Heath Johnson's Experience of Running the Boston Marathon

While a runner for all of his adult life, Heath Johnson, a certified personal trainer and President of Colorado-based Get Fit With Heath, Inc., participated in the 121st running of the Boston Marathon. [Disclosure: I serve on the board of directors of Get Fit With Heath, Inc.] At the age of 46, this was his first time participating in the world's oldest annual marathon. Given my interest in digital health, as well as following Heath's journey as a runner over several years, I saw value in interviewing him about his experience of running the Boston Marathon on Apr. 17, 2017.

The following interview had been edited for clarity and length.

What was your experience of running the Boston Marathon and what steps did you take to prepare for the event?

HJ: Running the Boston Marathon was a great experience!! I particularly appreciated the organization of the race. With respect to my preparation, since Jan. 1, 2017, I put in over 800 miles in training runs since Jan. 1st. Hearing that the Boston Marathon's course has a lot of uphill and downhill, I tried to focus my training runs with a similar topography. As of February, I did speed work.

Did you use any mobile applications or wearable devices in preparing for the Boston Marathon?

HJ: I did not use any mobile applications, but I used a Garmin GPS watch to track my time including miles ran. While I probably should have during the Boston Marathon itself, I never track my heart rate since wearing the device is uncomfortable and I question its accuracy. I did read books about the Boston Marathon such as Michael Connelly's 26 Miles to Boston: The Boston Marathon Experience from Hopkinton to Copley Square.

What diet or nutritional guidelines did you use to prepare for the marathon?

HJ: I stuck with a high-protein breakfast such as steal-cut oatmeal and milk. I tried not to eat a lot of processed food. In the evenings, I tried to eat fruits and vegetables together with a protein sources such as eggs, fish, chicken. On average, I tried to eat 4-5 meals a day.

What was your routine for race day?

HJ: I slept well the night before and felt comfortable in the morning up to my start time at 10:25 am EDT. I may have been a little worried about the weather forecast since it was expected to be unusually warm and perhaps hydration would be a factor that would impact my performance.

What was your experience of running the race itself?
The race course was challenging so I was happy that I was properly prepared. I stayed hydrated as there were water stations located throughout the race. However, I did see a lot people near the end of the race course withdraw as a result of dehydration. My goal was to finish between 3:20:00 and 3:30:00. I ran the first mile in 7:33 and finished at 3:26:01.

Do you have any final thoughts about your experience of running the Boston Marathon?

HJ: The journey is the most important thing. People told me to enjoy every mile of the race and I took this to heart because you do not know if you will get this opportunity again. So many things have to go right to have this opportunity. Qualifying for the race is actually more important to me than the race itself--running the Boston Marathon was the celebration.

I want to thank my friends and family for their wonderful support during this remarkable journey. I also want to thank my wonderful fiancée, Anita Lyle-Glenn, for her love and sharing the experience with me in Boston.

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Great Experience Participating in the Seattle University Business Plan Competition

The following is a guest post by Yan Tang.

Last week, our team 701 COFFEE got together again and had a debriefing meeting for the Business Plan Competition which was held on April 18th, 2017 at Seattle University campus. Even if our team was not selected as one of the final four teams, deep in our heart, we all agreed that the competition was not the end of this business; instead, we believe 701 COFFEE is in a right direction to achieve its business goals. This meeting again showed that we are a integrated, passionate and committed team. Our coaches Aaron Rose and Priyanka Kamath and team members Sonam Priyan and Sara Mae all shared their experiences involving in this competition. Everyone proposed many great suggestions to help 701 COFFEE keep grow and thrive in the vibrant community.

As a team leader, taking 701 COFFEE to the Business Plan Competition was a quite challenging but rewarding journey for me. The challenges came from the worries about failing to meet the team's expectations, though none of them meant to give me any pressure leading the team. It was my high standard to pursue a perfect process that challenged me. Other than that, I enjoyed communicating with everyone to put our business plan together, to visualize the business and to know more about our team members.

I have learned tremendously from our teamwork and this competition. But I would like to share two things that impressed me a lot along this journey. The first thing is definitely the TEAM, TEAM, TEAM!! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the team. Two heads are better than one. One person cannot always have the best solution or make the best decision, and the team brainstorming would generate many creative ideas. In a team, we are more likely to perform better and make more sensible decisions by putting heads together than by working alone. What is more, we will always have support and encouragement. Sometimes, when you are unsure about something, or feel incompetent in completing a task, your team will lead a way for you and share their views with you. Our team 701 COFFEE is such a supportive team. From drafting the business plan to Elevator Pitch/Tradeshow, everyone was eager to contribute ideas and do our best. I was so proud of the day when all our team members were wearing our red team T-shirt showing our unity and passion to Business Plan Competition audience.

