Business and Money Tips

Chagee didn’t beat Starbucks by copying its coffee empire.  It changed the definition of victory:  from caffeine energy to mindful elegance, from Western dominance to Eastern pride. Through Sun Tzu’s strategic invisibility , Yijing’s timing and flow , and Love Intelligence’s emotional connection , Chagee created a new battlefield, one where Starbucks cannot fight without losing its identity. How Chagee Uses Art of War to Challenge Starbucks “He who knows himself and knows the enemy will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.” — Sun Tzu, Chapter III 1. “Know Yourself, Know the Enemy” — Deep Understanding Before Action “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you will not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Chagee’s Application Knew Starbucks’ strengths: lifestyle branding, consistency, coffee culture. Knew Starbucks’ weaknesses: high price, Western flavor, urban elitism. Knew its own identity: premium Chinese tea heritage blended with modern aesthetic...

While Sun Tzu’s Art of War does not use the modern word “love” (愛 ài ) directly, it embodies the spirit of love in leadership, humanity, and empathy — especially in how a wise leader wins without unnecessary harm . Here’s where and how love is reflected indirectly but powerfully in The Art of War : Chapter 1 – Laying Plans (始計篇) “The Commander stands for wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage, and strictness.” — Sun Tzu, Art of War, Chapter 1 The word benevolence (仁, rén) is the Confucian virtue of compassion and love. A great general must possess 仁, or human-heartedness — caring for soldiers, the people, and even the enemy’s lives when possible. 💡 Interpretation: Love is expressed as 仁愛之心 (the heart of benevolence) — seeing your people not as tools of war, but as lives to protect. 2️⃣ Chapter 9 – The Army on the March (行軍篇) “Treat your soldiers as your own beloved sons, and they will follow you into the deepest valley.” — Sun Tzu, Art of War, Chapter 9 This is perhaps the clea...

As of today (Nov 2025), in terms of store count, Mixue has 45,000 worldwide, exceeding 43,000 of McDonald's. Mixue Snow Ice City is a public-listed company in Hong Kong (not listed in China).  Its financials shows that it is a highly profitable business with 12% net profit margin.  It operates on a franchise model with low franchise fees, and zero percentage of sales.  So, how does Mixue make money? Their primary revenue stream is  selling supplies to their franchisees . A franchisee is contractually obligated to purchase nearly everything, including ingredients (syrups, tea bases, powders), cups, straws, and even equipment, directly from Mixue. This is a brilliant and highly effective model that aligns their success with the franchisee's success, as they profit from the volume of goods sold, not from the store's top-line sales. Therefore, while they don't charge a "percentage of sales," they capture their profit further down the supply chain.  This is the Art...

How Microsoft Wins Big in China — Through the Art of War “The skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.” — Sun Tzu, Chapter IV: Tactical Dispositions While Google, Meta, and others fought the system and lost, Microsoft mastered the terrain, timing, and alignment. Let’s break this down into clear Art of War strategies Microsoft applied. 1. “Know the Terrain and Adjust the Formation” — Adapt to Local Conditions “Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground.” — Sun Tzu, Chapter VI What Microsoft Did: Localized deeply: Established joint ventures with Chinese partners like CITIC and 21Vianet for Azure cloud operations. Complied with China’s data regulations — instead of insisting on U.S. norms like Google. Developed China-specific versions of Windows, Office, and LinkedIn (the local variant called InCareer ). Result: Microsoft didn’t fight against the governm...

The Ancient Chinese View of LOVE (Through Sun Tzu · Yijing · Dao De Jing) 💖 LOVE is not emotion — it is energy, harmony, and wisdom in action. ⚔️ Sun Tzu’s Art of War — Love that Protects “Treat your soldiers as your own children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys.” — Chapter 10: Terrain Love = Benevolent leadership Leads through care, not fear Wins without fighting Protects people and preserves life 💡 The highest skill in war is not to destroy, but to protect. ☯️ Yijing  (The Book of Changes) — Love that Balances “When the heart is open and truthful, even distant hearts respond.” — Hexagram 61: Inner Truth Love = Harmony between Yin and Yang Builds connection through sincerity Flows naturally between Heaven and Earth Creates peace through resonance, not control 💡 Love is alignment — not possession. 🌿 D ao De Jing — Love that Embraces All “I have three treasures: compassion, simplicity, and humility.” — Chapter 67...

While Sun Tzu’s Art of War (written around 500 B.C.) doesn’t literally use the words SuperME, Purpose, Love, or Gratitude, it expresses these energies through strategy, leadership, and human nature. Let’s explore where — both directly and symbolically — these ideas live within the text. ⚔️ 1️⃣ Purpose — “Dao” (The Way) Where: Chapter 1: Laying Plans (始计篇) “The Way (道) causes the people to be in harmony with their leaders, so that they will follow them through life and death without fear of danger.” This is the spiritual root of all strategy — Dao, or Purpose. Sun Tzu begins his entire philosophy here: before calculation, before weapons, before war — there must be alignment with The Way. In SuperME terms: Purpose gives meaning to action. Without Purpose, effort scatters. With Purpose, even the smallest act carries power. So, Dao = Purpose — the higher reason why we act, not just what we do. 💖 2️⃣ Love — “Win Hearts Before You Win Battles” Where: Chapter 3: Attack by Stratagem (谋攻篇) “To...

