Ep 99: Meet the founder of the iconic 17 year old restaurant in Shanghai’s ex - French concession

China Paradigms

Matthieu David interviews Cotton Ding, Owner at Cottons restaurant and bar. The restaurant business is a tough business. That’s especially true in China and more so if we are talking about the last few months when people were under strict restrictions to socialize due to the coronavirus outbreak. How has Cotton Ding managed to stay in the industry for 17 years, what threats did her business face and what type of management does she promote? Let’s find out in this new China Paradigm podcast. 0:15 Guest introduction 2:58 Cottons - a brief history 4:28 Cotton Ding’s professional history 9:13 Size and scope of business 11:08 The cost of doing business – managing rent and business hours 16:20 Cottons team cost structure 19:26 Managing the everyday inventory needs and inspiring people 27:12 How has the coronavirus outbreak affected Cottons and what measures were taken to stay afloat? 31:52 How has the delivery strategy changed due to the outbreak? 34:19 What is it like to work with food delivery platforms? 37:04 How has Cotton Ding handled the common threats to a restaurant staying in business? 40:18 How was Cottons' brand identity built? 44:47 How the restaurant business takes a toll on free time 47:23 What has inspired Cotton Ding in her entrepreneurial journey? 49:50 What does Cotton Ding fight for? 51:03 What does Cotton Ding do to stay up to date with business in China? 54:08 What books about China would Cotton Ding recommend to foreigners? 56:04 How does business after the outbreak look like for Cottons? 57:20 Should Cotton Dings have extra time what other types of business would she pursue? 58:57 What surprising success has Cotton Ding witnessed in China? 1:00:22 What surprising failure has Cotton Ding witnessed in China? 1:02:09 Outro Learn more about Cotton Ding and Cottons restaurant and bar Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotton-ding-370680109/ Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber Website: http://chinaparadigm.com/ Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes. What is China Paradigms Podcast? China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.