Young Quebec entrepreneurs in China!
Trade mission to China
I recently had the chance to accompany 14 young Quebec entrepreneurs to China during a trade mission organized by the RJCCQ (Regroupement des Jeunes Chambres de Commerce du Québec). It was a great experience. On the agenda: 3 days in Beijing, 4 days in Shanghai and more than a dozen business meetings.
China's economy
China's economy is fantastic for young entrepreneurs who are ambitious and have an international vision. As soon as we arrived, we could feel that the country, which was known in the early 2000's for its great manufacturing capacity, is quickly becoming a powerful economy based on know-how. We no longer speak of the term "cosmopolitan" but of "gigapolite" when we walk around the city. I had the chance to meet and talk with more than a dozen Chinese online media entrepreneurs, including PR agencies, advertising companies, search engines (Baidu), video content sites (Youku) and news sites. What is interesting for an ambitious entrepreneur is the motivation and business vision of Chinese business people. Each interview is very interactive and there is a lot of openness. Chinese entrepreneurs want to do business!
Doing business in China
Doing business in China is certainly not a simple and smooth process. As an entrepreneur, we have to prepare well what our company wants to obtain in a possible partnership. We must be prepared to negotiate and of course, keep an eye on our business secrets. For example, I had prepared three different PowerPoint presentations to make sure I was well adapted to my audience. Of course, the first meeting is always exploratory, but you have to be sure of one thing: if the opportunity is there, you have to act.
the Chinese like to know the person before the company
I have learned a very important lesson from my business meetings: the Chinese like to know the person before the company. So you have to see yourself as an opportunity, have your head up and be proud. Then, present your company as a very interesting business opportunity.
