Charming China - podcast cover

Charming China

Charming China is a podcast created by Isabel Sum, a German entrepreneur who moved to China to build up her company and explore Chinas vast culture and possibilities. This podcast will feature interesting guests, foreigners as well as Chinese, who share their experiences of working and living in China. It is meant to help debunk some of the myths around China and give useful tips about how to start a business and how to succeed in this quickly changing environment. It is a business podcast with cultural context and aims to build a cultural bridge between China and the West.
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Episodes

#25 How bad is the air we´re breathing? With Caroline Hasl

Todaýs guest is Caroline, a Swedish entrepreneur who makes people aware of the bad air they might be breathing. Her and her fiancés company makes air monitors and installs them in various places in India and all over the world. We discuss how bad the air that we´re breathing actually is and she gives us some intersting tips on how to be safer and what we should know about air pollution Caroline on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinehasl/ Her blog: http://www.carolinehasl.com/ Her Inst...

Jul 08, 202038 min

#24 Bestseller Autor Wolfgang Hirn erklärt in Shenzhen die Weltwirtschaft von morgen

Unser heutiger Gast ist Wolfgang Hirn, Journalist beim Manager Magazin und Autor des Bestsellers Herausforderung China (2005). Er berichtet seit vielen Jahren über China und seine Bücher bieten einen intensiven Einblick in die Geschehnisse vor Ort und was wir über das Reich der Mitte wissen sollten. Wir haben uns in Shenzhen getroffen um die aktuellen Ereignisse in Bezug auf China zu diskutieren. http://wolfganghirn.de/ Weitere Bücher von Herr Hirn sind: Angriff aus Asien (2008) Der nächste kalt...

Jul 08, 202045 min

#23 Stand-Up Comedy culture in Shenzhen with Mr. Ryan

Today´s guest is Mr. Ryan, who brought stand-up comedy culture to Shenzhen. We discuss the comedy scene in the city and compare it to other areas inside and outside of China. He explains how they´re developing talent in China´s Silicon Valley and the best strategies on how to win against hecklers in the crowd. WeChat: easternliberty86 Instagram: takeoutcomedyszn

Jul 08, 202035 min

#22 Bruno on how he overcame depression and addiction and is now changing expat lives in Shenzhen

Today´s guest is Bruno, a Belgian chef who has a very painful yet inspiring story. He explains how tragic events in his family lead to depression and addiction and how he overcame those dark times and is now leading a healthier and happier life. We talk about his work with the expat centers in Shenzhen, the benefits of essential oils and he gives tips on intercultural relationships and how to master them. If you like the show please don´t forget to subscribe and give us a rating on Itunes so mor...

Jul 08, 202048 min

#21 Raphael about his parental education system that helps Chinese parents to raise happy and fulfilled children

Today´s guest is Rafa, an entrepreneur from Israel who came to China and noticed that some cultural differences such as the relationship between parents and children can lead to big problems if the mindset is not right. That´s why he started his company where he teaches Chinese parents how to nurture a trusting and understanding relationship with their children to ensure they can lead successful and fulfilled lives. He also wrote two bilingual books about the Jewish Mindset and wisdom and explai...

Jul 08, 202052 min

#20 Zoe from 7Sense about genomic sequencing to find the right diet for your DNA

Today´s guest is Zoe, who majored in biochemistry and biotechnology in Canada and is now working on her company called 7sense, which uses genomic sequencing to determine the best possible diet for their clients. She believes that we should “use food as medicine and don’t take medicine as food’ and we discuss various types of diets, mindful eating concepts and Chinese medicine Find out more about 7sense: http://www.7sensebio.com/ 7Sense on Wechat: sevensensebio...

Jul 08, 202042 min

#19 Wolf from Dorabot about his fascination with robotics and living and working in China in an international team

Today´s guest is Wolf, a German robotics engineer who previously worked at various robotics companies and also at the TU Berlin, where his team won the prestigious Amazon picking challenge in 2015 and could defeat teams from MIT, UC Berkeley as well as many other robotics companies. We discuss the story of how the company he´s currently working at, Dorabot, got its name and what they´re currently doing to revolutionize logistics automation with smart robots. He tells us what it´s like being a po...

Jul 08, 202024 min

#18 Brian from Brightwood explains Smarthome trends powered by IOT and AI technologies

Today´s guest is Brian, an American entrepreneur who has started his smart home company in Shenzhen. We discuss how Brian got interested in all things IOT, current and future trends in the smarthome industry, and learn about the differences in market maturity in the US vs. China. We also learn how smart, or AI, devices and systems can improve our wellbeing and life quality. If you enjoy the show please subscribe and don´t forget to give it a review on Itunes so more people can find it and learn ...

