The Negotiation

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Contemporary China through the lens of fashion and culture●      The new thinking around fashion and individuality among China’s younger generations●      China’s fashion scene today and how it differs from that of New York●      Does China have fashion icons?●      China’s urban underground scene●      The future of fashion in China Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Elsbeth van Paridon, a sinologist, journalist, and lover of China fashion, lifestyle, and urban culture. In 2018, Elsbeth founded The China Temper, a print and digital publication which “offers a gritty slash grungy look at contemporary China through a fashion-focused lens.”Aside from her work with The China Temper, Elsbeth serves as an editorial consultant at the Beijing Review, an editor at WeAr Global Magazine, and a contributor to SupChina and RADII China.“With economic development comes the development of the individual,” says Elsbeth. With regards to fashion and culture, for the longest time Chinese people as a whole have shied away from standing out from the crowd as individuals. However, in the last decade, those living in Tier 1 cities have largely shifted away from this attitude dramatically.Elsbeth gives her thoughts on the idea of individuality in the country, from the rigid conformism of Mao’s China to a new generation “caught between tradition and innovation”. She refers to the modern fashion scene itself not as “trendsetting” but as “trend-dictating”, driven by the power of the stories behind the clothes.She goes on to speak on China’s urban underground, particularly in Beijing (as she contends that “everything in Shanghai is above-ground”) and the trends that have emerged out of it, such as tattoos.Finally, Elsbeth believes that gender-fluid fashion—which unbeknownst to most actually has strong historical roots in the country—is here to stay. Key Quotes:“With economic development comes the development of the individual, and fashion is a major part of that. It is a complete reflection of what is going on in society.” “Fashion is a daily conversation between you and the world.” “I only make fashion statements. I don’t make political statements. That way, it’s quite easy to create content. I’m telling stories about China from a completely different angle. Nobody’s doing it, and it’s the ultimate soft power.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The story behind Control Risks and how it expanded to other markets●      Defining “political risk” and its relevance to businesses in China●      Does the government move as fast as the economy and how do businesses adapt to changes in China’s regulatory landscape?●      How to do due diligence in China versus other North Asian markets●      How should political and regulatory issues be considered when approaching due diligence?●      With what types of situations can business intelligence and political and regulatory risk analysis be helpful to businesses in China? Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Rosie Hawes and Carly Ramsey of the China division of Control Risk, a global risk consultancy headquartered in London. The firm’s clients include national and multinational businesses of all sizes in all sectors, law firms, government departments, and non-governmental organizations.“Political risk,” says Carly, “is very relevant to businesses in China” due to the country’s strong drive to turn China into a modern, developed nation.  Regulations abound, therefore, to ensure that business growth in almost every sector is steering the nation toward accomplishing its various political objectives.And these political priorities, Carly continues, “are not new. Those are long-standing, multi-decade long priorities to develop China into a modern country.” Businesses should operate with this strict regulatory environment in mind by having the right people in place who can closely follow these developments and translate those observations into company action. “This is where we focus: Are you set up to manage this shift?”Rosie stresses the importance of considering the political and regulatory landscape when conducting due diligence no matter the size of your company as “any company that wants to succeed in an unfamiliar market needs to test the information that they’re being provided”, preferably via a neutral third-party. Key Quotes:“‘Political risk’ is just the risk from political decisions, political events, political actions on business. That is very relevant to businesses in China. [...] There is a strong political priority to develop China into a modern, developed nation. That means that there are political goals in almost every aspect of society.” ~Carly “Regulatory enforcement is here to stay. It will continue. And new firms and sectors will be targeted. That is just the reality now. But it’s also equally important to remember that Beijing does want the private sector to thrive—and foreign investment to thrive. But there is no hesitation now to make sure that businesses are falling in line in terms of meeting these higher-level political goals.” ~Carly “We do have to be careful to balance Chinese reporting with Western reporting because both have an element of truth and both have an element of bias. A lot of our clients are not familiar with China so the first thing they will do is Google the company and get a very limited set of information, if at all; or, something that is perhaps not fully contextualized so they really don’t understand what they’re seeing. So, a lot of what we do is trying to make sure that the broader local context is provided so that they can assess how good or bad what is being reported in the media really is.” ~Rosie “We do work with smaller firms as well. Really, any company that wants to succeed in an unfamiliar market needs to test the information that they’re being provided, and really need to understand—through a neutral third-party—the extent to which their potential supplier or their potential investment target is really trustworthy and really capable of delivering what they’re saying.” ~Rosie

