Wealth Without Borders Podcast

How do you become a successful expat? Is it by counting how many years you’ve stayed in a foreign country? Is it based on how good you are at your work? Or maybe it’s how fluent you are in Chinese that can get you some jobs in China? Maybe your perseverance plays a role as well? 

There are so many factors that can help you become a successful expat in China. But on your road to success, there are struggles such as communication barriers and homesickness. It is important to have a concrete goal as an expat and perseverance in order to succeed. 

Robbert Gorris has lived for more than 10 years in China and came to the conclusion that he is still at the beginning of his understanding. In his professional life, he works for Sovereign as the Business Development and Director of China and guides companies to enter China. He’s also the proud dad of two daughters who are both undergoing education in Chinese public school. 

In this episode, Robbert shares bits and pieces of his journey in becoming a successful expat in China. He also shares the lessons he has learned during his journey that can help answer other people’s questions on what it’s like to be an expat in China. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Learn the value of perseverance and its effect on becoming a successful expat in China 

• Discover what life in China is like through the eyes of an experienced Dutch expat who has stayed in China for 10-11 years 

• Find out how to manage living in a foreign country like China, far away from home, family, friends and familiar places 

“You need to accept the situation and move forward as quickly as possible but understand that things will change and will not go as planned.” 

- Robbert Gorris 

Topics Covered: 

01:37 - How Robbert became an expat 

03:30 - Robert shares his opinion on what makes China different from the rest of the world 

05:00 - Qualities needed to become a successful expat in China, according to Robbert 

06:49 - How Robbert copes up with long-distance connections away from family and friends 

08:26 - Is Robbert planning on becoming an expat in China permanently? 

09:27 - Did becoming an expat strengthen Robbert’s resilience? 

11:27 - Robbert shares tips for everyone who’s got a global focus or is planning to move to a foreign country 

12:37 - Robbert’s biggest learning from his years being an expat 

14:40 - Robbert shares one of his funniest memories of living in China 

18:11 - Robbert’s view on the changes in the expat world in the future 

21:32 - What would Robbert change if he was able to do it all again, 10-11 years ago 

Key Takeaways: 

“You need to be resilient and say, "Alright, let's go on, let's move forward." And also accept that where you came from has formed you and has formed the way you look at the world. And it doesn't mean that you need to change but you need to be conscious about that, that you have a specific view on the world, and that view can be - I don't want to say wrong - it's different.” - Robbert Gorris 

“I think it's important to understand that where you are born, it’s shaped you in the way you view the world. And as long as you accept that you view the world in a specific way, you will also be more open to views from other places in the world.” - Robbert Gorris 

“Deadlines are something that are in my imagination.” - Robbert Gorris 

“By the end, China doesn't care about what you think. It only influences yourself. So then by accepting that, by letting that go, you become more flexible. I think that also makes you more resilient because you're accepting things are not the way you think they are. And I think that's building your resilience by getting knocked down and getting surprised by the many things that happen in daily life in China.” - Robbert Gorris 

“Plans are important, especially in China, but you should not be bound to your plan because it could be your plan could be just faulty. By staying rigid to your plan it’s a very strong possibility that you will run into a disaster.” - Robbert Gorris 

“I say deadlines are not set in stone. Be flexible on what you're doing.” - Robbert Gorris 

“If you're here, you can maybe learn things that you can implement in your company in your home country.” - Robbert Gorris 

Ways to Connect with Robbert Gorris: 

• Website: https://www.sovereigngroup.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbertgorris/ 

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 open yourself to working with different nationalities in your workplace? Do you think you’ll be able to adapt to cultural differences?  

China is a huge, productive, and progressing country. We cannot avoid the fact that we have to be open to change and new ideas coming from different people whether they are of the same nationality or not. It is crucial to expand our businesses, to find more buyers and market businesses in different countries and locations. With this in mind, it is important for us to learn how to be adaptive and open-minded to our surroundings and the people around us. If we are able to venture out, adapt, and be open to new opportunities, as well as different cultures and nationalities, then we will be able to grow both ourselves and our business. 

Gabor Holch is an intercultural leadership consultant. He's also a coach, an author, and a speaker. 