The second thing is be passionate about what you are doing. Everyone in our team either has full time jobs or full time school, but each of us was highly committed to each strategic meeting, marketing research and the business plan writing. If we did not have enough passion and belief in what we were doing, it was very challenging to work together three-month long when everyone was already having a lot workload from job or school. There is no doubt that some of us might have felt exhausted or confused about the future of the business, but our passion and belief in turning 701 COFFEE into a profitable business constantly motivated our team to work hard, collaboratively and creatively. As a result, everything in our team went incredibly well and smooth.

When preparing for the Elevator Pitch on behalf of the team, I was so unconfident and stressful. I worried so much that I could not do a good job pitching on the stage and let my team down. My mentor Sue Oliver kept encouraging me to unleash my passion and let passion lead my way. She said:" your job is not to feel scared, but to get audience excited by your passion." She proposed a 10 x 10 practice plan to me. Whenever I practice the pitch 10 times, I text her. So I am supposed to text her 10 times to let her know that I have practiced the pitch 100 times with passion and enthusiasm. I ended up practicing 150 times in total, and I also found the confident and passionate self during the practice. I am sure on the day of competition, the pitch I did was the best of all among 150-time practice and got audience excited. I also realized that passion is such a strong power that can lead the team and individuals to overcome hurdles and to keep trying to be good, better and great!! I believe that our team members have learned different things that are valuable to them from this competition. 701 COFFEE team ignited my passion and helped me grow a lot, and I appreciate our team spirit a lot. Everyone asks me if I had fun in this competition. I said, absolutely!! And I am quite sure that I will do it again next year.

We finished this competition, but we will never stop supporting 701 COFFEE, a local family-owned business in Seattle Central District.(Located at 23rd Ave and Cherry Street) We are looking forward to seeing more accomplishments from 701 COFFEE.

Yan Tang is enrolled in the Professional Master of Business Administration (Marketing) program at Seattle University. She also serves as a Business Relationship Management and Small Business Coach at Seattle University's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. Previously, Ms. Tang worked for Manpower in the company's Shanghai, China office where she served in several roles including Service Consultant, On-Site Project Manager for IBM Shanghai, and Recruitment Consultant. Ms. Tang may be contacted at yantang1126@gmail.com.

A Valuable Lesson for Today

The following is a guest post by Yan Tang.

Photo by Yan Tang

A friend recently asked me if I could work as an office assistant for her friend Lisa who owns a dentistry in Bellevue, Wash. Lisa has been through several of changes in her office. She injured her arm and two staff members quit recently. She was desperate for people working for her. On the other hand, I was still in uncertainty about when I could get an internship and I thought I could do a favor to my friend. So I said "yes."

The interview with Lisa was quite simple, and she even did not ask me what career I would like to have or what was my long-term career plan. Apparently, she was in need of more hands. Soon, she made an internship offer to me as an office assistant. I was not excited as I should be. Having years of experiences in recruiting and project management prior to starting the MBA program at Seattle University, I clearly know that I want to pursue my career as a professional recruiting consultant or project manager upon the completion of the program in 2018. However, I could not convince myself not to take this offer. I was even thinking it might be an "OKAY" internship for the short-term. I called my mentor, Sue Oliver, for her opinion.

Sue was a little disappointed that I would take this job since she knew I have been looking for an internship related to recruiting and project management. She challenged me: "Do you want to become a dentist?" "No," I replied. "But I will work for Lisa temporarily and she needs help."

Sue simply said you would lose every single hour that was supposed for searching your dream job if you worked in the dental office. If she needed help, you could help her find interns as you were a recruiter before. I was suddenly enlightened. No matter how discouraging finding my dream internship or no matter how long it will take, I need to hold the belief and faith. I made up my mind that I would not take this internship.

I went to Lisa's dental office and observed how she operated the business. Because of her severely injured arm, she had to reschedule patients which caused a lot loss for her business. It was also very stressful as she did not have enough people working in the office. She had to see patients and train her staff at the same time. I knew I could help a lot if I could work here, but I had made up my mind sticking with what I dream to do.

I talked with Lisa that I could not work for her as an assistant here because my long term goal is to become a professional consultant or project manager. But I could help with finding interns for her and help with staff management as I have a lot student resources at Seattle University and have some friends who want to find a job. In addition, I worked for a Fortune 500 human resource company where recruiting and staff management were my expertise. Her response was a little surprising to me. She appreciated that I was being honest to her and she even felt fortunate that I have the talent helping her find right people which she needs the most. She said, "Yan, I did not know your background before. But I am glad we had such an open conversation. No matter how many hours you spend in looking for interns, I will pay you to do that." Then I was getting excited as it turned out Lisa becomes my "client." My job is to provide recruiting consultation for her. I will not only recruit interns for her, but also show her how to manage and retain her staff since she has high turnover rate in her practice. That is being said, she will not just get the fish; she will learn how to fish as well. What is interesting for me is that I created an opportunity for myself to practice my recruiting and consulting skills!!

After the conversation with Lisa, I could not wait to call Sue Oliver about the turnaround. Sue said she was not surprised, because if you know what you want to do, the world will make the way for you. She also shared with me her mentor's wisdom which is: follow what you love to do, you will not go wrong. I feel so blissful that I am able to hold on to what I love and dream to do, and this faith turns out to be a great opportunity for me and for others. Today's experience really taught me a valuable lesson that I will always keep in mind: never compromise to something that you do not love to do and hold the faith in your heart!!

Yan Tang is enrolled in the Professional Master of Business Administration (Marketing) program at Seattle University. She also serves as a Business Relationship Management and Small Business Coach at Seattle University's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. Previously, Ms. Tang worked for Manpower in the company's Shanghai, China office where she served in several roles including Service Consultant, On-Site Project Manager for IBM Shanghai, and Recruitment Consultant. Ms. Tang may be contacted at yantang1126@gmail.com.

Report Identifies Hundreds of Africa's Most Inspirational and Dynamic Private, High-Growth Companies

The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) launched it inaugural Companies to Inspire Africa report, which, according to Xavier Rolet KBE, LSEG's CEO, identifies "hundreds of Africa's most inspirational and dynamic private, high-growth companies – ones which have come to the attention of major global investors." The companies listed in the report "boast an impressive average compound annual growth rate of 16%. On average, each firm employs nearly 400 people."

Highlighting African companies from the following eight sectors: agriculture, consumer services, ELITE Morocco, financial services, healthcare and pharmaceutical, industry, renewable energy, and technology & telecoms, the report "also highlights the unique role of female entrepreneurship, with approximately 12% of these high-growth companies led by female entrepreneurs, three times the average for companies across Africa." Moreover, Mr. Rolet says: "This new report demonstrates that high-growth, private companies are fast becoming the driving force behind African economies: developing skills, creating high-quality jobs and driving economic growth."

In her commentary, Priti Patel, Member of the House of Commons of the United States and Secretary of State, Department for International Development, rightly notes: "Entrepreneurship is the cornerstone of any vibrant economy. It is the motor that drives investment, job creation and economic growth. Throughout history, sustained, job-creating growth has played the greatest role in lifting huge numbers of people out of grinding poverty. It is entrepreneurship that delivers the life-changing progress that comes from growth in developed economies, and it is entrepreneurship that is beginning to deliver the same in Africa."

Ms. Patel further explains that "Companies to Inspire Africa showcases some outstanding stories of innovation, bravery and growth across the continent. It brings Africa's entrepreneurial spirit to an international audience, and I would like to congratulate all the companies featured for their vision, ambition and tenacity. It is their success that will drive Africa forward to a future of prosperity, and away from a reliance on international aid."

With respect to the technology and telecoms sector, the report notes that the growth in mobile phone usage in Africa will grew 344 percent from 2007-2016 and 314 tech hubs are active around the continent. In addition, $608 million is expected to be invested in African tech startups in 2018.

Dale Mathias, Chair of the Partners Forum, Africa Private Capital Group, USAID, correctly maintains that "Africa is distinguished by the enormity of the scope, range and size of commercial opportunities available to technology-based companies. This stems primarily from the continent's growth potential, its lack of commercial sophistication and the sheer size of its markets."

Importantly, Ms. Mathias says "technology can provide the solution to widespread African economic inefficiencies. Technological solutions will significantly enhance access to many types of products and services that businesses and consumers require, but that are not yet available, accessible or affordable."

Moreover, "With African mobile phone penetration exceeding 50%, numerous entrepreneurial tech companies have launched throughout Sub-Saharan Africa by creating products and services built upon the continent's established mobile phone infrastructure. Increasing access to the internet has resulted in the building of numerous such businesses across a broad range of verticals that include logistics, FinTech, agriculture, marketing, media, education and healthcare."

I strongly agree with Ms. Mathias that "Africa is poised for tremendous growth, and investment capital is becoming more available. Awareness of the region's potential is increasing and there exists today an abundance of capable and highly motivated entrepreneurs. Sub-Saharan Africa is truly an area of great investment opportunity, with technology destined to lead the way."

What role does Africa play in your global business strategy?

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Progress and Outlook of China's Supply-Side Structural Reforms

"Supply-side structural reform (SSSR) dominates the economic policymaking landscape in China," according to a white paper published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The paper, which is available in both English and Chinese, continues to explain: "In place for more than a year, the policy shapes everything from the government's efforts to reduce excess industrial capacity to initiatives designed to curb high levels of corporate debt, such as debt-for-equity swaps. Evaluating China's ability to overcome its chief economic challenges and sustain its economic growth is impossible without having a proper grasp of SSSR." The EIU's white paper provides the first comprehensive, independent analysis of the program.