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      How Singles’ Day performed relative to Jacob’s expectations●      Platforms that will gain traction at next year’s 11.11●      Notable creative or marketing tactics used at this year’s festival●      How this year’s GMV may compare to 2020s●      Whether there is still room for foreign brands going forward●      What to know about Pipl (Personal Information Protection Law)●      WPIC’s plans for Southeast Asia●      Demographic differences in China versus Southeast Asia Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Jacob Cooke who shares his observations on Singles’ Day in 2021 and how closely the festival met his expectations.In his words, how 11.11 unfolded was “almost bang on” with what Jacob anticipated, with a couple of categories “going a little bit over” and toys being the only underperformer.It was a “Tmall-dominated shopping festival” that was largely untouched by the influx of new government regulations this year which, again, Jacob expected. He predicts more platforms gaining traction at next year’s 11.11 as Walled Gardens continue to come down and cross-platform functionality increases in scope.Platforms also doubled down on live streams which had already been immensely popular in the Chinese market for some time, precisely because they know that live streams have become such an effective way to move product.In many ways, “China is starting to become comfortable in their skin,” pushing for local champions in each of the different categories. While the country had been playing catch-up as recently as a decade ago, today local brands have been dominating in the market.Finally, Jacob gives his thoughts on how companies will have to deal with the legal implications of Personal Information Protection Law, WPIC’s budding work in the Southeast Asia market, and demographic differences between the China market and that of Southeast Asia. Key Quotes:“There are a lot of misconceptions about why local brands are doing well. In a lot of cases, they have an easier time because they’re focused solely on China. Very few of them have global ambitions because the market is so large here.” “I don’t think we’re done with regulators in terms of what’s done with personal data. I think that’s actually going to be further enhanced. [...] I think that what’s happened this year [with Pipl] is that the regulators have started to take action to make people take these new laws seriously.” “eCommerce has normally been adopted by younger consumers. China’s done a really good job at making eCommerce universal.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Launching Founders Space in China●      Why Steve wrote Make Elephants Fly●      China’s unique (and commonly misrepresented) approach to innovation●      Mentoring Chinese vs Western entrepreneurs●      How evolving family dynamics and the Westernization of much of today’s Chinese youth influences the country’s perception towards entrepreneurship as a career path●      What Western startups need to know if they want to enter China, and what Chinese startups need to know if they want to take their business abroad●      Why Steve wrote The Five Forces That Change Everything●      Steve on whether China will win the battle for AI supremacy Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Steve Hoffman, venture investor, serial entrepreneur, and award-winning author. He is Chairman & CEO of San Francisco-based startup accelerator Founders Space, which was ranked the #1 incubator for overseas startups by Forbes and Entrepreneur Magazines.Steve remembers the moment he was first invited to establish his first Founders Space in China. This was the start of a plethora of opportunities that came his way almost overnight: That same year, Steve was simultaneously doing speaking tours, launching his incubators in other cities, and had just published his first book Make Elephants Fly. His big “break”, however, came in the form of a talk he gave for Tencent which made Steve China-famous.Steve makes the case that China’s business world is actually quite innovative, contrary to its “copycat” stereotype. In fact, he says that it is precisely due to their ability to see what’s working, and to be able to improve upon these products and adapt it to their local market, that defines China’s truly innovative spirit.Asked for his experience in mentoring Chinese entrepreneurs as a foreigner, Steve says that, in order to get the best out of a local, a mentor needs to know their limitations. Specifically, as a foreigner, Steve can only teach from the point-of-view of a Westerner. But that is okay—the Chinese entrepreneur will even appreciate that unique perspective.He then adds that a true, well-rounded business education comes when the foreign mentor collaborates with local Chinese mentors, filling each other’s gaps and complementing each other on a cultural level.The same principle applies when it comes to Western startups who are looking to enter the China market. “Entering China is tough,” says Steve, “because it’s an entirely different ecosystem.”A big part of this is culture, which is centered on relationships. Those who succeed, then, are founders who have a firm grasp of the language and culture of China. At the very least, it pays to have local partners who have an intimate understanding of this ecosystem. Key Quotes:“The reason startups work so well is, by their very nature, they are limited. They are limited in size—they only have so many founders. They are limited in money—so they have to use their resources very cleverly, forcing them to innovate. And they are limited in time—so they have to iterate really, really fast. A big corporation doesn’t have those limitations.” “[Chinese entrepreneurs] are really receptive. Chinese entrepreneurs want to succeed. They are open to ideas. And because I’m a foreigner, they’re really open to our perspective. So, I’m not going to give them the same advice that a local Chinese mentor or innovation instructor would give them. I give them advice from my culture, my background.” “[Chinese] understand that it’s not about what you wrote on the paper. It’s about your relationship with them. And it’s not just about your relationship with one person in China—the person you’re doing business with—but, it’s your relationship to all the other people in that person’s network.

