Professor’s Story: How Howard Thai Got Into The Ecommerce Game [OG Story]

In this episode, we uncover the secrets behind their remarkable rise, exploring everything from their humble beginnings as eBay sellers to navigating the intricacies of cross-border trade. Get ready to be inspired as they reveal invaluable insights, from the differences between Chinese and Western sellers to the essential traits that set 8-figure entrepreneurs apart. Plus, stay tuned for an exclusive sneak peek into their upcoming ventures, including the much-anticipated Secret Island Mastermind event and their insightful talks at the Cross Border Summit. So, grab your headphones and prepare for a riveting conversation packed with wisdom, experience, and the entrepreneurial spirit!

Thank you, Howard, for generously sharing your invaluable insights and inspiring journey with us. Your wisdom and experiences are truly appreciated!

√ Howard’s VIP Page
√ Howard’s AI Amazon agency – signalytics.ai
√ Howard’s ESS 2023 Secret Island Mastermind, Nov 4 – 8, 2023 – elitesellersociety.com/ess2023
√ Howard will be a speaker and mastermind workshop at Cross Border Summit, Nov 15-17, 2023 – 2023.crossbordersummit.com
√ Visit our GFA partner –  Mercury  – for US banking solutons for your ecommerce businesss
√ Visit our GFA partner –  Casia Cross Better Logistics  – for your logistics needs

Thank you, Howard, for your enlightening insights, and a heartfelt thank you to our listeners for tuning in and being a part of this enriching conversation.

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[00:00:00] Episode 415 of Global From Asia. We’re doing a storytelling time. This, the origins of the professor of Amazon, Howard Tai. A friend, speaker at Cross Border Summit. Also doing an amazing Secret Island Mastermind. Welcome to the Global From Asia Podcast, where the daunting process of running an international business is broken down into straight up actionable advice.

And now, your host, Michael [00:00:30] Michelini. Thank you so much for choosing to watch, or probably listen to, Global From Asia podcast. We’re at 415 shows. One month, just a little bit over a month to go before cross border summit 2023, the fifth one. Can’t really say annual, but fifth. Also, the professor here, professor will be there as a speaker at the cross border summit.

Also, he’s doing an amazing [00:01:00] secret elite seller society mastermind on the island in The South of Thailand, November 4th to the 8th. We will get into that into the show as well So amazing stuff happening here in November in Thailand Lot of stuff happening and we are feeling like we’re getting back to the you know Back to the normal world at least in my world of reality of you know, open borders new beginnings as we say Let’s tune into this [00:01:30] show and then after I will you know, chat a little bit about you know So highlights, I think, will be coming up in his island mastermind.

Also, let him know you found out from us when you apply to application only. Also, some cross border summit. To paths and things happening, but let’s tune into the show. All right. We have Tommy, the sales manager at cross better logistics. How are you, Tommy? Hi. We just got to meet here in Shenzhen, China.

It’s great. Uh, they support the show at global from [00:02:00] Asia. And we also use them ourselves for many of our brands and e commerce businesses. And Tommy really cares. They always are, uh, try to help us save money. You know, not you have some products you keep for us in China. You have some products you keep for us.

It’s in the U. S. warehouse and, uh, I really appreciate that. And you’ll, you can talk to the seller, right? You can give them your advice. You work with many Chinese sellers a lot, right? And you can help, um, help the [00:02:30] sellers understand more. Yeah, we are very professional for the shipment to U. S. A. and Canada.

Also we have warehouse in U. S. A. and Canada. We can help our factories, suppliers, sellers for the shipment. Yes. Yeah, yeah. For the e-commerce ities. Yep. And you even keep stuff, uh, in China too. So sometimes if you have the limitations about sending too much to Amazon, you keep it here in China with, with, uh, cross Better.

Or you can send of course to [00:03:00] the US warehouse, they have many different options and they’re always trying their best to find, uh, find out what’s the best solution for you. Yeah. So definitely talk to Tommy, talk to Cross Better, and thank you for your, uh, support of the. Yes. We have good pricing and the better service.

Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much. All right. Thank you everybody for tuning into our global from Asia podcast. This is, I’m looking forward to this. Howard’s been on the show at least a few times. The professor. Nice to have you [00:03:30] back. Howard. How are you doing? Great. Thanks Mike for having me on. Yeah, we’ve, we’ve, we’ve, we’ve had some more technical discussions about like, you know, in the past and previous episodes on the show about like, you know, the Chinese sellers versus like, you know, Western sellers and I’ve talked to some technical stuff, but today is a little bit more like the story, your story, I’m excited, like how we met and then how you got started on e commerce and to China and everything.

So you ready for today? Oh yeah, I’m [00:04:00] ready. Great. So I think a lot of people know you as the professor. You’re also have been doing a great agency work with Signalytics. You founded and CEO of Signalytics and also the ESS or elite sellers society, mastermind group and community. So it’s, it’s really a pleasure to have you back on the show and to see you, to see you grow, you know, I think.

Maybe we start with how we first met. We first met in Shenzhen, I think it was 2017 or so, where Thompson, [00:04:30] NYPD pizza, anybody in Shenzhen should know, know the pizza delivery. It’s great pizza. And you guys have been friends from LA and I think you guys are. He swung by, I had a pizza, he brought a pizza and you came along and it was, you guys were hanging out and we were talking in my place and talk about e commerce and connecting about things.

And I think I’m right, right? So that was a funny, I remember it was with Thompson and then we met through him [00:05:00] and. I don’t, that’s very, that’s a long time ago, that’s 2017. You’re right. Uh, that’s before I think I went to a couple of your math or you’re like, no, uh, cross border, uh, summit thing as well. And we did, yeah, we were doing meetups too.

That was a good old days in Shenzhen where there was lots of community events that you had at the, you were having, there was the events at the Mambo, I think, and there was events. You know, I think Zach had meetups and everybody’s having a lot of cool stuff [00:05:30] going on. But yeah, yeah, that’s right. Like, yeah, you’d come to the cross border summit.

You’re also spoken there a few times. You’ll be back again. We’re bringing it back. So it’s great to have you back. And, but yeah, I think it was a, it was a great, great way to connect with you and yeah, in the community. And we obviously knew a lot of common friends in the industry. I remember when we first connected.

So it’s been awesome to, uh, build our, our friendship and our relationship. Uh, yes, I [00:06:00] remember that. I went to one, one or two of your summits, your cross border. Yeah, I speaking in one of them on, in Guang Jo. I, yeah, the Guang Jo 2019. And then, yeah. Uh, and then we went, there was other things. So I remember like my first mastermind was in in 2018, so that was, I know, a new year before that.

So, Yeah. Yeah, it’s great man. And then let’s go back to your story, [00:06:30] like you’ve also been doing e I think also eBay. I think a lot of us were eBay. I, uh, so I think you started on e-commerce and eBay and when you were, ’cause you’re from LA originally. I remember you have a cool v maybe we could connect your vlog.

You have a video blog I, I watched about your story in California, but yeah. You’re originally, originally from California, right. And, and you were doing eBay while you were there. So let me tell you my story. So I was, I’m actually born in LA, born and raised in LA. [00:07:00] So regarding eBay, right? I came out of a college in UC San Diego is actually the college at third go Marshall computer science and engineer back in like 2002 or something like that.

And then I had a lot of books. Books and these Microsoft software and things like that, that they give away. So when I had, when I collections of them, you know, because, because I’m a computer science major, these big software companies like Microsoft wants you, you [00:07:30] to use their software growing up, you know, like getting out there and, uh, World so that you know how to program theirs and using their systems, their programming language, C sharp and so on.

So, you know, that’s kind of like where we kind of came out from. And then we kind of use those, those books and, and the software and try to sell it on eBay in the beginning. And that’s where I started with eBay. And then after that, I then came out and worked with one of my mom’s friend. [00:08:00] To start up a like e commerce kind of company, uh, with that, we’re selling like ink cartridges.

Then they moved on to like cell phone accessories, iPod, iPads, and ebook. And like these netbooks back in the days. Yeah, it was a lot of, it was, we were like one of the first to sell a lot of these stuff, like Apple accessories, HDMI cables and so on. So if you see on eBay, those, these, these multi pack, right.

You see like a iPhone [00:08:30] charger with a cable, with a case, you know, and, and it’s like a, like a bundle pack kind of thing. We were the one that kind of first started it, sending for city and all those bigger sellers on eBay. Yeah, yeah, then, then that was 2000 and I think that’s 2003, 20, 2000, 2003. Then we kind of broke up with my, with my partner.