In this episode, Gabor shares how understanding culture and nationality are crucial in the workplace, principles that are not limited to working in China. He also shares his insights on how you can adapt to an intercultural workplace, give comfort to yourself, and show acceptance towards others. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover the value of understanding cultural differences between you and other people in your workplace  

• Learn how you can remove a “blueprint” mindset of sticking to your own culture and how you can be more open to others 

• Know more about how you can adapt to change, and how to deal with cultural differences amongst your colleagues and in different surroundings 

"That is the absolutely amazing aspect of intercultural relations because it comes from personality, the culture that we inherit, and the culture that we build."

- Gabor Holch 

Topics Covered: 

01:32 - Gabor defines his ideal client 

02:01 - The wrong expectations, the precise problem that Gabor solves for his clients 

02:47 - Inability to understand other’s nationality or culture, being angry and blaming the other person because of differences are one of the symptoms being experienced 

03:18 - One of the mistakes is keeping a blueprint from your own culture and pushing it through, the lack of fusion between nationalities and culture 

04:10 - Gabor’s valuable free action: “Culture and leadership and the values that we use when we communicate with each other are we would think they are not measurable, we would think that they are extremely intangible, but what they can do for themselves, to do themselves a favor, is get some facts.” 

05:02 - Gabor’s valuable free resource: Go to www.holch.biz/ to learn more about how to work and adjust to an intercultural workplace 

05:47 - People Alert: Erin Meyer’s Culture Map, Csaba Toth’s Global DISC Assessment, and Mai Nguyen’s Cross-Cultural Management Book 

08:13 - Question that should have been asked to Gabor: How do I know all this stuff? 

Key Takeaways: 

“Just because yours are right, it doesn't mean that the other is wrong.” - Gabor Holch 

“When you find yourself in a cultural conundrum with one or more of your colleagues, then either grab that colleague for a cup of whatever your poison is, a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, some beer or wine and make them talk about how they do things in their culture. If that would be too sensitive, then do a lateral move and grab somebody from the same culture that you have a trustful relationship with.” - Gabor Holch 

“Culture and leadership and the values that we use when we communicate with each other are we would think they are not measurable, we would think that they are extremely intangible, but what they can do for themselves, to do themselves a favor, is get some facts.” - Gabor Holch 

“If you work in a cultural constellation of two or three different cultures, how are they different from each other?” - Gabor Holch 

“This is why a book cannot actually tell you how to solve a cultural-related leadership problem because you have to build awareness about your own personality, the culture that you, let's say, benchmark yourself to, like nationality, or your family values, and so on, and the culture- cultural construct that's around you, even the corporate culture of the company, where you work and the constellation of the cultures that people bring into the team.” - Gabor Holch 

“There is no right or wrong way to do it. You have to come up with a fusion.” - Gabor Holch 

People / Resources Mentioned: 

• Erin Meyer’s Culture Map 
• Csaba Toth’s Global DISC Assessment 
• Mai Nguyen’s Cross-Cultural Management Book 

Ways to Connect with Gabor Holch: 

• Website: https://www.holch.biz/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaborholch/ 

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

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

Wanting to reach more than 1,000,000 people & Get Maximum Visibility with Julien: Visit this Form to Know More: https://geniusencel.typeform.com/to/qCACvv

Did you know that you can move your business online and digitally? 

Do you want to know the secrets of how you can make the most out of that digital transition, like marketing, getting more clients, and many more? 

For you to make the most out of the digital world, you need to be more organized online. Organize first how you’ll be introducing your business online, how you’re going to pitch in your products, and how you’ll be marketing it. 

Julien Sicard is an entrepreneur based in Shanghai and the CEO of the number one LinkedIn Marketing Agency, Genius Excel. He helps Fortune 500 companies get new clients through LinkedIn. 

In this episode, Julien shares his insights on how you can make the most out of your business online, especially through the use of LinkedIn. He also shares how due to global issues and globalization, transitioning online and making a legacy with your business is critical and can furthermore make your business better. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover how to put your business online, especially through the use of LinkedIn 
• Learn how you can make the most out of LinkedIn by being organized 
• Find out how you can bring more awareness to your business online, and turn it into a legacy 

“Create content more regularly to bring more awareness.” 

