How Working with Chinese Sellers Has Changed My Life with Davide Nicolucci

Thank you everyone for choosing to tune in to today’s Global From Asia podcast – episode 249 today – and thank you again GoRemit HK for being our sponsor and long term supporter to keep this show rolling after our re-launch.

This week we are again interviewing someone working closely with Chinese Amazon FBA sellers and in the China market.

Curious to hear the Insights and Perspectives About Growing an Amazon FBA company with China’s Growth?

David understands all sides of the market and he and I discuss some fascinating insights on what you can learn from the growing expansion of Chinese Amazon FBA sellers, enjoy.

Also – he is confirmed as one of our instructors at our first Global From Asia bootcamp July 19 to 21, 2019. He will be sharing about paid advertising for your Amazon brand – for more info check out GlobalFromAsia.com/bootcamp today!

And – happy to have you at our first GFA bootcamp!

√ Davide’s GFA VIP profile
√ Sun Valley Amazon Seller
√ Link to Davide’s article on Secret behind Chinese Amazon sellers
√ Cross Border Summit
√ Art of War book
√ Davide’s workshops at the bootcamp (advanced + beginner)

GoRemitHK

Thank you David! Really happy we finally got you on the show and believe people will get some motivation and perspective on the way things are going for F2C (factory to consumer). But we always stress building a brand to stay ahead, and it isn’t easy but the most valuable. Good luck to all!

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[00:00:00] Episode 249 of Global from Asia.  On the back of a bus, mini bus or van from Hua Hin Thailand to Bangkok Thailand now for the interview just for the intro. Let’s go. Welcome to the Global from Asia podcast with a daunting process of running an international business is broken down into straight-up actionable advice and now your host Michael Michelini.

[00:00:34] Than you s everybody for tuning into another Global from Asia 249 shows into this.  Series were podcast or Channel? And thanks Rico from in China podcast enjoying the new shows and we are learning hopefully I didn’t lose too much I’m using it is zoom H6 recorder [00:01:00] in the back of a minivan two four six eight twelve people in this thing pretty packed.

[00:01:08] Hope I don’t disturb them too much. But yeah, we’re getting on we’re going to figure out again on Spotify the podcast if you’re prefer listening to Spotify decent amount of people like it on WeChat, I think on itunes and websites and try to get this everywhere. Again, and you know, we’re doing a lot of amazing things leading up to the boot camp in July.

[00:01:31] Actually David, Our Guest today is going to be one of the instructors. He’s an amazing expert on Amazon and marketing and hustling and making moves making things happen. So I definitely hope some of you can make. And it’s a few days July 19 20 21.  Also, we are working hard on just re engaging with the community.

[00:02:00] Joe goes getting back involved with our members and things like that and Cross-Border Summit is in Guangzhou and October 22nd 23rd, mark the dates. I know a lot of you are in Canton fair and Global Sources show right now and maybe. Go into it are great friend, Chris Davies FBA for you meet ups which happen every time it’s one of the first times I’ve missed the whole trade show season living down here in Thailand.

[00:02:29] I’m gonna skip going up to Hong Kong and Guangzhou South China this time, but I’m sure a lot of you hopefully are still listening to this show while you’re grinding out in these trade shows and the hustle and bustle between all these borders. And cities in the PRD or the greater Bay. Maybe the new word.. picking some more people up on it.

[00:02:58] And I don’t think we can fit more people more people are getting on this.  So this week’s show is a great one. It’s you know, I think people like hearing about these cross-border or International. People doing business between Asia and overseas and coming into China David’s great. He’s.. he worked at a massive Chinese FBA company and learned a lot of different tactics and taught them a lot of things.

[00:03:26] So we discuss that story and that experience and I really enjoyed it. So. This week’s show is I think you’ll be a good one for the long-term just learning and hearing the perspectives of I think even me, you know at the end in a show or throw my 10 minutes after the interview. I’ve been doing the last few shows people seem to like it.

[00:03:46] If you want to hear some of my experiences with Chinese sellers maybe but David’s got amazing experience working inside of a company there for a couple of years. So without further Ado, let’s tune in. Are you doing Cross-Border business in Asia? Have a Hong Kong bank paying suppliers in China? Paying your rent in Thailand? Paying your staff in the Philippines or other cases in Vietnam and other places around the world?

[00:04:14] Check out Goremit.hk. They are our long-term sponsor here at the Global from Asia show. It’s free to sign up. There’s of course the KYC, but it’s great. I use it personally for paying my rent in Thailand paying many people working on this show editing to show in the Philippines and China. So, it’s your partner.

[00:04:34] It’s your place to go for making payments cross-border. Definitely check them out free to sign up and tell them GFA sent you. Thanks again. Alright, thank everybody for tuning in to Global from Asia podcast. Today’s show I actually, I should, I have been meaning to get him on the show. He’s been actively involved with our events here and in in the community and a [00:05:00] great guy too, very very nice and helpful guy in the community – David Nicolucci.

[00:05:06] How you doing? Hey, hey, what’s going on? Hey, I’m good. I’m good. Thanks for having me here for the first time Mike. We’ve been talking about that. Yeah, I know. I know it’s, it’s well better late than never. So yeah, I think even probably even multiple shows. We’ve been we could do together. So yeah, so a little bit about you your growth hacker digital marketing consultant you’ve worked with.

