As the lunar calendar draws to a close, so many more unfortunate Chinese people are desparate to return to their hometowns. They did not earn enough money the previous year, or save enough, to make it home to see their family and loved ones…..

So, some push too hard, they do whatever it takes to make that bit of cash to pay for the train to their hometown. The police and management offices of buildings warn people to take extra care of locking their doors and securing their valuables. I hear stories of people who get their homes robbed these weeks before the new years, desperate thieves trying to make that money to get where they need to go…..

I wish I could pay for everyone to go to see their family and loved ones. I feel I am too kind, too soft.

But, unfortunately for them (and for me) I am not rich. I cannot take care of everyone around me. I first have to earn a strong enough business and cashflow, that I can then budget this “extra” cash to throw around and save others around me.

Its rather sad, do people have to change to survive, to thrive? Can I remain the kind, gentle, take care of everyone person I try to be, or throw it out the window to make it to the next level.

Changes….changes…..how to move forward. New Years do this, milestones in business, in life.

If it how a boss has to be? Separate friends and business. change your “hat” As well as in different cultures. But that means to me, that you’re changing who you are in different places. Do I have to have some sort of split personality? Put on an act. Tell someone, hey, this is business.

Anyway, I wish everyone here in China can go to see their family during this special holiday. I wish I could be someone to help them get there. Maybe not this year, but one year….

been exactly 2 years since my first and only trip to beijing. not sure how it always ends up that i come here in the winter….for those not familiar with the location of various cities of china- i live in southern china (guangdong province, city of shenzhen) which is right across from hong kong. for the climate there, it never snows, and only for 2 or 3 months in the year you need to wear a jacket (lighter jacket at that) - so i parallel southern china to southern usa - florida or california type climate with palm trees, large rainstorms, and rather humid.

here in the capital city of beijing, its up in the northern region of china. somewhat similar to northeastern usa, but i think a bit cooler here then new york city - maybe closer to a boston winter.

but the really noticeable differences is the dry air!! again, i noticed it being here, i become desparate to drink some water - my throat is anxiously awaiting liquid! and then there is the traffic, just the sheer volume of people in this city - subways, roads - all jam packed almost any time of the day or night. To control it, the government has issues license plates that only allow certain cars to be on the road monday, wednesday, friday and the other set on tuesday, thursday, saturday. Still, the roads are just overcrowded, and taking a taxi across town has the majority sitting in traffic.

so what is my plan here in beijing? well, firstly, its been a while since coming to this capital city, and i have made contacts here i really want to see. plus jonny from the bronx, my nyc friend, is ending his mba exchange program semester here in a few weeks - so i can hang out with him and have a couch to stay on too. Plus its my friend Yuki Sun’s birthday this weekend, so have a party with her and some mutual friends.

on the business side, I have arranged some meetings with ecommerce companies, seeing if there are synergies and ways to cooperate with loadpipe and online fulfillment, distribution, and promotion.

also for electrapour and bar products, meeting some marketing people in the bar and nightclub industry, hope to get some more representation up in the north of china.

so, rolling with the punches, exploring, networking, and seeing if i can get some business developments - the whole living my job is the real deal. but while overworked, under pressure, and a tad bit stressed, i enjoy this type of lifestyle more then anything..always thinking business and strategizing.

The longer i am outside of the united states, the more i wake up and realize how easy life was there.
Sad part is, i didnt know it until i left, and i dont think most of my friends and associates still there realize it now!
For example, today i traveled back to shenzhen city from guangzhou city…..took the long, budget way. Sure, i could have spent the extra money, and like many westerners, taken a private car or a taxi to a 1st class express train,,,,,
But, i want to see it from the eyes of everyone else living here….
One crazy, but cool thing i saw in guangzhou that i havent seen in many other cities is motorcycle taxis, well, not official taxis, but some entrepreneurs who use their motorcycle to cart people around.
They swarm approaching buses, revving their engines trying to grab a new customer who is exiting the bus.

The wild part is i see a mom, or even i think grandmom, bargaining these rough middle aged bikers, haggling for a 0.15usd cost savings to be transported from the bus stop to their home. Even wilder is all along, they have a baby wrapped tightly in a blanket or towel, to their backs. Widely swinging their leg over the back of the motorcyclist, they zip off into the dusty, dry alleys of the city.
And this is daily routine, daily life. Just a trip back from visiting friends or grocery shopping.
The buses in guangzhou are so overcrowded, and some are normal coach buses with only the front door as an entrance/exit. Standing room only in the aisle, each bus stop you have high traffic shuffles from those exiting and entering
Then people wonder why chinese people have no sense for personal space! This comes from the high population, over crowded spaces such as roads, buses, and homes!
I just get a rush of energy seeing this, the volume of people, how others deal with each other - yea its a bit maybe dirty, and wild, but man, its envigorating.