Jul 08, 202043 min

#17 Caferny from ICARUS branding about reverse culture shocks and the spirit of a brand

Today´s guest is Caferny who´s born in Guangzhou and has been living in London for over ten years. She tells us about her reverse culture schock and the struggle of re-integrating in China. She also explains how she founded her branding company Icarus where she aims to grasp the true spirit of a brand and communicates it to the right audience. . If you enjoy the show please subscribe and give it a rating on Itunes so more people can find it and learn from it. Thank you so much for listening and ...

Jul 08, 202037 min

#16 William shares insights into China´s VC landscape and how to get funding for an AI start-up

Today´s guest is William, a Shanghai-born Chinese who emigrated to South Africa when he was young, studied in Australia afterwards and then worked on a start-up in Silicon Valley before returning to China to work in a venture capital firm where he specializes on AI start-ups. We discuss growth hacks for start-ups in the US versus China and how to acquire new users in both markets. We also learn what type of founders’ VCs in China are investing in at the moment and tips on how to have higher chan...

Jul 08, 202046 min

#15 Blake from Lenswriters on creative film production for chinese products that target foreign markets

Today´s guest is Blake, a highly creative film maker who has a production company in Shenzhen. We talk about how burning man brought him to the city and different approaches regarding process management and the decision-making order in film production in the US vs. China. In this episode the importance of clear communication of workflow and the hard task to collaborate with international teams are highlighted and we also discuss how working in China teaches us patience and improves our overall s...

Jul 08, 202043 min

#14 Julien and Christophe from JU&KE give tips on how to build an industrial design studio in China and IP protection strategies

Today´s guests are Julien and Christophe from JuKe, two industrial designers and entrepreneurs from Belgium and France, who have designed many fascinating products in the past and present. We talk about the crossover of local culture and international influence and the advantages that arise from this hybrid in their designs. We also discuss important IP protection tips and the challenges in the Chinese market, which make it one of the hardest to compete and succeed in. Lastly, we talk about futu...

Jul 08, 202051 min

#13 Kathy De Leye on global e-commerce and Chinese dining culture in business

Today´s guest is Kathy, a Belgian entrepreneur and martial arts enthusiast who built up her e-commerce business with her Chinese husband. We discuss the e-commerce landscape in Belgium and how Chinese factories and brands might struggle in Europe compared to the US. We also talk about the drinking and dining culture and its importance for sustainable business relationships in China. Furthermore, we address the meaning and understanding of contracts in China versus the West and what the Chinese “...

Jul 08, 202039 min

#12 Tony Li about PR and Marketing for big foreign brands in China

Today´s guest is Tony, a Shanghainese marketing and PR veteran. He explains how he went from global trading to working in the Museum of Contemporary art in Shanghai up until managing the campaigns and market entry to China for big brands such as Henkel and New Balance. We talk about the new WeChat functions and compare the app to Tik Tok and Weibo. He also explains how they created a new term in marketing that is now used in Chinese language and the importance of offline marketing in today´s cen...

Jul 08, 202030 min

#11 Huiling Zhao on the challenges of event management in China and educating Chinese about Africa through her vlogs

Today´s guest is Huiling, a Shanghai-born event manager and vlogger who grew up in Africa, studied in the US and lives and works in China now. With her vlogs she tries to shine a light at what´s going on in Africa and educate Chinese people on the unique vibes and energy of the cities there. We discuss trends in the event business, why Shanghai is so metropolitan what you should prepare to bring to the table if you´re planning to come here. _______________________________________________________...

Jul 08, 202039 min

#10 Pernille Leschly Halle from Stylebutler about building a successful fashion brand in China

Today´s guest is Pernille, a Danish entrepreneur who built a successful global fashion brand based in Shanghai. She tells us how style and fashion in Shanghai changed in the past years, how a luxury bag can be helpful at a construction site and which opportunities lie in the Chinese market. We also discuss trademarking and working with KOLs. Thanks so much for listening and I hope you enjoy this episode! Connect with Pernille on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pernille-leschly-halle-630626...

