Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Made in China Podcast: International Business | Crowdfunding | Entrepreneurship

Interesting one on one with SourceFindAsia CEO Rico Ngoma and Gary Huang - Founder of 80/20 Sourcing and the 7 Figure Seller Summit.  Gary has helped thousands of e-commerce entrepreneurs save time and money sourcing product from China and scale their businesses. He talks about selling online on Amazon, eBay, etc., but most specially the 7 Figure Seller Summit which you wouldn’t want to miss. Check out this video to find out why.

In this episode, Rico shares with us what happened with his company last year and plans for 2023.

Rico will take us through his company's accomplishments in 2022 and give us insights into his company's vision for 2023, including new projects and initiatives they plan to undertake.

In the Q&A portion, Rico will answer questions from our listeners:

Difference between Western New Year and Chinese New Year the people do not know.

Percentage of clients that recommend SFA’s services

How long will it take for SFA to become familiar with a client’s account to take over the function

Which of Rico’s businesses he enjoys and would keep

Rico’s profession if he were not an entrepreneur

Whether you're a business owner looking to manufacture your products in China or simply curious about the Chinese manufacturing industry, this episode is for you. Join us as we delve into the world of Chinese manufacturing with Rico Ngoma on the Made in China Podcast.

This week's episode was a first! We got the chance to interview a fan of the podcast, he reached to us via email, Rico met him for drinks in the Guangzhou IFC Tower and now he's guest on the show. His name is Ryan Flynn, he's a designer in NYC, who works for a multi-national sportswear brand as their Design Director - specifically in their athletic footwear department. 

Topics Discussed Incl:

When working with Chinese trading companies is actually the best option for you
 

What happens when your factory switches out materials on you
 

Dealing with China remotely
 

Ensuring you get the best out of your designs when certain materials are expensive
 

How he gets high volume orders done with insane time constraints

DESCRIPTION

#FromTheArchive

Goals are important for business people. Goal setting is a method of determining what you would like to achieve in life and the specific actions you will take to reach your goals.

As we approach the new year, Rico and ChinaMike talk about the importance of setting goals for the entrepreneurs.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

One goal they succeeded and one goal they failed at last year and why.

What they've learned about goal setting through trial and error

Balancing realism and optimism

How announcing your goals publicly holds you accountable

DESCRIPTION

Here Rico and Allan discuss a few topics like hiring a personal assistant and Rico’s sales experience.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Rico’s goal of getting a personal assistant

How his PA make his life more efficient

Rico’s sales experience as a teen

Rico talks to Aladdin Farre about the media industry in China. Aladin is a content producer who has worked in both China and France. He moved to China in 2015 and some years later founded a company called China Compass Productions with the aim to help content and stories cross borders.

Rico and Aladin discussed what are the criteria in producing a good documentary and the difference of French and Chinese media.

POINTS OF DISCUSSIONS

Western media vs Chinese media

China’s Dragon Stamp

Foreign movies in China

Where is China’s media industry going?

Making content in China

Useful skills in the media industry

Aladdin’s recommendations (podcast, book, series)

DESCRIPTION

Rico talks to Aladdin Farre about the media industry in China. Aladin is a content producer who has worked in both China and France. He moved to China in 2015 and some years later founded a company called China Compass Productions with the aim to help content and stories cross borders.

Rico and Aladin discussed what are the criteria in producing a good documentary and the difference of French and Chinese media.

POINTS OF DISCUSSIONS

Types of documentary

Moving to China

Rico plans on making a documentary about his father

What are the qualities of a good documentary

How to stay relevant

Aladin’s struggle in China

Doing media in China versus other countries

DESCRIPTION

If you’re searching for something to watch or listen to, Rico and ChinaMike talk about the movies, series, and podcast that hooked them recently.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

How young people use Discord

Joe Rogan with Yeoman Park

Rico and China Mike’s recommended content

SFA Discord

DESCRIPTION

What’s going on in China now? Rico and ChinaMike talk about random things about China.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Situation of Basketball in China

Viewing Covid as common disease

What the banks are doing during Covid

Where is China going?