[00:05:31] You know, we will talk about an interview what you’ve worked with big Sellers and China, US and Europe and give up in speaker at cross-border some as well as other, other great events and your company’s called growth hack Consulting Hong Kong Limited. And yeah, so thanks for coming on it. Did I cover you correctly or everything?

[00:05:53] Yeah, everything is perfect. Thanks for mentioning everything. I think you just pretty much summarized everything in a in a few lines. This is me. Yeah, you said my name correctly. So that’s fine. I was worried about it. I mean even though I have my.. everyone messing up my last name Michelini, he’s a see ya Michelini.

[00:06:11] But yeah and Italian here. Yeah, I’m proud. You know, you’re a true Italian. I’m like yeah name, but I’m, I’m actually 25% my grandfather came..came from Italy to New York City and my parents, you know different. I’m a, I’m a big mixed. But yeah, I love I love my Italian side. It’s awesome. And I’ve been here a couple of times but you’re originally, born in Italy, right and what yeah, it’s some of your background.

[00:06:42] So well, my family is a little bit mixed. They say my mom’s side. We came from Spain. My father side. We came from Eastern Europe or Germany, but my passport is Italian. So I’m Italian let’s say Almost 100% Yeah, even, even though I mean people normally don’t think I’m Italian and I think actually in this business, I’m one of the very few Italian, you know consultant.

[00:07:09] I was actually been speaking, you know at your events and other events, you know on an international level, you know, normally Italians they stay in the different kind of business when they go abroad true. Yeah, it’s good. It’s great to have you represent and …and yeah. We’re lucky to catch you. Of course, we could do this interview anytime but you’re I think you’re going to Italy soon maybe this when the show is online, you’ll be in Italy.

[00:07:32] So yeah, I have to change actually my flight ticket. I just changed it right now like few minutes ago because I yeah I was confirmed for. A conference in Shanto it’s going to happen a few days. And then I have I’m going to speak actually at the global retail Hong Kong that’s on May the 9th. So if anyone of you is..is coming there. just you know, say hi. I’ll be I’ll be speaking there as well.

[00:08:00] Awesome. Awesome. Great. Well, maybe not great. I guess you know what to look forward to in Italy. Well, how did you get from Italy to Hong Kong and China? And you know, how, what’s your story? Yeah. I’m sure I get that just that.

[00:08:37] I’ve been working two years with group. Alia is the main competitor of Groupon. So, you know, it’s online marketing. I started as simply as a social media, you know helper. I was replying to comments on Facebook. And this was 2010. I think. Yeah, and then after that I slowly made my [00:09:00] career into this company.

[00:09:01] I went to work in the headquarter in Barcelona. I there I was taking care the entire digital marketing for..for Italy and after two years in Barcelona and two years in Milano, I pretty much got tired of being in Europe. I knew that something you know bigger was waiting for me outside of Europe and I actually think that this is a common.. common thing with… with a lot of you know guys from Europe or from America who came all over to China.

[00:09:30] Yeah, you feel there’s something that is calling. You know, it’s…so I actually I actually started traveling all around at that time. I had no job. I just I just quit my job. It’s a very interesting.. interesting story because at that time my only occupation was taking care of my travel blog at that.

[00:09:49] And I applied everything that I knew about SEO and digital marketing and I put it into work into my travel blog and within three months, of course certain particular keywords. We were in my blog was on the first page. I was I was starting around the world and writing about it and it was what was quite nice.

[00:10:08] The blog was called connect the world but it’s offline right now. So you’re not going to find it and then I fell in love with Asia. This is this is the this is what will really happen and then I decided to you know, get a job somewhere in Hong Kong, Shanghai or Singapore. But it was quite hard to get a job without you know company who could sponsor me so eventually I remember I had a Headhunter from Hong Kong suggested me to try with Shenzhen and literally in two weeks.

[00:10:42] I got a very good offer from Sun Valley Tech. Yeah this you know huge Amazon sellers. They were expanding they were hiring right like crazy was four years ago 2014. I join their team after. Three interviews and Skype with with different managers. I remember, you know, the first struggle your, everybody probably remembers that you know, making your first visit to China.

[00:11:09] Yeah, you know, they’d zero. Yeah, that was quite interesting. So in November I started working with somebody. And that’s how I ended up in China and man. It’s an amazing experience. I mean, I think you can confirm that right? Yeah, of course. I mean like you said, you know, he said a lot of amazing stuff.

[00:11:31] But yeah, I think it’s similar like, you know, the Western. Yeah, I guess it is a little bit more may lot of course, but there’s we.. we try to get more females to on the show, but of course it is little bit more male. But yeah, I mean. People are.. you.. the youth the younger generation seize the opportunity and I guess it’s also in the news and the media, but I don’t think it’s just the media.

[00:11:50] I mean, I think it’s the reality right? I mean, yeah China and Asia is really on the on the on the up and mean these Brands and these sellers. So, of course, you know, you’ve you know, I..we’ve mentioned a little bit in your outline. Of course, you’ve worked with the like you just mentioned it.. Big seller a Chinese sellers so I know.

[00:12:10] You’ve had ..we can link to some of your blog’s we’ve talked about it too. But you know, I’m sure people listening are thinking like what’s that kind of experience what’s you know? You know what? I mean? What would that what was the what was the first you know, so you had the three Skype interviews day.

[00:12:30] They were growing you start. You gotta got to work there. I got the Visa you go to the office. How was it compared to maybe your Italy and Germany work experience? Yes. It was completely different, you know everything, you know of your past experience professional experience in Europe. Just forget it inside.