故善战者，致人而不致于人 This famous quote is from Sun Tzu's The Art of War chapter 6, and it translates to: "Thus, those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle, and are not brought there by him." In a modern business context, this is a fundamental principle of strategic initiative and competitive advantage . It means that successful companies proactively shape the market and force competitors to react to their moves, rather than constantly being on the defensive and reacting to competitors' actions. Here is a breakdown of what it means to "致人" (bring the enemy to you/control others) and not be "致于人" (be brought to the enemy/be controlled by others) in business: What it means to "致人" (To Control the Situation / Be the Disruptor): This is about being proactive and setting the agenda. You force others to play by your rules. Innovate , Don't Imitate: You launch groundbreaking products (e.g., SH Lingzhi cookies, CEO Cafe, CEO Pushcarts...

SuperME and Sun Tzu’s Art of War: the bridge between ancient strategy and modern transformation.  1. Core Focus Sun Tzu’s Art of War: About strategy — how to plan, anticipate, and outmaneuver opponents. It’s brilliant for business, leadership, and conflict resolution. SuperME: About identity — who you truly are beyond roles, titles, and status. It’s about living with Purpose, Love, and Gratitude (PLG) so that life itself feels harmonious. ✨ One sharpens your mind. The other nourishes your soul. 2. Approach to Challenges Art of War: Teaches how to win — ideally without fighting — by understanding terrain, timing, and psychology. SuperME: Teaches how to transform — to step out of the survival mindset and into your authentic self, where challenges become opportunities for growth. ✨ Art of War helps you defeat problems. SuperME helps you dissolve them. 3. Daily Practicality Art of War: Practical for leaders, entrepreneurs, negotiators — those who face external battles. It answers: How ...

Win Without Fighting with Sun Tzu Art of War 👉 The Book That Increases Your Wealth Most people believe wealth comes only from working harder. But Sun Tzu revealed over 2,500 years ago that true victory — and true wealth — comes not from fighting, but from strategy, timing, and positioning . 📘 In Win Without Fighting with Sun Tzu Art of War , you will discover: How to spot hidden opportunities before others see them. The 5 Elements of Victory (Dao, Tian, Di, Jiang, Fa) and how to apply them to money, career, and business. Sun Tzu’s strategies for turning conflict into cooperation — creating more deals, partnerships, and wealth. Why “Know Yourself, Know Others” is the ultimate wealth-building formula. How to win without burning out, wasting time, or losing relationships. 🔥 Whether you’re an entrepreneur, leader, or professional, this book gives you the wealth strategies of generals — adapted to today’s world. 💡 Imagine building wealth not by struggling harder...

Why Sun Zi Bing Fa is Art of War and Not 'War Methods'? When people hear The Art of War (孙子兵法), they usually think it is only about military strategy. But the phrase itself — “兵法” (Bing Fa) — means “the method, principle, or art of using forces.” The art inside the Art of War is not just about fighting battles; it is about mastering the invisible forces that determine victory without destruction. Here’s how the “art” reveals itself inside Sun Tzu’s writing: 1. The Art of Winning Without Fighting Sun Tzu said: “To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” The real art is in averting conflict by shaping perceptions, aligning strengths, and positioning yourself so that the other side yields naturally. This is why my book/course is aptly called 'Win Without Fighting with Sun Tzu Art of War', details at https://asiatrainers.org/wwfbook 2. The Art of Dao (The Way) Victory begins with alignment of purpose — when the people, the leader, and Heaven’s timing are un...

Let’s map Sun Tzu’s Art of War 五要素 of Victory — 道 (Dao), 天 (Tian), 地 (Di), 将 (Jiang), 法 (Fa) — into SuperME model, which is grounded in Purpose, Love, Gratitude (PLG) and the distinction between SuperMe vs. Survival-Me. 1. Sun Tzu’s Five Elements of Victory 道 Dao (Way/Alignment): Shared purpose, values, and direction. 天 Tian (Heaven/Timing): Recognizing the right timing, cycles, and external conditions. 地 Di (Earth/Position): Resources, terrain, and environment. 将 Jiang (General/Leadership): Leadership quality — wisdom, trustworthiness, benevolence, courage, discipline. 法 Fa (Method/Discipline): Organization, systems, and execution. 2. How They Fit into SuperME  Think of it as SuperME = Internal Five Elements of Sun Tzu: Dao = Why I exist (Purpose) Tian = When I act (Gratitude for timing, patience, acceptance) Di = Where I stand (Love for people/environment, supportive networks) Jiang = Who I am (Identity of SuperMe leadership) Fa = How I do it (Disciplined PLG habits, execution fr...