Why Rico wants to stay in the Philippines for business?

Business transitions in Covid

Where SFA is heading?

The SFA Discord Community

DESCRIPTION

Rico talks to Evan Tate of Brutal Buddha before the launch of their new product line. Check out the great deal!!!

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Brutal Buddha’s Mission

Business journey and changes last year

Lessons from the past year

Business growth during Covid

Product launch details

Important qualities of leaders

The story behind the new products

Product line, Product deals

What’s in the next 5 to 10 years

DESCRIPTION

Rico talks to former employees, Luc and Vincent. They look back at their SFA days and how are they now.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Blockchain in Africa

Frustrations in doing business in developing countries

Living in different countries

Why the Philippines is interesting to live in?

Productivity in remote work

Work from home or rent an office?

Business milestones during the pandemic

Changes in Rico’s work-life balance

Dealing with burnout

DESCRIPTION

Rico talks to former employees, Lucy and Vincent. They look back at their SFA days and how are they now.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Pros and Cons of living in 2 different countries as a kid

On Relationships: finding someone with the same mindset

Starting a company and Investments

Love-Hate relationship with China

SFA customer base

Digital Assets

Marketing Shift

Expanding to the Philippines

Rico talks about personal long term plans

DESCRIPTION

Rico talks to former employees, Lucy and Vincent. They look back at their SFA days and how are they now.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Axie Infinity, Crypto in the Philippines

Keeping in touch with former colleagues

Ego, Foreigners, and English Teachers in China

Issues of living and doing business in China today

Guangzhou during the pandemic

Digital Relationships

How Covid affected their life and career

DESCRIPTION

Rico talks to former employees, Lucy and Vincent. They look back at their SFA days and how are they now.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

How they got the job at SFA

Experience in Asia and working for SFA

What they learned from SFA

What are they up to

DESCRIPTION

Rico and ChinaMike talk about business payments in China. With all the stricter rules and regulations when it comes to payment transactions, it is becoming a greater challenge day by day.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Forecast about upcoming business difficulties in China

Why China will still be significant in businesses for years to come.

Anti-China vibe in the US

How to manage mass production as a company with no presence in China.

SFA on Discord

DESCRIPTION

Rico and Allan share more about doing business with Event Fuel and PayPal. On the side note, they also talk about wedding plans. No, it’s not Rico’s (yet).

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Big companies take time to make payments

Why Rico enjoys working with “in between” companies

Allan’s assessment with Events Fuel project

Talking about Company Values: Fairness in Business

Personal Stuff: Allan’s wedding plans

Stoicism, Journaling, and Digital Detox

DESCRIPTION

Rico and Alan share updates about working on a project, Events Fuel and PayPal.

They discuss the challenges they had to go through especially the shipping. 

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Issues with taxes in the Philippines

Big problem with the freight industry and the supply chain

Advantage of having an employee from the country where you’re doing business.

Major Obstacle: Shipping

Cultural barriers in business

Difficulty of starting sourcing business

Working In Your Business VS Working On Your Business

Another PayPal project for Christmas

DESCRIPTION

Part 2. In this episode Young Jaymee shares how she met Rico and eventually started working for SFA. And get to know what’s very special about our Content Manager. 

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Young Jaymee “The Plug”

How Young Jaymee’s passion to help got her started working with Rico

Importance of Connections (part 2)

Young Jaymee as SFA Content Manager

Her unique skill set that landed her the job

Jaymee and Rico’s friendship over the years

How crazy can Jaymee get when helping others

Source Find Asia Discord Group

Young Jaymee on her future plans

Part 1. Get to know “Young Jaymee”, the newest addition to Source Find Asia’s family. Young Jaymee is the Content Manager from the Philippines. 

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Jaymee’s passion to help people

Wanting freedom, running away from home, and more about her colorful background

Importance of connections in life in general

How and why she started her freelancing journey

How working online gave her a more balanced life

Common issues of hiring staff from Southeast Asia

How to find good online employees

Story of a wasted opportunity

DESCRIPTION

Two years into the pandemic, Rico asks Mike about the current business atmosphere in China where he is based. How different is the situation now in Asia’s economic giant for foreign businesspeople?