[00:12:52] Yeah in China different rules apply. So I you’re right. I also wrote about this in my very first article that actually got a lot of you know follow up a lot of shares or really reads the secret behind the success of Chinese Amazon sellers, and I was talking there how the. The working culture within the company is so different.

[00:13:14] So when I join Sun Valley they were really expanding and really hiring right like crazy even foreigners. And at that time we were around 15 foreigners in a company that counted pretty much 200 employees. So in that there was quite a lot of foreigners for a Chinese company for a Chinese seller compared to probably what is now.

[00:13:38] This trend has been changing over the years pretty much because Chinese sellers, you know, they realize that they don’t need as much fun as they used to need before and also what happened is very it’s very interesting. So I’m telling you this little this little happening. I was hired as the assistant of the Italian manager.

[00:14:01] The Italian manager at that time was a lady who was a little bit older than me, but she had no experience with digital marketing at all. So it took the company that it took the management pretty much few days or weeks to realize that I was doing the job better than her. So they pretty much replaced us.

[00:14:20] They really switched the roles. I became her manager within a few weeks and this would never happened in Western company, you know this politics. Yeah, I mean this yeah, I don’t want to I don’t want to put it too much into the Politic, you know talk but this shows you the speed of action of Chinese companies of you know, how they react to the the internal and external happenings and they just adapt and that’s really good for the business.

[00:14:56] You know, this is yeah. This is something that I wrote about in my in my article. It’s [00:15:00] something very very, you know characteristic of business and organizations, they are very flexible. They are very very quick if something happens. They just they just adapt this is just, you know, just one example, but there are so many other examples.

[00:15:15] I mean I’m telling you this because that happened to me and then anyway something that really gave a big boost to my career. So after after a few weeks, I was put on top of the Italian management and then after after a few months, I was put on top of the of the global foreigners team because you know, I can speak several languages from Europe.

[00:15:38] I had already digital marketing experience. So they used my skills to pretty much benefit the entire the entire company, so. This this speed of action normally doesn’t.. doesn’t happen in in Western companies. So this is something that actually I think you know, like Western companies could look at the Chinese.

[00:16:00] I’m not saying directly learn from Chinese, but look as Chinese, you know business, you know, that could actually give some food for for the mind. Yeah, I agree. I mean, I guess there’s a couple  couple couple of points made maybe some listeners or even I’m thinking like well, I guess one there’s a saying and specifically Shenzhen is – Shenzhen speed the Chinese people use it.

[00:16:25] So I think I guess it’s probably maybe true all around China, but I would especially add to Shenzhen about the speed. It’s like the boiling pot of China, you know, nobody’s really from Shenzhen really..it’s like a 30 year old city. So I think even he even in Shenzhen is faster than maybe even other cities and I guess my second point would be you know..

[00:16:50] I don’t know. I mean with ..you mentioned Groupon and startups. Would you say even compared to Western startup? I think Western startups in the west might be you know something.. I don’t have experience working in Silicon Valley startup or others, but you know, I feel like those must be going pretty fast too with management and hiring you would would you say even compared to like a western start up? Speed?

[00:17:12] Yeah, so I was working at this. Let’s say start-up when I was in Italy. They actually evolved quite fast. They passed from literally working in in a basement to having a big office with around 100.. 100 people in less than a year. So if yeah, if you’re if you’re asking me about the difference between you know growth and you know, the speed of startups but I still definitely think that in China it’s it’s something I’m comparable like the speed of that action business starts are launched and then you know, if it works it will go on if it doesn’t work, you know, okay next it’s this is really something incredible also.

[00:18:03] The ..the entire mindset that you know lies behind people’s mind it they really want to do something and you’re right you find this particularly in Shenzhen. It’s like the American dream the you know, the Chinese dream of many Chinese and also wester.. western people. There’s so many Western people who came to the Shenzhen and

[00:18:27] They absorb this culture of you know, doing business doing a quick doing it fast, even though sometimes might not be perfect. But this is this is absolutely the Chinese way the startup mentality, you know, trying to get some funds somewhere. Well, actually what what used to be very hot until I guess a few years ago, very recent thing it was, you know, a bunch of guys who used to work.

[00:18:51] At some big Chinese Amazon sellers, you know a bunch of colleagues, even young people young [00:19:00] men. Like normally they would be like 24 26 27, they would put together their ideas. They will start a team and they will start and Amazon selling account and they would sometimes they some of them they had good results.

[00:19:11] But you know, the thing is definitely harder getting harder and harder to actually. Happen right now because we know that the rules of the game are changing so, you know, but but yeah, I definitely think that you know, the speed.. Shenzhen speed is something incredible that you pretty much find nowhere else. True.

[00:19:33] Awesome man. So, you know, I think I was trying to think of this the listener, but I’m thinking there’s. Even I’m thinking like there’s two sides. I’m sure you had experiences and knowledge and perspective that maybe the seller the company you work, you know join the Shenzhen hat didn’t have and there’s probably things that you didn’t know or have exposure to it. Maybe you learned. I mean, I don’t I don’t know how we could summarize or or kind of compare or balance or you know summar you know, what was some of the things you could say you learned some of the things that they learned from you, you know are westerners maybe in general. Okay. So if I have to you know, think about what I gave and what I what I got because I definitely think that my two years in China in mainland China in Shenzhen with two different companies they have been full of you know, I learned a lot. It’s being a treasure seriously, I gave a lot. I also got back a lot. You know, I not only I got knowledge but also, you know connections and the mindset once again, I think okay if I have to put something on the on the first line, they will be the mindset.

