

By admin*
“It wasn’t overnight; It was a long-shot decision and many sacrifices to build the company and get the trust of both employees and customers. With hard work and strong belief, we managed to do it.”
https://www.up2china.com/head/u2c.mp4
Shlomi:
”After completing my degree at the Hebrew University, I received a scholarship to study Chinese in Chengdu and decided to move to China with my wife. However, shortly after beginning my studies, I discovered my desire to become an entrepreneur and started my first venture – an electric car-sharing company in Chengdu. Unfortunately, I quickly realized that the project was beyond my abilities and experience, so I transitioned to consulting for an Israeli startup accelerator in Chengdu. There, I met Dean and shared my idea of starting a marketing agency to help international brands enter the Chinese market through social media. Dean was open to the idea, and we began working on it together.”
Dean:
”Throughout my career, I have gained experience in various industries, including technology research, development, and management in large state-owned enterprises and research institutes, as well as work in a significant local advertising group. However, I also had the unfortunate experience of failing two startup ventures. Both companies had solid business plans and received recognition from investors, but ultimately could not turn their goals into successful businesses. I was working in the IT team of a gaming startup when I met Shlomi and was immediately impressed by his intelligence. When he shared his idea of assisting foreign companies in entering the Chinese social media market, I saw the potential for a successful business.”
Shlomi and Dean had a somewhat vague vision when they founded Up2China. They knew they wanted to start a business and generate revenue, but they needed a clear plan for where they wanted the company to be in the next few years. Despite this uncertainty, they established a basic company structure, signed one employee, and a single desk for an office. The early days of Up2China were challenging, as the founders had no investment, no government support, and no distinctive technological capabilities. Building a company from scratch is always difficult. Still, Shlomi and Dean laid the foundations for a successful business by establishing a solid business model and developing the necessary industry resources and professional skills.
Not long after starting their business, they recognized the potential of e-commerce in China and decided to focus on that. Thanks to the trust of some early customers, they were able to develop comprehensive Chinese e-commerce management and technology solutions. Today, the company has more than 60 employees and, after seven years in operation, has gained recognition for its successful case studies. This caught the attention of the Tmall Global business development team, leading to more recommendations and clients and positioning the company as one of the top trading partner enablers for health supplement products in Europe.
Q&A with Up2china Co-Founders
1. How’s Shlomi/Dean as a partner? What is his best attribute?
Shlomi: ” Dean is an excellent partner, and we complement each other well. I tend to be more active in seeking new opportunities and perhaps more demanding with the team, while Dean is calmer and balances the pressure with a unique management style. I think our employees benefit from being exposed to both approaches, as it helps them grow. Dean’s greatest attribute is his patience. He understands that implementing new ideas takes time and always has the team’s success and growth in mind.”
Dean: “Our collaboration is a great complementary model. When I first met Shlomi, I was impressed by his wisdom, and over the years, I have come to appreciate his many excellent qualities (as well as some of his less favorable traits ;)). Nonetheless, overall, I believe we work well together.”
2. When did you realize you’re doing something right?
Shlomi: “I knew we were doing something right when we closed our first big client. Five years ago, I realized that we have something that many other trading partner agencies don’t have – the ability to build strong trust with our clients.”
Dean: “After we closed our first client and earned 3000$, I realized this was a legitimate business.”
3. What is the most fulfilling part of your day?
Shlomi: “The most satisfying part of my day is waking up with a passion for my work. I love what I do and couldn’t ask for more than to continue enjoying it every day.”
Dean: “I feel a sense of accomplishment when I have successfully taken care of the daily details of the business. Another source of fulfillment for me is coming up with ways to create more value for our team and clients.”
4. What inspires you?
Shlomi: “I am inspired by the people on our team and the milestones we have achieved. We have come a long way from a small room with just a few employees, and it wouldn’t have been possible without our clients who believed in us and our dedicated team who give their all every day to make it happen.”
Dean: “I’m inspired by what the future holds for us. .”
5. 3 Goals for the future
Shlomi: “Our goals for the future include continuing to grow, providing significant value to our loyal clients, and being the best platform for personal development for our company co-founders and team. We want to be happy and fulfilled in our work while bringing value to our customers and team. Specific goals include:
• Continuing our growth
• Becoming a more data-driven organization
• Embracing independence and empowering each employee to be their own CEO.”
Dean: “We hope to see our team become more intelligent, determined, professional, and able to enjoy the fruits of their hard work. We also aim to create even more value for our customers. By achieving these goals, I will feel more relaxed and fulfilled.”