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

How the pandemic affected the Podcast release

What’s up with Mike almost a year after the last MIC podcast

Why it’s getting more difficult for high profile people in China

Why Rico won’t talk politics to Chinese people

Lockdowns in Shanghai and Shenzhen

Where is China heading?

Rico and China Mike come up with the idea to provide better support to their followers consistently. Through Discord, members will have exclusive access to special contents — the latest China updates, strategies, workflow, and more. All information and assistance will be available whatever your timezone is.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Working with SMEs to larger companies

Inability to travel and meet face to face that transitions to outsourcing

Quality vs Quantity (employees and clients wise)

Launching Discord

Discord membership and channels

Discord discussions, chats, calls, and live streaming

DESCRIPTION

Rico and China Mike talk about the struggles they went through during COVID that hindered the consistency of podcasts for Source Find Asia. They also share how personal issues of people during pandemic impacted their availability to work and do business.

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

Getting people and delegating works

When great employees start to crack

Reasons why tasks are left undone

Meeting and talking to people in person versus online

Making use of old recordings for contents

Finding reliable people for the job

Getting calls and comments from people waiting for new contents

Description

Part 2. Due to Covid, events company, Event Fuel, ventured into digital events. They tapped Source Find Asia for their giveaways. In this episode, Rico and Alan talk about their experience so far working with the Irish company.

Points of Discussion

Finding clients through industry-specific websites

Getting clients from the podcast

Tapping established networks in China

How vital factory visit is nowadays

Virtual conference experience

Face to face events will come back

Evolving the sourcing office

Description

Part 1. Due to Covid, events company, Event Fuel, ventured into digital events. They tapped Source Find Asia for their giveaways. In this episode, Rico and Alan talk about their experience so far working with the Irish company.

Points of Discussion

Major issue to deal with at the beginning

Doing quality control on the products

Helping the company save a lot of money

Payment methods for suppliers without international licenses in Mainland China

Business lessons from Covid

Adjusting the business model due to corona

Description

With millions of existing businesses around the globe, what will make you thrive? In this episode, Cory tells Rico about being a remarkable entrepreneur, plus the books that inspire him.

Points of Discussion

Meeting other entrepreneurs and their impact on Cory

Running Woodies on autopilot

Doing other businesses while exploring other interests

Being an efficient businessman: working on things that count over and over and are always useful

Cory’s Game Changer books

How covid affected his business

Making your business remarkable

Description 

Running a business is hugely demanding in many ways. In this third part of Rico with Cory Stout, he tells of the key people who help him with the business and how they make life a lot easier for him.

Points of Discussion

Finding the right tools for your business

Automate your business

What happened when his mother handled the customer service

Why Cory recommends hiring Filipino VA

Spending time in China

Changes brought by commerce in China

Description

Part 2 of Rico with Cory Stout, owner of Woodies Sunglasses. For Cory, having a vision for the business and flexibility enabled him to achieve his business goals. If you’re a budding entrepreneur, you wouldn’t want to miss this episode.

Points of Discussion

Working with Kendall Jenner for a photoshoot

Selling outside Amazon

Why new e-commerce entrepreneurs should start on Amazon

Achieving his first 6-figure sales

What to sell on Amazon

Description

Rico chats with Cory Stout, owner of eco-friendly sunglasses, Woodies. Cory shares how he started selling products at Amazon which now earns 7 figures annually. Listen to the practical tips he shares in this episode.

Points of Discussion:

How Woodies started

Jumping to Amazon

Comparing Amazon then and now

Amazon as a great business platform

How Woodies started getting more sales

Sustaining the growth over the years

A “Most Important” area that many Amazon sellers don’t pay attention to

Description:

This is Part 2 of Rico at Renaud Anjoran’s podcast. They talk about entrepreneurs planning to get started with manufacturing in China but ON A TIGHT BUDGET. 