Jul 08, 202040 min

#9 Timo about his experiences working for Porsche in China, their largest growing market worldwide

Today´s guest is Timo, a German with Taiwanese roots. We talk about what it´s like growing up as a mixed child, what Chinese people think about Germans, and how status symbols like luxury cars are perceived in Chinese society versus in Germany. We also talk about the 9-9-6 work concept and electromobility in China. Connect with Timo on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timo-tianhao-herrmann-52174868/...

Jul 08, 202044 min

#8 Cody Giannotti on how his Stanford thesis got him a call from Disney to work in China

Today´s guest is Cody Giannotti, an educational development genius who started out with composing music for Interscope Records, then wrote his PhD thesis on play-based learning concepts for faster and more efficient learning for adults in organizations and thus came to China where he´s working in various leading HR and L&D positions for some great companies. We talk about the difficulties of retaining employees in the age of a gig-economy mentality, what it´s like to come to China for the fi...

Jul 08, 20201 hr 7 min

#7 John Graham Harper talks about how he got CEOs to fight each other in the ring

Today´s guest is John Graham Harper, an Australian entrepreneur who started out in the fitness industry in Shenzhen around 18 years ago. He is so energetic and driven that his passion and positivity WILL motivate you. We talk about why China was the perfect spot for adventurers, how to cater to the Chinese as well as the expat community and how to create a sports platform like WCFN. It´s a very interesting interview where John shares some of the mistakes he made and tips on how to avoid them. Th...

Jul 08, 202058 min

#6 Nicholas Kinports talks about chosing Chinese factories with the right mindset as sustainable E-commerce partners

Today´s guest is Nick, an e-commerce and branding specialist who tells us which important features to look for in a Chinese factory. He is such a knowledgeable and resourceful guy and we talk about the new stage of evolution regarding sourcing from China, where quality, design and look & feel matter most with the goal to not only distribute, but also brand a product from China in foreign markets. It´s a really insightful episode, not only regarding China, but also global business best practi...

Jul 08, 202058 min

#5 Jason Stine from Lost Laowai on building a bilingual map app in China

oday´s guest is Jason, a young entrepreneur from the US who has developed a bilingual map app for foreigners in China. We talk about finding the right climate zone to live in, app development in China, secret bathrooms and the upsides and downsides of living in China. Download the app by searching for “Lost Laowai” in your app store His website: https://lostlaowai.wixsite.com/home Find Jason on LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jstine/ Thanks for listening and I´d appreciate any of your feed...

Jul 08, 202040 min

#4 Shushanik on how to build a successful Interior Design and Architecture Agency in Shenzhen

Today´s guest is Shushanik, an incredibly inspiring woman who is an experienced immigrant, hardworking hustler and successful architect and founder. We discuss important topics like hiring and firing employees, creating a good company culture and generating leads through Instagram. But warning, don´t try her lifestyle at home! You might get a serious burn-out. Hostandian & Partners: https://kostandianpartners.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kostandianpartners/ Shushanik´s LinkedIN:...

Jul 08, 202040 min

#3 Alicia from Somos Digital on how to build a successful digital marketing agency in China

In today´s episode, Alicia from Somos Digital and Isabel discuss the differences in western countries and China when it comes to knowledge about branding and customer relationships. We can learn how to build a deep connection to your Chinese B2B customers and how to best coordinate and manage a multinational team. Check out Somos Digital here: http://somos.io/ Get in touch with Alicia here: alicia@somos.io...

Jul 08, 202049 min

#2 Introducing myself and the outlook of the Charming China Podcast

In today´s episode I just want to introduce myself to you a little bit more so you can get a better understanding of my background and perspective. I also give you an outlook on what the future episodes will be about and hopefully arouse your interest in the topics that will be covered. Thanks for listening and I´d appreciate any of your feedback or comments. Hannoversche Kaffeemanufaktur: https://hannoversche-kaffeemanufaktur.de/ Our chinese website: https://hanover-coffee.cn/ Our Metal Busines...

Jul 08, 202020 min

#1 Steven McAuley über die Tinybox AI Masterclass

Die erste Folge des Charming China Podcasts dreht sich um künstliche Intelligenz und Innovation in China. Steven Mc Auley ist Wirtschaftspsychologe und forscht derzeit in den Bereichen Innovation, Mensch-Roboter-Interaktion, Künstliche Intelligenz und Zukunft der Arbeit. Er hält Vorträge in Dubai, Moskau, San Francisco und Hong Kong. Er hat den Newcomer Award 2019 der German Speakers Association gewonnen und ist Mitgründer des globalen Innovation Think Tanks TinyBox. https://tinybox.me/...

Jul 08, 202041 min
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