And then I think we started our other company, 2005 [00:09:00] or seven. Then, then we started a multi country marketplaces, you know, we didn’t just sell on eBay or Amazon or other, there was like a shop. com in the U S raccoon tent in the U S we do it for every country. We’re talking about UK, France, back then price minister.

And then we did a raccoon tent, Japan. We did Marlboro Libre and so on. We did everything. So that’s where we [00:09:30] kind of started. One of the first to do a multi channel and multi country. Yeah. So back to eat. Well, it’d be probably was just shipping out of your, maybe even your dorm or fulfillment probably was just off in the U S right.

I mean, would you buy from China and import, I mean, the books, I guess you had, but maybe the electronics you were buying most, most likely from China where you’re importing it, then warehousing it in like California and [00:10:00] then sending, or were you. Fulfilling from a China or I was, I was importing it from China first and then so, so 2020, 2003 we imported.

So we are, ever since then we just import everything. We were pretty, pretty early in there before like global sources really being popular and so on. So that’s. Kind of where we started and yeah, it was kind of, I would say [00:10:30] I started selling in my car. I have like a, I have, I have all the inventory in the, in the back of my car and then a trunk.

And then I go to these, they call it cafe places or Boba places, tea places. And we just sit there and then we, and we just like hook up our power to there where we can find power and then just print out the labels and then ship it out. Yeah. Through USPS, and then later on, we, we, [00:11:00] we then went to like kind of rented my friend’s house to do more bulk shipments, DHL global mail, or they call it now DHL e commerce we had and so on.

So it was kind of started in the back of my car, actually. That’s awesome, man. Yeah. Me like, yeah, all of us, especially those days was, yeah, I, I’m a little bit later oh four, but I was using my apartment, my studio apartment, and then I couldn’t even get to, to [00:11:30] recce receive it. ’cause I was, I was working and so I had to go to the u p s store, pick up facility or something.

And then, yeah, it was like everybody was just hustling there just. The logistics was really a nightmare earlier those days, like, yeah, cars and apartments and basements and, you know, maybe UPS. I think you could do some UPS store, but it was. Well, I don’t think maybe they would hold it. They would receive it.

You had to take it. I can’t remember, but it wasn’t that many [00:12:00] fulfillment like options then that I think was all just developing. So, so that’s a cool story. And then, but then you came to China, right? I mean, Do you, you know, maybe share how you came to China? So, so like 2005, let’s say I broke up with the old partner.

Then we went and then I did my own thing and that’s where the, we were packing in the back of the car and stuff. So [00:12:30] 2008, I’ve decided that we should. Be going to China instead, because that’s when we’re like Alibaba or popular, right back there. And then people are, because we’re, we’re one of the first, like kind of importers and stuff, people are buying wholesale from us.

On the things that we were selling and we wanted to make sure that they keep on buying from us, but I, but our prices cannot compete with them buying directly from China. So we wanted to be the ones [00:13:00] in China selling it to the people in the U S at that time. So we wanted, so we jumped over and then me and my wife at the time that she was working at Walgreen as a store manager, uh, she went with me, China and she quit her job.

So we were like, for, for, for my side, I wasn’t that worried, but for her side, she’s just quit her job to kind of go with me in China. So we always had this idea of, Hey, what if we can make, you know, American [00:13:30] dollars in China, that would be a lot. Cooler, because everything is a lot priced lower than the U. S.

and so on. And also the foreign earned income thing that they have for the U. S. people. Yeah, that’s true. Well, this is cool. So, yeah, I didn’t bring up your wife. I think you, I remember from your vlog, you met in college, right? What is your university Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Diego. So you guys met there, which is cool.

So, [00:14:00] so yeah, I was actually met her in community college because I was actually transferred from San Marino high school to, to like somewhere in Massachusetts. And it was kind of not, not right. The weather is like too cold because it was snowing all the time and, and so on. And I’m the LA guy, right? I don’t, I’m not used to the snow and it’s kind of boring.

I feel like I came back, I wanted to get away from my friends and really study. So, [00:14:30] uh, so then I came back and then I had to go through a community college. Computer is called PPP, PCC, uh, Pasadena city college. Then where that’s where we met. In the calculus class and then, and then that’s where, what happened and then we got together when I was 18, she was 18 and, and so on.