Maybe you’re one of them and having the same questions as:

How do you reduce the cost?

Should you hire consultants or just do it yourself?

What budget do you need?

Discussion Points:

Taking responsibility for your own product approval process.

Before you start production…

Which products are not for you if you are a first-time manufacturer on a budget.

How adherence to compliance regulations can be expensive.

Packaging compliance

Shipping & Logistics

Renaud Anjoran is the CEO of Sofeast Ltd which helps companies to develop their own products. Links in the resource section.

Description:

Rico is a guest at Renaud Anjoran’s podcast. They talk about entrepreneurs planning to get started with manufacturing in China but ON A TIGHT BUDGET. 

Maybe you’re one of them and having the same questions as:

How do you reduce the cost?

Should you hire consultants or just do it yourself?

What budget do you need?

Learn these and more in this 2-part episode and be better equipped for the future!

Points of Discussion

How to develop a new product on a low budget?

The stair-step approach to manufacturing.

Sourcing & vetting suppliers

Sourcing tips from Renaud and Rico when on a low budget.

What are the basic terms you'll need to set with the supplier you select?

Description:

Part 2 of Rico on Leaders with a Heart Podcast. In this episode, Rico talks more about his Asian adventures and why he loves living in Southeast Asia! 

If you’re embarking on a same journey towards East, don’t miss this podcast! 

Highlights:

Pulling off huge orders. How did Rico do it?

Cause Rico is passionate about

Why Rico wants to keep the Philippines a secret

The unbelievable price of comfortable living in Asia

Smallest thing that gave Rico the biggest impact on business

What are Rico’s superpower, mission, and purpose?

About starting small

Description:

Get to know Rico in this interview with Payman Lorenzo — not only the entrepreneur from Canada but some personal stuff as well. 

If you need some dose of inspiration to fire you up, then this is for you!

Highlights:

Leaving Canada for an adventure in Asia

The thing that shocked Rico about China

The entrepreneurial spirit of the Chinese

What Rico misses in China

Rico answers what makes him — happy, smile, come alive, sad, scared

Rico’s dream as a child

What kept Rico going in his lowest moments in China

Get to know SFA Digital Summit

SFA ideal clients

Description:

Professional-looking product photos add value to your e-commerce business. But professional can also mean expensive! Not in China. In this episode, Rico shares how to save money on professional product photos in China. 

Highlights:

Advantage of living in Southeast Asia for entrepreneurs

How professional photoshoots are done in China

Hiring models

Steps in hiring photographers / doing photography shoots

Description:

Second part of Rico with Michael Michelini of Global From Asia. They touch on scams and doing events online. 

Highlights:

When the shipment is not what you expected

Doing a virtual networking event

Looking into the future - VR events

Mike’s exciting new ventures - VPN, Cryptocurrency

Post COVID plans

Description: 

In this episode, Rico chats with his friend Michael Michelini of Global From Asia about life in China, business, and COVID.   

Highlights:

How China has changed in a decade

E-commerce in China

How China treats foreigners

US-China relationship

Surprising change in the immigration

Mike’s business amidst COVID

WeChat story that almost robbed Mike of a business opportunity

Smart move on how Filipinos start Amazon business

Description:

You’re starting your business. You’re choosing which factory to partner with. Before getting on that stage, Rico shares his expertise on this subject. 

Highlights: 

Is working with a larger factory better?

Questions to ask a factory

Understanding the production timeline

Specialization and experience of the factory

Factories to avoid — those selling on amazon

Certification for your product

Description:

Maybe you’re considering hiring a sourcing agent for your business. Then, this episode is for you! Rico talks about when you should get the service of an agent.

Highlights:  

Is it the right time to hire an agent?

When you shouldn’t hire a sourcing agent

Things to keep in mind when working with an agent

The best way to find sourcing agents

Description:

Email remains to be essential in business. But in China, it's no longer the main form of communication. In today's podcast, Rico talks about WeChat, China's "super app" and its importance in doing business there.

