Business and Money Tips

The Secret Behind The Secret People talk about The Law of Attraction. They say, “Whatever you think about, you bring about.” But that’s only half the truth. The real secret behind the secret is love . Not love for love’s sake. But love in an intelligent way — love that creates value, builds trust, and generates profits for you and for others. When you love what you do, you attract the right people. When you love the people you serve, they respond with loyalty, referrals, and opportunities. When you love yourself enough to keep growing, you stop competing and start creating. Love is the energy that turns intention into attraction, and attraction into achievement. That’s what I call Love Intelligence — the new currency of wealth in business, leadership, and life.

Why Tough Love Matters More Than Ever We live in an age where AI can write, speak, and even fake emotions. People are surrounded by synthetic praise, shallow likes, and instant gratification. They mistake attention for affection, and algorithmic empathy for real connection. That’s why what the world truly needs now is tough love — love that tells the truth, love that demands growth, love that corrects when needed, not just comforts. What Tough Love Means (Through the Lens of Art of War and LQ) 1. Love with Discipline Sun Tzu said, “If orders are not clear and soldiers disobey, the fault lies with the commander.” A true leader loves enough to be clear, consistent, and firm. Tough love creates clarity. Weak love creates confusion. 2. Love with Courage Real love dares to confront — not to win arguments, but to awaken wisdom. When a leader corrects, not condemns, that’s love in motion. 3. Love with Vision AI may process data, but it cannot hold a vision. Love with vision sets direction, ev...

Einstein’s Mother and the Power of Belief When Albert Einstein was a young boy, his teachers said he was slow . He couldn’t speak properly until the age of four. He struggled in school, often sitting quietly at the back, lost in his thoughts. One teacher even told his mother, Paulina , “Your son will never amount to anything.” Most parents would have been crushed by those words. But not Paulina. She looked at her son — those gentle eyes, that curious gaze — and she said, “ Albert, you are different, not less. ” She never compared him to others. She believed in his inner light when no one else could see it. Every night, she would play the violin, and young Albert would close his eyes, letting the music fill his soul. That was how she kept his spirit alive — with love, patience, and faith. And in that quiet, unseen space… his SuperME was growing. SuperME: Believing in the Invisible Einstein’s SuperME was his soul of curiosity — his inner voice that told him to wonder,...

How Mixue and  Chagee Each Used Yijing in Their Own Way People often ask me why both Mixue and Chagee can grow so fast, yet their styles are completely different. The truth is, both brands follow the principles of Yijing , but they apply them in two very different ways. When you understand this, you see why they both succeed without needing to fight each other. Everything begins with Oneness . Mixue positions itself as part of everyday life, almost like the air people breathe. Affordable, accessible, always there. Chagee, on the other hand, positions itself as part of a personal ritual, something people enjoy, appreciate and even show off. One becomes daily life, the other becomes lifestyle. Both are One with their audience, but in different layers of human living. Then comes Yin and Yang . Mixue represents extreme Yin: simple, cool, friendly, low price, low barrier. Chagee represents rising Yang: premium, warm, beautiful, expressive. Yin attracts the masses, Yang attracts tho...

How Chagee Used Yijing to Beat Starbucks Many people wonder how a young Asian brand like Chagee could rise so fast and become a serious challenger to Starbucks , the world’s coffee giant. The answer lies in the wisdom of Yijing , the study of change. First, Chagee understands Oneness . While Starbucks sees itself as a coffee company, Chagee sees itself as part of people’s lifestyle and emotional space. It unites the old and new, East and West, tea and trend. This sense of Oneness allows it to move with the times yet stay rooted in its essence. Second, Chagee mastered Yin and Yang . Where Starbucks represents strong, masculine, and global energy, Chagee brings soft, feminine, and local energy. Yin does not fight Yang. Instead, it balances and complements it. When coffee culture became too heavy and serious, Chagee came in with lightness, beauty, and flow. That is Yin winning through harmony. Third, Chagee moves with the Ba Gua , or the eight trigrams of life. Each outlet reflects a...

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...