That’s where we met. Yeah. I mean, I remember you guys, even during COVID, you were, you know, you guys are always like, like, you know, like especially COVID, you know, like all of us, we’re all kind of locked [00:15:00] down or quarantined. You guys been through a lot, you know, together, you know, and then even in. Go. She quit.

So yeah, it seems like you’re a lucky guy. She seems very supportive, which is awesome. Did, did the families support this or what was that? Hard to move, uh, because I, you know, your family probably Hong Kong background, that moved, immigrated to the US or something, or Correct, yes. Uh, into the us And so it was kind of, [00:15:30] it wasn’t that bad because.

They’re used to us being independent and because we’re always not in at home. So we just, when we moved, we just moved and weren’t, we’re okay at the age. So like 20, I think it was 30 something. I don’t remember. We went to China in 2009. That’s when we started. So 2009, I forgot exactly, it was like almost 15, 16 years.

I don’t know, but yeah, so it was kind of hard in the very beginning because we don’t [00:16:00] have a place. We had to go over there and set up an office and so on. So we had a friend there and he helped a little bit. And so that’s where we set up our own office in China in 2009 doing Amazon, which is, which is, uh, one of the first Amazon sellers in China.

Yeah, for sure. Cause I think I remember. A lot of Chinese couldn’t sell on Amazon without a U. S. company. I think it was until 2011 or 2012 that Chinese sellers could use Chinese [00:16:30] companies to sell. I remember that, because I remember a lot of Chinese were asking me to help them open U. S. companies to get on Amazon in those days, because they couldn’t sell direct yet, I think.

Well, of course, we sometimes have arguments, it’s hard, it works out. Yeah, of course. I’ve dodged plates a few times myself, so, but let’s move on and she’s the best of the [00:17:00] best. If she’s listening to, to, to this episode, baby, you’re the best. Yeah, I think we’re both lucky. I mean, yeah, Catalina seems great. We were just, I was just chatting to her the other day and my wife, Wendy’s is supportive, you know, I think the, it’s important to have a stable, you know, supportive partner in our, our, especially high stress, high risk kind of environments.

So yeah, let’s move on. So then you’re in China in 2009 and you’re selling on [00:17:30] Amazon, one of the first. Yeah. I mean, I think, yeah, Amazon wasn’t many third party sellers still. I mean, so that’s awesome. And. What, what was kind of the evolution is I think, you know, you’ve been on like a lot of great press. I think it was wall street journal with the video about your working with factories and sellers in China.

Like, I don’t know how you want to transition to that or, you know, and I know your Nick, I think I know where your nickname came from, but I, maybe we can get into that, but I don’t, is that the right next step in the story? Like, [00:18:00] so 2009, I. He landed in China, set up a company and we started growing it. At that time, the salary was like 800 to 1000 RMB per person.

So it was really, that is like a hundred to 200 USD. If he knows who trans currency, trans exchange. So. We grew it, right? Pretty, pretty big. We grew it to about 150 people. So we actually had a house in the U. [00:18:30] S. with maybe like 80 to 90 people. And then we had, in China, we had another, like, almost another 70 or 80 people doing it.

So 150 people, let’s say. And we were doing like 20, 000 orders a day. We were doing a lot of, a lot of, uh, a lot of sales volume. And then after a while, we also went onto the hoverboards. Yeah, we did a lot of hovers or boards. We were the best seller on hoverboards on Amazon. [00:19:00] We were doing like a thousand orders, but on just hoverboards.

Right. But these, so then, but then these prices are between 499 to 800. So we’re like. Really, really good. And also we were selling international. So it was more like half of our orders from was from the U. S. and the other half was the rest of the world. We’re talking about Japan with France and the U. K.

and Canada and everywhere else that at that time [00:19:30] Amazon was having as their other countries marketplace. It was doing really good. It was on new egg, it was on eBay, everything like that. So then there’s the incidents with batteries because at that time, a lot of Chinese sellers was trying to make a profit, but they had to like have less.

Less quality insurance in order to make that profit. So that was the one, that thing that hurt us where we were really, as an American, [00:20:00] it’s really hard for us to not have good quality because you’re here and you’re kind of scared, you know, you, to you that you might get, like we say, your explosion, you know, the battery exploding and everything.

