EP 192 - SFA Digital Summit HighPoint Audio - Influencer Marketing, Crowdfunding in COVID-19, with Nalin Chupetcharasopon

Description: Here is one of the topics that we will cover at the Summit. This videocast tackles the importance of Market Research, Influencer Marketing, Crowdfunding in COVID-19, and much more. Check it out!

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EP 191 - The Offbeat Life with Rico Ngoma

In this episode, Debbie Arcangeles speaks with Rico from The Offbeat Life:

“Over the last 5 years, his company has exported over USD 15 million worth of goods globally. Basically, if you want to make something in China — he’s your guy!”

Important Notes:

  • Living an Offbeat Life

  • Being an old soul

  • Moving to China

  • Being a big fan of Tim Ferriss

  • Enjoying High Peak times

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EP 190 - On the Factory Floor Audio: How to Buy a Plastic Injection Mold Machine

This is the audio form of the series “On The Factory Floor.” This episode tackles on how to buy a Plastic Injection Mold Machine

Important Notes:

  • Rico’s unexpected bus ride and cancelled plans

  • Spot if the factory has flow to the production

  • How clean is the factory

  • Are there instructions given to the workers

  • Do the different workstations

  • Who oversees the production

  • Different floors and offices

  • Conclusion or Factory Rating

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EP 189 - On the Factory Floor Audio: LED Assembly House

This is the audio form of the series “On The Factory Floor.” In this episode, Rico visits a LED assembly house.

NOTE: This is a videocast. For visual representation, please check our Youtube Channel.

Important Notes:

  • Spot if the factory has flow to the production

  • How clean is the factory

  • Are there instructions given to the workers

  • Do the different workstations

  • Who oversees the production

  • Different floors and offices

  • Conclusion or Factory Rating

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EP 188 - On the Factory Floor Audio: Yoga & Athleisure Factory Visit

This is the audio form of the series “On The Factory Floor.” In this episode, Rico looks at what’s inside a yoga & athleisure factory.

NOTE: This is a videocast. For visual representation, please check our Youtube Channel.

Important Notes:

  • Spot if the factory has flow to the production

  • How clean is the factory

  • Are there instructions given to the workers

  • Do the different workstations

  • Who oversees the production

  • Different floors and offices

  • Conclusion or Factory Rating

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EP 187 - On the Factory Floor Audio: Inside a High-end Leather Bag Factory

This is the audio form of the series “On The Factory Floor.” This episode describes what’s inside a boutique plastic injection mold & CNC machine factory.


NOTE: This is a videocast. For visual representation, please check our Youtube Channel.


Important Notes:

  • Spot if the factory has flow to the production

  • How clean is the factory

  • Are there instructions given to the workers

  • Do the different workstations

  • Who oversees the production

  • Different floors and offices

  • Conclusion or Factory Rating

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EP 186 - On the Factory Floor Audio: Guangzhou Textile Railway Market

This is the first audio form of a series we’re calling “On The Factory Floor.” This episode describes what it’s like to be at the Guangzhou Textile Railroad Market.

NOTE: This is a videocast. For visual representation, please check our Youtube Channel.


Important Notes:

  • What it’s like to be in the Guangzhou Project

  • Bring Physical Samples with you when roaming around the Market

  • Selecting the right Supplier/Manufacture for your product

  • Research your stuff before going to the Market

  • See how a Sales Agent respond to you

  • How important to keep in touch with your old contacts/suppliers

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EP 185 - On the Factory Floor Audio: Inside a Boutique Plastic Injection Mold and CNC Machine Factory

This is the audio form of the series “On The Factory Floor.” This episode describes what’s inside a boutique plastic injection mold & CNC machine factory.

Important Notes:

  • spot if the factory has flowed to the production

  • How clean is the factory

  • Are there instructions given to the workers

  • Do the different workstations

  • Who oversees the production

  • Different floors and offices

  • Conclusion or Factory Rating

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EP 184 - On the Factory Floor Audio: Inside a High End Cigar & Whiskey Box Manufacturer

This is the first audio form of a series we’re calling “On The Factory Floor.” This episode describes what’s inside a high-end cigar & whiskey box manufacturer.


Important Notes:

  • spot if the factory has flowed to the production

  • How clean is the factory

  • Are there instructions given to the workers

  • Do the different workstations

  • Who oversees the production

  • Different floors and offices

  • Conclusion or Factory Rating

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EP 183 - Don’t Negotiate Too Much With Your Suppliers

Obviously, 2017-2018 was a different time. Rico shares a fresh take on Negotiating too much with your factory. If you are talking to a factory right now, listen to this.

By the way we are launching a free evergreen conference that we’re running year-round. Along with enthralling topics in the physical manufacturing space.

Sound off in the comments section below for specific topics that you want to hear, and questions that you want answered.

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EP 182 - Preparing for a Crowdfunding Campaign from a Sourcing Standpoint

Description: Citing Coolest Cooler Crowdfunding in Kickstarter, Rico lays down some key-points that can help you prepare a successful Crowdfunding when launching your first ODM product in the market.

Important Notes:

- Focusing more on Marketing and not Sourcing

- Don’t over complicate your first Product

- Allocate Enough Time for Mass Production

- Plan ahead, and allocate enough Budget

- 4 Key-points for Preparing a Crowdfunding

By the way we are launching a free evergreen conference that we’re running year-round. Along with enthralling topics in the physical manufacturing space.

