(The managing team of LAOWAI HERE promotes their business at the "Home in Chengdu Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Technical Tours and Reception for Consular Officials 2017" held on Feb. 22, 2017.) 

When diplomats from 18 countries including the U.S., Germany, Australia and Singapore were invited to participate in a ceremony regarding Innovation and Entrepreneurship a fortnight ago in Jingrong Start-up Hub in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, they gave the thumbs-up to the local government's efforts taken to win over global talents.

What the diplomats might not know is that some 7km away from the venue of the ceremony, a startup, run by a bevy of passionate youngsters, dovetails with the government plan.

Located in Tianfu Thinkzone in Chengdu's Hi-Tech zone, LAOWAI HERE, of which "Laowai" is literally the most common Chinese term for foreigner, aims at establishing a diverse network of expats and local developing new ideas together, as well as to help expats adapt to a new life in China.

When 21-year-old American Spencer arrived in Chengdu after his training scheme in Cambodia, he could never image he would make the decision one year later to stay for a long term in the southwestern Chinese city which he had known nothing about back then. 

With careers service provided by LAOWAI HERE, Spencer found his first job in China -- teaching English at a school.

"He adapted very well to the environment, to the food and he's learning the language, he takes his job very seriously", said Liam King, Co-founder and Recruitment Manager of LAOWAI HERE, "and every time I see him, he just looks so comfortable and happy to be here, and it's very rewarding (for me) to see that (happy ending)". 

(Liam King, Co-founder and Recruitment Manager of LAOWAI HERE)

Liam said he somewhat saw himself in Spencer as they shared the similar experiences. Born in Liverpool, the U.K., graduated from the University of Liverpool, Liam took part in a fortnight training four years ago in Guilin, a picturesque city known for its dramatic landscape of limestone karst hills in Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, then he moved and settled down in Chengdu, which he referred to as Chinese version of "Liverpool" because people from both cities are very proud, and both have strong accents.

He first worked as an English teacher, after one year, he was motivated by a successful U.K. businessman in Chengdu and started to think about his own.

Then the British young man met Harvey Cheng, later Angie Ren, Janet Li, Daisy Peak, Mark Sakyi, and finally an international team took shape in 2014.

Initially, the team invested some 60,000 US dollars to develop a Uber-like mobile app for sharing English-native speaking teachers, rather than cars. But due to reluctance of the teachers and mismanagement, the project failed after one-year operation. Later on, they started to focus on providing services for the new-come foreigners in 2015.

"It wasn't easy either", Angie Ren, Co-founder and Chief Branding and Marketing Officer of LAOWAI HERE, uttered the cultural shocks and challenges they have encountered. 

(Angie Ren, Co-founder and Chief Branding and Marketing Officer of LAOWAI HERE)

"One American client disliked the hotel we booked for him, because the hotel didn't provide a clothing dryer", Angie recalled and explained that the clothing dryer is not commonplace in hotels in China. She also brought up another case that a client was devastated when he saw the squat toilet, a commonplace in China, at a bathroom of the long-let flat he was about to move in. He had expected a sitting one.

"The most impressing case is an Irish who had already took his job, but suddenly went back home without telling anyone", Angie said, "we finally managed to learn that it was due to lack of wifi access at his apartment, but in fact we had already informed the installer but he came one day later than scheduled".

The Southwest University alumna said after that case, they adjusted their services and took more initiative. "We set up a team called 'LAOWAI Care' by actively asking and fulfilling their needs".

Apart from careers services, LAOWAI HERE also organizes and hosts cross-cultural events such as Chinese New Year Celebration, Ukrainian Night, American Cowboy Party, Spanish Movie Night and etc.

(2017 Chinese New Year Celebration)

"We are about to host a 'South African Day' as the number of South African people in  China is burgeoning", said Angie.

Over the past two years, LAOWAI HERE has offered Expat Life Services to over 1,000 foreigners relocating to or already residing mainly in Chengdu, but also in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

"We've got cash flow and things are on the right track", Angie, who taught history at a middle school for over 7 years before she joined "LAOWAI HERE", said they started to consider the venture investment, despite she strongly refused the idea a year ago.

"Investor is like the icing on the cake", Angie explained, "I didn't want bring in the investors a year ago because we were at the starting line and we didn't have a certain direction, but now I think it is the time".

This year, Angie and her team will launch new promotional activities differ from the word-of-mouth advertising they currently rely on. They will promote their business this May in the U.K. including one event held at the University of Nottingham. They also intend to enlarge their business scope to Sichuan's adjacent areas, like Chongqing and Kunming.

"We are a bridge", when asked how to summarize the business scope of "LAOWAI HERE", Angie said so.

"As far as I know, we LAOWAI HERE is the only company co-founded by Chinese and foreigners in Sichuan province. We are quite equal to each other and we have advantages in communicating with both Chinese and foreigners. We strive to bridge the gap", she added.

Liam, who has a Chinese wife now, calls Chengdu his second hometown. He also encourage more and more foreigners to come to China.

"It seems every foreign businessman is quite successful here the moment, so I'll definitely suggest for any overseas partners to come to China and start their careers for sure", he said.

Chengdu has, since the launch of "Home in Chengdu" program for expats in 2016, received a growing number of foreign investors and businesspersons benefitting from the city's preferential conditions for start-ups and talents.

To ensure its position as the door to Western China, Chengdu's planners hope to soon double its flight capacity by building a second international airport. The city is expected to become the third city in China with two international airports after Beijing and Shanghai by 2020.

Meanwhile, China will optimize the rules and process for issuing certificates of permanent residence to foreigners with favorable treatments.

In 2016, 1,576 foreigners became permanent Chinese residents, an increase of 163 percent year on year, official figures showed.

 

Email: lijia@nbd.com.cn