It’s like that we, we try not to get into so, but Amazon said, Hey, everything, all hoverboards gets taken down. So then we got all our hoverboards kind of taken down and then they wanted this, the [00:20:30] UL certified, and then we got that. But before that, before we get the UL certified, they’re telling Amazon, telling everyone to return all the hoverboards, right?

Because there were at the time they were kind of. They felt like there’s bad press and everything, but we sold a lot, right? We’re selling a thousand a day and they’re expensive, $499 to $800, so we’re selling a lot, and when they tell us to return it, we had to set up a quality, like a facility. [00:21:00] You return that time, you’re not able to sell it again.

First of all, the hoverboards are kind of. Sound is ready and like a taboo kind of ready and then you’re trying to fix it up and resell it back out. It’s even worse Yeah, so it was really hard. We lost like so much money We lost two houses and and and that’s where my wife was getting kind of really depressed It was a lot of money in the house and, and so on.

So then [00:21:30] I transitioned to teaching. So we, we, we created myself, uh, I was teaching at University, which is, that’s where the professor came out. Yeah. That’s where the name came from. The professor of Amazon. So then, then I, then we did this mastermind in 2010, in, I guess it’s in. In Ji Hotel. Yeah. Yeah.

Remember? Yeah. So that’s where, that’s where we started. And there w people were like really [00:22:00] crazy about understanding what is the Chinese doing at that time. Mm-hmm. , why are they just selling so good so fast, so much and, and so on. So that’s where I, professor Amazon came about and the hoverboard is, came about to be,

Bad day because we lost all this money. Oh yeah, it is, man. It is, it’s always scary. Even right now, like for me personally, my credit card’s not working. They changed the [00:22:30] credit card number on the virtual bank account. I use Mercury or even a sponsor podcast. I got, they changed all the credit cards on all their accounts.

And it failed. So Amazon’s locked me out, not locked me out, but it just says you can’t do anything until you update your credit card. And the new card is not processing literally like just the last 24 hours. They froze my payment payout. I’m trying to think, I guess I’ll have to use a personal credit card.

Cause I don’t have a business credit card on that account, you know? So it’s a, yeah, it’s always been, it’s always [00:23:00] nerve wracking. This stuff. Yeah. And be careful to not, uh, be careful to not have it on multiple accounts. If I, I know this is what I’m worried about. I’m trying to talk to the support cause I just want to use the card on the company name, on that file, on that address.

That’s what I’m trying to figure out what to do. To be honest, I don’t want to put a different card. Different, like, card. So I’m trying to think. One of the ways that Amazon links through credit card. That’s [00:23:30] easy, right? A number. It’s easy, it’s unique. Well, I do have a different card number, or I can make it generate another number, but the address would be a different address.

I don’t know. Anyways, yeah, I don’t know. And then the address would be the same as the other card. On the other account. So they would maybe have the address would be the same address. They only look at zip codes if they do.

Well, the zip is the zip is [00:24:00] Hong Kong 0 0 0. So I don’t, yeah, maybe it’ll work. I’m going to literally got emailed before recording. They said they they’re freezing the payout. It’s like, you know, payout time. So, uh, maybe I have to use a personal, but okay, so let’s move on. But yeah, it’s exactly. Exactly. So cool that you kind of covered the story of the professor from Zhongshan University, which is awesome.

And then, yeah, of course, you’ve kind of helped both, right? You’ve helped Chinese sellers and you’ve helped, you know, [00:24:30] Western sellers with the masterminds, which is cool and unique. Most, most people just are able to kind of do one side or the other. So, of course, work was awesome. Many sellers, especially these masterminds you’re doing, and you have one coming up here very quickly in a couple of weeks, right at the beginning of November, we’ll link in the show notes at EliteSellerSociety.

com slash ESS 2023. It’s in Copan, Young Island. It’s like an island, secret islands, mastermind, and you’ve done quite a few [00:25:00] others. Very premium. What, what do you see that, you know, separates? You know, these eight, seven, eight figure sellers from maybe new or seller, six figures or guys that just don’t, don’t, don’t continue or, or, or don’t work out.

Like what, what do you think separates the big, you know, the successful from the not. So I see a lot of sellers and a lot of sellers are the smaller sellers. The one that gives up all the time would give up are the ones that won’t take the extra mile and just like push through [00:25:30] there. Maybe they’re almost there, but they just.