[00:20:49] I mean. For example, let’s take my example. I knew when I was let’s say 25-26 right before coming to China that at some point of my life I would start my own business. I knew it because I just wanted to do it but I had no idea that I could do it actually before I turned 30 and that happened only because I lived in China for two years and I actually saw how things work work here.

[00:21:18] Now I’m in Hong Kong and it’s a little bit different. So definitely I learn this not only for you know from you know in the daily activities at office or the works…work space but also talking with other people joining events, you know, like the events that you’re organizing. They’re really good to connect people together to to the network, you know to define valuable connections. So I that I am a big advocate, you know joining any event that you create because they really bring people together who need to be with each other. Thanks. So yeah. One thing that I gave to let’s say to to my former employer or to the let’s say Chinese Sellers Community. Well, I remember I brought in something that wasn’t really exploited that moment.

[00:22:12] They weren’t really doing a good use of kOLs else for example for Amazon Seller. Because a part of my job was actually to take care of KOLs is in Italy. So I remember with this group on like business. I was contacting different bloggers, you know, lifestyle blogger is food bloggers and they were just waiting for somebody to give them, you know, the free dinner somewhere and we had the coupon so we were just sending them a free coupon and they could just you know do this and then over the time.

[00:22:45] I learned how to actually develop this valuable relationship with with the key opinion leader with with the influencer and then I took this system and I and I brought it into the Amazon world and then I started you know with] Sun Valley with rough power to actually have some valuable connections.

[00:23:05] To Tech reviewers who could for example, you know the power bank so Sun Valley is mostly selling, you know, power Banks and electronic products rough power is one of their main products in the competition is crazy. So but with this relationship that we actually made we were able to to have the priority.

[00:23:27] Before the others because we had a good relationship with you know with the influencer. So this is definitely something that I did I did that I brought. I definitely got you know, a lot of you know little little little tricks for work. I’m not talking about black hat by I’m just okay? Yeah, I’m sure I mean that’s kind of like on the next item.

[00:23:48] Yeah talking about it. But yeah, that’s something hot. Yeah. Yeah. I got my name now associate a little bit with the guy who is exposing black black hat. I I got some journalists, you know, like trying to interview me. But anyway, yeah, I this is also something you can learn because we don’t do that so much in Europe, you know, we also in that article actually I think it was the yeah, maybe the first or the second one that I’m actually exposing what’s going on in China on the black outside.

[00:24:24] I’m talking about the work ethic like we normally try to play on the on the first side. We don’t do black. But yeah, so, you know. Some some little tricks also wide have completely white hats some ways of working or the mindset that you know, yeah, this is I think I was I was saying accepted the this thing that I’m going to say right now at the presentation that I had at your I think it was the global from Asia. The Cross Border Summit

[00:24:54] Yeah, exactly the Cross Border Summit I said this very example people in in the west in Europe, they would say. I have to go to work today like it’s Monday, I cannot meet you because I have to go to work but in China they would say it’s Monday, I want to work. So this is yeah, this is yeah, this is very different.

[00:25:17] So, you know, I think this is amazing, you know. Yeah, I think that yeah, I remember you. You’re talk about that. Like we don’t we I guess I don’t want to us and them, you know foreigners in Chinese or Westerns it but I mean, I definitely think we could I think people have to respect the hustle respect.

[00:25:37] Yeah, you know, I obviously I know a lot of Chinese sellers to me over the years I’ve worked with them and they’ll eat they’ll just have a rice cooker. They’ll go to Los Angeles still sleep in a warehouse. They’ll eat rice everyday straight up white rice still just work. They’ll work. They’ll sleep in the same clothes.

[00:25:55] They’ll bring a briefcase only, you know, like, you know, you gotta you gotta also think of that with the comical Chinese sellers and you know, of course there will you know, obviously there’s and there’s just so many so of course it’s going to be bad ones. And unfortunately, I think you know, I always try to think what a Chinese person say what I’m going to say, but I think the most Chinese people would agree with me you know there’s..

[00:26:18] It does feel like it’s the culture is just like it’s not abundance. A lot of times you gotta just you know, winner-takes-all, you know mean no take no prisoners stuff like that. Like yeah, I mean and it’s not just against foreigners they dig deep. I think you might experience that I’ve definitely seen it with some of my friends that are sellers. They fight. You know, Chinese will fight each other. It’s not like they’re just attacking foreigners on Amazon. So it’s a it’s just kind of like of was that book Art of War, right? Yeah. Yeah, you know, it’s read I’ve read that book. I mean, it’s just that without might be a good one for people to read.

[00:27:00] It’s just just kind of the way it is. I mean, I’m not saying. Every Chinese seller but you know, it’s just a Chinese business culture whether it’s Amazon eBay, even like even Google. Some people sometimes felt like they called Google called the panda update. Yeah to crush the Chinese that were spamming.. spamming backlinks on to rank Google before Amazon.