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Problems that Axis aims to solve●      How Axis helps to develop resorts●      How is China preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympics●      How Axis is preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympics●      Snowsports culture and the hospitality industry in China today●      What Chinese consumers have taught Justin and the Axis team●      Building ski resorts in China versus other countries●      The development of four-seasons resorts in China●      The future of winter sports in China●      What the West can learn from China’s snowsports industry Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Justin Downes, President of Axis Leisure Management, a firm comprised of hospitality, leisure and business experts specializing in winter sports, hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars, retail, golf courses, tourism authorities, entertainment companies and various other establishments related to the services and hospitality industries in China.Axis was founded to address the fact that, at the time, “there [was] absolutely no expertise in the China market for building international-level ski resort destinations.” The management firm was thus established to “bring a global, high-quality standard experience across the board into the winter sports market in China.”The company prides itself not only on its ability to facilitate business management but also on the capability of its team of experts to take someone’s vision out of their head and onto paper.Listen in as Justin shares how China is preparing for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which he says is dependent on the evolution of Chinese industry, the actual preparation and production going into the Olympic Games, and how the governing body intends to navigate COVID-19 before and during the actual Games.The lead-up to the 2022 Winter Olympics bodes well not only for the snowsports industry in China but for the country’s sports world in general. Both the public and the government have contributed to drastic growth in the health and wellness industry in recent times, and the countdown to the Olympics has only accelerated that interest and growth.Finally, Justin explains the ins and outs of developing ski resorts in China, including considerations around establishing and managing four-seasons resorts. Key Quotes:“Finding a piece of land in a remote location, in China, is quite easy. It’s really about, ‘Who’s going to come there?’ and ‘How are they going to get there?’ In some cases, the Chinese government builds fantastic infrastructure such as a rail with nothing at the end of that point, or they build a fantastic destination but no way to get there. We try to link these two components into a more organic growth solution.” “China performed a fantastic job in 2008 with the Summer Games. It’s not as if they’ve not done this type of thing before. [...] From an execution standpoint—if you take COVID out of the equation—I think China will deliver a flawless athletic experience.” “There’s been a lot of interest and pressure, both from the public-up and the government-down, to create an environment where people are healthier and happier. [...] General health and wellness in China is off-the-charts as far as opportunity and growth.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Trends that shaped consumer behaviour in 2021●      How different categories have fared over the past year●      How consumer trends have evolved in the past 18 months●      Sectors to lead the charge in China’s economic growth going forward●      Which categories are predicted to be successful on Singles’ Day●      New tactics brands will use aside from discounts●      How important it is to have inventory on the ground for Singles’ Day●      How the impact has impacted manufacturing and logistics●      Potential long-term effects of this year’s 11.11●      How brands are preparing for fallout due to supply chain issues Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Jacob Cooke, co-founder of WPIC Marketing and Technologies, to get his pre-and post-11.11 insights and predictions. As 2021 comes to a close, Jacob does a deep dive into the consumer trends that have emerged in China over the past year.The biggest factor that rippled out into all aspects of commerce and consumer behaviour in 2021 was operational continuity. Both buyers and sellers are no stranger to having to navigate ever-changing logistical challenges in the market, and this has led to increased vigilance and meticulousness in the way people purchase.Online retail quickly became the preferred way to shop, the health and wellness category has soared, and even high-end fashion has seen a resurgence over the past year as brands have finally learned to adapt to the limitations brought about by COVID-related restrictions and other obstacles. On the other hand, mother and baby brands have fallen due to lower birth rates. Most other categories, Jacob observes, have seen linear growth.The result of these adaptations is that brands have now gotten their predicted sales down to a science. They do not expect to overperform or underperform on Singles’ Day as big data and machine learning have given companies the ability to calculate the precise amount of inventory they would need to prepare in time for 11.11.“Nothing is truly made in its country of origin,” Jacob reminds us. As manufacturing and logistics continue to experience complications, inventory will become increasingly precious. Companies will largely be playing on defense to preserve the inventory they have along with finding more creative solutions to moving product beyond discounts. Key Quotes:“In general, when we look at the history of 11.11 (I think we’re at year 12 now), a lot of the growth in those early years was from DAU (daily average users) and MAU (monthly average users). A couple of years ago, Tmall hit that $900 million mark [and] reached saturation in the market. Growth then started coming from increased spends between that $900 million but also from broader and broader categories.” “This 11.11 may potentially be smaller than last year’s 11.11 due to the supply crunch. It’s going to be the biggest issue. I don’t think it’s been in the press nearly enough. [...] This is not a new problem. This has been going on for several months. I think now people are starting to notice it with empty shelves; but, it’s no different anywhere in the world. Global supply chains are extremely complicated.” “The Chinese eCommerce system is very public. Those comments are always there. The ratings are incredibly important. And it all feeds back into the search algorithm. So, you have this monstrous platform, but you’re also up against a ton of other brands. Customer feedback is incredibly important. Your reputation is everything. You don’t ever want to misrepresent the products that you’re selling. You want to be as accurate as possible. And if there are disadvantages to your product, you want to be clear about that, too, and provide reasons. You don’t want any consumer to be surprised about the item that they receive at home versus what they think they’re purchasing online.