The Global Sources Virtual Summit last April 21 – 22, 2020 was a success! The discussion on how to OPTIMIZE YOUR SOURCING in the current uncertain time was indeed insightful. In the summit, we also talked about sourcing masks and other medical devices. So timely and valuable. Here are some of my colleagues in the summit: I’m honored to share …
Back on The Move – Visiting a Hazmat Suit Factory in Wife’s Hometown
Less than a week from being released from quarantine, and back on the move. But to be honest, not able to leave the province (like a US state) so easily due to the quarantine process and health check in each province. So we are sticking to finding and visiting factories in the “neighborhood”. We’re lucky to have Wendy’s network and …
Last Quarantine Vlog: Will I Ever Be Allowed Back in USA?
Well, this is the last video blog I plan to do under Chinese quarantine. Its Sunday April 5, 2020 as I type this up and tomorrow at 640pm I will be allowed to check out of this makeshift hotel hospital. Coronavirus swab test, Coronavirus blood test, checked the box. Didn’t get issued any results, but guess no news is good …
Quarantine Birthday – Celebrate with Me Online
You may think I am crazy – but I was really trying to time the return to China + 14 days so that I would NOT be in quarantine during my birthday. Tried to fly on March 17 – which would have BARELY gotten me out by April 2 – but the whole airport shut down suddenly. Was thinking to …
Drastic Times, Drastic Measures: Mask Trading & Re-launching Sourcing business
My wife has been pushing me for weeks to do this, and I have been resisting. As always, the wife is always right. We need to change our business models and do what is most needed – for the world and for our businesses. I’m bringing back the old Shadstone Sourcing trading business – Shadstone-sourcing.com – and will be focusing …
Quoted in Wall Street Journal: Amazon not accepting inbound shipments
The crisis continues – this time hitting the Western world and distribution. Last month it was about factories being closed and not able to make the product- now it is about Western countries / USA – being able to receive and ship it. Can you believe yesterday, March 17, 2020 amazon suddenly announced it will not accept new inbound shipments …
Company Retreat in Bohol Turned Operation: Evacuation
Writing this up from my hotel room in Bohol under much different circumstances than I expected for our team retreat. Rushing to the airport on Thursday, Marc told me that Manila is considering going on full lockdown. I wasn’t sure if I could make my flight before the lockdown was announced or what would even happen. Flight went like normal …
On “My Worst Investment Ever” Podcast Sharing Biggest Business Failure!
Still on a roll getting the word out online and was invited on the “My Worst Investment Ever” podcast with the amazing host Andrew Stotz to share my biggest business failure. Was a pleasure to be on – and it was a bit painful to share and dig up those memories (and the money lost) – but we need to …
Watch a Budding E-commerce Community Grow – Trip To Baguio, Philippines
Catching my breath after two 7 hour bus trips to Baguio and back in a few days- but it was quite the experience! Note – if you go to Baguio – bring a light jacket – it is cold. 5,000 meters above sea level, you will take a coach bus for 7 hours and towards the last hour you will …
True Passion – Sharing and Teaching People How to Earn a Living
“Back at it” – The Alpha Rock Capital partners have let me loose and to do what my passion is – to share and spread the good word. Alexa and I took a trip to Quezon City (my old home from 2010!) to speak at Ace and Andi Estrada’s Manila Mastermind e-commerce event. A few hundred attendees there, all local …
First Week in Manila: Volcano Hit, Studio Work
Been a week now in Manila and I know I’ve been quiet. Busy – rested up last weekend after a rough flight w/ bad connecting flight. And Monday morning started off the week with a volcano eruption Welcome to Manila! So in today’s video blog just a walk through some of BGC / Makati and meeting the team I’m working …
We Bought a Shoelace Amazon Business
We Just Bought a Shoelace Business (example of what I’m doing lately) To give people on the personal blog a bit of an example, at Alpha Rock Capital we just purchased a business selling elastic shoelaces on Amazon. They previous owner had been building it up for a couple years and it is a top ranking product in the re-usable …
In Bloomberg About the Trade War & SME Effects
Quoted in Bloomberg About China/USA Amazon FBA Merchant Stress I’ve been talking to quite a few journalists lately about the effects of the USA/China trade war on small business owners. One of them decided to take a quote – and it is in Bloomberg, Monday June 24, 2019 Here’s the link (paywall): https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-23/u-s-china-trade-war-hits-amazon-s-small-businesses And here’s a screen capture And here’s …
Re-Entering The Bar Products Online Retail Industry
Re-entering the Bar Products industry A bit early stage to say anything, but hey – this is my random personal blog and I have been wanting to get it out of my head for a while. So my first e-commerce business, that I started in 2005, well technically started on eBay in 2004 but launched the website in May 2005 …
Interviewing Top Chinese E-commerce Executives
Interviewing Top Chinese E-commerce Executives. Mike’s Blog 134 Going deeper into the China side of cross border e-commerce export. Spent a ton of time this past week interviewing top Amazon FBA sellers in China and service providers. What is crazy to me is the rest of the world has no idea who they are – they are like a faceless …