Building the biggest expat network and community in China. From nothing to everything

Building the biggest expat network and community in China. From nothing to everything

Francis showed up to China in 2004 after replying an email from a headhunter. He landed in Beijing with np plan, got picked up by strangers and ended up teaching English in some small city in HebeiSounds insane now. Probably was insane then too.But that trip planted the seed for everything that came afterHe went back to Germany, spent years building a career there first. He knew wanting to live abroad and actually being valuable enough to get hired abroad are two completely different things, so he built the resume. Made himself hirable and kept pitching himself aggressively until an Austrian company finally said yes in 2017Francis was very intentional about everything. Nothing happened overnight. Even the move back to China was part of a long game. He just kept showing up until someone saw the value.One of the key lessons from the episode: you need to understand what value you actually bringIn this episode we talk about the difference between expats and what he calls "Flexpats." People who don't just get sent abroad temporarily by headquarters. People who genuinely build a life in another country and create their own path inside a different culture.That identity crisis became the reason he started the Flexpat Podcast.175+ episodes later, it's not just a show, it's an actual community. Online and offline network across China. What started as curiosity turned into a movementHe started the podcast because he was trying to solve his own problems and understand his own life in ChinaWe also go deep into leadership, management, Chinese business culture, language learning, the differences between European and Chinese companies.Francis explains how German companies have deep expertise and structured systems, while Chinese companies move faster and execute aggressively even without perfect systems. And the ideal setup is to combine German quality with Chinese speed (easier said than done, obviously)Chinese learning is another big part of his life.His approach is very practical. Forget trying to memorize thousands of words. Learn 300 to 500 useful sentences. Use them every day and build exposure into your life. Language only sticks when it becomes part of your environment. Family, work, relationships, business negotiations. That's why he eventually wrote the book Chinese On Your Terms.Makes sense. You don't learn a language by studying it. You learn it by needing it.Biggest lesson from the episode is: think deeply about what you want, talk about it openly, keep putting it into the world. Eventually opportunities start forming around it. That mindset shaped his career, his podcast, his network, his entire life abroad.Follow Francis on LinkedIn:   / francis007   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjA1QmxEeWFUdFVsczB0amxjbE5IeXY1UzhJZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttc0ZWaVlvRnFJRmQxZnZiN2RmLV9qbmZEV1I1TFcwRGQyUEV3UE1Yc3IwdktfY2lMaWhoQWNKcTgyRnpkUlZhVnN3bFdzc1hwM3djRnBFMkxFV19UTWJjeEh1ZmJWTjJIeVl5c1RUTFhNWXRkVEE2dw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ffrancis007%2F&v=Fo54Ex26ixo]Listen to the Flexpat podcast: https://www.chinaflexpat.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVUzMy1NOUZjVnRSa0RQUWotTWhVbnl3ZDEzZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuMERKNWhGaWJtaXpCY3JlV0U5WmxaZlVSajA4UW14cnEtcFhldHhoTHJ6V3ZqeF9tbGFsNDhUbU1Sd0wzV0VEc2l2UnpYV3VqODB6Z2J5YTVKMlJfbDFfYWozc2RNa3lGVUZhSEEzaUZkMjBob1VvRQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chinaflexpat.com%2F&v=Fo54Ex26ixo]Get the book: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Sofia-Xavi... [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbEZSWEU0M1pyWDdGZmlHWXNTTTRGeUdmb2FzUXxBQ3Jtc0ttc0ZSQXd2RG0yMFJFTFJicmh5RnRxV1VzaE9IVktLWTFUa2pYOTVrbG9zNVpVYU4xdjZmZkRNUGVncGtELXJCWjluRUpjZXlRdnRqM1U0enhVVmtOaHFPX05WZXhpU3dZM2c2aXhOYnRXamZvQk9sdw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.de%2F-%2Fen%2FSofia-Xavier-ebook%2Fdp%2FB0BHB91CX1%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3D2KKIKBY1HGLWZ%26dib%3DeyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zS63NWqJEN4lv0XpNFHY_4M8EprSuwXiGleVWXzd9lo.QNeeBT4QckpegnRWTWKq1EcqWbxfQ7Z2yFySv2n4QDY%26dib_tag%3Dse%26keywords%3Dfrancis%2Bkremer%2Bchinese%2Bon%2Byour%2Bterms%26qid%3D1779351702%26sprefix%3Dfrancis%2Bkremer%2Bchinese%2Bon%2Byour%2Bter%252Caps%252C482%26sr%3D8-1&v=Fo54Ex26ixo]

Living Abroad For 35 Years - A Life Between Cultures

What happens when you grow up across five countries and never fully belong to just one? In this episode of ABROAD STAGE, we talk about identity, language, culture and how it’s like rebuilding yourself in new environments. Today’s guest has lived across Israel, Hong Kong, France, Canada and China, constantly adapting to new languages, new systems and new ways of thinking. We went deep into what happens when you spend decades living abroad and stop identifying with just one country, one culture or even one version of yourself. We talk about why China feels faster than the rest of the world, how language changes the way you think and why some people become addicted to movement, challenge and reinvention. Nil Larom is the founder of Insaight.ai, focused on AI adoption, leadership training, workforce upskilling and helping companies navigate technology in a more human and practical way. Topics we explore: • Learning Chinese through work • Growing up as a third culture kid • Why China feels more alive than the West • How different languages change your personality • Why social media feels increasingly disconnected • Identity, adaptation and rebuilding yourself abroad • How technology is reshaping human interaction • The real danger of AI and generic communication • The emotional side of never fully belonging anywhere • Why students should focus on projects instead of only degrees • The difference between real communication and algorithm-driven content If you’ve ever lived between cultures, questioned where home is or felt changed by another country, this episode will probably hit close to home. Reach out to Nil on LinkedIn:   / nillarom   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbU1VeWtTRGo5eEtCNzEyZGt3R282U3phZDgtQXxBQ3Jtc0ttQ1ZiU1dBc1VXNVRNbzctWmo2MkhIQTlWeG15Vmc5RG5hclExTHZ2MUtlYjVwTmFoQTJzME5xZy15VDhGYlBDa0FxeUlCS3g5YklzWGZTcnpMdDlJenFXdkRZQkRnb1UzXzBISmpfaTNENXBibHgzVQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fnillarom%2F&v=Cj0ByuRcOy0] Follow his work: www.insight.ai

From India to China - 13 Years Journey

What if career growth doesn’t come from job hopping every two years? What if it comes from saying yes to uncomfortable opportunities, learning every department inside a business and adapting faster than everyone around you? Nitin Sanan came to China for 1 week. He never planned to stay. 13 years later, he built a career across all departments. Started as a service engineer, became the only foreigner inside a factory, communicated through drawings when language failed, helped scale operations in China and built a team so loyal they relocated to another city with him.In this conversation, he shares what China taught him about speed, leadership, communication and building a life abroad. You’ll learn: • Why living abroad can completely change your standards for speed, execution and ambition • Why his entire team moved cities with him and what creates real loyalty at work • Why going back home feels slower after living abroad • The cultural shocks he faced when first arriving in China • How he built a multicultural family abroad after meeting his wife in China • Why starting from the bottom makes better leadersIf you’ve ever thought about moving abroad, building a global career or becoming a better leader, this episode will challenge how you think about growth. Get in Touch with Nitin on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nitinsanan06 Follow ABROAD STAGE on Youtube for more conversations with global professionals building extraordinary lives far from home: https://www.youtube.com/@abroadstage