoeks

People/Resources Mentioned: 

• Sun Tzu

Ways to Connect with Valérie Hoeks: 

• Website: https://chinainroads.com/nl

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriehoeks/

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net    

• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/  

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson   

How well do you know the online world? How sure are you that your marketing strategy online is working successfully? Are you making the most out of it or are you all over the place and not getting enough leads from it? 

We are in the so-called “digital renaissance” now because of the big change the pandemic has brought upon us and our businesses. Adjusting to the current situation is a must, but how can you make sure that you really are getting the most out of it online, especially in LinkedIn, the website that connects businesses to new opportunities and sales?  

Tamar Hela is an entrepreneur based in Shanghai and the COO of the digital agency, Genius Encel. She helps Fortune 500 companies generate leads through LinkedIn. 

In this episode, Tamar talks about how to maximize the use of LinkedIn in order to generate better leads and sales for your business. She also shares the importance of having a LinkedIn strategy to ensure that you are targeting the right clients who are able to get the most out of your business and pay you back! 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Learn how to generate more through LinkedIn 
• Discover the power of having a LinkedIn strategy 
• Find out how having a specific target and knowledge on who you’re prospecting can help your business gain more clients and sales 

“Marketing is never for fun. It's always for a purpose, and the purpose is the bottom line, which is money.” 

- Tamar Hela

Topics Covered: 

01:47 - Tamar defines her ideal client 

02:19 - Problem Tamar solves for her clients: Lack of lead generation and inability to keep the sales funnel full 

02:52 - Why understanding the true purpose of marketing and long-term thinking will help you save your business? 

03:37 - Hiring an expert instead of doing it alone, how getting help from an expert in this digital renaissance is important 

04:29 - Tamar’s valuable free action: “Be really specific with your targeting, and get to know who you're prospecting. It's almost like being an assassin online. If you can understand more about your target than anyone else and identify their pain points, and also show them how you're going to solve it, that's the best thing you can do.” 

05:16 - Tamar’s valuable free resource: Go to blog.geniusencel.agency to know more about LinkedIn and prospecting 

05:53 - People Alert: Dan Peña and Jack Daly 

07:13 - Question that should have been asked to Tamar: How did my agency had success? 

Key Takeaways: 

“Be really specific with your targeting, and get to know who you're prospecting.” - Tamar Hela 

“If you can understand more about your target than anyone else and identify their pain points, and also show them how you're going to solve it, that's the best thing you can do. Otherwise, again, it's just kind of here, there, everywhere without any sort of purpose. So be very purposeful in your targeting.” - Tamar Hela 

People/Resources Mentioned: 

• Dan Peña 
• Jack Daly 

Ways to Connect with Tamar Hela: 

• Website: https://geniusencel.agency/ 
• Blog: https://blog.geniusencel.agency/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarhela/ 

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

• Website: http://www.wealthwithoutborders.net    
• Podcast: https://wealthwithoutborders.net/podcast/  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardwhiteson