Lily Li (李莉娟) is originally from Chengdu, China, and lives in France. Lily works at Christie's International Real Estate and is an Asian Investment Consultant at Vineyards Bordeaux. Lily shares her incredibly inspiring journey, discussing everything from winning "The Voice of China" to becoming a best-selling author, gaining a successful career in …

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and let us be the first to wish you a Happy New Year! This week, Brendan is catching up on editing and posting Yingying's recent interviews, and for our New Year's show we're very glad to bring you PADDY ROBERTSON. Paddy has been living in Beijing 6 years and is CEO of SmartAir. SmartAir is one of the first register…

WAHED AHMADZAI - 马赫 is a Beijing-based social entrepreneur and community builder with six years of experience working and studying in China, devoted to building platforms for international talents to learn, share and grow together. Wahed Co-founded YOOFU International Culture Education, NHUB business Consulting, and UIBE Alumni Business Club, and c…

Welcome back! Please enjoy this BRAND NEW SHOW as Yingying and Brendan get caught up on what’s been happening the last several months, including Yingying’s massive Chinese historical project, Brendan’s new YouTube show, what it’s like for us at the moment in Beijing and Los Angeles, respectively, what’s next, and much more. This episode is availabl…

On weeks without a new interview, we’re going to start reposting favorite episodes from our Top 10 most popular shows, in case you missed them, and we’re kicking that off with one of THE best and most timely shows (in retrospect) that we could hope to share with you in our current situation. DAVID THOMAS has a very special history with China. His f…

"Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD do something.” Timeless words of wisdom, shared here by the ever-insightful Beijing-based MENGFEI LI on a very relevant episode of our show. His perspective - as an international journalist who lived in the US for 13 years and has a lot of love for the country, but who also has the clarity…

This week, Yingying Li talks with BEI WANG in the Netherlands about the Dutch response to COVID-19, how the media business has been changing there already and what to look for post-pandemic, the cultural messaging and other challenges of Europeans trying to reach China and vive-versa, and much more. BEI WANG on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in…

We recorded this show on April 4th, 2020 China time, which was the start of the Ching Ming Festival, aka Tomb Sweeping Day. This date is also now the national memorial day for victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Yingying, sporadic burnings of “hell money” are the only visible sign of the old normal. Brendan shares LA updates, and togethe…

MEMO MATA is an American educator who’s lived in China for more than a decade. He talks with Yingying Li about the various types of Chinese parenting styles, evolution expectations for their children, leadership, COVID-19, and the importance of a holistic approach to raising the future leaders (or just happy adults) that we all hope to see more of.…

Deep nuances of leadership dynamics. AI itself as not being an investible thesis. Knock-on effects of COVID-19 on VC valuations.Talent residing in the team. Entrepreneurial, cultural, and other powerful lessons learned from China, Silicon Valley, and the greater world beyond both. Today BILL REICHERT joins us for a fantastic conversation with Yingy…

David Thomas has a very special history with China. His father Michael was the Attorney General for Hong Kong in the early-mid 80s charged by the UK government with creating what ultimately became known as the Basic Law, and he had a front row seat as it all unfolded. David has been deeply involved with China ever since, and today - in an interview…

GANG LU is the Founder and CEO of China’s leading English-language tech-focused media company TechNode, China’s answer to TechCrunch. They offer analysis in print, on video, and on their podcasts including China Tech Talk and China Tech Investor. Learn more about technode.com and visit howchinaworkspodcast.com for more info about our show!…

For our annual Year In Review / Look Ahead episode, Yingying and Brendan wanted to also do a video version, showing you exactly how (and where) we brainstorm on guests and episodes. Problem: it was New Years Eve, we didn't have proper cameras or lights, and my friends who do were all unavailable. Solution: two webcams, one old Canon Powershot, and …

MARCUS FREITAS is a visiting professor at the China Foreign Affairs University. Prof. Freitas brings a fresh perspective to our show as our first Brazilian guest (and the first with whom Yingying could practice her Portuguese). Our show topic only hints at the range of our talk; we had an engaged, eclectic conversation, and look forward to having h…

DAVID CHUNG is the US Head of AI for Carewell, a medical devices and solutions company focused on heart health. David is using AI to help create wearable devices to monitor a wide spectrum of factors for at-risk people to provide an early-warning system to help avoid and treat a heart issue BEORE it happens. He’s doing the good work and we were gla…

Cordell Carter is a lawyer, former Eisenhower Fellow, tech founder, and a graduate of The Socrates Program who now works at The Aspen Institute himself, helping to train emerging leaders. In his own words, he’s entirely “self-contrived”, having harnessed an innate desire to maximize his impact to build an impressive life and career for himself. He’…

Jay Thornhill is a co-founder of Baopals, a website designed to help English-speaking expats in China access the wonderful world of shopping available on Chinese-only Taobao and its sister site, TMall. Their success story is really inspiring, and Jay’s insights gleaned along the way are priceless. Also this week we debut a NEW FORMAT for the show t…