The paper explores five components of SSSR: cutting excess industrial capacity, destocking property inventory, corporate deleveraging, lowering corporate costs and improving 'weak links.' Below are the key takeaways for businesses as presented in the paper's "Executive Summary":

• We expect slower progress on coal and steel industrial capacity cuts, potentially applying downward pressure on commodity prices. Capacity reductions in 2016 involved a significant amount of idle capacity and were concentrated in the private-sector; they have yet to extend meaningfully into productive capacity or the more sensitive state-owned enterprise (SOE) sector. The drive against overcapacity might also be extended to sectors including automobiles, new materials and renewable energy.
• Efforts to destock property inventory will likely have a fairly marginal impact. Investor unease and slow progress on key reforms make it difficult to stimulate demand across smaller cities. Efforts to restrain supply are complicated by the dependence of local governments on land sales revenue; a property tax is unlikely to come in force before 2020.
• Some of the deleveraging schemes backed by the authorities, such as debt-for-equity swaps, are problematically structured and may not achieve that much in terms of meaningfully reducing corporate debt. More important will be pushing a productivity reform agenda, especially among SOEs.
• Companies will benefit from lower effective tax rates, with the government set to ease burdens associated with administrative charges and social security. However, we do not expect a broad cut in the corporate tax rate and the introduction of the Environmental Protection Tax in 2018 will create significant additional costs for industrial firms.
• Strong government support for innovation under strengthening "weak links" and the Made in China 2025 initiative will provide local firms with resources and capital to help their transition up the manufacturing value-chain, to the likely detriment of foreign players. There are inefficiencies associated with this top-down approach, however, and in terms of innovation, private technology companies will play a bigger role in the transformation than state-owned firms.

Importantly, the paper explains that "SSSR's close association with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, means it is likely to shape economic policy for many years to come. Companies and investors need to monitor the development of the policy carefully if they are to be alert to both opportunities and risks in the Chinese business landscape."

How do you anticipate SSSR impacting your business?

UPDATE: The EIU held a webinar on Apr. 27, 2017 discussing its whitepaper in greater detail. You can watch a recording of the webinar through this link.

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Integrating Technology to Solve the World's Healthcare Challenges

"The time for leveraging technology to solve the most pressing healthcare challenges across the world has come," writes Ivy Teh in the "Forward" of a report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Ms. Teh, who serves as Global Managing Director of EIU Healthcare Consulting, continues: "With the explosion of technological innovations ranging from artificial intelligence and big data technologies to ever more powerful sensors, the possibilities of using technology to improve healthcare are endless. The challenge now is less about technology than it is about finding viable models to implement those new technologies in order to make a real impact on the healthcare challenges that the world currently faces."

According to Ms. Teh, the report, Digital Health: Total Convergence, explores "how digital health is already changing the healthcare landscape in different parts of the world, in order to provide a deeper understanding of the topic of digital health, which has been dominating conversations in the healthcare industry. Based on this deepened understanding, we also examine the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in terms of the practical realities of finding digital health solutions for the world."

Witnessing the digital health evolution over the past several years, I have become discouraged by the view held among many entrepreneurs and innovators that technology alone is the answer to solving the healthcare industry. Therefore, I was pleased to read the report's assertion that "the current challenge in digital healthcare is no longer purely about technology. Companies have to figure out how to initiate entire healthcare ecosystems to adopt new technology-enabled ways of meeting the innumerable challenges faced in healthcare."

The report provides a relevant and insightful discussion on three subtopics:

1. Digital health hubs: Scaling up digital health solutions for the world;
2. Digital divide: Locating technology's value proposition in different markets; and
3. Digital adoption will prompt a radical rethink of existing customer segments.

With respect to digital health hubs, "The interactions between technology and healthcare ecosystems in different parts of the world are creating digital health hubs with distinct areas of specialization and focal points that have formed in response to local healthcare challenges." The report "examines how the geographical dispersion of innovations and testing of digital health solutions will be critical to the implementation of high-impact solutions on a global scale."

On the topic of the digital divide, "Digital health instantiates itself uniquely in different countries and markets, each of which faces its own particular set of healthcare challenges. The value offered by digital healthcare lies in the way in which companies can apply recent breakthroughs in science and technology to different healthcare challenges to bring value to users." The report examines "how companies are extending their reach to new patient pools and markets by growing telehealth use in different settings and geographies." It also looks gives attention to "data-driven solutions that can be used to create smarter, more efficient and more precise healthcare delivery and better patient experiences."

As for digital adoption prompting a radical rethink of existing customer segments, the report illustrates how "digital technology is creating new market spaces in healthcare. New customer segments, such as internet hospitals, have emerged. Digital technology has also reshuffled the delivery points of the various medical services, in a way that will create opportunities in decentralized and near-patient products and services. Patient pathways and journeys will need to be remapped in response to patient demand for technologically enhanced products and services."

