Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
want to get business done, too, but if they sense that they can win a few more points by
stalling on concessions or adjustments right up to the day of signing and so putting pressure
on you to compromise, they will. It's all part of the game.
EXPAT PROFILE: STARTING A BUSINESS
Adlyn Teoh came to Beijing in December 2004, leaving behind a career in the United
States in medical tech process reengineering. She soon discovered a love for the city
and saw potential for her to make a go of something she'd always had a passion for.
So in October 2007 she set up Hias Gourmet Beijing. Based in the center of the city,
Hias Gourmet Beijing runs food walks, Chinese cooking classes, and events for ex-
pats, tourists, and businesses.
WHAT DOES HIAS GOURMET DO?
We run food and market tours, cooking classes, team building activities, and corpor-
ate events. Our business model is built around the foundation of using food as a tool
to share culture, heritage, and understanding, and using our profits to support social
projects.
WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS?
We have two main client target segments: travelers from the United States, Europe,
and Asia; and corporate clients who are China- or overseas-based. Our corporate cli-
ents have included companies like Microsoft, Nokia, GE, and Moet Hennessey, as
well as nonprofits and educational institutions such as International Finance Corpor-
ation (part of the World Bank) and Stanford University.
WHAT WAS THE GENERAL PROCESS OF SETTING UP HIAS GOURMET IN BEIJING?
First I had to set up a limited liability company in Hong Kong. I then used the Hong
Kong company as an investing company to set up my China wholly foreign-owned
enterprise (WOFE).