Episode Highlights:

- Get to know WeChat and the functions that make it the "Super App".

- WeChat business accounts

- Main benefit of WeChat for business

- Creating WeChat groups with the manufacturers and clients

- Don't shift 100% to WeChat

Description:

This is Part 2 of the Global Sources’ MATCH Event episode where Rico and Mike talk more about sourcing in China. Also, in this podcast we’ll get information on sourcing in emerging markets in Asia.

Discussion on:

Negotiating strategy for suppliers in India, Vietnam

Logistics advice for sourcing in Vietnam and India

Questions about Compliance Certification

Where to find suppliers for small quantity orders

Standard payment terms for suppliers

Drawbacks in sourcing from countries outside China

Sourcing trends for 2021 - moving out of China

Description: At Global Sources’ MATCH Event, Mike and Rico presented the SPIE Method, making its first debut in webinar form. Please take note that this is a videocast.

Description:

Are you an entrepreneur looking for suppliers for your business? Rico answers important questions about supplier vetting. 

In this episode you’ll learn:

Where to look for suppliers aside from Alibaba

Alibaba VS other suppliers

Common mistakes entrepreneurs make during the first contact with suppliers

How to find the right supplier in the market

Important questions to ask potential suppliers

This interview is part of the Source Find Asia Digital Summit. To know more about the summit, check out the link below. 

Description:

When John Graham Harper started a gym business that took a loan to fund his business. Until he got scammed by the “buyer” or the person that had a deal with him. This is an update episode of that saga.

Important Notes:

Barriers John dealt during the whole legal battle

People taking advantage of the legal system

Doing remote work

How COVID affected John’s gym’s business

Life after the legal battle

John’s future plans. Will he leave China after all?

On negativity and that big lesson he learned from the 4-year legal battle

Rico talks to social entrepreneur Payman Lorenzo about the ethics of social enterprise. He also shares where to begin your social enterprise journey.

This interview is part of the Source Find Asia Digital Summit. To know more about the summit, check out the link below. 

Description:

When John Graham Harper started a gym business that took a loan to fund his business. Until he got scammed by the “buyer” or the person that had a deal with him. This is an update episode of that saga.

Important Notes:

Being stopped at the border because of an alleged court case

Loaning his way to fund his gym business and everything went south

Being threatened by about his life

What is it like fighting through China’s legal system

Gathering evidence to make the appeal

China’s enforcement court coming after him

Hustling his way to settle the case

The scammer using the loopholes in the system to get to John

Paying Lawyer fees, penalties and others

Staying positive throughout his experience

What is the Chinese Legal System as an expat based in China

Description:

Rico asks Michael Michelini about creative launch strategy for e-commerce businesses.

Notes:

Importance of Brand Story

Content Creation and Brand Building

Advantages of Western Sellers

Recommendations on Affiliate Programs

This interview is part of the Source Find Asia Digital Summit. To know more about the summit, check out the link below. 

Vance Lee talks about Kickstarter - how it works, difference with Amazon,  and launching a successful campaign.

This interview is part of the Source Find Asia Digital Summit. To know more about the summit, check out the link below. 

Rico interviews Francois Jaffres of Noviland about shipping and logistics. He gives advice to first-time shippers and buyers about choosing freight forwarding companies, necessary paperwork from China to the US, among others.

This interview is part of the Source Find Asia Digital Summit. To know more about the summit, check out the link below. 

Here is one of the topics that we will cover at the Summit. This videocast tackles on certain Product Compliance Policies and what is the impact of Amazon Business in COVID-19. 

Fredrik is a co-founder of Asiaimportal Limited. This interview is part of Source Find Asia Digital Summit. To know more about the summit, check out the link below. 

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

Music in the Podcast:

Fire and Desire by Drake

Controlla by Drake

Tell Me by RL Grime

Flashing Lights by Kanye West

Here’s a snippet from SFA Digital Summit with Insight Quality founder Andy Church. In this episode, Rico and Andy talk about client inspection of products.

For more details about SFA Digital Summit, check out the link below.