[00:27:27] So huge they were ranking Google to sell, you know OS Commerce copied light in the boxes and stuff I’ve ever had. Yeah. Yeah, so it’s just whether it’s in Amazon or Ebay or anywhere, you know, it’s just. I don’t know. Yeah, I mean it’s just the way it is. Maybe yeah, it is work. It’s work and then this is this is why I actually named my my recent article the last one worries on how to fight unfair competition on Amazon because it is definitely a war.

[00:28:03] It is it’s a jungle and you know, there are so many competitors right now and I was actually talking with one of my Chinese friends today, you know, just just you know, random random talk. Can you hear me? Yeah, I hear you. I still hear you. Yeah, I’m listening. Okay, and yeah, she was telling me that you know today compared to you know, one or two years ago.

[00:28:27] There is not any more the what used to happen before what I what I was saying before like, you know a group of people with a little amount of investment money, you know a little amount of money. They would just start their own business in Amazon that doesn’t happen anymore because they know already that if they don’t have the right, you know, how do you say equipment with them?

[00:28:48] That means the right amount of money that would actually allow you to go to war. They cannot survive so. Today today. It’s a war and there are so many competitors out there. So many Brands trying to survive so many, you know small sellers. But yeah, this is also pretty much what’s going on right now.

[00:29:06] If you are small you will probably not make it out there, you know in the e-commerce or in on in Amazon. That’s it. Okay. Yeah, so which is true whether you’re Chinese are a foreigner. I think it’s maybe there’s this consolidation in the industry. I mean the easy days are over of you know free products for five star reviews and all that.

[00:29:28] You know, I think it’s maybe it’ll go into the point try not to jump around too much on my outline, but.  I think it’s about right. You know, what do you have to kind of listen to this question? I have like. So there’s a lot obviously most of our English podcast and it’s for westerners listening.

[00:29:50] Should I just say old man’s just give up? I mean just China’s taking over Amazon Bezos it wants only Chinese or factories at factory consumer. Am I dead should I just give up or should I even start? I mean, you know what it was. What’s your honest.. yeah, well, okay. My honest feedback is this.. try because actually as an as I’m still saying, you know everywhere and every time that I’m interviewed or speak with somebody. It is true that you are getting a smaller piece of the cake and it’s hard to even get that piece of the cake. But the cake itself it’s as big as its never been.

[00:30:31] So it’s the biggest size ever of the cake. I mean e-commerce in general is just growing and booming day after day. Amazon is just growing it was taking a look at the stock. It’s it’s on the way to go back to the 2000 US dollar per day for single stock and we are happy about that, you know.

[00:30:51] Everything is growing Amazon passed I think just passed Google on product search on the internet that yeah. Yeah. So before it used to be 50 50, I think now just past Google, you know Amazon takes I think somebody literally just oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean yeah exact sorry. Yeah. No, no worries. And you know Amazon is is it’s a huge company.

[00:31:16] It’s an amazing company. They’re doing so many things. They’re pretty much everywhere, you know media advertising, you know retail anything. I mean, you know web services everything, you know, so data, I mean we would know that so it’s just be there try don’t be scared. You can also try with little money, but the thing is this.

[00:31:40] Do not Believe who’s trying to sell you, you know the pre cooked meal or the the magic formula because that doesn’t work. It’s never worked actually not even when it was easy. So guess if it’s working today, it is not working you you I mean, I’m trying to talk right now with, you know new sellers or people who want to approach this business that I believe that would be a lot listening right now, you know.

[00:32:06] Do not give up. But also do not believe to anybody who’s trying to make it too easy for you. Do not believe to those who are selling you the magic formula that you invest two thousand dollars. And then after one year, you are at the beach sipping your money..making, yeah, making passive income. It doesn’t work like that.

[00:32:25] But yeah, you know, you have to work every day. That’s the same thing that I do for example, take a look at what I do. I’m a consultant. I run my business online for for most of it. I don’t have an Amazon store, but I helped several sellers to run their Amazon Store. I most of the time I work from home and I think you know, this is one of one of the things that we really we’re really blessed for the we love, you know, working from home working from a coffee shop or even from a beach but I wake up everyday 8:30 I wake up.

[00:32:57] I have my routine. I have my coffee I switch on my computer. I turn you know, I turn on my computer I. Look at my emails. Yeah, we are Hustlers, you know like you said before and you have to constantly be updated and you know also talk with people, you know, join seminars or boot camps that you know that you’re organizing soon.

[00:33:19] Yeah. Yeah, it’s gonna be great by the way. Definitely man. Yeah. Yeah, we’ll get some… I mean, I guess for me, I’m I’m all about adding value and whether it’s this podcast, we’re definitely going to plug the boot camp and and we can talk about what you do. And I love you man. I just want I’m happy to have you on the show.

[00:33:39] There’s no get you know, I’ll honestly seems like Amazon has been the target of the MLM make money or maybe not MLM but you know make money online or get rich quick schemes, you know by a course, you know, sit on a beach, of course there it’s gone. Yeah. I mean, of course you should learn and we should always be learning but I think here at GFA and seems like you, you know, we’re about building long-term value.

[00:34:05] You long-term Brands long-term assets, you know and doing it the right way and building real values and obviously never going to be fast whether it’s Amazon eBay or you know a store in the..a hundred years ago, you know, I think to build a real value it’s going to take time. So and I would say I think for also for listeners, it’s it’s I think the one struggle I mean, why did say K Wells is important?

[00:34:30] I think it’s still hard for somebody based in China Asia to really know what the customer really be connected to the industry really know the hot Trends. I still think there’s that gap, you know, whereas if you’re in Europe or the US you have still much even for me. I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost touch honestly with like.

