At the best of times, running a business is an uphill battle: a struggle to innovate ideas that put you ahead of the competition and turn a profit. In a post-COVID-19 world, however, those challenges have not only grown in scale but morphed into something unrecognizable. In this series, we talk to expat-entrepreneurs and find out what they’re doing to remain both successful in business, and happy at home.

It is not an easy thing for an entrepreneur to decide to fold their business, but that was the decision with which Eva Molina Biorck, founder of Mosto Group Beijing, was faced with at the height of the crisis. With stringent measures imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the capital, it was eateries and restaurants just like Biorck’s that were first to shut their doors.

So how do you remain optimistic despite dire predictions, and how do you trust that the city you have grown to live, love, and work in, will not cannibalize what you have poured your blood, sweat, and tears into? In a word, community. At least that is according to Biorck. And she might have a point since she is still here and still kicking.

Biorck and her husband opened their first restaurant, Mosto, in 2008

How long has the business been in operation?

We founded our first restaurant, Mosto, in 2008.

How long have you and your family been in China and what made you decide to move this far East?

I moved to China in 1996. I moved here originally after studying East Asian studies at University back in Sweden. I was drawn to the culture, history, and the element of the unknown. After University I got a job with Scandinavian Airlines and moved to Beijing.

What were you and your family’s initial reactions when COVID-19 first hit the news?

For us, it was a very uncertain time. I was worried about my children and how they would be affected. And of course, since my husband and I are entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry, we were concerned about our business’s future.

The Mosto empire has grown to include the successful Moka Bros cafe brand

What were your expectations as far as the virus and its effect on daily life and business in Beijing?

I think everyone, not just for those of us in Beijing and China, but across the world, will all have to make adjustments both in the way we operate as businesses and in our daily lives. I don’t think it’s clear yet what this “new normal” will look like, but I do think that this pandemic has completely changed the landscape of our future.

What has been the reality for you and your family during the peak of the virus?

All three of our kids are home from school, we are doing our best to try to help them with homework and online classes, while also spending quality time with them, and balancing that with the increased pressure we have on our business too. The reality is that it has been a very stressful time, but it’s also made us incredibly grateful for what we do have. We are happy, healthy, and safe.

“Our kids have surprised and impressed us during this time”

How, if at all, has your business been affected by the current situation?

Our business has been hugely affected by this, and I think it will continue to be. It still feels like the situation is changing every day, so the most important thing is to be flexible and creative. Although it’s been a tough time for the industry, we have been lucky to have dedicated staff and a loyal clientele that have supported through this time.

What form of support have you received from the expat community here in Beijing for both your family’s and business’s wellbeing?

We have received amazing support from the expat community. So many customers and friends have reached out to support and offer words of encouragement. It’s meant so much to us because part of our family’s wellbeing does depend on our business.

As the city continues to return to business as normal, what are some of the plans you have set in place for your business to ensure it is not adversely affected by such an unexpected situation in the future?

I think this situation was so unprecedented it was impossible for us to have prepared for, however, going forward, we are working on streamlining operations, having clear communication channels, and crisis communication plans.

“We are working on streamlining operations, having clear communication channels, and crisis communication plans”

As a business owner, what has been your biggest takeaway from this period of uncertainty?

Sometimes as an entrepreneur, you can doubt yourself, but the support that we have received during the outbreak has reinforced the strength of our brand to us. Even at the height of the crisis, we were lucky enough to have customers and dedicated staff who made running our business possible. Initially, we considered closing Mosto permanently, but after the huge outpouring of support, we decided no not only to reopen but to renovate the space to create a fresh atmosphere.

As a parent and partner, what have you learned from or about your family that will help shape your family life in the future?

Our kids have surprised and impressed us during this time with how independent they are. Even with online schooling they have stayed on top of their homework and classes and demonstrated a lot of maturity.

Biorck and her daughter catch up on schoolwork in the restaurant

Has the current situation deterred you from continuing to be a part of the business landscape in Beijing or are you here to stay?

Beijing has been my home for over 20 years, my children were born here and have grown up here, if it is up to me, I will do everything I can to stay and make sure that we can have a happy life here.

What advice would you give to other business owners in Beijing at this time?

