Bringing a premium coffee experience to my clients with state-of-the-art Italian coffee machines right in their office or workplace.

Upon entering Select, I focused my energy on modernizing the customer engagement, management, and maintenance systems. Building a professional online presence was my first priority, building a new website, implementing SEO and SEM strategies, email campaigns, and building a Google Ads campaign, all of which resulted in a sharp increase of inbound leads and new sales. Looking at internal processes, I updated the internal documentation process into a digital, interactive format. I drove changes in the automation of the payment processing system. Working closely with a technical team hire I made, we built an ERP/CRM system which has transformed the business intelligence and data management systems in the company.In managing the sales department, I took a scientific approach to goal setting by looking at historical trends, and identifying market conditions, then using an algorithm to set reachable ambitious targets. I also focused on building a supportive team culture in the sales department, where we celebrated each others successes and looked forward to working hard.I built a reputation in the organization as a driver of progressive projects that helped the company grow and develop.

Joining a startup venture, I was involved in product design, finding a factory to manufacture the product (in China), managing the shipping logistics from China to Canada, and getting the products to the customers. I was also responsible for managing several client relationships, generating proposals and working to find the right solutions for their needs. My efforts resulted in significant closed business and the establishment of a reliable supply network.

As a foreigner living in China, I was able to use my bi-lingual skills (English and Mandarin) to engage sponsors, clients, and shareholders in the various events our organization organized. I was able to build great relationships with a large community of ex-pats working in both the private sector and in the consulates of their respective countries. The novelty of a Mandarin speaking foreigner enabled me to build many interesting relationships with Chinese players in government and education. I was also able to coordinate and direct several teams of younger Chinese speaking volunteers, helping them to master certain English terms, while also being able to perform their various roles during the events.I was also responsible for managing a scholarship program, several internship programs, and created and edited Chinese to English marketing materials, proposals, and other communications. This role gave me the opportunity to spend time with several global leaders, including former presidents and major political figures in Europe and Asia, Nobel Prize winners, and leaders in international education.

In a situation where demand for North American education is very high, I was engaged in interviewing applicants who wanted to put forward a video as a part of their applications. My role involved setting up and audio-visual recording equipment, and then performing English interviews of (often quite nervous) Chinese students. I found success in this role by helping the students to relax and focus on the interview, and by asking questions that helped the students open up and share meaningful information with the camera, and by extension the institutions they were applying to.

For two consecutive years, I worked at the Boao Forum for Asia, one of the most prestigious forums in Asia (similar to Davos Forum). I primarily worked in media relations, helping communicate with foreign media entities and assist them to gain access to certain sessions and help them to navigate the event. The highlight of the experience, personally, was attending a panel discussion with Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and the CEO of Baidu (the Chinese search engine).

As a teacher in China, initially on a full-time basis, and then using it as a part time side income job, I was able to gain a wealth of knowledge. Many of the places I taught in lacked a specific curriculum, so I was responsible for developing an arc of lessons that would build on the previous. As I gained experience, I became very effective at managing the room, engaging the students, and helping the students to see great gains in their English abilities. I also learned a lot about linguistics, comparing Chinese to English, and drilling deep on why the English language is the way it is. From a grander perspective, I gained a lot of insights into the human mind, what it means to learn something, and how to apply knowledge.

In a temporary position, I was brought on as part of a team focused on a new initiative to share information and resources across disparate groups in the province. I was also tasked with a range of administrative duties which involved managing a database and performing outbound calls to early learning entities in the province. A third role was performing support research for several reports the branch was working on.Through my research, I have gained a base of knowledge that has helped me in my permanent role as a father, as well as in some of the volunteer work I have performed with young children.I was also able to get an insight into life in the public sector, the challenges faced in terms of layers of bureaucracy, public accountability, and shifting powers and directives coming from the top layer of management.

After making a successful proposal to MacEwan University for funding, I was able to create a video learning program focused on the 300 most frequently used Chinese Characters, tracing the characters back to their etymological roots, and presenting the characters based on new insights from an academic based out of Shanxi University.I was able to bring the project together on a tight budget, incorporating animations, studio footage, and still footage, all in all, coming to 8 hours worth of video.

As the executive assistant to the President of a large property developer, I was faced with a wide range of challenges including translation work, real-estate calculations, property analysis, translation across languages and cultures, and a wide range of logistical considerations. Our trips resulted in the acquisition of several properties, and the proposals we created attracted a significant investment from a number of Chinese investors.

Working with my family, we opened a store in the West Edmonton Mall retailing costume jewellery. My role was the sourcing and procurement of the jewellery from China and the transportation logistics. essentially, focused on the supply side of the business. We gained early success and our business model has been replicated with the identical products in many locations today. Through this experience, I learned about inventory management, lead times, international customs regulations, and a lot of negotiation.