We’re all so excited when a new year comes. We write down our resolutions and wake up on January 1 with a clean slate.
Fact is, we need to start it before New Year’s Day. And I am not partying on Dec 31 like the old days, I want to be fresh and awake on the first day of the new year.
So without further ado, here are my top priorities for 2016.
Build Out Global From Asia as an Hong Kong Business Agency
Its been over 2 year since I started the podcast which has now developed into a regular blog and full service agency.
At first I thought there were already a ton of company agencies in Hong Kong – but as I did the podcast and blog, still so much confusion in the market. There’s definitely room there for a new agency.
Global From Asia, as a full service Hong Kong business agency. Will focus on helping e-commerce and online based business owners setup and manage their Hong Kong company. Worked hard the past few months building out a full and 100% transparent service offering (see the big list here). So far it’s been a hit! I’m getting thanked over and over again by clients coming on board.
It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when I can clarify the headaches clients are having. Many are not new to Hong Kong business and have a company already. But they are so deep into it now and confused with audit timing, offshore filing claims, secretary renewals. I love fixing these issues.
Social Agent Mobile App
Excited Nora, the rockstar Product Manager at Unchained Apps has time to help oversee the product specifications. She worked a ton of it the past couple months to make a monster document of every feature and function. I have learned how critical that spec doc is, and excited for the new year and Social Agent.
Yes, Social Agent has been through quite a few pivots. If you saw it a few months ago, it is totally re-built. Now to help you quickly create, track and manage your introductions – Social Agent dot me
Still Cranking Out Podcasts – Global From Asia + China Business Cast
For all those audio content fans, don’t worry – still keeping up with the radio show. I’m solo on the mic at Global From Asia, interviewing people doing business from Hong Kong and Asia to the global markets. And have an awesome co-host Shlomo for China Business Cast where we talk about domestic Mainland China business, with more of a focus on tech and startups.
Will do them every other week, so really it is every week, just alternating the shows.
Best to subscribe on iTunes – they are 2 separate shows. If you’d like you can also get it to work on Android – I have some apps and methods I share GFA on Android
Vloggin’ (Video Blog)
A new thing for 2016. Experimented a bit the last week of 2015 and I like it. Plus I have never received so many reactions from friends and strangers before in such a short period of time!
Plan to try to do a new video blog each week. Will be more for your entertainment than really education. Though people who have watched a few have gotten some interesting insights on how life is in Hong Kong and China. I will also take it on my travels in other cities in China and Southeast Asia – will be a bit of an adventure.
The videos I will right here on MikesBlog.com as well as on Youtube and facebook. Also those in China can follow my official wechat account – search my Chinese name in pinyin:
Wechat official account = mailini
Will post these there, as well as almost all other content.
Big, Quality, Business Conference – Cross Border Summit
This is a big challenge! Want to do a yearly conference for “cross border business” with a focus on the e-commerce and internet based business owners. Will be here in Shenzhen, currently have Tencent’s headquarters but can only fit 100 people. Talking to quite a few partners about it now, on the marketing side, venue side, and sponsorship side.
I’m so blessed to have an amazing wife Wendy. She has tons of experience organizing tech events in Beijing with D .cn. She’s been pulling out the big guns in her relationships and between the 2 of us it is going to be awesome.
Still confirming the speakers, will fly them in from overseas. Also working on high level business people in China too.
Hope you can consider taking part in this first annual event! Check out more details at Globalfromasia.com/crossbordersummit (also have the domain CrossBorderSummit.com that will forward there. Just trying to avoid having so many domains these days.
Philippines SEO Office
Josh my business partner in Cebu is running the show as CEO. He and I opened a proper Philippines company, proper office and have been doing a few internet marketing projects. I will go down once my baby is born – probably in February. Also looking forward to updating everyone about it on this video blog!
As I have mentioned about it in the past, it is great to have “full control” of an operation down in Philippines. A lot of us internet marketers have a ton of staff working remotely in Philippines – but you know how it goes with electricity burning out, typhoons, pregnancies, and general disappearances of staff. Having a fixed office will help those who don’t have the ability to work home to work in this office. Cebu is a great spot too for outsourcing.
A soft-sell here – if you’re interested in having internet marketing services, or need any web help – Josh and the team in Cebu is ready and waiting to talk to you!
Personal Goal 1 – Learn Chinese, HSK Level 4
So my new years resolution last year was just “learn Chinese”. But I realized that I didn’t put an exact goal on it. I’m about done with HSK 2, well 75% done. HSK is a standard test for how well you know Chinese – both written and spoken. I am mostly improving on written – need to force myself to speak in Chinese more to keep that up.
Curious how I am studying my Chinese? You can check out a couple videos I made for the Written Chinese app at video 1, and video 2.
Last But DEFINITELY not least – Having a Second Baby in a few weeks!
Saving the best for last. My baby girl will be born this month (or maybe early Feb). It is going to be great. A big family now, and more pressure.
We named her Maggie already, and can’t wait. Wendy is so strong and the baby is healthy (keep us in your prayers of course!) This will be quite the fun video blog too – though it will be in China again and they won’t let men in the delivery room. Maybe I can sneak a peek somehow!
Jia You (add oil) into 2016!
Hope you’re as excited as I am for the new year. Make your list? Make your plan? I have specific numbers and goals on the above, but for privacy I am not sharing them.
And sure, maybe some items on the list above may fail. That is life. That is how we learn and grow. I hope my kids read this sentence – if you’re not willing to put yourself out there and potentially fail – you’ll never test your limits. Only when we test our limits do we grow.
So push yourself.