Yingying sat down with Frank Müeller on the sidelines of the 2019 Horasis China Meeting to discuss his company, The Bridge To Luxury, a consulting firm assisting companies working in high-end products and services markets. It was a brief but fascinating talk, densely packed with Müller’s insights into not just the luxury industry but the changing l…

Today’s show was recorded live at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and features Greg LaBlanc and Bob Upham. This is our 3rd live show from our Fall visit to the US. Visit howchinaworkspodcast.com for more.By Brendan Davis and Yingying Li

Today’s show was recorded live at Stanford University and features our guests Vincent Yip and Peter Chen. This is the 2nd of 3 live shows we did in the US this Fall. Don’t forget to visit howchinaworkspodcast.com for more! SEARCH our show everywhere or LISTEN to “How China Works” here: APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-china-works/id…

Welcome to the first of 3 “How China Works LIVE!” shows we did while in the US this Fall. Today we bring you our chat with Mike Kehoe of Onepiece Work (where we recorded this) and Bin Li. We also have video of the event plus bonus materials to share in the next few weeks, so keep an eye on howchinaworkspodcast.com and visit the Show Notes page for …

“Behind cultures, we all want the same things”. Li Xu founded and runs International Mergers & Acquisitions (IMA), a company whose principal work is indicated by their name. But Li Xu’s diverse experience and perspective brings added value that extends far beyond their stated scope of work. Yingying Li sat down with her on the sidelines of the Hora…

Dr. Bettina Al-Sadik-Lowinski is the founder of Global Women Career Lab. She has extensive global corporate experience as an author, researcher, and senior executive coach with a focus on helping mentor and train women for senior management leadership roles. Yingying Li interviews her in front of a live audience and they have a focused, intensive t…

This week we have a quick solo show, with Brendan giving you an update on the next few weeks - including an announcement about two upcoming “How China Works LIVE” events he and Yingying are doing, in San Francisco and at Stanford. MORE INFO: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com/By Brendan Davis and Yingying Li

SIMON YOUNG is the founder of Red Circle Network, a full-service advisory designed to help businesses get China ready. Simon lived in Shanghai for years but spoke to us from New Zealand to give us his perspective and share tips and tactics to succeed across borders. Visit https://www.redcirclenetwork.com to learn more, and enjoy the show! SEARCH ou…

GORDON DUMOULIN’s passion for herbs led to his career sourcing, trading, using, and exporting natural ingredients and botanical raw materials for pharmaceutical, health, food, skincare and cosmetics applications. He is also an educator, by way of his and his wife’s Easton Bridge Education center, and a writer and commentator, via his 5iZ China blog…

“How China Works LIVE!” this month comes to you from the US-China Comedy Center in Beijing, where we were joined by its proprietor, comedian JESSE APPELL. Jesse and his venue are dedicated to exploring both English- and Chinese-language comedy by way of standup & improv performances. Jesse is also a student of Chinese xiangsheng or “crosstalk” come…

We are very pleased to present the VIDEO version of our 1st “How China Works LIVE!” event, recorded at The Bookworm in Beijing, China on August 20, 2019. Businesswoman, artist manager, & filmmaker Fu Han presents her documentary “Isabel Crook: Childhood Memories From Bailuding” and then we interview her for our show, along with guest Mark Levine, w…

By Brendan Davis and Yingying Li

SHU CAO MO lives at the intersection between art, education, and the public sphere. Her work merges cultural diplomacy, civic engagement, and community development both for & through the arts. The three of us had an introspective, philosophical conversation, and we hope you enjoy it. Visit https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com/resources for more.…

Today we bring you our very first “How China Works Live!” event, featuring Chinese businesswoman & force of nature, FU HAN, w/ special guest Mark Levine. We discuss Fu Han’s collaboration with Mark, plus her documentary film about an incredible lady named Isabel Crook. Isabel is 103 years old, born in Chengdu to Canadian parents in 1915, and she jo…

MARK LEVINE is an American professor who has made quite an impression on China. He moved here ahead of the 2008 Olympics, and his love for his new home inspired him to write & perform original folk songs based on tales from the land and the people. He's both a China green card holder AND a recipient of the Friendship Award, which is the highest civ…

This new video episode is ALSO a do-over for Episode 0001, our Introduction to the series - which is the first thing most people hear when they subscribe. Since we’ve evolved and improved the show substantially, we wanted to record a fresh take on what we’re all about and WHY we do it. Please enjoy, & share / rate / SUBSCRIBE! VISIT: https://www.ho…

Kelvin Liu is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, a Masters graduate of both Johns Hopkins and Cambridge, where he is also finishing his Doctorate. He has been a researcher at Tsinghua and Stanford, and he’s applied insights gleaned from his diverse educational experiences to found Illume Technology, an e-learning company using cutting-edge applied scien…