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      The focus of the China Institute●      How the Canada-China relationship has evolved since the 1950s●      How China and Canada may recover from their strained relationship that reached a low point in December 2018●      How the relationship between Canada and China may look ten years from now●      What lessons can Canada and other Western countries learn from China, especially when it comes to spurring economic growth●      Common misconceptions about China in North America’s academic environment●      Key differences between the academic environment in China and that of North America Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Jia Wang, Interim Director of the China Institute at the University of Alberta. She brings to her work over 15 years of experience in international relations and public affairs management.Having previously worked as a TV producer and news anchor, today Jia is a sought-after media commentator and public speaker on Canada-China relations as well as the Chinese economy and politics.Born and raised in Beijing, Jia had always been fascinated by the “outside world” thanks in large part to her globally-minded father. After completing her bachelor of law degree at Peking University, she left for Canada where she studied International Relations at the University of Toronto.Through her current work at the China Institute, Jia and her team focus on “policy-relevant studies that are applicable to the real world as China gains increasing importance on the global stage, both economically and on the international relations front.”Listen in as Jia breaks down the evolution of Canada-China relations, specifically between 1950 to 2000, then from 2000 to 2010, and finally from 2010 to 2018. She traces this history from the wheat exports that began in the late 1950s to the point wherein China developed into Canada’s second-largest trading partner.She then shares how she believes China and Canada may “restart” their strained relationship following the rocky events of December 2018. She hopes that the two countries may engage in dialogue centred around common goals such as tackling climate change, all the while becoming more tolerant of each other’s differences in values and governance practices.Finally, Jia explains the common misconceptions that Americans have about China, as well as the differences between the academic environment in China and that of North America after over a decade of being immersed in the latter. Key Quotes:“We focus on policy-relevant studies that are applicable to the real world as China gains increasing importance on the global stage, both economically and on the international relations front. We want to help Canadians better understand where China is coming from, what the country is doing, and hopefully use that information to help policy members and the public to better understand China and to better manage the relationship between Canada and China.” “We do need to know what China is thinking and hoping to do, and of course China needs to know what Canada is hoping to do. Without dialogue, we just cannot move forward.” “China is rising and China is here to stay. It is impossible to try to decouple from China and try to isolate China as if it were the 50s. So, we do have to find a path forward, and we do have to have a strategy that is more forward-looking, and to include China in the global discussion on how to tackle pressing global issues.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      How Freddie is working with Burton Snowboards to create a network of snowboard academies in China●      How technology is being used to improve and scale snowboarding in China●      Will snow sports in China see more international instructors becoming involved in the future?●      The rise of four seasons resorts in China, and considerations around operations and logistics●      How the lead-up to the 2022 Winter Olympics is shaping the snow sports world in China Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with Freddie Bacon, an expert in the snow sports space with over 14 years of global experience. He is currently the Director of Sports Development at Axis Leisure Management.Freddie talks about the long-term goals for the Burton Snowboard Academy’s growth in China, focusing on retention of first-time ski or snowboarders, and creating the instructor certification program that is in line with the international standards so that it is a world-class certification program. They plan to have 20 locations in China in the next 5 years.Freddie believes that technology will pave the way for the business of snowboarding in China to become the gold standard for service quality and customer experience. He sees rapid technological developments as one factor toward the rise of four seasons resorts that will contribute to the overall growth of the snow sports industry.Finally, Freddie talks about the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and how the lead-up to this historic event has caused an explosion of interest in skiing and snowboarding, and what all of this means with regard to the future of Chinese snow sports. Key Quotes: “The way things are developing in China, I honestly think that in a few years’ time, the resorts here will be leading the charge in terms of service quality and customer experience levels, through the use of technology.” “What’s different between China and perhaps other markets in North America and Europe is that the traditional retail store seems to be on the decline in many places; whereas, in China, the retail store is doing very, very well with these lifestyle brands looking at expanding their retail footprint.