The past few weeks i have been pretty busy flying to various cities, and many people have been asking me to give some stories and explain what the heck i am up to! So, while those who follow me on twitter (follow me - @michelini ) should have a better understanding, let me use this post to go in more detail:

Nanjing city - a few weeks ago, i took a few days to make a first time visit to nanjing, a very old and historical city in china, which at one time was the capital of china. My main purpose there was to attend the SMX (search engine marketing expo), where i was presenting on website analysis and review of user interfaces. I also started announcing my new project, loadpipe.com , that will be an online order fulfillment and distribution platform.
I was able to meet some new faces in the china internet world, and found out how to fix my google adsense verification account problem with my hong kong company (good to have a contact who used to work in google adsense!!)

I also did some touring of the Confucius temple - an amazing part was the sheer size of it. I entered an examination hall, this had halls and halls of individual testing rooms for those who wanted to work under the government and emperor. The test was said to be many days long, and these small rooms only had room for a desk and chair, so test takers actually slept at their desk during the multiple day test. maybe this is a reminder of how hard the chinese student needs to study. many parents take their children to this museum to give them good luck in their studies, and there is a stone to jump over that says you will do good grades on your tests. Also, the fact that they have to sleep in their testing rooms, maybe thats why i notice chinese people are able to sleep in any conditions!!

Also in nanjing saw some nice parks, also have many boating trips, but didnt get a chance to rent a boat.  A pretty cool historic army park too, where I played with tanks, guns, and planes!

Ningbo City - Last week i went to ningbo and other cities in zhejiang province. 2 main purposes, first is i have manufacturing there to check on, discussions for new products to develop. But the 2nd, bigger idea, is the possibility of establishing a distribution point in this province for the loadpipe venture.
Talking business means lots of eating and drinking, while this is the case in most cultures i know, its especially highlighted in china! I remember being in a ningbo nightclub bottoms up multiple BUDWEISER beers (funny to drink american beers in china, but its exotic…)
I was also invited to be a guest teacher at a local village grade school. I thought it would be fun, so what the heck, i agreed. Later the next day, they canceled because the “swine flu” h1n1 outbreak, and the foreigner must have some disease!! Kind of upset me, but hey, their loss…i was gonna do a free class teaching ABC to 13 year old chinese….anyway
Earlier this week i paid a visit to a local Shenzhen university where i cooperate with hiring interns there. I am invited to be a guest speaker there about business in the usa, focusing around ecommerce and internet! Looking forward to that for sure!
Xiamen City - And just this week i was in xiamen city. Here i took tons of photos - they say this is like the san diego of china, and i agree. I had been here once before, but didnt get as much exposure as i did this time. The city skyline is full of LED strips along the buildings, and the island city is bordered by a lake on one side and the ocean on another.
In xiamen i worked out a plan and alliance for loadpipe, where they will assist me with sourcing and logistics while i focus on technology and marketing. Seems like both sides have a lot to offer, and are strong in their abilities, have to draft up some agreements, but i am excited!!

Also did some touring of xiamen, seeing the university, monk temple, and some garden parks. Did a lot of walking!! Later in the evening found the foreign bars such as londonner, jj (texas ya’ll)’ nd me and you 2 bar. Xiamen has a nice, laid back environment, ocean breeze, and internet wi-fi all over….but maybe too slow paced for my hyperactive peronality….but seems ill be coming to xiamen more often.
So that sums up my past few weeks of traveling, been rather intense, now i have my buddy from usa, jon conte, spending a couple weeks in china, his first time here, should be wild for him!

Being in Shenzhen, China, I am exposed to a diverse community of people - rich Chinese businessman, adventurous young aspiring entrepreneurs, cheaters, beggers, and a lot of farmers!

Now, it is easy to joke about a struggling Chinese farmer….they are low educated and will do almost anything to earn money to feed themselves and their families. You will see them on 3 wheel mopeds (motorcycles) carrying tons of recyclable cardboard, plastic, bottles. Also will go into your home to remove old equipment. you can jump on a motorcycle taxi for 3 yuan to get from the bus stop to your final destination. They are the grease in the wheels that make the city go around. And as much as the “upper class” chuckles at them, I think we all respect how hard working they are to make an honest living.

So oftentimes I look at one’s situation and compare it to my own. Should I feel guilty being born in a middle class family in USA? Or should I feel as if it is my right to be born that way, and I deserve it, looking down at those who may have been put in a more difficult situation in life. But if anything, I try to respect every human being and encourage everyone to aspire to be who they want to be.

Then, after I start thinking about how fortunate I am, I think….”what would I do if I were born as a Chinese Farmer“?

I’ve been more calls then ever before from friends and business associates back in USA. It must be all over the television more then ever - investing in china! But really, its not at all as easy as anyone can imagine…..

First of all, being a foreigner, who do you trust when you get here? The government isn’t exactly welcoming you with open arms, unless of course, you have millions of us dollars to invest. Then you think, well the domestic market is getting stronger, so why not sell here, there are billions of people, and if only a small percentage.

As I’ve written in other posts….it takes relationships, and time…..to get there.

