Domestic bliss

I went shopping armed with my dictionary. I managed to buy a Midea kettle (the best brand the shop assistant assured me) with transparent sides which lights up the water with a delicious blue glow when it boils. The only downside is the power cable is only 6 inches long, a full 6 inches too short to be plugged in without me holding the kettle in mid air.

Found O-zone fitness club. 800RMB for 1 month or 4650RMB for 12 months – it’s the same price as Singapore. I thought my mandarin was breaking down when it seemed that if I joined for one month I could not use the pool, although full term membership brought with it a hearty swim. It was indeed the policy to deny short termers the pool! I found it hard to resist joining though when the brochure entreated me “Join – what are you warting for?” I must call Fisher to confirm.

Evening spent with Hua, Marianne, Rebecca and Ste (a Danish granite merchant) at the Aria bar in the China World hotel. Apparently Ste buys granite in China in vast quantities and ships to Europe. As the most stylish bar in Beijing I checked to see if they also had Midea blue glow kettle but was quietly smug to think that I was the only consumer to have snagged this impressive asset.

Finding digs

Today I set about finding an apartment in Beijing. The sun is occluded by the dust clouds thrown up by the perpetual construction in the city. As a result it is almost impossible to figure out which direction is north/south/east or west as one stands in one of the numerous non-descript square blocks.

I can rent a 3 bedroom apartment like Rob’s, just outside the 4th ringroad, for RMB4600 per month. The cost of accommodation is about half that of Singapore.

Popular here are SOHO developments – apartments that are zoned for use as offices. This is for two reasons: the traffic and the idea of buying one and letting the company pay the mortgate.

I met Hua, the former manager of EBA, for lunch. She has partnered with Wendy Ho taking an office in SOHO with 11 young staff sitting at shiny new computers, the odd Nano left synchronizing i-Tunes.

Apparently PR firms are growing at a rate of 40% or so, the local firms outpacing the multi-national ones. She thinks my plan to set up is a good one. I feel at once pleased and disappointed; it’s the right idea to be here but there is already stiff competition.

When I went to Singapore in 1995 I had done much less research and was fearless; this time my rigour raises anxiety. I resolved to not look down, but simply keep climbing the great wall of China.

At the end of the Day Rebecca took me to see an area of Beijing called 798 to the north east. Converted factory units are being used to house art galleries; Chinese and European contemporary art. High ceilings, industrial equipment and whitewashed walls with stylish young curators. I signed up my sister Shelley, an artist, for the newsletter from the JapanChina Art Project. I am pleased to find a bohemian quarter in this city rapidly destroying all remnants of history in favour of modern SOHO blocks.

The evening was spent with Rebecca, Carly, Lisa and two Danish chaps at A Fun Ti – Xinjiang folk music and table top dancing.

Beijing – minus zero before dawn

Landed at 06.00 to minus 5 degrees. Quite a change from 30 degrees 6 hours earlier when I boarded the plane. A seat on China airlines costs half the price of one on Singapore Airlines; I think it’s because the seats are about half the size, the food half as appetizing (I declined the tray) and when we landed in Beijing pre-dawn we had to board a miserable bus and wait on the tarmac with the minus 5 degree wind biting at the bare shoulders and legs of the passengers still dressed for sunnier climes. I can only presume that they’ll have this sorted before millions descend for the Olympics in 926 days from now.

Still – Met with Robster and he passed me his key before heading to work as head hunter, and then I connected seamlessly with the broadband internet in one of the numerous coffee shops in Beijing; it’s a crazy business model as I sat for two hours sipping half a cup of cheap (RMB 12/US$1.5) coffee.

Objective for the day – Get connected

Task one: Get a Beijing mobile. Went to the shopping centre and managed to recall enough of my beginners Mandarin from this time in 2004 to negotiate a new prepaid card. In China they have numbers all listed out with different prices; the cheap ones (like mine) have a 4 (unlucky because it sounds the same as death in Mandarin) and the more 8’s (luck) the more expensive. +8613439650295. For RMB75 I have a new prepaid and downloaded another 100RMB of credits from China mobile -I’ll see how long it lasts.

Highlight of the day – calls from family and friends to wish me ‘Happy Birthday’ – nieces from France gave me a sing song; the first time I’ve ever heard Camille (4) and Elea (3) sing. I am too far away from them too often. The price I pay for my selfish endeavours.

Task two: Getting the network started. I made appointments to meet an old PR partner for lunch tomorrow, a PR consultant to Omnicom on Friday for dinner and solid confidant and friend from my 2004 stint here, Kristian Kender, on Sat. afternoon. Between them they know plenty about the market, the prices, the staff, the legal issues and pitfalls of this journey.

Evening is with Robster and friends – Rob has kindly set up a birthday party for me. It’s important to keep the momentum as I have left behind wonderful friends, colleagues and a lifestyle most would envy. A quick visit to his new office at Consult Group and off into town.

Beijing – what a gift!

Changi airport: Checked in to Air China flight 970 paying S$105 for the 5kg excess luggage – in the age of high fuel prices nothing is given for free.

Mixed feelings after spending intense 2 days with the team at EASTWEST to ensure that they are all well, and have a clear sense of purpose for the next month.

I will fly to Beijing on the red eye and will welcome in my 39th birthday somewhere over Hong Kong, landing at 0600 to a welcome of snow, rapacious Beijing taxi drivers and the challenge of setting up an office in Beijing.

It’s 1000 days to the Olympics (opening 08.00 on 8th August 2008) and I intend to get established and be ready to do what I can to support the British Olympic team when they get there/here.

Looking forward to opening birthday cards sent from home and saved for the tranquility of 5 miles high.

A little business in China – what’s it all about

Hi, this is a blog for entrepreneurs, owners of small companies who want to have a crack at building a business in China;without the luxury of a expensive lawyers, accountants and an nice serviced apartment to stay in. It’s a story of how I am setting up EASTWEST PR in Beijing, using the experience that I have from starting EASTWEST PR in Singapore in 1995. I plan to share info that I think will be of use to other people that want to have a crack at getting over the Great Wall of China. Wish me luck! Jim James