- Julien Sicard 

Topics Covered: 

01:39 - Julien defines his ideal client 

02:34 - A problem that Julien solves for his clients: Client acquisitions 

03:52 - Typical symptoms people experience of generating interest on LinkedIn 

04:43 - One of the common mistakes is talking about the product right away 

05:49 - Julien’s valuable free action: “Create content more regularly to bring more awareness. Go to your favorite coffee, in Shanghai or any city where you live, and begin to prepare all your posts. People often don't consider that content is important, but that definitely is a key to attract people into your profile and to bring this awareness about the value you have to offer to this world.” 

06:28 - Julien’s valuable free resource: Go to www.geniusencel.agency to access Julien’s FREE LinkedIn Master Class 

07:02 - Podcast Alert: London Real 

08:03 - Question that helps you be reflective at this time: What legacy do you want to bring to this world? 

Key Takeaways: 

“You cannot run a business if you don't prospect for new clients.” - Julien Sicard 

“People often don't consider that content is important, but that definitely is a key to attract people into your profile and to bring this awareness about the value you have to offer to this world.” - Julien Sicard 

“Where bits of trust of globalization by using the wonderful tools that are the internet and more specifically, a digital platform where, like, LinkedIn that can help this company to achieve its goals. They are different key performance indicators.” - Julien Sicard 

“Nothing can buy you bags of time. And I think, unfortunately, how modern society destroys completely this capacity to our free will for the majority of people, they are totally living in fear. And because they live in fear, they don't know how to live their life properly. So, I encourage them to take a step back and see how they can eliminate this fear and achieve their own dream, not the dream of other people.” - Julien Sicard 

People / Resources Mentioned: 

• London Real Podcast 

Ways to Connect with Julien Sicard: 

• Website: https://geniusencel.agency/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julien-sicard-genius-encel-agency/ 

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 live a healthier lifestyle but feel that you don’t have enough time for it? Do you want to know the secrets of how to get the ideal body and the lifestyle you’ve always wanted?  

When you want a healthy body and lifestyle, you need to set aside myths and follow facts. You don’t need a diet, you just need the proper nutrition and the right mindset for you to get up and going, and to be one step closer to having your ideal body and a healthier you! 

Alex Garcia has had over 10 years of experience in Wellness and Nutrition and is a former Economist and MBA graduate with a double Master’s degree in Nutrition and Coaching. He is also currently a Ph.D. student in Physical Medicine. 

In this episode, Alex shares his insights on how you can achieve a healthier you through the proper professional help you deserve. He also shares the secrets on how to have a healthy body and mind, with a better and more powerful way rather than dieting!

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover the secrets of what you can do to have a better and healthier lifestyle for you and your health 
• Learn the importance of getting information from the right professional people who can further help with your health, diet and nutrition 
• Find out how focusing on getting the proper nutrition can do wonders for you both physically and mentally 

“Diets are not good for us, it's proper nutrition.” 

- Alex Garcia 

Topics Covered: 

01:51 - Alex defines his ideal client 

02:56 - The main problem that Alex solves for his clients: lack of time for a healthier lifestyle and health 

04:02 - Lack of energy, mental fog, not productive, aching body, and aging faster are some of the symptoms of an unhealthy lifestyle or poor health 

04:42 - Why going all or nothing is a bad mentality in achieving a healthier body and mind 

05:39 - Alex’s valuable free action: The main thing is just trying to make sure that you get your information in the proper manner and from a professional person. 

07:08 - Alex’s valuable free resource: Go to Wellnessrepublic.com to check out science-based health articles  

07:36 - Concept alert: I just think that awareness is something that is undervalued nowadays, and something that we need to recover. I invite my clients to be self-aware. We're always like zombies, walking around with our phone - so just turn off your phone and be aware. This is the most valuable thing that I can say. Be aware. 

08:29 - Question that should have been asked to Alex: What is one thing that everyone could start implementing for free, even people that don't have time to have better health?