I have been interviewing a lot these days, and one girl I interviewed today told me, “do you have a company in China?”. She is concerned, because she said many foreigners come to China, and to avoid taxes, they don’t register a company here! HOW CAN YOU DO BUSINESS IN CHINA WITHOUT HAVING A COMPANY IN CHINA? Sure, there are taxes, and filing requirements, but that is the first thing you need to be a legitimate place of business. It builds moral, and builds value. Plus you have a real company name in Chinese to put on your name card. Sounds simple….but yes, takes time and money to setup Its called initial investment, and no easy way around it.

Next is RESPECT for Chinese culture. I have read posts and articles…the China office needs to run independent from the Western office. I came to China to work here directly, and not to have a “central” office to report to. Time differences, and not being on the ground are perfect examples. And I believe a company will fail if they try to enter the Chinese market without having decision makers on the ground making it happen. It also builds credibility to the customers, suppliers, and employees that you can manage independently and quickly…not have to wait for approval from a western office. China wants to be China, not a remote office for a Western company.

Anywa, my two cents. Its almost annoying how many people talk to me about China business, and then don’t want to make the financial and cultural adjustments to fully realize the potential in China.

I try not to get my emotions mixed into things…but life is life…and I am who I am…..I guess I genuinely care about the outcomes in life for others like myself……maybe that is why I get myself in difficult situations to begin with……

But right now, I am part of DBR Shenzhen Oy and I have been back from a meeting in Finland to discuss business. I feel like my ideas and strategic direction has not been put in place. But, unfortunately for me, I am not the majority vote, plus I am not the one investing the capital. So I have tried my best to work as hard as I can for the embetterment of the company.

I guess I have a strong personality when I am passionate about something, and I feel lately that I am being held back with office space, hiring / firing, and other decisions in the company. I try to understand all sides of the story, and I have considered that I am not the investor here. I have also considered others have to have a more clear idea and communication of how the operations are run….I really do. But I feel I was put into this group to contribute my experience in China and on the Internet. I do not feel those points were well taken, and my frustration has gone beyond what I can withstand.

So…a Fork in the Road, do I keep sucking it up, maybe not agreeing, and almost giving up my “backbone” and just accepting the current situation….or, do I cause a issue and make my voice heard.

I guess….I choose to speak up, and I am now caught in this tough situation…..to stay or to go….and how to settle the situation, current business, and everyone can live life happily afterwards?

The sad part is, these business colleagues have been or become my friends during these times. But business is business, and I have to speak up or just burst later……

But yes, I may be walking away from something big here……….I really hope it does become big. But right now, for me, I can walk away from money - I am not driven by money…..I left Deutsche Bank at 4.5 years, if I waited 6 more months, I would have been “vested” and I saw the money in the online profile in my HR online account….but I didn’t want that to be a reason I waited to make my move in my life / career.

These tough times makes us stronger, the more difficult conversations we have, the greater we become, and the wiser.

I know I just posted…but this I couldn’t wait for….in my apartment building they are fixing an air conditioner…this guy is on the 18th or 19th floor risking his life….I see this all summer long, but this time got a good photo

LOOK HOW HIGH HE IS!!

Well, I am gonna rant a little bit, a bit of a short post, but hoping to get some comments and feedback.

Maybe its not China wanting to unwelcome foreigners…but by the government controlling what is said, and how you can say it, it doesnt give foreigners that warm and fuzzing feeling inside.

I guess while I am upset about this, it makes me understand the frustrations of the chinese people. They are supressed on what news and information that comes from the outside world. Of course, the younger and new generation is much more open and aware of the outside world and what is going on, but there are clear differences generation to generation.

Just wonder. I know a few of my foreign friends in china already seriously considering moving out due to this higher then usual regulation of information

HOW CAN I RUN AN INTERNET MARKETING COMPANY IF I CANNOT FREELY ACCESS INFORMATION AND TOOLS…

:::::::::: sigh ::::::::::

Yes. this can be a sensitive topic. But hey, thats why I am picking it as a topic in the first place! And that is - how an original idea in one country may be copied overseas without any financial compensation or even a “thank you” to the founder. I, being born and raised in the USA, always was brought up with the impression ideas are stolen and you have to watch carefully who you show it to, and that overseas, yes, it will quickly get stolen from you and you probably cannot do anything about it.

Being here in China now about 1 and a half years, I have grown perspective on this topic. Put yourself in this situation:

See a product / service you like that is sold overseas. It is not being offered in your country. You don’t speak the language where it is currently being made. You see opportunity of this product / service selling in your home country. Also, the original concept is not exactly how you think it would be best in your home country - the people here would want it differently.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

OK, so you want to do the right thing. You, what? Call a USA phone number, but you cannot speak English that well, and it is pretty expensive to call internationally. Do you consult with a company in your city? Well, they probably would say just do it, they would not say bother contacting this international company (and this is the main problem, no standard international policy on IP!).

but say you do speak good English, and you stay up late one night and make a phone call. OK - a customer service rep picks up the call - “who are you? hmmm, who to transfer you too”. etc etc, I mean, how do you get to the right person?

And then, say you get to the executive team who owns this great product / service in USA. If they even take you seriously, what are they going to say