[00:34:47] A Trends and a news. What’s hot yeah, I mean, I think whether it’s Chinese or not or just foreigners and Asia. I think it’s harder for us to keep up with the trends that are happening in the local markets or in those markets. And if you really focus in on one specific Niche build a real brand, you know try to be you know, building content and building relationships in your industry with cant well’s or people even your customer.

[00:35:12] You know, I think that’s the real way to grow and build value. Yeah, I definitely agree and you know here I want to take the the occasion for actually saying something that really goes fits perfectly with what you’re saying. You know, there is a lot of you know like fashions like what’s hot right now what kind of you know, what kind of marketing technique works right now which marketing tool works or not.

[00:35:40] So I had a call with a client and he was asking me okay, which tools do you use to you know? Run this run that or to do this special promotion or to run to get a lot of clicks and I told him man, I’m sorry, but I’m not a tool guy and I pretty much never used tools. I mean, this is true because when I went to do the Consulting service for my clients, I mostly do everything by myself and I used the help of my team members.

[00:36:07] I have around 15 to 20, you know remote freelances. We do quite a good job. But anyway, I was telling him I do not run after the you know the trend what’s working today because I always try to focus on what is still working tomorrow. So this is this is my my approach to this kind of business and this is also my my suggestion to anybody who’s you know, trying to.

[00:36:36] To you know to to open a store or to you know to approach this kind of business don’t always follow the new trends because they come and go there is always a new a new tool that will give you know, X leads XY clicks whatever but try to focus on giving value and creating your brand.

[00:37:00] Agree. I mean, yeah, I mean, I know we have Meir on the show in the past and many others and it’s all about the brand I think is really everything so so let’s go into your oh, yeah.

[00:37:11] I mean you mentioned a little bit I would love to hear I think listeners would love to hear more like, you know, you you’re mostly working now, you know, you’re like you said you started your own agency you work with brands. And you know US, Europe around the world. You want to give us a little bit up no overview what you what you can help people with.

[00:37:30] Yeah. So I you know the services that I provide there are pretty much the same with what I started with. I opened my consulting business in January 2017. So now it is a little bit more than two years that it’s already going and I’m really proud of this. You know, it’s my first business and I do what I love

[00:37:52] That is helping people to you know sell more on their e-commerce and to spend less. This is in. Oh, my my my promise. Let’s say when I..when I help you know anybody to do and yeah, Amazon is the main Channel. I also helped in any other kind of commerce Channel or I also used to have some clients who are not selling products but are selling services.

[00:38:16] So but the main service that I provide, you know, those that any Amazon seller needs like listing translation, listen optimization a lot of PPC campaigns. We do a lot of PPC management. This is something that really makes me proud because we have I personally post all over my all over my social media.

[00:38:36] I don’t know if. If someone of you has got me on the wechat at or LinkedIn, I constantly post those screenshots of my clients’ account where the sales go up or sales goes down, you know, it’s this is a very, you know, something makes me proud as a professional because I like to give value.

[00:38:57] And then yeah we have Facebook social media management, you know external traffic deals promotion. KOL, even though something I want to say here is that. The the need the demand is a little bit changing. Well what I see as a as a consultant is less and less request of what doesn’t give immediate ROI – return on investment from Amazon sellers.

[00:39:25] For example, they used to request a lot of Facebook management. Now that’s always less at least at least in my in my experience because the average Amazon Seller would focus more right now on the listing on the PPC. Definitely PPC. They will try to explore more AMZ, you know, so display ads banner ads, you know direct product targeting.

[00:39:48] And that that’s also something very very interesting. So yeah, this is just a quick overview of what I do. Awesome. Yeah. I mean you’ve you have great you have great knowledge and experience and you also are able to bring it into a good you also do workshops and speaking and you’ve helped plug it a little bit already, but I think now we’re you know gonna mention I’m excited to have you as one of our key, key people sharing at our first ever Global formation boot camp this July in Chiang Mai Thailand getting it down here – definitely excited. It’s gonna be great man. It’s gonna be awesome. And so yeah I mean get to a small group of people for first, you know, it will have we’re talking it still getting a collect in the feedback from everybody but work three hours sessions from a morning session for three hours and an afternoon session for a few hours for a few people that really want intensive training or nuance different levels, right? You have you have of course the getting started or you know, the beginner and they also have the advanced tracks or going to get people in whatever level they’re ready for so I’m really excited to have you there for first one.

[00:41:04] Yeah, and I think you know nobody should miss it because it’s it’s in Thailand. So, you know, what more what more can you can you ask for? It’s a boot camp, you know, it’s organized by you know, the Global from Asia. We know you you guys do a great job. You choose very good speakers. Of course, I’m talking about me.

[00:41:23] Okay of jokes’ part on you my man. I’ll get my jokes part. I mean, yeah, there’s going to be a lot of other great speakers. I was talking I think we have Daniel. Yeah. Yeah. I was talking to him yesterday and then many others and it’s going to be nice. You know, it’s not just the same boring event in Hua Chang Bay.

[00:41:43] Or whatever and that’s going to be in Chiang Mai. You know I think is going to be great. Yeah, I mean we’re trying to be more more action-oriented. We want people to bring the bring the laptop or at least be ready to make some make some moves make some actions. Make some updates real time.

