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...

Love Intelligence (LQ) in Chagee’s Strategy “People buy with emotion first, logic second.” 1. Love for Culture Each cup honors tea farmers, craftsmanship, and heritage — an act of gratitude woven into commerce. 2. Love for Experience Shops are designed as sanctuaries, not fast-food counters. Customers feel seen, relaxed, and respected. 3. Love for People Training emphasizes emotional service — gentle tone, patience, attentiveness. That emotional care translates into customer devotion — the ultimate “soft power.”

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...

I asked one of my participants in my class on Sun Tzu Art of War yesterday, "What is your purpose of working in your agency?" She said, "To earn good money". "What happens when you discover that the money is not so good as compared to your peers?" "I may quit", she quipped.  "In that case why not make it your purpose now to find a job that pays you sigificantly better this currrent one, since your purpose is to make good money?" I asked her "No. I just want to do this job well' she answered.  "Seems that your purpose of doing this job is not to make good money but something else, something more than money, right? "It's the people that I like", she revealed Slowly ,I get her to understand that purpose is something bigger than what you are doing now, your purpose is also something bigger than You.  That's Purpose as in 'Dao' of the Sun Tzu Art of War.  Read Art of War to Win at https://asiatrainers....

The Five Non-Languages of Love per Andy Ng People often talk about the five languages of love. But today, I want to talk about something different: the five non-languages of love. That’s right. Because love is not a communication. It is not a language. So what is love? First, love is a feeling. It is something you feel deep inside, even when you have no words for it. Second, when you express that feeling, it becomes an emotion. That’s when love moves from your heart into your actions, your tone, your eyes. Third, love is a state of mind. When your mind rests in love, you see things differently. You think with compassion, and you act with clarity. Fourth, love is something already inside you. You don’t need to chase it, buy it, or beg for it. It’s there waiting quietly for you to awaken it. And fifth, love is our soul itself. We are not separate from love — we are love. When we forget that, we feel lost. When we remember that, we come home. Love is You.  You are Love

It’s strange, isn’t it? There’s something in this world that is free, or costs almost nothing, yet very few people use it. Everyone is chasing things that cost money, yet they overlook this one tool that can empower, heal, and uplift more than anything else. I’m talking about praise and validation. People who have been married for years may share their problems at home, but rarely do they give each other genuine praise. At work, when the boss praises us, we get suspicious, wondering if more work or expectations are coming. So instead of joy, praise becomes a trigger for worry. That’s why so many people remain emotionally poor, even when they are financially rich. But a genuine praise, one that comes from love, is among the most powerful forces in the world. It has the power to restore faith, to open hearts, and to bring out the best in people. This is why I am persistent, almost obsessed, about becoming a keynote speaker on the topic of love. Because as Whitney Houston once sang,...

  Why Most “Educational” Seminars Don’t Work and What to Do About It? Let’s be honest. When someone tells you, “We’re running a seminar by a famous doctor on how to have good eyesight,” and then you see it’s sponsored by the doctor’s own clinic, what do you feel? You feel it’s an advertisement. And what do people do when they sense a sales pitch? They switch off. That’s why this approach doesn’t work anymore. So how can this doctor still run a seminar, get business, and not sound like an ad? The answer is simple — change the structure. Let the doctor not be the main speaker. Instead, invite another speaker who talks about a topic that connects with people’s life goals, not just their eyesight. For example, someone could speak about how to improve your income without working harder. During that talk, the speaker naturally mentions the doctor’s insights about how better vision improves productivity and confidence. Now the doctor’s clinic appears as the sponsor, not the seller. The do...

