The China Experts: Jean-Paul Schmitz on Building an eCommerce Agency in Shanghai
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
In this episode of The China Experts, Kristina Koehler-Coluccia is joined by Jean-Paul Schmitz, Co-Founder of Asia Assist. Jean-Paul moved from the Netherlands to Shanghai and went on to found his own eCommerce agency there. In this conversation he walks through that journey in full: how he started out, the mistakes he made along the way, and what he has learned from helping foreign brands enter and scale in the Chinese market.
Who is Jean-Paul Schmitz?
Jean-Paul Schmitz is the Co-Founder of Asia Assist. Originally from the Netherlands, he built his career in Shanghai and founded an eCommerce agency that supports international brands selling into China. His perspective is unusual because he has sat on both sides of the table: as a foreign entrepreneur navigating the practicalities of running a company in China, and as an adviser to brands trying to establish and grow their presence in the market.
What this episode covers
His personal and career journey, from starting out in the Netherlands to founding his own agency in Shanghai
The mistakes and the successes along the way, described candidly rather than as a polished case study
What he has observed in brands entering and scaling in the Chinese market
His outlook on what foreign investors can expect in the year ahead
Why this conversation matters if you are entering China
Selling into China through cross-border eCommerce and building a business inside China are two very different propositions. Brands often begin with the former and discover, sometimes late, that domestic invoicing, local hiring, intellectual property protection and consumer trust all point towards establishing a local entity. Jean-Paul's account of scaling an agency in Shanghai is a useful reality check on how long that transition takes and where the friction sits.
Watch the full interview
Thinking about setting up in China?
Woodburn Accountants & Advisors helps foreign companies register and run entities in China and Hong Kong, from company registration and trademark protection through to accounting, payroll, tax and audit. If this interview has raised questions about your own market-entry plan, get in touch with our team.