But as it relates to sourcing products and services in China, our meaning is a bit more literal. We have feet on the ground. We have people in China. We have an established presence. This does not mean “I know a guy” or “we have contacts” in China. So what are the advantages of feet on the ground? Here are just five.
I do a lot of traveling back and forth from Houston to Shanghai as part of my job as CEO of Avela Corporation. My trips involve traveling with clients to do final negotiation on sourcing deals that the Shanghai office has spent weeks and months setting up. Our travels take us to all parts of China, from futuristic mega-cities like … Read More
I had an odd thought develop on my way from Shanghai to Guangzhou; comparing sourcing in China to one of my favorite film directors, Alfred Hitchcock.I was traveling to a factory that I have worked with for four years, to inspect a new item that had never been produced before. I have a very comfortable and easy relationship with this … Read More
I mentioned in my last blog that this will be my 33rd trip to China since the fall of 2001, and I am as excited about this trip as I was on my first trip. So it begs the question; why? First, the family reasons. I took my son to Shanghai on spring break in 2002. To make a long … Read More
It was intoxicating. And like a flash, I had a vision of converting Avela Corporation from advertising to sourcing products and services in China.
There are serious direct to factory portals to Chinese factories on the web like  www.alibaba.com andwww.made-in-china.com. So why would a resourceful, entrepreneurial CEO want to use a sourcing service like Avela Corporation when they can make the direct contacts themselves? The same reason you hire a consultant when you are not operating within your core competency. We have feet on the … Read More
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