This week Red Circle Network is soft-launching Simon Young | 杨瑾鸿 new online video-series called RED HAT TALKS.
The short version:
This new educational series on the emotional intelligence and soft-skills for those preparing to do business with China, will feature some of the most successful influencers speaking on the commercial value of cross-cultural connection.
We sometimes shift to look at other cultural perspectives, such as the correlation between the experience of the Chinese and Samoan communities regarding immigration and the commercial opportunities to improve this experience.
In the case of MYRIVR (Red Hat Talks Premiere - Season 1: Episode 1), this episode is a classic entrepreneurial tale, still in the making.
There are some significant transferable lessons for any business owner, including how to find a problem to solve, how the solve the problem at scale with technology and how to profit from corporate social responsibility while making a substantial difference.
The back story.
RED HAT TALKS | S1:E1-MYRIVR-THE PEOPLE WHO HELP PEOPLE
This episode should go a long way towards helping the viewer to see fresh perspectives on how to see the opportunities right in front of us, that we may not otherwise be able to see.
Initially we set out to make a 3-minute video, but as I reviewed the video interview, it occurred to me that some valuable points roll out slowly through the video. The points being made here could be life-changing for some business people, with some great ideas about how to break through. The whole story is worth 32 minutes of your time.
RED HAT TALKS | REACH THE PINNACLE OF BUSINESS WITH CHINA
Based out of Auckland, New Zealand (just like most of you wherever you are) I am using the internet to reach out and engage the world. As a global expeditionary leader, I spend my days (and nights) being a sherpa and guide to the business leaders stepping up to scale the mountain of opportunity with China.
RED HAT TALKS | DIGITAL PATHWAYS INTO CHINA
Pioneering Digital Pathways into China has helped me to come to a fresh perspective about how we need to be thinking as we prepare ourselves.
"It's not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves." SIR EDMUND HILLARY
Red Circle Network and the Red Hat Talks series adopted the mountain metaphor, because 1.4 billion Chinese Consumers represents the Pinnacle of Business and is a mountain of opportunity with China.
The way that we prepare for our 'mountain of opportunity' journey, is fairly similar to how you would prepare to scale K2 or Everest. As we make our way along the digital silk road and through the Great Firewall of China, we may routinely apply lessons learned from the team work of mountain climbers.
This narrative fits well with how we need to get China Business Fit and Ready.
RED HAT TALKS | SHERPAS AND GUIDES
Red Circle Network has pulled together a team of China Business Advisors, who we have vetted and are proven to be some of the leading China Commerce 'mountaineers'.
These advisors will appear in the Red Hat Talks video series, sharing vital information to help Western businesses scale their opportunity safely. No one takes on a mountain of opportunity alone, no matter who they think they are.
Sherpas and Guides show us which safe digital and commercial routes we may take up the ever changing face of the mountain, helping us to acclimatise and get used to the weather.
There are also different kinds of climb, dividing into those business who need help with physical products and those who need help with services and intellectual property.
There are two peaks we climb, one being the Mainland China mountain of opportunity (1.4 billion consumers), yet there is also a very substantial and much easy to climb pre-immersion pinnacle anyone can reach, with 50 million Chinese Consumers in local Western Markets.
With Digital Pathways, it is now relatively affordable and technically easy for any Western business to "Just Add China".
e.g Many business would like to manage their own Social Media and are taking up Red Circle Network China Business Ready or Certificate in Chinese Social Commerce Management, and take control of your brand using online software.
MYRIVR | JUST ADDING CHINA THROUGH TECHNOLGY - SEARCH FUNCTION
In the video, MYRIVR has built in a JUST ADD CHINA feature within their APP, that will make it easy for any Chinese-New Zealander to get the help they need, as they need it.
“Connecting people to the help they need” sounds simple, but giving people free access to these services helps prevent social problems like suicide, crime and domestic violence, later on.
MYRIVR has understood that there are over 200,000 Chinese New Zealanders who are very highly engaged as consumer consumers, but often misunderstood and unsupported as a segment.
Businesses that behave like MYRIVR are growing significantly by including these Chinese Consumers. The empathy to do this, has come from the personal and professional experiences of the executive team through their engagement in the Pasifika Community.
MYRIVR | HOW NEW ZEALAND NEEDS HELP
From a distance, New Zealand is a clean, green paradise, yet like any community it also has a dark side. Sadly, New Zealand leads the world in statistics regarding suicide, domestic violence and child poverty.
MYRIVR | HOW NEW ZEALAND GETS HELP
MYRIVR is a free mobile app solving some of those social problems at their root cause, by connecting people with the help they need. It’s relevant for everyone, including our Chinese community, which is why Red Circle Network is working with MYRIVR to raise awareness of the app.
MYRIVR | EXPERIENCE THE TECHNOLGY
MYRIVR is available on iPhone and Android, and it connects users across New Zealand with over 7500 health and social services. (Click here to get App)
MYRIVR | SERVICES
A technology App that gives easy access during the moment of need to support immigrants before, during and after arrival in New Zealand.Training and services for people starting in the workforce (e.g. driver’s licence courses, CV preparation services)Childcare options for stressed-out parents
MYRIVR | SIX EASY STEPS
1. Download the MYRIVR app.
Find it on the iTunes app store, Google Play, or visit www.trustmyrivr.co.nz
2. Create your account.
Type in your details, or connect using Facebook.
3. Verify your email address.
You’ll get an email from MYRIVR, just click the link to confirm.
4. Login to the app.
Use your email and password to login.
5. Start searching for the help you need.
The first time you search, MYRIVR will ask you to give the app permission to use your GPS location.
6. Take action.
When you find a provider, you can either “Send Referral” to get in touch, or “Add to favourites” if you want to check back later.
MYRIVR | ORIGIN STORY
In 2007, MYRIVR founder Rei Maresala-Thomson was a Police Officer in South Auckland, New Zealand. That year, a spate of gang-related homicides struck Rei’s home turf of Manurewa. Rei and his team dug deep to find the causes of the murders, talking with the family members of the offenders. They found a predictable path from social deprivation to crime.
“When people make poor choices, it’s not because they want to, it’s because of desperation, out of necessity,” says Rei. This would make anyone ask, “why don’t people seek help?”
It turns out asking for help is not that easy. Even public sector organisations like the Police didn’t have a current, complete database of social services. “Nobody was updating these databases, nobody knew which was the most up-to-date,” says Rei. “We were sending kids and families to these services only to find that they no longer existed because they had no more funding.” Rei discovered what worked better than official referrals: social media.