[00:42:00] mean, I think that’s been some great feedback, you know, our previous events, but especially with the word boot camp. We you know, it’s limited amount of people and we’re going to have you know, it’s a nice resort. I can’t wait to have you have you there and you know, it’s going to be obviously Chiang Mai is much more relaxing than Hua Chang Bay.

[00:42:16] They both have their good and their bad depending what you’re trying to do. But yeah, man, and it’s been great. I look forward to having you and I this is my pleasure. This has been a great it’s been great. I interview and you know, I think we can get you back on in the future to for more and I hope to see some listeners can meet both of us at the boot camp.

[00:42:39] Oh, yeah. Yeah the last thing I want to say, but I’m sure you will provide that you know, definitely yeah, if anyone of you is interested in reading my two articles, they are very long articles so you can put the link there. Sure. Yeah. Make sure to send it to me and I already have a note on my okay. Okay, my script here or my outline.

[00:42:58] So yeah, definitely. So again, we’ll put it up on here on the show notes for the blog. It’s a you know, it’s a good read before before sleeping or whenever you have some break. But you know, it takes like at least half hour each one of them to go through. So yeah, it’s a good and then how can people yeah, we didn’t say it your of course people can find your own website and blog.

[00:43:22] Yeah, what’s the best way people and also email or social media? Whatever you like, you know shout out. Yeah, we chat, Facebook. I constantly get request in Facebook Wechat whatever you can find me in many groups you can add me and reach out. You can probably leave my wechat ID. Yeah down, there is my email on my website.

[00:43:42] You can contact me through my website to LinkedIn which at whatever. Okay, great. All right. All right David, It’s been a pleasure. Thanks so much. Thanks. Thanks to you so much for having me and see you soon at the bootcamp yeah. See you at bootcamp.

[00:44:00] Are you looking at Brand registry and other benefits of being an actual brand this is the future of e-commerce and business in general.

[00:44:04] So make sure you get your trademark set up correctly. Our partners at trademarks 247.com or 247.com can help you get set up online fast easy and the right way get the info you need as well as the services at www.trademarks247.com. Thank you David for sharing. I hope some of you guys got some interesting insights and perspectives.

[00:44:32] And I think it’s true. I mean we can you know, I think there’s some Chinese sellers listening or Chinese business people listening, and I have a Chinese wife, and I have a lot of great Chinese friends, and I don’t like this whole us versus them kind of feeling I don’t I hope we didn’t give you that feeling with David and my conversation just now.

[00:44:53] I don’t know honestly. I think the Chinese are you know Americans too are a little bit too proud. Sometimes get a little bit a little bit sensitive. I don’t think we were being offensive. But of course in the world, it’s you know, there’s a huge amount of Chinese sellers that are doing great. And I’ve I’ve had some working with me when I was getting set up in China and I think one thing we should learn from the China successful Chinese seller is they’re relentless.

[00:45:25] They are focused on doing whatever it takes to make money to get to the top of Amazon and you know, some of them some hope I don’t want to say Chinese. I think there’s westerners or foreigners that are doing black hat things on Amazon. So, you know, I don’t want to say it’s just Chinese but I think like we said, you know Chinese businesses work some most of some five days some sick days long hours, you know, like especially in Europe or in Italy there’s you know, Late start day, there’s a long lunch siesta, you know drinking outside the whole Chiquita.

[00:46:04] Living the good life Dolce Vita think it is I missed it. I’m sorry David my bad Italian here. But you know Chinese R&R make money, you know, you can see it in China towns around the world, you know, they are there. They’re they’re hustling her up early. They’re you know, making sales making deals making trades, you know getting that getting a getting a cash money in the bank account in the cashiers box.

[00:46:29] So, you know, you got to respect the hustle. Of course, it’s not cool to do negative things to other sellers or other people in business, you know, I, I don’t I don’t I don’t like anybody to do that, you know to take down another listing to take down our seller account. But I mean if you’re just going to work hard and do what it takes to keep adding products adding listings getting getting that ranking and that’s what the a lot of Chinese sellers are willing to do.

[00:46:59] They’re willing to work hard. I mean a lot have worked in my companies over the years and they put in the hours. I mean they want to learn and they want. They want to take whatever opportunity they can to get ahead and make a better life for themselves. You know, I think people talk about the American dream of America, which I don’t really exactly know what it is.

[00:47:20] I’ve had some disputes in my Facebook comments in my blog comments with Americans, but I think the American dream is similar to the Chinese dream is, you know, make make money on your own to be able to buy a house to be able to provide for your family. To be able to make a good life for yourself. I’m not gonna get political but I don’t think China’s list in the economic census communist.

[00:47:50] I don’t think there’s any barriers for people that are willing to work as hard as they possibly can work, you know, they’re incentivized to work hard and to make money. So I think we all got to keep that in mind its Global marketplace now the world is flat.  People everywhere. I mean I’ve done even training in Philippines for Amazon, and I’ve met people all around the world selling online.

[00:48:18] You know Africa, it’s been more and more people. I’ve been doing business with them and Fiverr and up worker are in Africa lately. I guess there’s more internet connectivity in Africa, but that just means you got to keep up. You know, you can’t be lazy. You can’t just be sitting back there collecting your money thinking you’re always gonna be number one on Google or Amazon or whatever kind of place you’re at making money.