Encouragingly, the report "explores the true value of digital health—namely, the convergence of technologies to support healthy living around the world. This definition reflects the aim of this report: to provide a comprehensive and integrated view of how technology is used to solve the most pressing challenges that are faced in healthcare today."

I recommend reading the report if you have an interest in digital health. For those who read it, what are your thoughts?

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Spain's Thriving Aerospace and Defense Industry

Photo of representatives from
Spanish aerospace and defense
companies companies visiting Boeing's
factory in Everett, Wash.: Extenda

On Mar. 27, 2017, my colleague, Yan Tang, and I had the pleasure of attending the US-Spain Aerospace and Defense Business Forum, which featured 18 Spanish companies from the autonomous region of Andalusía seeking business opportunities in the United States. The forum was sponsored by Extenda-the Trade Promotion Agency of Andalusía, a public company owned by the Andalusían Regional Government, and hosted at the Seattle office of K&L Gates. While you can download the event booklet containing detailed information on each company, this blog post highlights a few that captured my attention.

Photo of Solar MEMS
sun sensors and replica
USB flash drive:
Yan Tang

Solar MEMS Technologies specializes in designing and developing sun sensors for high technology applications in space, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and renewable energy markets. Headquartered in Seville, Solar MEMS' sun sensor is a device to measure the incident angle of the sun rays when they go through a small window. The sun sensors developed by Solar MEMS were designed using sensor on chip technology: they have small size, low weight, reduced cost, high accuracy and reliability thanks to the characteristics of the miniaturization over MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems). Solar MEMS developed this technology to use it on satellites and aerospace applications, but nowadays it has been transferred to other fields of application as solar energy, where the sun sensor improves reliability and features, and it reduces costs. Solar MEMS' customers include the European Space Agency (ESA), National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA), Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Beihang University in Beijing, China.

Photo: CARBURES

CARBURES is a technological industrial group specialized in the manufacturing of composite parts and structures and in designing engineering systems, which operates in the aerospace, automotive, civil works, railway and security industries. Founded in 1999, CARBURES has developed its own technological and manufacturing processes to produce composite structures, allowing the Cádiz-based company to branch out into different industries. With respect to the aerospace and defense sectors, CARBURES has over 15 years of experience as a tier 2 supplier to these industries. In addition, the company plays as key player in the manufacturing of composite parts and structures for the industry giants and the world's most relevant tier 1 companies. Currently, CARBURES, produces composite parts for a large part of the most modern civil and defense airplanes. 

Since 2004, the Hélice Cluster has been promoting the development of the Andalusian Aerospace Cluster supporting all of the cluster's stakeholders such as universities, technology centers, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as to providing subcontractors with the technical resources to ensure a better integration with contractor companies. Its main clients include Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, Bombardier, and Dassault.

As stated in a press release dated Sept. 28, 2016: "The Andalusían Aerospace industry had a turnover of €2,343 million in 2015 and created 1,052 new jobs, according to the 'Aerospace Annual Report 2015,' carried out by Hélice Cluster. According to the Andalusían aerospace data, the industry contributes 1.62% to the Andalusían GDP." Entrepreneurship is growing throughout Europe including Spain and the Hélice Cluster provides an ideal setting to help startups connect with strategic partners and customers.

Photo of US Coast Guard
HC-144A Ocean Sentry: Airbus

I had the pleasure of being part of a U.S. delegation of journalists, attorneys, and business professionals to Andalusía in 2010. The trip, which was sponsored by Extenda, provided me with the opportunity to tour the Aerospace Technology Park of Andalusía (Aerópolis) in Seville. My visit included a tour of the final assembly line for the Airbus A400M airlifter and HC-144 Ocean Sentry, a medium-range, twin-engined aircraft used by the United States Coast Guard in the search-and-rescue and maritime patrol missions. Seven years later, it is encouraging to see Spain's aerospace and defense industry thriving.

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Doing Business in Vietnam: Always Look Ahead, Don't Worry About the Past

Photo of Ho Chi Minh City:
http://ow.ly/J3TP30azNRp

"The U.S. is now Vietnam's largest export market and a major source of foreign direct investment, helping fuel Vietnam's remarkable economic growth," according to the Vietnam Country Commercial Guide, a report produced by the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration. Given the Economist Intelligence Unit's prediction that "Vietnam will be one of the region's fastest-growing economies" from 2017-2021, I was interested in attending an event hosted by the Trade Development Alliance of Seattle on Mar. 23, 2017 featuring Stuart Schaag, Commercial Counselor with the U.S. Commercial Service in Vietnam.

