Net-times: My Perspective

Zingby has been making some good progress lately. We have quite a few number of improvements in the works for the general sns portion and we are specing out more advancements towards a collaborative environment. This includes a number of changes to functionality, formatting, layout and design. Also, long due is a complete notification system which we are developing now.

New groups created recently are: Shanghai Interpreters, China Travel and Shanghai Hotels.

We are also looking for a PHP developer to work with us in Shanghai or New York (must speak Mandarin or be bilingual English/Mandarin). Please visit Zingby if you are interested in joining us.

Kevin

I returned late last night from my trip to Shanghai (China, for those of you unfamiliar with the city of 20 million +). It was more than a year since my last visit and things haven’t changed all that much. Of course, I stayed at my favorite Shanghai Hotel, which I highly recommend.

However, I did notice a few things that were different.

The economy: One of the first things people in Shanghai asked me was about the economy in the U.S. and if we were recovering. This is not surprising given what has happened in the past 18 months. The economy (at least the tech side) has been significantly impacted by the global downturn. There are many great tech professionals not working, just like here in the U.S., but without having the actual numbers, it felt like their situation was probably worse than it is here. So, if you are looking to start up a technology team in China, now is probably a good time to find great talent.

I did spend a few hours gift buying and wondering around some of the tourist areas. Maybe it was the time of year, but it felt like there were less people crowding places like Yuyuan Garden (豫园 a popluar shopping area) and Xintiandi (新天地). Of course there were the usual crowds, but I can remember having to work just to gain a few feet of ground. This time, however, I walked freely.

Construction: Ever since I started traveling to Shanghai for business (sometime in 2005), I was amazed by the amount of significant construction that was happening. From a normal drive from the Pudong Airport, you would see skyscraper after skyscraper being constructed for the 30 mile or so drive into the city. It was amazing to think about the number of people they would need to fill those apartments. This time, however, while there was still noticeable construction, the numbers seemed much less. Also, I did notice that many the massive structures that were being built seemed to be stalled, like construction had been halted.

Business relationship with the U.S.: There has been a strong push of confidence among the people even during this economic downturn. They have always been a people of strength and confidence, but now I see this even stronger. The effect feels like it is bringing our two nations closer. Like any good relationship, a feeling of being on equal footing makes for better communication and progress. As I discussed this topic with some of the people there, there was agreement that they felt the same way.

Since I have grown to appreciate the Chinese people over the years, I am happy we seem to be coming closer together.

BTW, If you travel to China, Shanghai is a must see.

Kevin

If you are considering opening up an office in China, location is important. First, let me state that if you are still considering a major city location, tech startups would have the best opportunities for talent in Beijing, not Shanghai.

That being said, my experience running an office has been in Shanghai. This was a decision that was made prior to me taking over the operations. So, I’m here to give you some advice about Shanghai in particular.

Shanghai is a massive metropolitan area. The last figures I heard was that there were some 20 million people in the city. It has an almost intimidating city landscape with tall buildings as far as the eye can see. You can get a great view of this from the top of the Jin Mao Tower (Pudong). I highly recommend a visit there if you get a chance.

There are two primary business centers of Shanghai: Puxi, to the west of the Huangpu River and Pudong to the east. While geographically different, I compare the two areas to Manhattan. Puxi is like midtown and Pudong is very much like the financial district…downtown. The Shanghai Stock Exchange is also located in Pudong. Our office has a great view of the Exchange, so I know the area fairly well.

Pudong is a booming construction zone. Two of the largest skyscrapers in the world (the Jin Mao and Shanghai World Financial Center) are right next to each other. Commercial rents in Pudong are generally higher than Puxi, primarily because the area is being promoted as a major financial hub and the newness of most of the office buildings. However, most people who work in the area live in Puxi or further outside the district of Pudong.

Puxi is considered the city center. It has a booming nightlife and plenty of restaurants and shopping. Also, if it matters to you, most “Expats” are located in the Puxi area. It’s also closer to the Hongqiao Airport. Normally, if you are coming from Hongqiao, you are driving through Puxi to get to Pudong. Commercial rents in Puxi are much more flexible in price and generally 20% or more lower than Pudong.

There is plenty more to say about each area. They both have their own appeal. However, I would recommend any startup looking to start in Shanghai to begin operations in the Puxi district.

If you want to tap me for more info about setting up your location in Shanghai, send me an email and I’ll share what I know.

Good luck!

Kevin