Key Takeaways: 

 “Everything is allowed in moderation. That's the goal to know what we can eat when we should eat it for our goals.” - Alex Garcia 

“Trying to make sure that you get your information in the proper manner and from a professional person.” - Alex Garcia 

“They need to understand that nutrition and medicine are not the same, right? So just get a trusted, professional certified person to guide you on your journey, and that looks the way you want to look because we don't, with my respect, I would never hire a fat personal trainer, right? I would never hire a dentist with rotten teeth.” - Alex Garcia 

“Hire someone that leads with a body that walks the walk and talks the talk. This is absolutely important!” - Alex Garcia 

Ways to Connect with Alex Garcia: 

• Website: https://online.wellness-republic.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgarciaphdc/

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 become the best of the best, especially in a foreign country? Have you asked yourself if becoming an expat in China is the right thing to do? Do you want to know how you could become one of the most successful expats in China? 

Hopping into a foreign country with a whole new culture and way of living right before your eyes can be overwhelming, especially if you’re there looking for a job as an expat. “How will I start?”, “What should I do?”, or “Do I really need to study Chinese?” are some of the things you’re probably thinking when starting as an expat in China. Set those aside and learn how to experience success as an expat in China, one step at a time. 

Mark Suchy has been in China for 17 years and real estate for 16 years and is a Managing Director for Core Capital Asia, an investment agency based in Shanghai, which focuses on real estate investment transactions and debt financing. Mark is a Canadian who came to China straight out of university with a one way ticket and a dream to succeed. 

In this episode, Mark shares how his perseverance and passion led him to success as an expat in China. He gives valuable tips and tricks on how life is different in China from Western countries, how you can gain connections and respect from others, and what are the key points that need to be focused on in yourself and in the business that may lead you to success. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Learn how you can make your road to success easier as an expat in China 
• Find out if learning Chinese is necessary to become successful 
• Get insights on how life may look as an expat in China and its advantages and disadvantages 

“Keep positive, stay focused on one profession, and you can rise very quickly.” 

- Mark Suchy 

Topics Covered: 

01:48 - Mark shares what led him to become an expat in China: “I realized that Asia had huge opportunities for growth, and my personal development and business future” 

02:50 - Getting the right people in your life is one of the important qualities that best defines a long-term ex-pat  

04:09 - Mark shares how it took him years to start developing positive relationships and connections with the expats and locals around him 

06:07 - Keep yourself focused and positive are the qualities you need as someone who works far from home 

10:00 - Mark’s realization “But what I realized quite quickly is that you're only as strong as your network, and the more you rely on other people to help you, the more you can accomplish.” 

11:56 - Mark shares his experience and realizations on the existence of status in China compared with Western countries 

13:18 - The usually levels of status do not exist amongst expats in China: “Your background or where you are from or how great you are doesn’t really matter. All that matters is if you’re a good person who’s willing to help others and add value to their lives.” 

14:09 - Mark shares one of the most remarkable and bizarre things he experienced as someone who stayed in China for a long time 

16:17 - Question asked to Mark: How do you think, as a result of 2020, the expat world will change in the future? 

18:32 - It is possible to run a successful business without being physically present, an important lesson Mark learned from remote working due to COVID 

20:34 - Advice for newly arrived expats in China: Go to a remote part of China instead of Shanghai to learn Chinese diligently

Key Takeaways: 

 “It's important that you have a network of people that you look up to and rely on, and you can count on to be good friends. And you need to focus on getting the right people in your life because you're going to meet so many people as an expat, but it's the people that you really respect and, you know, who are in some ways better than you. You hope to hook yourself into these circles, then become friends with. That allows you to feel comfortable and give you what you need to stay happy and positive. Then you have a kind of family away from your family. That's really critical.” - Mark Suchy 

“The biggest advice is just to get out as much as you can because then you'll stay well balanced.” - Mark Suchy 

“You need that kind of positive attitude to keep yourself focused. And you have to see the light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how bad things get.” - Mark Suchy 

“Have a long-term vision that everything is going to work out for you, and the business is going to come together and your job’s going to improve. Keep focusing on it, because if you don't have that kind of light guiding you, you're going to feel lost.” - Mark Suchy 

“The two keywords for success for an expat are 'capable' and 'driven'. If you have a past track record of being able to get things done, then you will be able to do anything you want if you're really focused because that's what the real value of an expat is. Just being able to accomplish tasks at a much more effective rate than maybe a local, similar employee would be able to do. So, you have that capability, and you can believe in yourself.” - Mark Suchy 

“One thing I've learned is to just ask people around you to help you as much as possible. And because you're an expat, there's something about being isolated in a foreign country that makes people support each other, much more so than at home.” - Mark Suchy 

“That's actually a good example of how it doesn't really matter what your background is, or where you're from, or how great you are. All that matters is if you're a good person and if you're willing to help other people and add value to their lives.” 