Mixue Success due to Yijing?    As of today (Nov 2025), in terms of store count, Mixue has 45,000 worldwide, exceeding 43,000 of McDonald's. Mixue is a public-listed company in Hong Kong (not listed in China).  It's financials shows that it is a profitable business with 12% net profit margin.   Yijing 6 Concepts that Mixue uses: 1. Oneness: Joy .  Their song, adapted from 'Oh Susana', gives people joy outside the store.  "I love you, you love me, Mixue Ice Cream and Tea" 2. Yin Yang balance : Keep prices low (yang) but consistent quality (yin) through tight control of the supply chain. Prices range from S$1.50 to S$3.50, whereas in China it is RMB2 to RMB10.  3. Bagua or 8 Trigrams: Qian Kun Kan Li Xun Zhen Gen Dui. Mixue has all the Bagua elements of leadership, easy-going, flexible, passion, consistency, fast expansion, stick to values and giving us joy.  4. The hexagram that Mixue uses the most is number 1 Qian.  This hexagram says ...

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...

  L ove Intelligence (LQ) Strategies Used by Mixue “People don’t buy from you because they understand you, they buy because they feel understood.” 1. Empathy with Everyday People Mixue positioned itself as the people’s brand , not a luxury lifestyle. Every store feels welcoming — no pressure, no pretense. Love = Understanding the heart before offering the product. 2. Love in Leadership — Caring for Franchisees Mixue’s franchise model includes: Free training, logistics support, and low entry cost. Shared success mindset — win-win partnership instead of exploitation. This mirrors LQ Principle: Love empowers, not controls. 3. Joyful Brand Energy Their cheerful snowman mascot, song “I Love You You Love Me Mixue Ice Cream and Tea,” and light-hearted marketing spread happiness. Emotionally, Mixue built a community, not just a chain. Love creates loyalty faster than marketing budgets.

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...

If You Want People to Like You, Care About Them First Many people think being liked is about doing more, talking more, or trying to impress. But people don’t remember what you say or what you do. They remember how you make them feel . If you want people to like you, stop thinking about what to say next, and start thinking about how they feel right now . When you’re having coffee with someone, don’t worry about sounding smart or interesting. Just focus on them. Notice if they look tired, distracted, or happy. Care enough to look into their eyes. Care enough to listen without needing to speak. Don’t rush to give advice or ask questions unless they invite it. True care doesn’t need to prove itself. It shows through your presence, your tone, your patience. The reason this works is simple. Most people, whether at home or at work, rarely have anyone who truly cares about them. Everyone is too busy caring about what they can get from each other — the report, the sale, the favor. So...

  The One Sun Tzu Strategy Lego Employed Most: “Know yourself and adapt to the terrain” (Sun Tzu: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”) Let’s break this down into the Top 3 Sun Tzu Strategies Lego applied during its turnaround: 1. Know Yourself — Rediscover Your Core 🏯 “He who knows himself will win half the battle.” What Lego did: In the 1990s, Lego expanded into theme parks, clothing, video games, and movie licensing — but lost sight of its core identity . After losing money and nearly going bankrupt by 2003, the new CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp cut distractions and returned to Lego’s core DNA : Simple bricks Creative building Child-led imagination ✅ Sun Tzu Principle : “Victory begins with alignment.” You cannot win if your army doesn’t know its own strengths. 2.  Adapt to Terrain — Partner Instead of Compete 🛣 “The good general adapts to the terrain.” What Lego did: Lego stopped fi...

What Keeps Me Going After 29 Years in This Journey Someone told me recently, “Andy, I followed your slides and got results.” That one line hit me deep. Because that’s really what keeps me going. I’ve been teaching, speaking, and coaching adults since 1996. Full-time since 2001. That’s 29 years of ups and downs, full rooms and empty rooms, applause and silence. I’ve seen trends come and go — NLP, emotional intelligence, AI, you name it. But one thing never changes: people still want to grow. People still want to live better. There were times when I wondered if what I was doing still mattered. Especially during the pandemic, or when class sizes dropped, or when people just wanted free content online. But every time I thought of stopping, someone would message me, “Your class changed how I see myself.” or “I applied what you said, and things really improved.” That’s when I know this calling is still alive. I’ve learned that the best teaching isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being rea...