At the best of times, running a business is an uphill battle, an endless struggle to innovate ideas that put you ahead of the competition and continually turn a profit. In a post-COVID-19 world however, those challenges have not only grown in scale, but morphed into something entirely unrecognizable. In this series, we talk to expat-entrepreneurs and find out what they’re doing to remain successful in business, and happy at home.
When Timothy Chia and his family headed back to Singapore for Lunar New Year, it was just as COVID-19 began to grip the globe’s attention. The situation in China and the rest of Asia was beginning to get dire, and places like Hong Kong and Singapore would see the curious panic buying of toilet paper, which has become a sort of trademark move by shoppers in countries only now experiencing the worst of the virus.
Still, Chia and his family had one simple goal; to return to Beijing, a city they have come to love and call home. Chia had hope, but it would get a lot worse before it got any better, something that would affect both his business and his family in unexpected, albeit positive ways.
Timothy Chia and his family
How long have you and your family been in China and what made you decide to move this far East?
I’ve been in China since the middle of 2014 and I was single when I first moved here. My wife used to work in the Singapore Embassy in Beijing and she was the main reason I came to check Beijing out. I liked Beijing so much that I’m still here more than five years later.
What do you do and how long have you been in business?
I’m the Chief Marketing Officer and a partner at TRIBE, a lifestyle group which currently includes a healthy eats restaurant in Solana Lifestyle Mall, an online waimai restaurant in Shanghai (also called TRIBE) and TRIBE Nutrition, a meal plan delivery service that’s available in both Beijing and Shanghai. We’re also probably the restaurant that runs the most events in town! We’ve done everything from exercise classes such as yoga, pilates and HIIT classes and creative workshops like English Calligraphy and flower arrangement classes in our restaurants, to city cycling, jogging, and wellness retreats to the countryside. Our very first TRIBE restaurant was founded in 2014.
What were you and your family’s initial reactions when COVID-19 first hit the news?
We were, like most people, a little worried as we watched the news unfurl. However, as we headed back home to Singapore shortly after for Chinese New Year, we also got to experience how people there reacted to COVID-19, and did things like the panic buying of toilet paper which seems to have become a global trend, though not in Beijing, thankfully.
Story time at TRIBE Solana’s 2nd anniversary party, 2019
What were your expectations as far as the virus and its effect on daily life and business in Beijing?
We did expect it to put a pause on many things and that the city would feel like it’s on an extended Chinese New Year break, which it has effectively been with so many businesses closed and hardly anybody going out.
What has been the reality for you and your family?
Beijing has never seemed quieter. I got back to Beijing in mid-February and my family returned at the beginning of March. During the period that I was self-quarantined, apart from keeping myself busy whilst working remotely from home, on the whole, it was an interesting experience to say the least with lots of time for personal reflection, body weight exercises and YouTube videos. Life is much better now that my family is back here with me in Beijing and we’re enjoying lots of family time together. We appreciate the quietness of the city now, but we do miss the hustle and bustle of Beijing.
How has your business been affected by the current situation?
It’s been affected negatively on many levels, from some staff not being able to return to Beijing/Shanghai from their hometowns to an approximate 70% decrease in business due to many customers neither visiting the restaurant nor ordering waimai or meal plans.
TRIBE hosts various fitness classes year around
What form of support have you received from the expat community here in Beijing for both your family’s and business’ well-being?
Our friends here, both expats and locals, have been a great source of encouragement and a much-needed support system for my family. Just having a community of people to talk to and walk through this alongside us has made a huge difference. On the business front, it’s been heartening to see our expat customers make an effort to visit and dine-in/pick up their orders at the restaurant. Others have ordered waimai and meal plans, all of which we really appreciate.
Do you believe the current situation will permanently change the face of business in Beijing?
Yes, it’s changing not just the face of business but culturally. It’s even changing attitudes towards hygiene which is not a bad thing. I believe that businesses everywhere are paying a lot more attention to keeping their premises clean and disinfected multiple times a day which is a good practice to maintain once this virus has passed.
Moving forward, what are some of the plans you have set in place for your business to ensure it is not adversely affected by such an unexpected situation?
Operationally, some of our staff have willingly and enthusiastically risen to the occasion and taken on new roles to keep the business going. For example, our restaurant’s head chef has been helping the meal plan service’s kitchen team cook their meal plans as the latter’s kitchen team is lacking chefs who have not been able to return from their hometowns due to the virus.
TRIBE, Solana Mall
Has the current situation deterred you from continuing to be a part of the business landscape in Beijing or are you here to stay?
We are here to stay as long as we possibly can.
What advice would you give to other business owners in Beijing at this time?
This is a great opportunity to really get to know your customers better. For example, we have an active WeChat group in which both the TRIBE staff and some of our loyal fans have been sharing photos of what everybody’s been cooking at home (when we’re not eating TRIBE) or even have our in-house nutritionist give nutrition tips to our customers.
How can other expat families show their support for expat business owners in Beijing?
By giving them business and encouragement. There are a fair number of active expat-targeted WeChat groups and media accounts around so it’s not hard to know which expat-owned businesses are still operating.
Any words of encouragement or hope for the international community as a whole in Beijing?
Hang tight, guys! Beijing expats are like the locals, resilient! We’ll get through this together, stay positive and safe!
Photos; Courtesy of Timothy Chia, The Beijinger