“One thing that I've learned from COVID, working remotely, is that it's very possible to run a successful business without physically being there.” - Mark Suchy 

“Just to get conversational, just so that I can build relationships with Chinese businessmen and work with them, and show respect. Like, I don't think you need to be able to read and write and speak, especially outside of Shanghai, it's not necessarily a good thing for a foreigner to speak fluent Chinese, because then they're like, "Okay, this is a university student that's pretending to be something else." - Mark Suchy 

“What I realized quite quickly is that you're only as strong as your network, and the more you rely on other people to help you, the more you can accomplish.” - Mark Suchy 

Ways to Connect with Mark Suchy: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-suchy-a2bb2b10/

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 have good communication engagement with your customers? Do you know the importance of having public relations for your business? Do you want to know how to turn your customers into evangelists of your business? 

Having good public relations is a must if you want to increase your chances of getting higher sales, more customers, and better engagements in your business. Public relations is one of the key factors to the growth of your business as well and helps turn one-time buyers into loyal customers! 

Jim James is an international entrepreneur who founded the EASTWEST Public Relations Group in Singapore in 1995. 

In this episode, Jim shares the value of having good connections with your customers and listening to their needs as a business. He also shares the importance of having public relations as to increase engagement in your business and the satisfaction of your customers towards your business or product. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover the importance of giving value to public relations for your business and its growth 
• Learn how to improve your public relations by listening and conveying one message that has meaning and value to your customers instead of multiple 

• Find out how to know and analyze the different audience groups in your business and how to address their needs as customers by giving the right message 

“Often they should stop talking, and start listening.” 

-Jim James 

Topics Covered: 

01:43 - Jim defines his ideal client 

02:03 - Problem that Jim solves for his clients: Identifying the different audience groups and how to engage or communicate messages that fit the needs of those audience groups 

02:41 - Knowing which part of their business to communicate, why focusing on the problem of your business and having one message is important for you and your customers 

03:32 - One of the common mistakes is business owners either aren’t focused on what really is the problem and says tons of things or says nothing at all 

04:37 - Jim’s valuable free action: “Take your phone, and take one minute, time yourself, and record your proposition as if you were speaking to an audience. One minute, and then play it back to yourself. And if you can, write it down and read it to yourself.” 

05:17 - Jim’s valuable free resource: Go to http://www.speak-pr.com/ to access the toolset 

06:00 - Concept Alert: Verne Harnish: Rockefeller Habits 

06:52 - Question that should have been asked to Jim: What should people stop doing? 

Key Takeaways: 

“Take your phone, and take one minute, time yourself, and record your proposition as if you were speaking to an audience. One minute, and then play it back to yourself.” - Jim James 

“So, companies have got three different audience groups, they've got their internal, and they've got their external, and they've got their partners. They need different messages for each group. - Jim James 

“And I'd say, they probably do, stop talking for a moment, and listen first, and then understand what their audience is really needing from them, and only then to proceed with sharing their message. - Jim James 

People / Resources Mentioned: 

• Verne Harnish: Rockefeller Habits 

Ways to Connect with Jim James: 

• Website: https://www.eastwestpr.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesjim/ 

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 planning on expanding your company to China? Is your company ready for that growth? Are you aware of the challenges and differences that may arise once you expand your company to China? 

 If you are planning or already have a company in China, you should be aware of the challenges that may arise. Running a business in China is far more different than running a business in other countries. You need to have enough knowledge, transparency, and a good flow of communication between your headquarters and your local team in China in order to avoid or lessen the future conflicts that may arise. 

Arie Schreier is the General Manager of the PTL Group in China and is a former diplomat who came to China 23 years ago as the Consul of Israel in Beijing. And then 15 years ago, he came back to Shanghai to work with the PTL Group. 

 In this episode, Arie shares his insights on how to properly run a business in China and how to avoid future conflicts that may arise between the headquarters and local team in China through proper communication, sufficient knowledge, transparency and many more. 

