Still Feel I’m holding myself back

Posted by Michael Michelini on Apr 12 2010

Another day in Xiamen, visited some ecommerce and sourcing people, hoping to grow some connections here and get to know the city more. Most of the others from the trade show left on Sunday, almost immediately after the trade show ended…..not giving one extra day before or after to see the city.
Maybe I used to be like that, short term, just get to the city quickly, set up a trade show booth, listen, network, and run back to the office in the city you work.
But isnt it more effective to give a day or two on both sides of the event to set up meetings? To get to know the city more?
Yesterday I took a walk around a new park, tons of foreign bars and a really cool amusement park – I was a bit scared, as you can see in the photo, that this ride was going to shoot me off the tracks (the ride basically takes you from ground level to 50 stories high, and then drops you back…) I questioned the security of the system, the quality it was built…I could only imagine myself flying off the top of the tower spinning to the ground…..but i survived!

But it makes me think…..AM I BEING BOLD ENOUGH! I still feel I am resisting reaching my full potential….why not push for more in life, and more in business. I still feel my internal self telling me to stop and think, that growing an international business without taking millions from investors is impossible. I also feel the hundreds of emails blowing up my email box will crush me. That there will be some roadblock email, some alarm going off, some system crash, and I am finished. That I will fail. And it will all come tumbling down….
Maybe that is why I have trouble focusing…because I am fearful if I rely too much on one stream of income, and put all my eggs in one basket, then I will be VULNERABLE to failure……..
But actually its quite the opposite, IF I DON’T FOCUS, then i am destined for failure.
So I ahve to commit myself to growing 1 business, and growing it strong. building up everlasting cashflow, where it is difficult for a competitor to easily copy my business and crush me.
how to do that? how to be different? how to be free? How to not be dependent on investment, or debt.

To be honest I haven’t found the answer to that, but the best I can say is CASHFLOW! Managing cashflow, building it, and living below your means. Save, but also invest smartly. Get good people around you, who are similar in goals, and build a support network.

Just keep on going…..after this long trip is over, I have to make some solid decisions how to grow the business to be scalable…so many risks, currency (Chinese Yuan to US dollar), government, passport visa, language, culture….

But hey, its better to have tried and failed then to never have tried at all.

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orientix

Pity I didn’t know earlier you were in Xmn. Could have showed you around. Next time then.
http://blog.michaelmichelini.com mike

leaving in the late afternoon….
http://photomeimei.wordpress.com/ Jane

after this long trip is over, I have to make some solid decisions how to grow the business to be scalable—I have worked for both chinese and foreigners in trading company, I always feel the local people have more advantage in trading,they know the envoirment here,they keep the budget low. ,,and all the factors you have mentioned….:-) But, I always believe there are people who can make things different! and maybe you are the one! 加油
http://blog.michaelmichelini.com mike

yea….thats why i am doing less trading…and focusing on what i am good at, ecommerce
http://photomeimei.wordpress.com/ Jane

oh,,Mike, I feel trading is almost the same as ecommerce,when we(chinese small trading company) do the foreign trading in china,we almost rely on the internet(alibaba,global resource),,,so what is the differece?
Thank you for point it out,,I think maybe my unederstanding is not very clear,,hihihihi
http://blog.michaelmichelini.com mike

i think trading is completely different from ecommerce.

trading is listing products in a B2B directory, getting some chats or emails, sending quotes, and asking for a TT

ecommerce is when someone pays online via a shopping cart and you ship it to there door. or if a non-physical product, then it is online delivery, but it involves getting paid online / over the internet. And right now, most chinese companies suck at getting trust from an overseas buyer to pay online

of course there are certain overlaps
http://photomeimei.wordpress.com/ Jane

yes,Mike,thanks for your explanation.In fact,there are lot of overlaps in a chinese trading company now. That’s why i feel now trading and ecommerce are mixed together.

here is a true story happend to my bf’s colleague:

A man who works with my bf,he build a site for his wife for selling children’s books on line(ecommerce).After the business got well,his wife quit the job and take it as a full time job and it makes some profit^^
Surprisingly,,,Last month,his wife was put into jail,,you know why?

1.They bought children’s books from HK,and ask factory to copy it and sell.
2.Some of the books are prohibted in china mailand(there is a department called cutlure’s department,their job is to censor the sensitive books in china,especially for children)
3.they don’t registrate a company(since they have a web).and they don’t pay the goverment tax.

My bf tells me the woman is now still in jail,she will stay there for 6 month until the court to judge her. They said maybe she will stay 5 years in prosion. Someone asks her husband to pay 100.000RMB to get her out,,,,

So i think I get a lesson from this,no matter where you do the business,,besides other things,we also need to know the law of the country and follow the rule of the game^^

have a good day,hihihi.Thank you again!
http://blog.michaelmichelini.com mike

sure, so many people say you don’t need a company to have business, and can save money on tax….well, they should all hear this story you shared with me here…..
now, they saved all that tax money, haha, but now in jail….and busines is gone…

but no one hears about these stories until its too late
http://www.blog.daviddho.com David Ho

CASHFLOW! Managing cashflow, building it, and living below your means. Save, but also invest smartly. Get good people around you, who are similar in goals, and build a support network.

There’s the mantra we should be focusing on
http://blog.michaelmichelini.com mike

i guess its never too late to start…but then again, i hope that saying is right!!!!

fighting

About

American ecommerce guy, I've been living in South China - Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Dongguan (+ a touch of Philippines) since end of 2007.

Successfully selling online since 2004, took it fulltime early 2007. Love international business & connecting, and working on ways to give hard working people global opportunities. (Read More...)