Vancouver, BC, is attracting entrepreneurs and small business owners thanks to the ease of doing business in the city and the support provided by the provincial government. This is why Chinese entrepreneur Anthony Liu relocated to Vancouver after starting his business in Shanghai, China.
Liu’s company started out in Shanghai in 1998 making upscale retail displays. These displays are intricately made from glass, wood, acrylic and metal, and they come with soft lighting to highlight the value of the cosmetics and watches that they display.
In Shanghai, Liu attracted well-known upmarket brands such as LVMH, Lancome, L’Oreal and Elizabeth Arden. The company currently has just 100 employees, but it boasts offices in Beijing and France, and its displays are seen in upscale stores from Singapore to New York.
The move to Canada occurred when Liu and his spouse decided they wanted to live in a better place to raise their children that still allowed them to continue their business. This saw the family moving to West Vancouver in 2013 and starting ABD Canada.
In 2013 the Liu family decided to settle down in West Vancouver. The entrepreneur’s attention was quickly drawn to Squamish due to the ease of doing business there and its easy access to Metro Vancouver. ABD Canada’s facility in Squamish is small, with just five full-time employees and a few contract and part-time workers, but it hopes to expand and have a full-fledged design centre with 20 workers. However, it is looking for employees with a very specific skillset – understanding the consumer mindset, artistic vision, and technical know-how.
Liu says that finding the right employees is tough, but he notes that the educational standard in British Columbia is high and he believes he will find and train employees in due course.
ABD Canada does not want to grow too big, as the company does not wish to pollute the environment. It wants to retain its sustainable business model and has announced it will be targeting the clothing sector as a key market for the company.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners can help their local area just like ABD Canada by giving back to the community through their start-ups and ventures. However, to succeed in their vision, it is helpful to have a UCW MBA degree under their belt. The MBA program is designed to help entrepreneurs succeed in a global and competitive business environment by ensuring they acquire the right skills to overcome business challenges and make crucial business decisions, such as critical thinking and comprehensive analysis.