Gave up, you know, giving up is the worst thing because you’ll never be able to reach it So it’s like a lot of like they don’t want to learn new things They’re just stagnant of where they are, but everyone knows when they’re talking about amazon It’s like it’s ever changing you have to always kind of come up with new strategies You got to come up with new techniques to To grow because Amazon’s C.

1. S. Changes all time and in the stuff that used to [00:26:00] work isn’t working anymore. So it has to be people who are able to learn new things and be able to adapt and be able to take the pressure that Amazon is not. It’s just up and downs all the time. So you got to make sure that you can be able to take the take all that pressure from Amazon.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Like, it’s seriously, you feel like you’re battling with them. Every time you got to update something, update even just, I feel like, because [00:26:30] I feel like just keeping the account active. Sometimes it’s like a fight, right? Like, geez, man, like, oh, you got to upload new doc tax documents or this document or credit cards updating of.

Verifying this and yeah, of course, compliance and yeah, so it’s true. It’s like, I think, guess what you’re saying is also mindset, right. And, and perseverance to just, you know, and I I’ve, I’ve had to book a gladiator e commerce gladiator and that did. Little miniseries and it [00:27:00] feels like we’re, you know, as a seller, you’re like a gladiator and in modern times, like you got to have that mindset to succeed and to win and to, but I like that.

I like that. I also like, I always think that like that when people started learning is when they start reaching that 10 million mark. That’s when I see that people are starting to up their game. A lot of people like back in the days, like they, they get lucky sometimes. They got an amazing product. They got in the right time, the right place, [00:27:30] and they did really good.

And then, and then that’s where they’re stagnant because they have to learn new things or do new operations in order for you to be able to go through another barrier. Go to the next level. Got it. Yeah. No, that’s true to scale. Yeah. You have to like add products. You have to learn how to launch. Yeah. You got it.

Or go multi markets or channels. Yeah. And you have to keep pushing yourself. How about Chinese sellers versus [00:28:00] like Western sellers? Are there, you know, differences? And of course, obviously there’s similarities or not just like to generalize, but just in general, like what are some of the differences? You say, cause you, you know, both.

So the Chinese sellers are mainly playing within the sandbox of Amazon, right? They do PBC, they do DSP. They do, they do optimizing on their Amazon side. They only can [00:28:30] do Amazon because a lot of the other stuff, the, the, the, the, the shiny, the shiny new object face. Google or what was the other one?

Instagram or TikTok. Of course. So there’s, I don’t even, I’m losing track of the newer ones. I think there’s even newer ones. No, I’m hearing about all these shiny objects aren’t able to be done in China because they’re all blocked through the great wall, right? Yeah, so the, the firewall of [00:29:00] China, so they’re not able to do it, so that’s why they could only stay within that bubble of Amazon, so, but then there’s, they’re doing it, they’re grinding and they’re learning within the Amazon ecosystem, they know what to do because they focus all their mind, all their What’s There the whole time on time, while we have other people with, with like a lot of, uh, shiny objects, Instagram, uh, social media, influencer marketing, Google, [00:29:30] Facebook websites, Shopify website.

Just, just a lot of stuff. So then they divert their, all their, their like, uh, time into going through all these different places, which they . People in China are just still in that little bubble of Amazon. That’s why they could navigate in Amazon so much better than maybe the Western culture sellers. True.

No, I agree. And you know, Chinese are just, you know, like even, [00:30:00] even before I came to China, you know, you go to China towns, right? They’re all around the world. They work hard, you know, Chinese people, of course, you know, the black hat people are critical about, but black hat or not Chinese work hard, right?

And the business ethics and the work ethic, they’ll do it. They’ll do what it takes, you know, whereas I think, you know, I don’t want to get like, you know, but some, some Western sellers, you know, or don’t want to push it as far as they have to go, you know, of course they’re obviously I’m generalizing. I won’t like be [00:30:30] raising, but I do agree with you to a point.

Yeah. Because like everyone in the U S at least. Yeah, they know about this book called for our work week, right? Yeah, trying to do Amazon. That’s a good point to be like you laying on the beach. I’m on the beach all day and laying on the beach in Thailand and don’t have to do much work. You have a lot of those so China they have that nine nine six, right?

Yeah am p. m [00:31:00] Six days a week. So they’re at that mindset and for for their culture or their education in China They’re known to be really really fast at doing stuff. You know, like the Factory workers, right? They always do the same thing over and over again. Or when they go to school, they just keep on practicing math, practicing math over again so that they become the best.

