PASSAGEMAKER NEWS
News from PassageMaker | Outsourced Infrastructure, Manpower & Management in China
PassageMaker is a US-owned boutique firm providing a comprehensive and customized service to clients who wish to outsource aspects of their manufacturing and supply chain management. We have our own ISO certified manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen and are member or contributor of the following:
Consultants are a waste of time and money
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike BellamyToday my state and federal tax returns were due. I paid my (substantial and onerous) estimated taxes back on April 15th, but extensions were filed to finalize some deductions and so today was also tax day. Oh, the rhapsodic joy of having two tax days this year! Everyone should be so lucky. Despite being assured […]
October is Global Sources Trade Show Month!
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike BellamyWith the China National Day holiday behind us, the trade show season starts and Mike Bellamy will be in Hong Kong hosting Global Sources’ China Sourcing Fair’s Buyer Education Conference as well as holding separate seminars on issues of Vendor Coordination and Intellectual Property Protection. You can find information on Mike’s seminars here and here. […]
Training to Climb an Everest of Digital Data
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike BellamyI saw this fascinating article on Monday in the NYT. It points to the simply mind-boggling crush of information available to us. When I was a senior in college, less than 15 years ago, you actually did research with books. I can remember driving 2 hours to UVA to do research in their library, spending […]
Why I don’t brew beer (anymore)
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike Bellamy20 years ago I wanted to be a brewmaster. The American microbrew movement was just taking off, and it was a good time to get in. I attended beer festivals, visited breweries, did research (in the days before the internet no less), etc. Ultimately I had two banker’s boxes full of information on techniques, equipment, […]
Our new partner in Brazil, Andrea Martins of OverChina
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike BellamyI am thrilled to announce that PassageMaker now has sales representation in Brazil. Ms. Andrea Martins, co-founder of OverChina, has joined the team, representing PM, China Quality Focus and SafePassage. Ms. Martins has more than 25 years experience living in China, and has an impressive academic and professional resume. Here she is discussing the 60th […]
There’s no General Tso’s Chicken in China
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike BellamyThis is one of Mike Bellamy’s favorite sayings. And there really isn’t any General Tso’s Chicken in China. And conversely, KFC in the USA thankfully, wisely does NOT serve that weird breaded, fried ground shrimp burger thing with the chunks of pepper and kernels of corn with the sweet mayonnaise…ick. And this is an ick […]
How to make a BLT
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike BellamyYears ago I saw a cookbook in Taiwan, written in Chinese, that taught our intrepid Taiwanese housewives how to make such standard American fare as the BLT (that’s Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches for the non-Americans) and the PB&J (Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches). It had never occurred to me that anyone in Taiwan would […]
There’s a lotta stuff you can’t learn from a textbook, because no one ever wrote the textbook
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike BellamyWhen Mike Bellamy started PassageMaker, it was a typical trading company. Mike had a relationship with a particular set of factories, and sold their services to customers (like me) at a mark-up, taking ownership of the parts and assuming warranty risk. It worked well for a while, but soon enough, despite all our efforts, things […]
80% of success is just showing up
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike BellamyA famous quote from Woody Allen, and 100% true. When Mike Bellamy started PassageMaker, he was working out of his living room. He had no work force, no infrastructure, just his own willingness to work and work and work until the job was done. He showed up, plain and simple. PassageMaker made plenty of mistakes […]
Texas Tavern Wisdom
/0 Comments/in China Business Blog /by Mike Bellamy“WE DON’T CASH CHECKS OR PLAY WITH BUMBLE BEES”, so says the sign next to the cash register at the Roanoke, VA landmark Texas Tavern. It’s been open every day, 24/7 (except Christmas) since 1930. No credit, no checks, all cash. A true money-making machine. I’ll have two small cheeseburgers all the way, a bowl […]