# Ask the entrepreneur who is starting a small business in Shanghai **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 18, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413 "2011-07-18T05:15:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/21 "2011-07-23T19:31:57Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Why China? > What kind of wages do you intend to pay? Is there a minimum wage there? I don’t know currency conversion amounts, but are you trying to recruit and train up average joes, self-taught talents, or college grads? > Do you intend to register your software, or will you be taking advantage of the fact that corporate software piracy is the standard MO there? Rachel, Why China? has been answered in several posts above. However see here: [[Album] Shanghai Pudong River HDR ![](https://live.staticflickr.com/6121/5967305816_2fbf15fb1c_b.jpg "Shanghai Pudong River HDR") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/eskatonia/sets/72157627137678505/with/5967312050/) The entire river stretch along the Pudong from Shanghai 32 km to the ocean is continuous development of cranes, docks, shipyards, power stations and factories, then you get to the Yangzte and it stretches as far as you can see up that river as well. China is the world’s #2 economy and has been Australia’s #1 trade partner for some time, so it makes sense for me. I will pay above local wages in order to recruit ambitious bilingual locals who have some experience in my industry, and I intend to train them to international standards for post production, which is a win-win situation for everyone. And yes I I will use licensed software, I’m a software developer myself and my policy has always been to purchase any software that I use to make money from. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2011, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/22 "2011-07-24T10:55:14Z")
I should have been in Shanghai, then. I’ve been forced to drink enough baijiu to fill the Yangtzhe. Blergh. Seriously, be very aware of what is around you- it’s not a wide open post-Soviet frontier where any expat wih an MBA can get their foot on the ground floor. There is a lot going on and a number of entrenched and often hidden systems you will be enmeshed with and will be negotiating at a disadantage. I have a lot of friends who have started businesses. Most eventually make plenty for beer, rent and occassional vacations to Thailand. But all deal with setbacks- coming in to find their office looted by employees, training employees who end up startng their own businesses, mysterious beureucratic blocks, friends and employees running off with money needed or the business, etc. And don’t think dealing with expats elimiates these risks. I hope to hear you’ve been having a ton of fun and making money. But have an open mind and be ready for a lot of learning experiences, good and bad. ---
**Author:** ![Imagine\_Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4af34b/32.png) [@Imagine\_Matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imagine_Matt)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/23 "2011-08-19T14:05:59Z")
\, you shouldn’t be attempting China when Coremelt Australia is doing so badly… you can’t even answer emails from concerned users of your product in Australia, how will you cope in China??? Concentrate on one market and do it properly, not half-heartedly in several markets, makes you look foolish… ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/24 "2011-08-19T14:18:40Z")
Uh oh. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/25 "2011-08-19T18:16:17Z")
> [@Imagine\_Matt](#): > > \ you shouldn’t be attempting China when Coremelt Australia is doing so badly… you can’t even answer emails from concerned users of your product in Australia, how will you cope in China??? Concentrate on one market and do it properly, not half-heartedly in several markets, makes you look foolish… [http://wws.linkedin.com/in/coremelt](http://wws.linkedin.com/in/coremelt) Methinks the OP has a disgruntled client or employee. ---
**Author:** ![Imagine\_Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4af34b/32.png) [@Imagine\_Matt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imagine_Matt)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/26 "2011-08-21T10:06:50Z")
Posted in haste. Good luck in China. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/27 "2011-08-21T14:04:06Z")
Well at least his name is not Michael Bolton. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/28 "2011-08-21T18:39:25Z")
What are, currently, ‘local wages’? Just curious? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/29 "2011-08-21T23:46:24Z")
**Imagine Matt** , please do not hand out the real name of any poster, nor any link where the same can be found. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413/31 "2014-07-04T01:34:48Z")
> [@Lord\_hanson](#): > > A few years ago I was looking to start a business but the business environment in the UK at the time was more than a bit unstable for a start-up business. I decided I would try and open up a business abroad. A friend of mine suggested China since it has so many opportunities to open a business. Of course in a gold rush not everyone strikes lucky so I wanted to increase my chances so I studied Chinese first. It turned out to be a good idea as my business has just pasted the 3 year mark a few weeks ago. I studied Chinese during evening classes as I was still working at the time. I recently met the owner of a business here who has a website that lets you study online. That would have made my life so much easier and I wish I knew about it when I was back in the UK. I hope some people find the link useful [www.studychinese-online.com](http://www.studychinese-online.com). Reported. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-entrepreneur-who-is-starting-a-small-business-in-shanghai/589413.md?page=1)