In his presentation, "It's Time to Rethink Vietnam," Mr. Schaag explained how the U.S.-Vietnamese commercial relationship has grown since the U.S. lifted its trade embargo against Vietnam in 1994 and the two countries renewed diplomatic relations in 1995. In fact, American exports to Vietnam increased by 77 percent from 2015-2016 with Ireland placing a distant second at 22 percent (exports of American products globally grew 10 percent for the same time period).

Vietnam is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. ASEAN, Mr. Schaag noted, is the largest destination of U.S. investment in Asia and the fourth largest market for export of U.S. goods and services. "560,000 American jobs are directly or indirectly supported by goods and services exported to ASEAN." Using 2012 statistics, he said "almost $100 billion of U.S. goods and exports go to ASEAN." Importantly, ASEAN contains a young population and growing middle class.

While American firms exported $26.9 billion in goods and services to Singapore in 2016, making it the largest export market in ASEAN, U.S. businesses exported $10.2 billion worth of goods and services to Vietnam--more than four times the amount exported in 2007.

Regarding the country's demographics, Mr. Schaag told the audience that Vietnam is the world's 14th most populous nation with 93 million people. Vietnam's labor force is comprised of 55 million individuals. The median age of Vietnamese is 30.7 and 24.1 percent are aged 15 and under. Citing statistics from the World Bank, 13.5 percent of Vietnamese lived below the poverty line in the 2014 compared to 60 percent in the 1990s.

The aforementioned Vietnam Country Commercial Guide notes: "With disposable income levels in major urban areas four to five times the national average, significant opportunities in the consumer and services sectors are fast emerging. A 2013 study by the Boston Consulting Group predicted that Vietnam's middle and affluent class will double by 2020, exceeding 30 million consumers."

Encouragingly, the report says: "Telecommunications, information technology, oil and gas exploration, power generation, transportation infrastructure construction, environmental project management and technology, aviation and education will continue to offer the most promising opportunities for U.S. companies over the next few years as infrastructure needs continue to expand with Vietnam’s pursuit of rapid economic development. Health care will also be a growing sector as the government expands programs and an increasingly wealthy population spends more on medical treatment."

My colleagues and I think Vietnam could be a lucrative market for technology companies specializing in cloud computing, connected devices, fintech, and mobile applications (particularly in education and health).

On the topic of entering the Vietnamese market, "U.S. companies preparing to enter the Vietnamese market must plan strategically and be persistent and consistent with face-to-face follow-up. It can take up to one or two years to make a successful sale into this market. Building relationships is important."

Mr. Schaag concluded his presentation by showing a video that illustrates how doing business in Vietnam is similar to the traffic in the country's dense cities:

• Go slow, take your time, don't expect to get there quickly.​
• Get some experience before venturing too far.​
• Always look ahead, don't worry about the past.​
• Have confidence (i.e. don't show fear).​
• Be in the right frame of mind. Find your zen.​
• Be open to doing things differently…​
• …but don't waiver on your values.​

What is your experiencing of doing business in Vietnam?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

GSMA's Annual 'Mobile Economy' Report Highlights the Mobile Industry's Growing Contribution to the Global Economy, Jobs and Social Development

In its 2017 edition The Mobile Economy, the GSMA notes that "by the end of 2016, two thirds of the world’s population had a mobile subscription – a total of 4.8 billion unique subscribers." In a press release announcing the publication of the report, the London, England-based organization says "that the 5 billion-subscriber milestone will be achieved by mid-year 2017 and will increase to 5.7 billion by the end of the decade. By that point, almost three-quarters of the world's population will be subscribed to a mobile service. Subscriber growth over this period will be driven primarily by large Asia markets such as India, which alone is forecast to add 310 million new unique subscribers by 2020." Given the rich content and overall importance of this report, I copied the Executive Summary in its entirety:

Subscriber growth pivoting to Asia 

By the end of 2016, two thirds of the world's population had a mobile subscription – a total of 4.8 billion unique subscribers. There is a clear geographic shift underway, with Asia Pacific set to account for two thirds of the 860 million new subscribers expected globally by the end of the decade. India, already the world’s second largest mobile market, will be the primary driver of this growth, with 310 million new unique subscribers. 

By 2020, almost three quarters of the world's population – or 5.7 billion people – will subscribe to mobile services. Regional penetration rates are forecast to range from 50% in Sub-Saharan Africa to 87% in Europe. 

4G uptake driving surge in mobile broadband adoption 

The generational shift to mobile broadband networks and smartphones continues to gain momentum. Mobile broadband connections (3G and 4G technologies) accounted for 55% of total connections in 2016 – a figure that will be close to three quarters of the connections base by 2020. The proportion of 4G connections alone is forecast to almost double from 23% to 41% by the end of the decade. 

