I put the quotes below in italics as they are provided by someone else. I am sharing them because they make sense and would be useful to (aspiring) digital entrepreneurs out there.
Speed and size is the utmost essential
In China, the formula for success in digital is :
1) Understand your customer
2) First mover advantage is everything. The solution does not need to be perfect. Being digital, it can be changed easily.
3) Design solutions that are scalable and implement quickly.
4) Grow your base fast.
Be quick before regulations and competitors can restrict you. Once you are big, even the government cant control you.
It seems Alipay is taking China by storm.
Have are you currently an Alipay user?
Check out this video. Yes. It's actually possible to get around on some days in China without a wallet.
China has really come a long way in terms of digital.
Because of banking red tapes, high level of fraud / cyber crimes and differing consumption patterns in provinces and areas to name a few, as early as ten years ago, many spectators around the world have speculated that digital and ecommerce would never succeed in China.
Today, digital is very much part of the everyday lives of the metropolitan Chinese. They have progress with such speed that despite such a big territory and customer base they have put to shame my more advanced countries.
Gone are the copy cat days of old. They are showing the world how to do it.
I share with you one article from Bloomberg:
Learning Mandarin Chinese? Consider 3 key things
Learning Mandarin Chinese can be accomplished in a variety of ways. However, sometimes, too many choices can be confusing for the new student.
Follow us at our site and make learning Mandarin Chinese easier by reading the advice, tips and informative pieces we regularly offer.
In this post we are going to cover 3 key things we almost always get asked about:
1. Learning Mandarin Chinese in China
Most of the students we interviewed who are learning Chinese, especially those who have reached an advanced level, tell us the same thing:
…To really get ahead with effectively learning Chinese they decided to go and live in China. Obviously, living in the country allows you the convenience to practice and use your Chinese language skills, but also an opportunity to understand and learn more about Chinese culture and etiquette.
Learning Chinese in China is no doubt the best and most effective way forward, but how to make the most of your experiences when in the country?
(1) Some interesting places to practice your Mandarin Chinese
In China’s more international cities such as Shanghai or Beijing, locals are more likely to talk to foreigners in English rather than Chinese. To help overcome this, some foreigners chose to live in certain second tier cities such as Chengdu where English is not so widespread and they will have more chances to practice their Chinese. Another key benefit is that the living cost is much cheaper!
(2) When in China mix more with local people
When socialising, many foreigners in China go to western restaurants or bars frequented by other foreigners and end up only speaking English. This can be compared to those Chinese people who only stay in Chinatowns around the world and still speak poor English after living overseas for many years. If you wish to improve your spoken Chinese, you don’t want to be like that.
(3) Having a Chinese tutor is a plus
Another great thing to do is to find a Chinese private tutor instead of going to a school with large classes to learn Mandarin—“1 on 1” learning really is an effective way to improve your Chinese quickly!
2. Finding the right resources, not necessarily expensive ones
Choosing the right resources is vitally important, especially for those who cannot go to work or study in China to upgrade their language skills,
As an example, Italki is a tool which enables students to find a native speaker to practice with at a relatively cheap price and has been recommended by many people. In reality, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to learn the Chinese language, as there are always ways and means to do so
It’s well worth looking at one of our earlier articles if you are looking for some free or cheaper resources to help get ahead with learning Mandarin, namely: How to learn Chinese, as this will point you in the right direction to find more than a hundred free or relatively low cost resources.
3. Being fluent will take time
Becoming fluent in Mandarin Chinese cannot be achieved overnight, whether you are working with a private tutor or have decided to learn by yourself. Although lots of blogs or courses claim to be able to help you “master” the language in 7 days, a couple of months or other such short period, it’s only the application of study and hard work which will get you through!
Still, if you are serious about learning Mandarin Chinese, then there is no better time than today to get started!
Maybe you are still not sure about the best way to begin? Well, you may want to get some tips abouthow to speak Chinese or great suggestions from other Chinese learners in a similar situation to you. Please feel free to ask us any questions about learning the language and we will be happy to help!
Visit http://www.learnmandarinnow.com for more information
Disclaimer : This is a guest post from Learn Mandarin Now
Being Singaporean, I am naturally proud that our island nation have come a long way to celebrate 50 years of independence.
Once again, Happy National Day to Singapore !
Bring an aviation buff, I cant help but to also showcase a photo of the Republic's flying acrobatics team, the Black Knights. These F16s, painted in the colours of the national flag, flew over the skies of Singapore in the run-up events leading to the main celebratory event on 9 Aug.
Photo credits: Alphonsus Chern of The Straits Times