So when they do something, they do it fast and quick, you know? So that’s where the [00:31:30] big advantage of them, because if they know how to do something and they’ll keep on doing it fast and quick, so like launching a product is a cycle, keep on pushing new products out, you know, keep on going, keep on going, you know, and they have.

Of course, when you get success in doing one product, you have, you have that dopamine, you know, and then you want to do it again and again and again, you know, exactly. This is fun. Yeah, it’s true. I mean, I think anybody Chinese or Westerners listening would agree, [00:32:00] you know, of course, there’s exceptions.

There’s lazy Chinese and there’s lazy or there’s hardworking Westerners, you know, like that. But I think generally. That’s, uh, the way, you know, I think a lot of it is almost true, like Tim Ferriss or 4 Hour Workweek or the Digital Nomads, they try to do, I work, I work hard, I do a million things, so, yeah, but I mean, uh, you know, a lot of people are trying to, uh, do the little as possible, which I think is a mistake as well, there’s a saying about the coconut cowboy I heard, and I [00:32:30] think about, but some people just try to like live in Thailand, I heard people say, if I just get 200 a month, I can live here, 300, I can like, They think about the bare minimum they need to live.

And they just try to make that amount to pay their rents and their food, you know, and I’m like, man, that’s not the right mindset, you know, like, that’s not, it’s not the right mindset. So I know we got short on time. I know you’re super busy. Appreciate coming on. Let’s talk about your secret island mastermind in November.

You know, the [00:33:00] show will come out in the middle of October. So it’s just a couple weeks away. I already, I know, like, I met some people coming there. What, what are the dates? And then give us a little bit of preview about it. For the mastermind, it’s called at least seller society. 2023 mastermind, but the theme of it is a secret island.

So we’re going to take you on to a secret island where we could be showing you some of the cool stuff that big sellers are doing. We’re bringing people from [00:33:30] China, two or three sellers to teach. About what the Chinese are doing and that they’re growing 20, 30 to 40 percent year over year still right now, all the, all the sellers that you think about that got suspended because of a real manipulation are all back on Amazon and going fat.

So you can’t keep them out too long, right? True. So yeah, and then we got people from Ukraine coming and also worldwide, you know, [00:34:00] you have like all these big sellers from all over the world that, that we, we know, and we think that is. more practical for people to learn from. So we try to pick, I go to a lot of masterminds, I try to find the best of the best to come to the, to my ESS 223 or mastermind.

So it’s kind of going to be really good. And it’s going to be first, we’re going to meet in Kosomoe in November 4th. And then we’re going to take you on [00:34:30] November 5th. We’re going to go take you on to that private secret island. And then we’re going to do some team building, networking, and just building up that tribal feel.

Now on the 6th we’re going to have that mastermind. So we’re gonna just. Teach and learn and and and do that on the seventh night time. We’re going to have this jungle party. So that’s where we’re going to have all the fun on. And then after a, the, the, after seventh, then we’re going to go [00:35:00] on. Eighth is when we all leave.

We’re going to take you back. From the secret island to Koh Samui, and then that’s where we depart. So it’s going to be a pretty five days, four nights. Yeah. All all inclusive is yeah. The, the, the landing page is great. People should check it out again. We’ll link it in the show notes, but yeah.

EliteSailorSociety. com slash ESS2023 the island is there and everything. So yeah, November [00:35:30] 4th for five days, four nights, all inclusive, it’ll, it’ll be epic and it’s application only. They got to make sure you’re right fit. It’s a premium event. So, so then definitely maybe let them know that you heard about it from us.

Uh, no, give you a little preferential treatment there. And so. I’ve, uh, yeah, I’ve met people already planning to go, which is awesome. And then afterwards, and after this amazing island, we’re, we’re going to get to see you here in Chiang Mai, up in the mountains, no islands in the [00:36:00] north, but in Chiang Mai, you’ll be here, uh, for the cross border summit, which we mentioned earlier, you’ve spoken in 2019 and been to them in the past.

So it’d be great to have you sharing with us a session and, uh, connecting with our, uh, you know, our, um, attendees. Thanks for making it out here. No problem. Anything for Mike, you know, yeah, we picked, we’ve been talking about the topic, but the trifecta, the trifecta of the [00:36:30] balancing now AI, of course, which you do a lot with the signal litics, you know, I know you guys really specializing in AI, AI and PPC and ranking right and how to balance those to maximize.

