Women of Beijing Say Viva Women Entrepreneurship!

Ana Padilla Fornieles | Nov 17, 2021 4:00 pm | Add a comment | 177 reads

Working nine to five, what a way to make a living! All taking and no giving. There’s a whole new way to make a livin’ — it’s called entrepreneurship. In all seriousness though, becoming an entrepreneur often sounds pretty daunting, even lonely.

For each challenge you manage to anticipate, there’s an unexpected obstacle. Navigating the pitfalls of your choice is no small feat, and female entrepreneurs often face their own unique challenges, particularly in some fields more than others.

Luckily, us women can always rely on those who have trodden the path before us and are generous enough to share their expertise. Look no further for these mentors! On Thursday, Nov 18 from 6.30pm to 9.30pm at Hotel Jen, Viva Beijing Professional Women's Network is hosting a two-fold event for women who are eager to get hands-on advice from three successful entrepreneurs.

Eva Biörck (Co-Founder and Managing Director of Mosto Restaurant Group), Kimberly Chen (Co-Founder of Tansuo China) and Jennifer Jin Ma (Founder of Little Oasis Group) will take part in a panel discussion hosted by Cristie Zhao from 7.00 to 8.00pm.
This is followed by an interactive workshop hosted by Nini Suet (Managing Partner at Shang NancyFriends Int’l Education Group) from 8.00pm to 8.45pm.

Last but not least, attendees can look forward to an exciting round of networking from 8.45pm to 9.15pm prior to wrapping up the night while enjoying the two drinks and appetizers included in their ticket (RMB 180 for members, RMB 250 for non-members). Check all details and get your ticket here.

Okay, now that you’ve made room for this event on your schedule for the week — what is Viva? What do they have to say about their activities and the spirit behind them all? Let’s talk to Mio Rudnicki, International Programs and Development Manager at Purpose in Motion (PIM) and Viva Marketing and Communications Manager, and Barbara Seidelmann, Managing Director at 5 Star Plus Retail Design and Co-President of Viva, to find out more.

Hello, Mio and Barbara! I’m sure many of our readers have yet to be introduced to Viva — can you give us a quick intro!
Viva Beijing Professional Women’s Network was founded in 2008 and is the first of its kind in Beijing. We are a member-based women’s organization and we take pride in our diversity, both in terms of professional backgrounds and nationalities. Our events range in topic and structure, focusing on professional women’s development, and take place on the last Wednesday or Thursday of the month (10 months of the year). Membership includes participation in our biannual mentorship program and costs RMB 750 per year. Find more about us here.

Awesome! For your event tomorrow Thursday, how did you choose your panelists? What do they bring to the table and why is this an event not to be missed?
We selected successful women who have had their businesses for at least a few years. These are entrepreneurs with proven business models, who have hired and retained employees. They come from a wide range of industries, so different people can relate & find common themes among various entrepreneurship experiences.

Exciting. Speaking of experience, do you have any words of advice for our female readers?
Not everyone is an entrepreneur and that is perfectly okay! Entrepreneurship comes with lots of investment in time and energy. If you are considering becoming an entrepreneur, you need to have a clear goal and decide whether you are willing to make sacrifices in your life and deal with hard times and challenges. That being said, as you’ll learn at our event, there are lots of positives as well as different types of entrepreneurship and ventures.

So true; everyone is on their own unique path. By the way, how is Viva different from other women’s networks and where we can our readers follow you?
Good question! We attract and work with experienced women, with a focus on professional networking and development. We bring together younger women and women from high/C-Suite positions through our monthly interactive events. Last but not least, we have a biannual mentorship program, where mentees receive professional mentorship and guidance from Standard or C-Suite level mentors. We are honored you’re spreading the word about Viva, because we truly believe in the value and quality of our organization, network and events we put on. Follow us on WeChat! (WeChat ID: Viva_Beijing)