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Running snowsports schools in China compared to the West●      Chinese parent-child dynamics at snow sports schools and how instructors can manage expectations●      The economics of lift passes, equipment, logistics, and instruction in the world of snow sport in China●      Removing the cost barrier that continues to prevent many Chinese from accessing snow sports schools Episode Summary: Today on The Negotiation, we speak with Freddie Bacon, an expert in the snows sports space with over 14 years of global experience. He is currently the Director of Sports Development at Axis Leisure Management.Headquartered in Beijing, Axis provides a wide suite of services to establishments in the hospitality industry. These include business planning and positioning, resort and facility management, operational consulting, brand management and representation, architecture and design, and construction supervision.Freddie is also leading an initiative by Burton Snowboards to create a network of snowboard academies in China, with the goal of establishing over 20 locations by year five.In today’s conversation, Freddie discusses the cultural differences when it comes to running snows sports schools in China versus those in the West. He touches on the uniquely Chinese attitudes held by instructors, young students, and their parents, and also why private lessons are far and away preferred over group lessons in China (97% of lessons booked are, in fact, one-on-one).He speaks on the changing economics of the snow sports world in China. For a long time, attending these schools has largely been a privilege for the elite. But there has been a push in recent times to provide mass-market solutions that make snow sports schools more accessible to a middle-class Chinese family. This is thanks to initiatives by the government and certain businesses and academic institutions. Key Quotes:“I personally believe that many snow sports schools are grossly undervaluing their instructors—particularly their professional skiing and snowboarding instructors—that are trying to make this a career. There are a growing number of people trying to do just that.” “It is a hugely expensive process to go skiing, particularly if you have a family. [...] Whilst there are millions of people that can afford that, there are also millions that can’t. [...] We do think that there is an element of community responsibility. If it’s done right and the experience is good, skiing and snowboarding are fantastic things to be a part of. We would love to get less-affluent individuals involved in the sport and to work on sustainable ways to ensure that we can have mass participation.”

Topics Discussed and Key Points:●      Trends taking place in China that may soon quickly spread to the rest of the world●      Why offline retail continues to prevail in the West●      How views toward entrepreneurship and working in the tech industry have evolved over the past decade in China●      Emerging Chinese tech companies to keep an eye on●      Why lookism has become “rampant in China”●      Why Rui revisited Agora and her thoughts on sinophobia and the education crackdown in China●      The future of cross-border investments Episode Summary:Today on The Negotiation, we continue our conversation with angel investor and fund consultant Rui Ma, whose work involves identifying superior technology investment opportunities in both the US and China.Rui is best known as the creator of Tech Buzz China, a paid community for investors and operators interested in China tech. Rui also co-hosts the biweekly Tech Buzz China podcast.Live streaming in the eCommerce space is poised to explode in popularity in a few countries outside of China, including India and much of Southeast Asia. After all, according to Rui, “There is nothing culturally Chinese about live commerce.”However, eCommerce penetration is still lower in the U.S. compared to China due to greater development of, and continued preference for, offline retail. Further, major eCommerce companies in China have gone all-in with regard to KOLs, whereas American companies, by large, have not.Over the past ten years, entrepreneurship and the tech space have seen drastic changes on a cultural, economic, and political level. Rui shares how the government “made it socially okay” to become an entrepreneur, whereas as late as 2014 the choice for a young person to go into business for oneself was seen as irresponsible by many parents.She then speaks on the phenomenon of lookism that she believes has become “rampant in China”. She says that “People believe that their economic opportunity or worth is tied to their physical appearance.” That is, lookism is the belief that how good-looking a person is has a direct impact on their job prospects.Finally, Rui addresses the “lack of China perspective” among many Americans, particularly in the business world. She says that it is “very irrational to completely abstain from the Chinese market because it is already so influential, and it’s going to be even more.” Key Quotes:“You probably want to look at all the big consumer brands and consider that there could be the possibility that the number one player, in ten years, is no longer hailing from the United States.” “Overall, there is a human bias for [good looks] as being a proxy for confidence; but, I think that it is even deeper in China versus in America.” “For a lot of people who are not taking a lot of time to understand China, they, unfortunately, take a shortcut and make all of these assumptions that are not true, which I think is a pity because China, whether you like it or not, is a very large economy and Chinese entrepreneurs are very savvy and are now very-well funded, as well. So, regardless of whether or not you want to have anything to do with China, I’m pretty sure you’re going to have to deal with China in one way or another, and it’s better to understand your competition or your potential partners than to resort to some really simplistic assumptions that are often not true.”