 What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover how to properly run a company in China through transparency and enough knowledge on how companies are run in Chins 
• Learn how to deal or solve conflict between the headquarters and the local team in China and how to avoid miscommunications 
• Find out more about valuable resources and ways on how to expand your knowledge on China businesses and how to solve future conflicts 

“I find that there's a lot of forums online, whether it's on LinkedIn, whether it's on WeChat groups, whether it's on other resources that people can join, and learn from the experience of other managers who've been here for many years, that has been running a business for many years or still running a business.” 

- Arie Schreier 

 Topics Covered: 

02:01 - Arie defines his ideal client 

 02:42 - Some of the problem that Arie solves for his clients: HR problems, logistics issues, importation or exportation warehousing 

 03:37 - Lack of transparency and conflict of knowledge between the headquarter and local team in China is majority of the symptoms 

 04:30 - Headquarter thinks that there’s a problem and asks a single-channel they know in China to solve the problem, one of the common mistakes 

 05:44 - Arie’s valuable free action: “I find that there's a lot of forums online, whether it's on LinkedIn, whether it's on WeChat groups, whether it's on other resources that people can join, and learn from the experience of other managers who've been here for many years, that has been running a business for many years or still running a business.” 

 06:54 - Srie’s valuable free resource: Go to www.ptl-group.com to download materials and guides 

07:46 - Program Alert: PTL Group China Boot Camp 

08:31 - Question that should have been asked to Arie: How to contact the PTL team in order to get a free consultation and free advice on how to manage your business in China? 

Key Takeaways: 

“They don't think why it should be so, so hard to run a business in China, which it is. So, definitely it's the lack of knowledge, the lack of experience, which leads to conflict with the local management.” - Arie Schreier 

“The headquarter is thinking that there's a problem. And they asked the single-channel they know in China to solve the problem, whether it's the local GM, whether it's the local salesperson, whether it's the distributor, whether it's an agent. That's who they know, and they asked them to solve the problem. But many, many, many times we found that they are the problem, and unfortunately, they cannot fix themselves so they need to have an external third party, somebody who has expertise with the knowledge and experience.” - Arie Schreier 

People / Resources Mentioned: 

• PTL Group China Boot Camp 

 Ways to Connect with Arie Schreier: 

• Website: www.ptl-group.com 
• LinkedIn: www.Linkedin.com/in/arieschreier 

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 that your legal entities in China are properly structure or does it need some re-structuring? Are you aware of the legal environment and the laws of China? 

You wouldn’t want to step on the wrong foot when structuring or re-structuring your business in China. It is important to know the legal environment and the laws implemented in China when expanding your business for you to avoid future issues with your legal entities, partnership, etc. 

Zach Lichtblau is a Shanghai partner at Bonnard Lawson, an International Law Firm. He is one of the partners in Equasia which provides consulting and corporate secretarial services in Hong Kong and in China. 

In this episode, Zach shares his insights on the importance of properly structuring or re-structuring your business in China since it has a different legal environment. He also talks about the do’s and don’ts of what you should do before building a long-term business relationship and how to avoid future legal issues. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Discover how to structure your legal entities in China and deal with your corporate dispute with proper help 
• Learn more about the do’s and don’ts of business structuring and re-structuring in China 

• Find out how to handle your legal issues and how to avoid further problems 

“Before entering a long-term business relationship, I would recommend that people stop for a second and examine whether the relationship is likely to be stable in the long run. You need to understand the incentives of both sides and create what we call a mutual friendly leverage.”  

 - Zach Lichtblau 

Topics Covered: 

01:32 - Zach defines his ideal client 

02:25 - Problems that Zach solve for his clients: Structuring their legal entities in China and dealing with corporate disputes 

03:31 - Businesses could go wrong, how understanding the legal environment and the risks are important, especially in countries you are not familiar with 

04:21 - Not realizing the risks, no protection from liabilities, and entering a business relationship with little-to-no knowledge about your partner and their motivations, one of the common mistakes people make trying to solve the problem 

05:20 - Zach’s valuable free action: “Before entering a long-term business relationship, I would recommend that people stop for a second and examine whether the relationship is likely to be stable in the long run” 

06:04 - Zach’s valuable free resource: Go to Equasia.com to avail the free introductory consultation 

06:40 - Books alert: Mr. China by Tim Clissold and The Imperialism Imprisoned: The Fate of British and French Firms in China from 1949 to 1954 

07:43 - Question that should have been asked to Zach: Share a war story or example of how things went wrong in a situation that we handled.