Maximize, uh, your, the seller’s profit, not Amazon’s profit. You know, I feel like Amazon’s learning to maximize they’re using AI to maximize their profit, you know what I mean? Like from us as a seller. So I’m excited for yours, your session there in November 16th, 17th. So November’s going to be action packed.

[00:37:00] And well, I think, I think, yeah, I mean, I know you’ve got another session coming up and it’s a pleasure to have you. This would be a fun show to share for the books. You know, the professor’s story is what we’re calling it. And I learned a couple of new things about the story. And it’s always motivating to hear people’s early days, you know, selling out of a back, back of your car in LA to where you are now is an amazing achievement.

So congrats. And it’s great to be your friend and in, you know, working with you hours. So thank you. [00:37:30] No problem. Thank you. And thank you to our sponsor, our returning sponsor, Mercury. com online bank. Well, it’s a real bank, but you can totally online for us. Our blimp program participants are going through this as well.

Thank you, Mercury. Travis is great there. It’s been on our show. It’s been in our events. We’re going to have another event where we will have them attending as well. And if you want to get a little bonus for you and us, if you sign up and do some special circumstances, you can go to globalformation. com slash Mercury.

Also a video tutorial that we [00:38:00] use. I use the same exact video to learn how to use it. I hope you can check it out. Totally free. Why not see you there? Thank you so much for listening. Thanks. Howard Thai, the professor, the professor of Amazon, or just the professor for sharing with us that fun story. I always think these are inspirational and you know, some of my favorite kind of podcast interviews.

Getting to the early stages when you’re selling out of the back of your car in L. A. Wow, that was some cool stuff. [00:38:30] Thanks for sharing the good, the bad, the ugly, you know? It’s like, like I said, it’s like the gladiator. And he’s definitely a professor. He’s done a lot of amazing masterminds. I’ve been a pleasure of being his friend for a long time in the industry.

Definitely, if you, uh, want to really up your game, attend his Secret Island Mastermind November 4th to the 8th. I know a couple people going. And it will always be delivering good value. It’s very, very premium. It’s application only. You got to do a call with them [00:39:00] first. And it’s a premium price for a premium package with a very tight knit group of Elite Seller Society people.

So, check that out. Also, let them know you came from us. And I’m sure they’ll give you a little preferential treatment during that phone call and application process. Comment up quick because we got to act fast. EliteSellerSociety. com ESS 2023 and of course after that it’s going to be the cross border summit November 15th 16th 17th 15th for the [00:39:30] VIPs masterminds and dinners 1617 for the core event of full day speakers and networking and speed business Dating and lunches and networking parties and all that crazy stuff Cross border summit calm will be that spot.

So thank you so much for listening So some of the highlights, you know, there’s so much happening some of the highlights for the summit Of course, Howard will be there. I just had a webinar with Probox and Nick Katz, our Mr. Japan. He’s [00:40:00] coming to Chiang Mai for the first time. Actually, I think Howard’s first time to Chiang Mai.

Danny McMillan’s first time. There’s going to be Chris Rawlings first time. So, if you want to meet these amazing people all under one roof for intense, intense networking and learning and growing together sessions. I would love to see you there. It’s also, of course, a great way to support these podcasts.

If you enjoy these shows, enjoy this content. Attending, or even just telling a friend, maybe you can’t come. A lot of [00:40:30] times people refer their friends. There’s only a few spots left, honestly. You know, it’s always nerve wracking, these events. We’re also kind of getting things rolling again. Also, Gold Major turned 10 years old today.

As far as, maybe not today, but this week. 10 years. 2013, October, we started this show. So, thanks again for listening, for watching, for tuning in, for sharing, for commenting, for giving reviews and feedback on the podcast, for participating, for engaging. [00:41:00] Obviously this is nothing without you engaging with us, connecting with us, reaching out to us.

Mike at GlobalFormation. com will go into the inbox and would love to hear some cool feedback and ideas from you. That’s it, episode 415, The Professor Story Show. Peace. To get more info about running an international business, please visit our website at www. globalfromasia. com. That’s www. globalfromasia.

com. Also, [00:41:30] be sure to subscribe to our iTunes feed. Thanks for tuning in.