| Shanghai has its own draw. It is gaining reputation globally as a
boom town, a place where money, opportunity, and talent are colliding.
Everyone with an idea, it seems, is here trying to make something happen.
One entrepreneur puts it, "We are now witnessing the greatest transfer
of wealth in human history. Wealth is moving from the west to east and
of anywhere, Shanghai is the focus a large part of that". Added too
the boom town mix, Shanghai has a certain unique atmosphere that lends
to itself a mystique and a heady buzz. However, it's not without
its pitfalls.
JJ is person who now has her own consulting company, after leaving the
directorship of an international firm. She has been on the board of more
organizations than most people ever consider joining. Her story is a success
story shared by thousands who find realized their goals in Shanghai. However,
it wasn't easy getting from there to here.
Shanghai is the kind of city where there it is easy for the new arrival
to spin their wheels while being under the illusion that they are actually
getting somewhere. If they are on a corporate relocation package, it has
the advantage of a built-in focus. He knows what he needs to do, have
a job description and a career, and enough compensation to make life seem
relatively comfortable. For the entrepreneur, it may not be quite so easy.
With the amount of opportunities or ideas to develop, it's easy
to get side tracked, spread thin, and having nothing to show after a year
of effort. Focus is important.
If a person coming isn't here on a job package, they will have to arrive
prepared to create a niche. In creating a niche, a certain amount of focus
is required. Graham Thompson arrived in Shanghai in 2002. Initially driven
by the desire just to experience a different part of the world, he took
a position to get him into the environment, culture and connections in
Shanghai. "Initially," he says, "you may need to be prepared
to do things for free or fairly cheaply to gain experience and credibility,
but once you are established, don't under price yourself - in many sectors,
there are still more opportunities than good people." It took him
about 2 years to come up job that matched his skills and income requirements.
Joseph came here in 2001 with an intention to setup his own business.
He started as and English teacher to make ends meet, but, without capital
for his dream, found himself still teaching English 3 years later. He
had a new business or project that he was fitting in around his classes
every few months. However, his attention was grabbed by every good idea
or opportunity he noticed and his best ideas never developed because of
the lack of focus, capital, or commitment and he did not build the bridges
and the network to make his ideas work. It is an all too common story.
One of the keys for both JJ and for Graham was that they were both tireless
networkers. JJ's evenings were filled with events at the different Chamber
functions, charities, and business mixers. She went out her way to offer
assistance and expertise to the people she met. By the time she was ready
to move to the next job from her first office manager's position, she
had invitations to great positions. For Graham, the international culture
of the shanghai expat community is a source, but you have to be willing
to play. He says. "Make friends and contacts across all nationalities
and industries - create a wide network." This advice is repeated over
and over again by people who are successful in Shanghai. |
