Ep 39 - (Bonus Ep) #ThisisChina The Sequel
Ep 39 - (Bonus Ep) #ThisisChina The Sequel

The sequel to the #ThisIsChina #T.I.C. series. In this episode, find out what kind of adventures you'd find yourself in while traveling to mountain villages in China.
How NOT to order beer in when a small town bar up in North China how Chinese culture always seems to have a new surprise for Rico and ChinaMike. 

Topics Incl:

* When you`re 6 ft tall in the middle of a Chinese village.

* How to say no to cigarettes and keep saying no, again and again and again.

* Ordering Heineken's and getting...well, something else.

Read More
China, LifestyleRico#thisischina, #tic, travelComment
Ep 38 - Do Contracts Matter in China? w/ Andy Church, Insight Quality
Ep 38 - Do Contracts Matter in China? w/ Andy Church, Insight Quality

This episode was inspired by an article I wrote for Enter China called "Do Contracts Matter in China?" I actually interviewed Andy Church (a 15 year China vet) for that article but, ultimately felt that he had so much more to knowledge to share than what ended up in the article.

Topics Incl:

  • When you should have contracts in place
     
  • What info should be listed in the contracts
     
  • What can go wrong
     
  • How enforceable the contracts are
     
  • The common mistakes buyers make when it comes to contracts in China.
Read More
China, Business, Enter China, NetworkingRicolegal, contracts, quality controlComment
Ep 37 - Over $10K in 14 Days on Kickstarter, Heather Shuster Returns
Ep 37 - Over $10K in 14 Days on Kickstarter, Heather Shuster Returns

In this historical episode, Rico spoke with Heather Shuster (the podcast's first ever return guest) about her successful and ongoing (as of April 6th, 2017) OLLI Fair Trade Rubber Flip-Flip Kickstarter campaign.  

Topics Incl:

  • The importance of pre-campaign prep work.
     
  • How they secured her first $3k in sales prior to the campaign.
     
  • One clever hack OLLI is using to speed up her shipping process.
     
  • How Holly Shuster's duck face game fairs on Instagram
     
  • Now that she's got the money, what's up next for her business?
Read More
Crowdfunding, China, Enter China, Business, Kickstarter, NetworkingRicosocial entrepreneurshipComment
Ep 36 - 2016 Goals vs 2017 Goals
Ep 36 - 2016 Goals vs 2017 Goals

In this episode ChinaMike & Rico dig deep to share their successes, FAILURES from 2016, what they learnt and their goals for 2017.

Goals Incl:

  • Content Schedule! (Yes, the podcast will be more consistent!)
     
  • Financial Targets
     
  • Cohesion Between Multiple Businesses
     
  • Ambitious Fitness Goals
     
  • Potential Internships
Read More
Business, China, Lifestyle, Source Find AsiaRicogoals, 2017, 2016, gym, management, hustle, scaling, lifeComment
Ep 35 - Leveraging High Paying Jobs in China While Starting a Business (w/ Nick Lenczewski)
Ep 35 - Leveraging High Paying Jobs in China While Starting a Business (w/ Nick Lenczewski)

In this episode we interviewed Nick Lenczewski (Len-chess-key)  the author of Ultimate China Guide: How to Teach English, Travel, Learn Chinese & Find Work in China. He writes books and makes movies to help people discover the incredible life that living and traveling in China brings. Made in China Podcast listeners can download the first 30 pages of Ultimate China Guide for free here.

Topics Incl:

  • Eating Chicken Feet at  7 / 11
     
  • Going from 0 words to being a medical translator of Mandarin to English
     
  • How he found and now helps foreigners find non-teaching jobs in China
     
  • Opening his own English teaching school in China
     
  • Dating and being treated like a celebrity in China
     
  • Getting a Chinese Driver's License 
Read More
China, Business, Lifestyle, NetworkingRicoteaching, china, hustleComment
Ep 34 - (Bonus Episode) #ThisIsChina
Ep 34 - (Bonus Episode) #ThisIsChina

A short episode where Rico and Mike remind us of that good old #T.I.C., "This Is China." The guys discuss some of the off the wall situations they find themselves in living and working in the Middle Country (Zhong Guo).

Stay tuned for:

* Sights and sounds of a Chinese gym

* The Smokehouse aka the office bathroom

* Donnie Does China

Read More
China, Business, Lifestyle, Source Find AsiaRicooffice, gym, Guangzhou, cultureComment
Ep 33 - First Year in China Lessons
Ep 33 - First Year in China Lessons

In our first episode of 2017 (which was recorded in 2016), Rico sat down with Harrison Bevins - whom you might remember from Ep 19 Inside Rico's Private Mastermind  - to discuss what life lessons you might learn in your first year in the wild wild East.