Joey Yang is a respected up-and-coming author, maker, doer, and thinker in the areas of philosophy, politics, & economics, among others. He’s also just 17 years old. Joey’s ideas are often brilliant, and his talents & ability to execute them are prodigious. We had a wonderful time talking with him in this very in-depth interview, and we look forwar…

VIDA ZHANG FARGIS is an etiquette expert with a special focus on preparing children who will live global lives for their journeys, and on empowering their mothers to be a modern Chinese woman. Vida uses the home environment as a laboratory, updating traditional roles to best meet the future. LINKS: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com/resources “Ho…

OLIM ALIMOV is a consultant, entrepreneur, and a co-founder of SCOLAR. The SCOLAR Network is a platform aimed at bringing together young leaders from 18 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries to strengthen connectivity, promote dialogue, and contribute to regional development. Olim sits down with Yingying Li to share some of his many exc…

MALCOLM CLARKE is a 2-time Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker. His new film BETTER ANGELS examines the world’s most consequential relationship - that of the US and China - in a powerful, moving, & candid way. This week Yingying Li talks with him about the film, lessons learned, & much more. A fantastic talk. https://www.howchinaworkspodcas…

Dr. Gregory Lablanc is a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at UC Berkeley in the Haas School of Business, a lecturer in the School of Law specializing in Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Venture Capital, & Corporate Law, & Faculty Director of the Berkeley Fintech Institute. He has a special focus on China, and he shares some valuable thoughts regar…

Dr. Parag Khanna wears many hats: as a strategic advisor & consultant to global companies and governments; a TED Talker, speaker, & world traveler with both data- and experientially based insights into a host of pressing issues; and an author. His most recent book, The Future Is Asian, discusses not just the well-trod “Asian Century” concept, but s…

Clark Rubino (鲁比诺) is Founder & CEO of Chongqing Bright Ideas Business, & Chapter Director of Startup Grind in Chongqing. He arrived in Chongqing from the United States in 2011 with the goal of opening his own wholly owned foreign enterprise (WOFE), and he has not only reached his goal, but made Chongqing - the hidden gem of China - his home. Clark…

Mahdi Shariff is a "Forbes30under30” honoree and the founder of Guanxi.AI. Their mission is to help people harness the power of data for good, and they have an admirable track record of doing so. Please enjoy the talk, and visit howchinaworkspodcast.com to learn more.By Brendan Davis and Yingying Li

As China continues to evolve & grow, the best entrepreneurial opportunities aren’t always where you might expect. Today we look outside of major cities like Beijing and Shanghai to discover hidden gems, discuss our upcoming travels and speaking engagements, and we finish by looking at the sectors where English-speaking Chinese youth can specificall…

This week we bring you a special REMIX edition of “HCW"! We’re sharing an enhanced version of one of our most popular shows, which was originally released Dec 28, 2018 as a video summary of our Season 1 highlights. Brendan also shares information about Yingying’s upcoming speaking event in Beijing on May 22 (in Chinese), and invites you to check ou…

Dr. Frank-Jürgen Richter is a leading international thinker on economics & monetary policy. He is the Chairman of Horasis, which hosts four events a year providing political, business, and social leaders with a platform to find common ground. Formerly a Director of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Dr. Richter engaged with Brendan & Yingying for a…

Chris Oniya is from Houston, Texas but has been in China 11 years. He's a serial entrepreneur using his insights at the intersection of business and education towards some truly worthwhile ends. This is a high-energy, info-heavy talk and a lot of fun - we hope you enjoy it! Learn more and connect with Chris via our Resources page at https://www.how…

Xiaoning Lyu was inspired by Frieda Kahlo on a trip to Mexico and created Viva La Vida as a street-art project, but it’s grown into much more. Visit her website or connect with her online to learn more - all links available at https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com/resources.By Brendan Davis and Yingying Li

Han Tianqi is International Co-Chair and President of the China branch of the G20 Young Entrepreneur’s Alliance, CEO of APEC Voices of the Future (China), a Forbes "30 Under 30" honoree, and our guest this week on the show. Great talk! MORE: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com/resourcesBy Brendan Davis and Yingying Li

Switzerland-based Diego Gilardoni joins Yingying in Beijing for a great talk that flies by far too fast. Brendan chimes in at the end and likewise hopes for a Round 2 with all of us, in person. Diego has a lot to say, and we were honored to have him join us to say a little of it. MORE: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com/resources…

Brendan & Yingying have a quick catch-up that’s packed full of info. It's a little like our Season 1 shows, but more relaxed, like we are now in Season 2. It’s UNEDITED, fun, and fast. We hope you like it! Another interview coming next week. MORE: https://www.howchinaworkspodcast.com/resourcesBy Brendan Davis and Yingying LI