Sound off in the comments section below for specific topics that you want to hear, and questions that you want answered.

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EP 181 - Don't Be Fooled By "Overnight Factories"

Description: From their experience of inspecting many factories over the past, Rico shares subtleties and how to spot them when you are about to be fooled by an “Overnight Factory.” If you want to know more, make sure to listen to this podcast until the end.

By the way, we are launching a free evergreen conference that we’re running year-round. Along with enthralling topics in the physical manufacturing space.

Sound off in the comments section below for specific topics that you want to hear, and questions that you want to be answered.

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EP 180 - What it's like during Chinese New Year in China

Description:

In this episode, Rico describes what it’s like to experience Chinese New Year in China. He shares the contrasts of the week-long holiday compared to the normal days in the country. Make sure to tune in and get some tips on what to do next year!

By the way, we are launching a free evergreen conference that we’re running year-round. Along with enthralling topics in the physical manufacturing space.

Sound off in the comments section below for specific topics that you want to hear, and the questions you want to be answered.

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EP 179 - Rico's Ruminations on The Difficulties of Hiring & Managing Staff Part 1

Description:

Rico looks back to the previous employees he had, how he managed them. He also talks about transitioning from being a lone wolf to a manager. He also shares about how to let go of that control to someone that will manage a team in the company.


- Previous employees, current employees, and high retention rates in SFA

- The difficulties when hiring employees, building an identity being en employee

- His teaching experience in Organic, working with his students

- Being too “Buddy-buddy” to his early staff, separating himself from his staff

- Having good employees, and spreading his self too thin on SFA

- Hiring inexperienced staff and delegating tasks that got out of hand

- Being reminded of the values and ethos of the company by an employee

- Shifting his mindset from employee to employer, setting boundaries and core values

- Trusting your own staff more

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EP 178 - Rico's Ruminations - On Failure Part 2
EP 177 - Rico's Ruminations - Rico on Failure Part 1

Description: Sits down and looks back on his early days in SFA. He talks about how to get by on bad decisions, selecting clients, and being blamed for failures on the project.

- SFA being audited, being forced to look back on past projects

- Not being proactive about dealing with products and selecting clients

- Pressure on operational expenses, getting clients during Chinese New Year

- Dealing with stubborn clients in the early days of SFA

- Being blamed by a client for lack of progress

- Consequences of clients that don’t read proposals/contracts

- Cancelling a project before starting it, dealing with clients that request refunds

- Trusting your gut when doing big decisions

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EP 176 - Music Behind the Pod EP 17-20

Description:

Rico talks about how conscious are they when choosing their Outro Music in the early days of Made in China Podcast. In this bonus episode, they talk about how relevant it is to them and how would you understand them through music.


Music in the Podcast:

Middle Feat. Bipolar Sunshine by DJ Snake

Walking on a Dream by Empire of the Sun

Paradise Lost by Rick Ross

Kick Push by Lupe Fiasco

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EP 175 - Amazon Listings Built to Last with Emma Schermer Tamir

Description:

In this episode, Rico interviews Emma Schermer Tamir, the owner and founder of Marketing by Emma — an Amazon Listing Optimization company. She talks about how it is to transition from a passionate writer to a business person and how hard to give up the control in order for her business to move forward. Check out out the whole story below.


Important Notes:

- Marketing as a great space on understanding how humans work and help businesses find success

- Teaching English as means to live migrate and live to another country

- Amazon FBA Community being relatively a small space in Business, Current Amazon FBA Climate

- Amazon Listing Optimization, Keyword Strategy, SEO, and Copywriting to help product/brand success

- An E-Commerce page is equivalent of your listing, the misconception of selling to everybody and taking on your biggest competitor

- How can a customer effectively choose your product

- How decision-paralysis costs her time and how she minimizes it, how hard to let go of her control to move forward

- Mentoring Writers, Operating the Business on a bigger picture, Being a Business Person first then Artist second

- Growing their business during the pandemic, Success in business with honesty and integrity

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EP 174 - Music Behind the Pod EP 14-16

Rico talks about how conscious are they when choosing their Outro Music in the early days of Made in China Podcast. In this bonus episode, they talk about how relevant it is to them and how would you understand them through music.

Music in the Podcast:

Work feat. Drake by Rihanna

Say Whatchu Want by Zein BassFlexx

Death and All His Friends by Coldplay

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EP 173 - From Newscasting to China Blogger to Author with Nicole Webb

Description:

With her book releasing, Rico chats with Nicole Webb, author of the “China Blonde.” In this episode, they talk about the story behind the book, moving to a foreign country with no one but her family, and her sheer persistence to get to the life she wanted.

Important Notes:

- Moving out from New Zealand to Hong Kong, raising a kid in Hong Kong

- How amazing the landscape and culture in Hong Kong, moving to Xi’an

- Their first encounter on Cross Border Summit as an emcee

- Starting a blog, being a journalist and the voice of her blog, and monetizing it

- The story behind her book, “China Blonde”

- The language barrier she encountered in Hong Kong

- The contrast between Mainland China and Hong Kong

- Interviewing locals and expats on the start of her blog and book

- Difference between writing for journalism and writing a book

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