Topics Incl:

  • Getting over cold stares and being shoved in and out of elevators
     
  • The strategies we used to settle into life in China
     
  • Living in Taipei for comfort vs Guangzhou for hustle
     
  • Why no one concurs China in a year
Read More
China, Lifestyle, Networking, Enter China, BusinessRicochina, life, cultureComment
Ep 32 - What We Find SCARIEST About Scaling A Business
Ep 32 - What We Find SCARIEST About Scaling A Business

What happens as your business grows to the next level? Rico and ChinaMike talk about what to look out for as business expands and how to manage the growth.

Topics Include:

  • Scaling a business
     
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
     
  • Working for Abercrombie & Fitch
     
  • Avoiding negative output when hiring staff
Read More
Business, China, LifestyleRicomanagement, scalingComment
Ep 31 - Meeting Two New Friends A Week w/ Heather Shuster olliworld.com
Ep 31 - Meeting Two New Friends A Week w/ Heather Shuster olliworld.com

In one of my (Rico) favourite episodes I sat down with Co-Founder of Olli and Enter China member Heather Shuster (also known as Indiana Jones in the community) about her journey sourcing from Sri Lanka and manufacturing fair trade rubber footwear in China:

Topics Incl:

  • Her journey to China
     
  • Why she chose to go out searching rubber plantations in Sri Lanka
     
  • Being called "Mr. Shuster"
     
  • Making the decision to meet two new friends a week for self-improvement
Read More
Kickstarter, Enter China, Networking, Crowdfunding, China, BusinessRicoComment
Ep 30 - International Business Payments Using Bitcoin? w/ Neil Woodfine COO @ Remitsy.com
Ep 30 - International Business Payments Using Bitcoin? w/ Neil Woodfine COO @ Remitsy.com

In this episode we had the pleasure of talking to Neil Woodfine COO of Remitsy. His Fintech startup processes international payment into China (at the moment) through Bitcoin. Which allows for faster and cheaper transactions than your typical international wire transfer.

Topics Incl:

  • What Bitcoin and Blockchain tech is and how it's going to affect the future.
     
  • How you can save money on international payments through Remitsy's service.
     
  • Why YOUR banks are trying to adopt the blockchain technology ASAP.
     
  • How convoluted the traditional SWIFT network (wire transfer) system is.
     
  • The biggest misconceptions behind Bitcoin, Blockchain tech and cryptocurrencies in general.
Read More
China, Business, NetworkingRicofinance, factories, fintechComment
Ep 29 - Quality Control 101 in China Manufacturing w/ Renaud Anjoran (SofEast.com)
Ep 29 - Quality Control 101 in China Manufacturing w/ Renaud Anjoran (SofEast.com)

After a bit of a hiatus we're back with a strong episode! We spoke to Renaud Anjoran owner operator of SofEast.com a quality control inspection company in Southern China.

Topics Incl:

  • The most common misconceptions about quality control
     
  • Can you trust your supplier's internal QC department?
     
  • What the hell are Acceptable Quality Control Limit Levels?
     
  • Prevention methods for quality control
Read More
China, BusinessRicofactories, quality control Comment
Ep 28 - Footwear Design, Dealing with China Remotely & High Volume (w/ Ryan Flynn)
Ep 28 - Footwear Design, Dealing with China Remotely & High Volume (w/ Ryan Flynn)

This week's episode was a first! We got the chance to interview a fan of the podcast, he reached to us via email, Rico met him for drinks in the Guangzhou IFC Tower and now he's guest on the show. His name is Ryan Flynn, he's a designer in NYC, who works for a multi-national sportswear brand as their Design Director - specifically in their athletic footwear department. 

Topics Discussed Incl:

  • When working with Chinese trading companies is actually the best option for you
     
  • What happens when your factory switches out materials on you
     
  • Dealing with China remotely
     
  • Ensuring you get the best out of your designs when certain materials are expensive
     
  • How he gets high volume orders done with insane time contraints
Read More
China, Business, NetworkingRicoComment
Ep 27 - How to Avoid the Dreaded "China Day"
Ep 27 - How to Avoid the Dreaded "China Day"

In this short episode ChinaMike & Rico talked about the routines and methods they use to avoid the dreaded "China Day." If you don't know what a "China Day" is, well listen to the episode and found out...

Topics Inc.

