Por Ernie Tadla

Esta é a história de um empreendedor que constrói um negócio rentável batendo todos os guys grandes globais.
 
Dan Mintz foi carregado e levantado em Brooklyn, e era a pessoa a mais nova a ser aceitada no Academy de New York de executar artes. Começou no negócio do filme como um acréscimo do estudante na fama do filme. Foi a Los Angeles onde promoveu suas instrução e experiência na produção da película e criou conexões boas com os alguns dos estúdios principais do filme.

Nos 90's adiantados, foi a China ajustar acima um risco comum para um estúdio principal do filme. Isto era logo depois que o fiasco quadrado de Tiananmen e o clima para parcerias com empresa americanas estavam frios, se nao frozen, particularmente com o Ministry da cultura, que teria que ser involvido.

Observou que as agências 4A anunciando globais que fazem campanhas para ESTADOS UNIDOS. as multinacionais emitiram a produção da película para os comerciais da tevê a Hong Kong, a Formosa e a Singapore porque a qualidade do trabalho nas casas chinesas da produção era sub-standard. Filme a produção, como muitos negócios, consista na ferragem (o equipamento) e no software (as habilidades para usar o equipamento). Dan viu uma oportunidade. Era o software - e é fácil empregar de seus contatos da rede do LA - e poderia começar a ferragem. Em março 1993, começou os retratos do Pacesetter internacionais (PPI) em seu apartamento que janta a tabela do quarto em Beijing.

Thirteen years later — with 450 people in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Los Angeles, and New York — PPI had become DMG, an international, independent full-service advertising and communications agency specializing in the greater China region generating more than $100 million US a year.

The big boys — Microsoft, McDonald’s, Boeing, GM, and Dell — were all there. They had deep pockets, global operations, pricey lawyers, accounting firms, and consulting firms behind them.

He developed DMG into China’s hottest creative, independent agency. He then added an events and public relations firm, ICN, and nailed international global accounts along with a portfolio of high-profile Chinese companies wanting to keep pace with the advertising expertise of their American competitors.

He’s a charismatic, creative genius in tune with the Chinese culture. He has never worked for a Western agency, didn’t attend college, but with street smarts, talent, an uncanny ability to handle diverse personalities and cultures, earned the respect of the domestic and international advertising world.

How did he beat the global 4A agencies to capture the creative account for Volkswagen-Germany’s first Chinese brand campaign in addition to a four-year Olympic marketing assignment for VW, a national sponsor of the 2008 Games in Beijing?

He did it the Chinese Way.

The others, the global hotshot 4A agencies, do business in China the way they do successful business in other countries. They are successful all over the world, but not in China.

Let’s break that down.

Mintz began with two Chinese partners. DMG chairman Peter Xiao had a deep and wide financial background and connections, tons of guanxi at high levels of the central government and the banking system.

Wu Bing, VP of DMG, has drive, determination and the operational savvy to get things done quickly in a society of bureaucracy and censorship. She was born in Beijing and at an early age was selected by the government to be trained as a gymnast for international competitions. When she was six, she was sent away to training facilities for grueling national competitive training, and eventually became a coach for international team competition.

While in Hong Kong, she met martial arts and action movie star Jackie Chan and appeared in movies with him. Dan was doing film production scouting in Hong Kong and met Jackie and Wu Bing.
 
Using the guanxi of Peter and Wu Bing, DMG targeted First Automotive Works (FAW) as the company they wanted to do business with. They made many trips to Changchun, delivering gifts liberally and personally, hosting banquets, developing deep friendships and cultivating relationships with the many Chinese managers, many of who ascended to high positions of authority and decision-making power over the years.

The three partners were unyielding in their demands on their staff to provide the highest levels of customer service and to exceed customer expectations. Their demands and expectations caused high turnover, but resulted in corporate relationships that were cemented to last. The true Chinese business objective — mutual benefit, win-win, and long-term relationships — was met with dedicated, committed staff.

Ernie Tadla, www.odysseychina.net

Excerpts from How to Live and Do Business in China: Eight Lessons I Learned from the Communists.

Next Week: Another Case History
An outstanding successful executive in North America, but not in China.