We are big believers that cooperation is stronger than competition. Don’t be afraid to support each other and lend a helping hand when you can. We are definitely stronger together.

How can other expat families show their support for expat business owners in Beijing?

The best way to help is to support your favorite local businesses that you want to see on the other side of this crisis.

Any words of encouragement or hope for the international community as a whole in Beijing?

Stay strong, be positive, and support each other. It might sound cliché, but we really are all in this together.

KEEP READING: Viral COVID-19 Workbook Now Available for Adults & Kids

Images: courtesy of Eva Molina Biorck

The Annual Women’s Economy Summit is upon us and is the largest gathering of women trailblazers, inspirational leaders, badass entrepreneurs, contributors, and policymakers in town. With a mission to raise awareness of the key role women play in global economic development, the summit is all about highlighting the importance of women leaders and entrepreneurs by encouraging them to collaborate with leading women’s organizations and corporations, keen to share cutting-edge pearls of wisdom.

It all began in 2017 when the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in China and SCHSAsia joined hands and efforts to design an event that would be a bold experience packed with personal and professional development tools for powerful women of today and tomorrow. The 2018 summit attracted over 300 professional men and women and was the birthplace of the first edition of the Women’s Leadership in the Workplace White Paper; a guide for the community to further foster dialogue and programs regarding professional women’s positions within organizations.

We’ve caught up with Su Cheng Harris-Simpson, SCHSAsia CEO and Board of Governor of AmCham China about the big idea behind the initiative.

Su Cheng Harris-Simpson

Beijingkids: Tell us more about the Women’s Economy Summit and the inspiration behind it.
Su Cheng (SC): We started the AmCham Women’s Professional Committee about 12 years ago because we needed a sustainable model and that AmCham can help put up a platform for international and local women working for multinational corporations. About 5 years ago, I encountered so many women groups doing amazing things but I became curious as I didn’t see cohesion among these groups. Besides that, I had encountered complex issues on major gaps in work, especially in leadership and pay. So I thought to start the Women’s Economy Summit to offer everyone a platform to address major areas in women’s economy, and to push the agenda forward.

BJK: What shall we expect in next week’s summit?
SC: This year’s summit is the third edition and we are bringing together many amazing governmental, non-profit groups, leaders and Intrapreneurs/entrepreneurs in one venue. And I’d like to highlight three main emphases of the Women’s Economy Summit: (1) advocacies where we focus on best practices that result in big and lasting change and impact; (2) leadership, where we bring women leaders and women in power and position to serve as role models for others to increase pipeline to grow future women leaders; and (3) Intrapreneurs/entrepreneurship, where we bring nimble and able people who think outside of the box and act as change agents and facilitators of progress to grow both public and private economies.

BJK: Have you seen major changes in the five years since you started the summit?
SC: Yes! There is qualitative and quantifiable progress. In terms of qualitative progress, we’ve seen the discussion move forward and bring awareness. Not only that, but we’ve seen men are also active in the conversation! In terms of quantifiable progress, more systematic support needs to be done on the topic of the pay gap and leadership roles. In China, we have gotten lots of data, but the question is which one is real and usable. So we are still working to find out the baseline of data to identify key gaps to be able to help continue to raise awareness, develop actionable steps and ultimately move the needle forward for impactful change.

BJK: What can you say about the business environment in China? Is it welcoming towards women entrepreneurs?
SC: The good news is in China, there are no barriers to opening a business, but the challenge is to how to grow your business to make it more sustainable and scalable. Both public and private sectors should embrace the 50 percent of the population — women — because there is an “untapped” area or potential for growth. Outside of China, different governments have best practices supporting the growth and sustainability of business by women entrepreneurs. Helping to grow a woman-owned business ultimately grows our economy. This is something that China can do.

BJK: Can men also join the summit?
SC: Of course! We want men to join the summit. A part of our program includes inviting male leaders from multinational corporations, or what we call “Men Champions,” and they will discuss their personal and companies’ efforts to support equality in their workplaces. Also, we would like men to join in the conversation because it will allow everyone to understand and support each other as human beings, and that equality is not about taking away a piece of the pie but enlarging that pie for all to win.