  • Setting Up A Routine
     
  • Perspective on the Culture Around You
     
  • Cultivating a Positive Mindset
     
  • Doing Your Research
     
  • Making Local Friend
     
  • Utilizing Local Resources
Read More
China, LifestyleRicoComment
Ep 26 - (Bonus Episode) Goals
Ep 26 - (Bonus Episode) Goals

In this short bonus episode Rico & ChinaMike talked about entrepreneurs and what the importance of setting goals, is to them.

Topics Incl:

  • One goal they succeeded and one goal they failed at last year and why.
     
  • What they've learned about goal setting through trial and error
     
  • Balancing realism and optimism
     
  • How announcing your goals publicly holds you accountable
Read More
Business, LifestyleRicoComment
Ep 25 - Dating in China at 30 - With Chilli (Part 2)
Ep 25 - Dating in China at 30 - With Chilli (Part 2)

Rico had the opportunity to interview Chilli, his ex manager from his English teaching days on being female, 30 and single in China.  This is part 2 of a 3 part episode. We went in deep on marriage on this week!

Topics Incl:

  • Why it's normal for the husband to give his entire salary to his wife
     
  • Chili's friends telling her to date a "hot foreigner" because her English is so good!
     
  • The disadvantages of dating or marrying a someone
     
  • Picking sides between your significant other and your parents
     
  • What you owe your parents if they help you buy a house?
Read More
Lifestyle, ChinaRicodatingComment
Ep 24 - A 6 Month of Review of The Podcast
Ep 24 - A 6 Month of Review of The Podcast

In this short but sweet episode ChinaMike and Rico broke down their favourite Made in China Podcast episodes from the first 6 months of podcast (at the time of the recording).

All podcast episodes mentioned are listed in the resources.

Read More
Amazon FBA, Business, ChinaRicoComment
Ep 23 - EC Success Stories - Over $400K Raised, 2 Kickstarter Campaigns (with Winson Tam)
Ep 23 - EC Success Stories - Over $400K Raised, 2 Kickstarter Campaigns (with Winson Tam)

ChinaMike, Rico & Winson Tam Skyped in from Chicago, Guangzhou & Shenzhen to talk about Winson's insane Ruggie Kickstarter and his previous All Season Sweats campaign which have raised over $400,000 CAD.

Topics Include:

  • Why you should drop a product even after a successful campaign
     
  • How to launch a bootstrapped campaign by offering a % of the raised funds
     
  • Why the "Law of Attraction" isn't just some woo woo bullsh*t
     
  • How Winson leveraged a hometown relationship to get featured on MAJOR news outlets like The Huffington Post
     
  • The 2 must read books for your basic marketing knowledge when outsourcing your campaign
Read More
Crowdfunding, Kickstarter, NetworkingRicoComment
Ep 22 - (Bonus Episode) The Canton Fair - How To Maximize Your Visit
Ep 22 - (Bonus Episode) The Canton Fair - How To Maximize Your Visit

In another short and packed bonus episode ChinaMike & Rico broke down some gems and a few hacks to help you maximize your Canton Fair visit.

Tips include:

  • How to easily register, avoid lining up with 1,000s of people and get your badge
     
  • Accommodation tips you won't find from a Google search
     
  • Some of the best places to eat and meet foreigners and locals
     
  • Why you shouldn't take a quote you get at the fair at face value
     
  • The best ways to come across as sourcing pro when communicating with suppliers
     
  • What type of suppliers to expect and which phase is best for you
Read More
China, Networking, AlibabaRicoCanton Fair, Guangzhou Comments
Ep 21 - Dating in China at 30 - With Chilli (Part 1)
Ep 21 - Dating in China at 30 - With Chilli (Part 1)

Rico had the opportunity to interview Chilli, his ex manager from his English teaching days on being female, 30 and single in China.  This is part 1 of a 3 part episode.

Topics Incl:

  • The pressure being the an only child in China puts on you to appease your parents
     
  • How society perceives a woman who's 30 and single as mentally disturbed
     
  • Jennifer Aniston...
     
  • Short term benefits vs long term negatives of buckling to the pressure
     
  • Why Chilli goes against the grain
Read More
China, LifestyleRicodatingComment
Ep 20 - (Bonus Episode) 7 Lessons Learned About Living in China
Ep 20 - (Bonus Episode) 7 Lessons Learned About Living in China

In this short bonus episode Rico and ChinaMike broke down lessons they've learned about living in China. Topics Discussed Incl:

  • How damn difficult it is to live a healthy life
     
  • Why you can get distracted or complacent
     
  • People are just people
     
  • Just try it!
     
  • Persistence is key
     
  • The USA is not the shit (people are just people)
     
  • Always bring headphones
Read More
China, LifestyleRico Comments