5G will see a major shift in how cellular networks are designed and what they are used for. Early deployments will focus on enhanced mobile broadband as the key customer proposition but 5G's capabilities will evolve over time. 5G networks are forecast to cover around a third of the global population by 2025, with adoption reaching 1.1 billion connections. 

Mobile revenue growth outlook remains modest 

Total mobile revenues reached $1.05 trillion in 2016, up 2.2% on 2015, marking the second consecutive year of rising revenue growth. Developing markets saw a notable improvement in growth rates as the macroeconomic headwinds eased and key markets such as China and India posted encouraging growth rates. However, the future outlook remains mixed, with increasing competition, regulatory intervention and slowing subscriber growth weighing on revenue growth. 

Operators have invested $1.2 trillion in capex since 2010. With global mobile capex levels having peaked in 2015, they fell by 6% in 2016. Over the medium term, capex levels will continue to decline but at a slower rate, before returning to growth in 2020. Operators in advanced telecoms markets will begin to invest in the necessary infrastructure to support 5G towards the end of the decade, with any uplift. 

Shift in consumer engagement to mobile and the rise of the platform economy 

The shift of consumer engagement to mobile is now manifesting itself in the rapid growth of messaging platforms, which are using their scale to monetize a growing range of services. With a global subscriber base that is soon to reach 5 billion, the mobile ecosystem has created a global digital platform that is increasingly connecting everyone and everything. The impact of this digital platform is felt across a broad range of sectors as companies reinvent their business models to offer new and innovative services. 

Players across the broader mobile ecosystem have already adopted open innovation strategies and embraced the power of collaborative partnerships, particularly those in the app economy and the mobile internet. Collaboration and open standards allow platforms to scale rapidly – a key success factor when competing digital platforms have already achieved significant scale. Mobile operators are developing new business models that leverage these trends to offer new platforms and services. As well as opening the door to new revenue streams, these trends will allow a faster pace of innovation and raise the prospect of a lower cost operating model for operators at a time when margins and cash flows remain under pressure. 

Mobile contributing to jobs and economic growth 

In 2016, mobile technologies and services generated 4.4% of GDP globally, equivalent to around $3.3 trillion of economic value. This is forecast to increase to more than $4.2 trillion (4.9% of GDP) by 2020, as countries benefit from the improvements in productivity and efficiency brought about by increased take-up of mobile services. 

The mobile ecosystem supported approximately 28 million jobs in 2016. The mobile sector also makes a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with approximately $450 billion raised in 2016 in the form of general taxation. In addition, almost $19 billion was raised in government revenue through spectrum auctions in 2016. 

Mobile is essential to realizing the SDGs and addressing social challenges 

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their associated targets outline a broad and ambitious agenda that integrates economic, social and environmental issues across all geographies and applies both to developed and developing economies. Mobile technology provides access to tools and applications that address a wide range of socioeconomic challenges as well as enabling new technologies and innovations to build more efficient and environmentally sustainable societies. 

Mobile technology also plays a critical role in fulfilling the ambitions of universal internet access, closing the identification gap and expanding financial inclusion. The number of individuals accessing the internet over mobile devices has doubled over the past five years to 3.6 billion, and will rise to 4.7 billion, equivalent to 60% of the global population, by 2020. The spread of mobile and digital technologies offers a transformative opportunity to achieve development aims and improve access to a range of life-enhancing services. 

Rethinking regulation for the digital age 

The fundamental changes taking place in telecoms markets and adjacent sectors have major implications for all aspects of policy, including regulatory frameworks, anti-trust reviews and the way spectrum is allocated. In order to drive the transition to more connected societies, it is important that the regulatory environment continues to evolve. 

Prescriptive regulatory frameworks, which were designed for a less dynamic era, can be redesigned to encourage innovation and investment. The new features of the digital market call for a different and more nuanced approach to competition policy. Governments should ensure their competition and regulatory frameworks reflect how the market has evolved and provide a sound foundation for ongoing competition, investment and innovation that benefits everyone. Furthermore, the release of harmonized spectrum – in the right frequencies, at the right time, and under the right conditions – is crucial to the development of a rich and vibrant digital economy. In particular, governments need to identify now the harmonized spectrum that will be required to enable 5G to transform economies and societies for the better. 

As the digital economy is increasingly global, governments across the world should seek to harmonize international privacy and data protection rules. This requires accountability mechanisms to protect individuals' privacy effectively and enable the cross-border data flows necessary to develop an efficient, global digital economy. The mobile industry is engaging with policymakers to make these mechanisms interoperable. Ultimately, global harmonization will benefit businesses and consumers alike by creating a consistent and clear set of data protection and privacy rules that apply across international borders.

Infographic: GSMA

The GSMA report contains a vast amount of information about the global mobile industry. How is the report useful to your business?

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

My Experiences of Working in China vs. the United States

The following is a guest post by Yan Tang.