BJK: What’s next for the Women’s Economy Summit?
SC: Until the playing field becomes even, we will still call it the Women’s Economy Summit. We need to do this until we don’t need to bring up the topics of gender and equality in leadership roles, pay gap, and business anymore. We need to continually discuss equality because we need to embrace “differentness” and inclusivity to take full advantage of the talents of men and women all together, and not to label the “differentness” as something positive or negative. We aim to get everybody aware of their own unconscious biases and that they look to someone as a human being like anyone else, and that we need to make people feel they belong and are valued for who they are. Only by achieving that, I believe, will move us forward towards sustainability, growth, and equality for ALL.

Women’s Economy Summit, Apr 10
This year’s summit will feature a full day of keynote speeches, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. The summit will also aim to examine international, regional, and national “best practices” towards producing steps that companies and organizations can take in order to create a safe, equal, and inspiring working environment, where professional women can flourish and “unleash the power of the economy.”

Attendees have the following to look forward to:
– Career planning and development
– Ideas to step-up your influence and networks
– Women’s health and its cascading impact
– Strengthen interpersonal skills
– Managing stress
– How to understand and identify unconscious gender bias

Adults. RMB 1,800 (Early bird ticket – buy one get one free), RMB 1,800 (Regular all-day ticket). 9am–7pm. Beijing Marriott Hotel Northeast, 26A Xiaoyun Road, Chaoyang District. (yliang@amchamchina.org)

Photos: AmCham China press release via the AmCham China website

Slots are filling up for the Jing International School Expo Youth Entrepreneurship Competition – we will continue to enroll teams (no deadline) until we get closer to the capacity of 20 teams per division.

No experience is necessary to take part – you’ll learn everything you need on the day of the event itself!

The event, to take place Feb 23-24 at the Kerry Hotel as part of the Jing International School Expo, is conducted in English and is open to teams of five who are currently enrolled at any Beijing school.

There are two divisions: Middle Schoolers (Grade 6-8, with the workshop happening Saturday, Feb 23) and High Schoolers (Grade 9-12, with the workshop happening Sunday, Feb 24).

Not only a competition, the event is an awesome learning opportunity for middle schoolers and high schoolers who want to develop their skills.

You’ll walk away with skills in:

• Understanding the design thinking process
• Analyzing the needs of customers
• Creative solution idea generation
• Crafting your pitch
• Delivering a short, punchy presentation
• Teamwork

Professional facilitators from Venture Education and Techtrek will coach teams on site on how to develop an idea into a sellable pitch, all in one day.

Venture Education is a social enterprise that empowers students through entrepreneurship education. Techtrek helps young learners develop the tech skills they need to thrive in the modern world.

Successful Beijing entrepreneurs will be on hand throughout the day to guide students through the process. The day concludes with short three minute pitches to a panel of real-life entrepreneurs, to be followed by an awards ceremony with RMB 38,000 in prizes up for grabs.

Entry is free and no preparation is necessary – all you need to bring is your open mind and a team of five from your school.

Interested? We will continue to enroll teams (no deadline) until we get closer to the capacity of 20 teams per division.

So get out there and form your teams and register for this free learning opportunity!

Register here!

For more information about the 2019 JISE Youth Entrepreneurship Competition, contact Mike Wester at gm@truerun.com or via WeChat at mwinchina.

Photo: verywellmind.com

Beijing entrepreneurs have responded with skepticism to a recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article suggesting foreign businessmen were “heading home, disillusioned.”

The article cited increased taxes, regulation, and political control as factors driving American entrepreneurs out of business. However, the graphic used seemed to contradict the hypothesis, showing numbers of “newly launched or registered companies by foreigners in China” rising, not falling.

The WSJ’s graphic shows FDI stable and new foreign-owned companies increasing

“Opportunity is where you find it,” said Jeffery Powell, co-owner of an international trade company, and Frost, a popular Beijing bar and restaurant. “I’m doing just fine right now. Although I do know a number of people that left this year, not because of hard times per se but more because they were being sent home or otherwise.”

Powell acknowledges that some sectors face greater challenges than others.

“F&B [food and beverage]was especially hit hard over the last few years. Mostly however it is their own fault, with sketchy licensing and locations.”

Among the evidence offered by the WSJ article was declining enrollment at Shanghai American School (SAS). However, Hamilton Gregg, educational consultant and beijingkids regular contributor, questioned whether this necessarily meant there were fewer foreign entrepreneurs in the country.