[00:48:43] You know, I think it’s scary. It’s scary yeah. It’s scary I mean, there’s no entitlement there’s no guarantee in life. You have to keep innovating you have to keep learning you have to keep working and have to have to do that and I have seen many come and go and in my experiences the reason I’ve seen Chinese sellers succeed is..

[00:49:08] They work hard and what I’ll put some other reasons, I think the government is very incentivizing, you know, free free real estate, you know free renting free office space. There’s also a lot of free, you know loans or there’s tons of investors invest in Amazon or invest in sellers. Invest in export based companies.

[00:49:29] I think the government subsidizes that or or sponsors that or doubles down on those Investments. Don’t quote me on that part, but I know basically I know that there’s a lot of money and I know some FBA seller friends that are Chinese that get government support and you know, the trend has been to build their own brands.

[00:49:48] Over the years I went to some Chinese seller events and they know that they need to make their own brands. So, you know, the game is on like I said in the last ended last episode, you know, some European sellers in Chiang Mai getting a little bit nervous and the Chinese sellers are getting better growing their skills.

[00:50:08] obviously, we should have expected that. I mean should have expected that but it’s real now. I’m but I don’t want to scare everybody. Yeah, I think you still can build a good brand. I think you just can’t take any anything randomly. Throw it out there get a bunch of free giveaways get some reviews and you’re good.

[00:50:27] I mean, I think it’s just going to be hard and thinking back to Jerry way back show. He he says, you know, you know, there’s two things there’s marketing there’s product you have to make a good product. And of course you have to have good marketing, but if you have to be better than one and the other probably be better in the product side.

[00:50:49] I mean if you have a good product which is can be cactus to your brand or people are going to trust your product and making hard decisions sometimes when it might not be so easy. I wish I had video right now. It’s pretty cool. Looking out a huge Buddha temple statue in field like but have five or six stories tall and building height.

[00:51:16] Anyway, so, I mean focusing on your product knowing your product, you know, Chris Davian is I think listening to this show right now. Thanks Chris and these guys meet at our might be busy with his meetups. Definitely check out on it be a foryou.com. But basically, you know, I know he’s working hard on innovating making process engineering and product design and being unique and being first to Market on some kind of the newest enhancement or add-on or other thing in your Niche and your market.

[00:51:46] So there is hope he should just stay on top and I think the one strength I think I mentioned interview. David is being on top of your Market being really closely connected to your customer and I watched a video lately. Up, the anchor founders of one of the founders that left Google to come back to China to make Power Banks and he says he just list really red hard the Amazon reviews.

[00:52:09] He really listened to his customer. He kept iterating based on customer feedback. And I think that’s the main job of a seller or business owners. Listen to your customer. I’m doing the same thing with the bootcamp. We have been talking to people on our email list and getting surveys and and modifying the program in real-time based on what people are saying.

[00:52:32] So I think there’s there’s hope, you know reading negative feedback of other products in your Niche maybe before it started or even if you started but I think it’s the job is to know your product inside and out and standing behind that and if you have a quality problem, which sucks and we’ve all dealt with it.

[00:52:52] Just being owning up to that and paying the price and thinking about the long-term. Okay. Hmm think I’m getting close to Bangkok now passing more statue stores. Guess there’s a lot of people that buy these statues. There’s like by the highway that you can pick up a statue for your home. And yeah, but Buddhist statues are not decoration.

[00:53:18] If you ever fly in and out of Thailand, you’ll see these huge signs of the airport. They say this is not a decoration day of Link. Don’t get a tattoo og Buddha. Don’t buy it for your decoration in your house. It’s like a religious thing. So, yeah, I mean there’s these little Buddhist temple setups and was every house or business.

[00:53:41] To remember or keep you grounded. I think you know, I think religion anywhere. It’s always about thinking deeply about life and yourself and what’s the meaning of life? And why are you here? Is it just to make money, is it just to sell online. I think there should be more to it. Actually, I had an amazing meeting along and I don’t think forced me to sign an NDA.

[00:54:09] I don’t think he listens to the podcast by I think he’s reads my emails. It was an amazing meeting with him and some other amazing people in Huan Hing few hours away from Bangkok about doing some things in the community. That might be a little bit more powerful and meaningful than just selling things online and making money.

[00:54:30] I’m excited. I usually don’t sign NDA’s. He had it printed out and ready pre-filled two versions and I signed it. I I did it whatever I’ve heard of some people just walk away. They get NDA but I we had a long conversation literally like four or five hours deep conversation. That’s where I’m coming back from right now, and I’m focusing on quality over quantity.

[00:54:57] I really want to get to know people deeper and we had a great conversation. He’s one of these under under the radar people doesn’t want to get a huge personal following but he’s been following what we’re doing here and is interested in something very cool. Cool is coming. I don’t know Wendy makes all the way to the end of this show, but just keep on listening keep on enjoying this show 249 episodes getting wrapped up here and.

[00:55:28] I appreciate you for listening all the way to the end and thank you to our sponsor goremit.hk for sponsoring this podcast definitely check them out for payments and cross-border payments paying your suppliers in Thailand are some things happening with that too. I got a couple episodes coming up with factories in Thailand meets people that manufacture and sell on Amazon directly to himself, which is pretty amazing.

[00:55:57] So we’ll just stay tuned and we will talk later. Bye.  To get more info about running an international business, please visit our website at www.GlobalfromAsia.com that’s www.GlobalfromAsia.com. Also be sure to subscribe to our iTunes feed. Thanks for tuning in.