Key Takeaways: 

“Of course, people can also set up everything right and things will still go wrong because of personal differences, or because they did not realize that there's a divergence of interest at a certain point in time, but I would say it is very important to keep on paying attention to the business relationship, and not assume that no news is necessarily good news.” - Zach Lichtblau 

“Misaligned expectations are the number one reason things go wrong in a joint venture stage.” - Zach Lichtblau 

People / Resources Mentioned: 

• Mr. China by Tim Clissold 
• The Imperialism Imprisoned: The Fate of British and French Firms in China from 1949 to 1954 

Ways to Connect with Zach Lichtblau: 

• Website: https://www.equasia-group.com/ 
• Website: https://www.bonnard-lawson.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachi-lichtblau-903a362/ 

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 you be sure that your business will do well in China? What is the perfect and practical approach to marketing in China that will help you bring more sales and income into your business? 

The marketing approach that works best in America may not be the best approach here in China. Marketing your content and building your brand using a Chinese approach will help you save bucks and will grow your business both in China and internationally. 

Mike Golden is the co-founder and China President of Brandigo, which is a marketing communications agency, which has its China office in Shanghai. Mike's been based in Shanghai for the last 18 years. 

In this episode, Mike shares his insights on how to approach the complications of marketing in China in a simple and practical way by understanding your target audience, building digital campaigns and content that works in China, building awareness, and getting leads in China. 

What you will learn from this episode: 

• Learn how to market your business in China without wasting too much money 
• Discover how to build digital campaigns, and content that works in China 

• Know more about practical China marketing that can help you gain more customers specifically in China

"Test out different types of meditation. And then, choose one and stick to that."  

- Fionn Wright 

Topics Covered: 

01:37 - Mike defines his ideal client 

02:45 - Problem Mike solves for his clients: Building awareness and getting leads in the Chinese context 

03:33 - Applying the correct approach in marketing, why coming out with a Chinese approach but with a global understanding is important when expanding to China 

04:17 - Starting off with poor localization and not understanding their local audience in China, one of the common mistakes people make trying to solve the problem of China marketing 

05:11 - Mike’s Valuable free action: “I think a good action they can take and this is some part what we do to help our clients, they can also do themselves to some degree, is really talk to people, their target audience, their target customers, get them in a room or give them a call and dig into what type of channels they actually use.” 

06:13 - Mike’s Valuable free resource: Go to Newrank.cn to see the live listing of social media channels 

07:29 - Books alert: Advertising by Ogilvy and The Sales Playbook by Jack Daly 

08:15 - Question that should have been asked to Mike: How do we grow our WeChat channel?

Key Takeaways: 

“A good action they can take and this is some part that we do to help our clients, but you know, they can also do themselves to some degree, is really talk to people, their target audience, their target customers, get them in a room or give them a call and dig into what type of channels they actually use.” - Mike Golden 

“We recommend getting out there and talking to your customers, talking to your sales team if you have one here, and really see what they're interested in because it might surprise you. It's not always what you think it's going to be.” - Mike Golden 

People / Resources Mentioned: 

• Advertising by Ogilvy 
• The Sales Playbook by Jack Daly 

Ways to Connect with Mike Golden: 

• Website: https://brandigo.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanghaigolden/ 

Ways to Connect with Howard Whiteson: 

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

If you are in China, happy Golden Week!

Firstly, thank you for checking out my podcast. It’s really a privilege to interview some leading experts from East Asia and more recently, around the globe. I hope you’re finding them of value.

Many people I’m interviewing have years of valuable experience which they wish to share. This can’t easily be done in just 8 minutes, so I am launching an extension to my podcast – WWB Podcast Story Form. This will explore the experience of being an expat, including what it takes to succeed, advice for those who want to develop their expat careers, as well as one or two funny anecdotes!

I will be releasing these Story Form podcasts on an irregular basis, so do look out for them – the first one is with Mark Suchy from Core Capital Asia. For more about Story Form go here: LINK HERE

Yours strategically,

Howard”