“International schools which depend on foreign passport holders have been hit recently. They are expensive for one, but there are fewer families coming to China. There are also more options for families to choose from. Many enroll their younger children in Chinese schools. But with the growth of bilingual schools and other options such as boarding schools in the US/ UK, the dispersement of students may be impacting student numbers at schools like SAS.”

Schooling costs certainly are an issue for families. One parent who asked to remain anonymous was concerned about what will happen when his son reaches school age.

“Yeah, when international schools are 20k a month, it can become a problem,” he said. “Business is not my problem – school prices are.”

But he remained enthusiastic about the opportunities in Beijing.

“I would love to stay, sure,” he told us.

Powell too was positive about the capital as a place to raise children.

“I really truly feel my family is safer and better off here than in the Wild West we call the United States at the moment,” he said. “And until people stop getting shot at schools, concerts, parades or shopping malls I’ll not even consider it leaving. The pollution in the air is my only concern. Otherwise, China seems pretty safe.”

Photo: www.wsj.com

About a month ago now, my good friend from the US came over to my house with her son for a playdate. She flew through the door in a flash of colour and style, wearing an off-the-shoulder shirt I instantly admired and commented on. “I know,” she said, “Don’t you love it?” Then she started talking about Meijile.

Bamboo Shirt Collection

Meijile has been around in Beijing as a small clothing brand for the past three years but I hadn’t really explored their work. I’d heard of them and seen their displays at a few craft sales, but I admittedly haven’t taken enough time with my wardrobe in the past four years thanks to kids and/or the convenience of a favourite pair of jeans and a hoodie. But when my friend breezed through my door with those wide eyes of self-love, I thought: “I need some of that!”

The Founders: Dani & Kicki

美极了－ “meijile” — So Beautiful! or How Beautiful! — is a great name for a clothing shop. Maybe it seems rather confident, but if you’ve actually seen these clothes and judged them for yourself, you can tell that they’re made with great care and quality control. The fabrics are beautiful, the stitching is solid, their styles are fun and unique.

When I looked into it further, I discovered that the owners, Kicki and Dani, have been exploring the environmental impacts of the fashion industry and have committed to using leftover fabrics for things like interesting jewelry, covering buttons, creating unique linings on children’s pants, etc. They also don’t use plastic packaging, which in itself is a miracle here in China where even the smallest of products suffer in their individually wrapped, smothering plastic.

Last Lined Pants Collection for Kids

I asked my friend for the designer’s WeChat contact and she passed it on. Then I texted and asked them about the style of shirt I had set my eye on. I got a response right away. Then she even sent me a garment by courier and I sent her the money through WeChat wallet. What a treat to put on this gorgeous shirt today. I feel fancy and pampered: by me!

For more information about Meijile and their wide array of kids and adult clothes, please visit their website (needs VPN!).

Photos Courtesy of Kicki of Meijile and Ember Swift

Two local women have set up a new family fair to provide opportunities for creative moms.

The first Beijing Mamas Market will take place on Saturday May 28 at Park View Tower, from 10am to 3pm. It’s the brainchild of Nina Xu and Kiyono Sakashita, who both understand the challenges of raising children while running a business.

Sakashita founded Deli De Luxe, a boutique café, food store and catering company a year ago, after giving up a career in film location to have children. “It is a great pleasure to spend all those precious moments with my family, but I feel like I lose myself sometimes,” she tells us. She describes her business now as a “happy and stable team,” but is familiar with the issues facing entrepreneurial moms. “I struggle almost every day to balance my time and energy between family and business,” she says.

Xu understands these issues too, from the mothers she meets through Busy Hands Playgroup, the community program she launched in 2015. “They are talented and creative,” she says, “but most of them hesitate to try when they are talking about their hobbies, passions and dreams.”

Inspired by these moms, Xu and Sakashita set up Beijing Mamas Market to give them a chance to show off their talents. “We aim to empower mothers and to make a platform for them, if they have original designs, brands, startups, or even just an interesting idea,” Sakashita says.

The market promises lots of fun for families, including a cardboard maze, treasure hunt bingo, and an origami workshop. There’ll be live music, and after the show the kids can try out the electronic drums.