Yan Tang in Shanghai, China

Can you imagine how much uncertainty and anxiety I had when I was working on a Global Administration (GA) project in Shanghai IBM office located in Shanghai Jinmao Tower (one of the tallest buildings in the world)? Can you imagine how I was handling with a big group of people who come from all over the world and possess significantly more experience than me?

I was 23 years old, a recent college graduate and an age when many of my peers spend their time shopping, dating or traveling. I decided, however, to face all those challenging situations with the IBM GA team as a project manager working over 20 hours a day without dates or holidays. Is that something that I would like to do it again? Absolutely!!

The experience was challenging, but full of self-accomplishments. I was surrounded by many intelligent and brilliant people. Even if I had little confidence working together with them, I found a great opportunity learning from them. That also becomes my lesson #1: it is okay to feel overwhelmed and scared by other's superpower as long as you can learn the most from them. My dad often repeats Isaac Newton's infamous quote: "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants." The IBM GA project taught me how to see different perspectives and learn from people who are greater than me.

I studied English and Chinese as an undergraduate in China and did not learn business skills in the traditional classroom setting. While being placed on the GA project, I was facing very competitive and stressful situations with limited knowledge of business and corporate operation. To survive, I simply used a very ineffective method to adept myself into IBM working environment: work hard before I work smart. I spent nights and weekends studying business manners such as emails, meeting arrangements, communications, and negotiation. I would practice hundreds of times in order to deliver presentations confidently in the presence of a large audience.

A friend once visited me in Shanghai. After finishing dinner together, we could have hung out for movies or shopping, but I had to go back office to work. I still remember what she said to me knowing I had to work through the night. She said: Yan, when your hard work and effort are commensurate with your desire, you are likely to succeed. You will always have my support. At that time, I learned that working hard is a virtue that you are willing to invest time and energy improving your skills.

I find myself in the United States a few years later as a student in the Professional MBA program at the Seattle University Albers School and Business and Economics. I experienced a dramatic shift going from China to the U.S. Now I am sitting in SeattleU's Lemieux Library reflecting on my experiences working in Shanghai. That was like my past life, so far away and blurry. What is happening here is the real life: going to school and completing an internship. There are no tall buildings, no urgent deadlines, or no overnight work. I just concluded a breakfast meeting with my professor this morning and met with my supervisor afterwards. Everything seems less intense and well planned; in other words, I am controlling my own pace of my life.

SeattleU's IEC team

Here in Seattle, I am engaged in several projects as a client relationship management intern for SeattleU's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC). We are managing a new initiative program named RAMP (Resource Amplification and Management Program). This is a different working environment where I cannot use my old work methods to cope with people and situations. I experienced ups and downs when working in a different country with different business cultures.

I was too result-driven and focused on getting work done. However, as a member of the RAMP team, I have been learning to enjoy the process and have fun before rushing to see what results are, as the process is where you can think, make adjustment, innovate and enjoy yourself. RAMP provides Seattle University resources to support local underserved small businesses and community partners to build capacity, grow and thrive. The results of fast growing in these businesses do not happen overnight. I need to be very patient and trust the process of what I am working on. If I can manage the process well and make sure it works smooth, the expected results will follow. My supervisor Sue Oliver always shares her philosophy with me: if we do our best in every single part of the process, we can trust the perfect outcome will unfold for us. I have come to better understand this philosophy through my work experience with RAMP.

I have experienced several aha moments over the past year through RAMP. One such moment came when I was suggested to "manage up" in order to complete my tasks. I was a little shocked by hearing "manage-up." In China, a possible consequence of manage-up is "you are fired" if you dare to challenge your boss. In America, however, managing up is considered a tactic to request resources and support from your supervisor to get work done efficiently. A result of this tactic is showing your ability to set priorities and have clear goals about what you need for task management. You can also establish a good working relationship with your boss if you can use the "manage-up" tactic in an effective way. The application of "manage-up" makes my work-life much easier and brings me job satisfaction.

It requires time to understand how people work in a different business setting and it needs tactics to perform well in a different culture. Until now, I cannot completely understand what are their thinking and acting patterns in business settings. Some tactics I used in China may not work in the U.S. However, I learned the importance of communication whenever I encounter cultural differences or have different approaches to problems. With diversified working experience both in China and the U.S., I am more open-minded and have more different perspectives when identifying situations and looking for optimized solutions.

Yan Tang is enrolled in the Professional Master of Business Administration (Marketing) program at Seattle University. She also serves as a Business Relationship Management and Small Business Coach at Seattle University's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. Previously, Ms. Tang worked for Manpower in the company's Shanghai, China office where she served in several roles including Service Consultant, On-Site Project Manager for IBM Shanghai, and Recruitment Consultant. Ms. Tang may be contacted at yantang1126@gmail.com.