Entrepreneurs in China: Gavin Crombie

Nihub is an incubator to provide investment operational assistance to foreign startups in China. They interviewed our CEO and Founder, Gavin Crombie in order to get what China has to offer for entrepreneurs. This article summarises the main points of his interview and shares some interesting facts about his story in China. 

What do you do? Why? 

I’m the CEO of a digital marketing / visualization company – Digital Frontier. Why? Because it is challenging and interesting.  No two jobs are the same; here I get to work with stellar companies and the end result is visually exciting.

How did you get started in this business? 

Nearly twenty years ago I was doing a business consultancy with the architect who designs the Sydney Olympic Stadium, and one evening over a glass of wine he casually asked: ‘Can you guys source perspective drawings?’ To my shame, I answered; ‘What are perspective drawings?’ to which he replied: ‘Something we pay 5,000 dollars for in Sydney.’ Thus, was born an idea that changed the entire architectural visualization industry. We wrote a business plan over the next 9 months and disrupted the entire industry, became the largest company of our type in the world, 31 offices worldwide, 450 staff.

Why did you decide to start a business in China?  

I came to learn about doing business in China in 1994 – I loved it and decided to stay and follow the journey, wherever it led. It led to start, first of all, a business consultancy, and then to start the company we have been running for nearly 20 years. 

What’s most important about China to you? 

China will be the country of the future, in fact, it is already recognizable as that – 25 years ago it was not obvious. That means the roots and relationships that are developed now will be the foundation that my grandchildren can use in the coming decades.

What do people mean to you? 

People are the joy of life – wherever you are, whatever you are doing. It is in the interaction with people that every single learning, growth and happiness experience come from. Therefore, there is nothing else in this world apart from people in regard to real life. 

If you wish to read the full interview please click on the link below  https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzI2MDczODg0NQ==&mid=2247483944&idx=1&sn=720c7c3ea19e2811add853a87abfefca&chksm=ea64585add13d14cb1439a641f53d2e2c53b7825585f1300e70aec6835e31e7ce764053a2cdc&mpshare=1&scene=1&srcid=0705Yh8IyZCN0sledTPSBnEh&pass_ticket=EQk8gdFE5W3TAshff7xXE1ZM%2FyTh3XRe2B7hBV7IWYgUXNLeiVu6dtT9p8%2BReBEM#rd