Xu says their goal for Beijing Mamas Market is to develop “a dynamic community for talented mamas and a kid-friendly meetup for supportive children, fathers and other caregivers.” As it’s a non-profit project they are looking for volunteers, and sponsorship from family-related businesses.

Photos: courtesy of Beijing Mamas Market

There’s a new kid on the block in the Beijing design scene – and it was started by three teens. Studio Accord is the brainchild of Vivian Zhang, Emily Chung, and Rikki Liu, three soon-to-be juniors at the International School of Beijing. Rikki and Vivian are originally from the US, while Emily is from Canada. Studio Accord is a "non-profit design studio" whose mission is to provide pro bono work to non-profit organizations and commercial work for socially-conscious businesses, with profits to be donated to worthy causes. beijingkids recently spoke to Vivian to find out more about Studio Accord.

How did Studio Accord come about?
This is actually a really long story. Studio Accord is a joint project between all three co-founders. We are all proficient at design, but split roles within the organization to keep things efficient. Emily is the art director; she makes the calls about our own brand identity, color schemes, and graphics. For example, she did the gorgeous splash image on our website. Rikki is the communications director and manages emails with clients, but she’s away at the moment. I manage the website and the business aspect of the organization.

Originally, all three of us were all executives of ISB’ss internal design organization, Draxonic Design Studio (DDS). Gradually with the growth of DDS, outside organizations began approaching us and we were given the option to either focus on school projects or to branch out professionally.

Because it was impossible for DDS to dabble in both options, the three of us were inspired to create an entirely new entity to give us the opportunity to work with real clients and impact the community in a more lasting and profound way.  

We all have different goals in creating this organization. I wanted to go through the experience of starting a "business." Emily wanted to create a group that could achieve a higher level of design in terms of communication and impact. Rikki wanted to positively impact the community through art. So we entered the business with trepidation, but also with a certain level of experience.

What’s the process of coming up with a design for a non-profit?
Well, so far we’ve only worked with Bethel China, and it’s been a great pleasure. The first project we received from them was the sponsorship flyer; they provided a few photos and text, and gave us some rough requirements.

You have to understand that design is a visual means of solving a problem. The first thing we did was go on their website and familiarize ourselves with their work and history.

We then asked Chloe Banks (their development manager) numerous questions about the flyer’s purpose and target audience. From this, we tailored the entire design around the needs of the organization. And of course, there were many back-and-forth email exchanges along the way until we achieved a final, satisfactory product.

You also did a design for United Family Healthcare, right?
UFH is starting a new residency and family medicine program, and the logo we created for them is meant to be used as a decorative header for their official documents. We were contacted by Dr. Setsuko Hosoda to create a simple graphic and typography logo to brighten up their documents, and the final concept is very simple: a medical cross that doubles as a stylized "U" and "F" (United Family), featuring two little human figures in the center to represent family and health.

Bethel China is still an ongoing project, and the only graphic that’s been finalized is the sponsorship flyer. However, we’ve recently met with Chloe Banks and we’re working on numerous other projects, including a web infographic, a vision collage, visitor cards, and more. We’re really glad to help out with their rapidly evolving organization, and it’s been really fun so far. 

What do you hope to accomplish with Studio Accord?
Our mission is to promote visual design as an important means of communication; we’ve noticed that there is very little emphasis on this in China, especially in non-profits. We’d also like to make a nice contribution to the community and gain some valuable experience in return. 

Right now, we’re still in that hectic process of setting up all the infrastructure to operate correctly. Ultimately we’d like to have two aspects of the organization: doing pro bono work for non-profits and doing commissioned work for socially-minded business owners.

However, we’re still trying to navigate various options for the second part of that plan; we’re also trying to gain serious credibility before taking that plunge, so services will likely be "free" (or, in other words, priceless!) until we figure that out. 

Do you see this project carrying on past your school years?
Definitely. This really isn’t something meant to just last us through high school- but then, we don’t have any concrete plans as to what we’ll do with it after we graduate yet. We have some pretty lofty visions for it, but let’s just see where this takes us in the next two years. 

Studio Accord is currently looking to expand its portfolio by providing free work to non-profits, businesses, and community organizations. To contact the founders or find out more, visit their website.

Visuals courtesy of Studio Accord