【69】This is a story to be further developed @ TMD Holdings, Pittsburgh

There will be no pictures for this entry, for it occurred in a professional setting where carries a lot industry information. That means, I will also keep this experience short and less elaborated.

I did try to ask myself first, "Then, what is the point of sharing if you can not have a picture, nor can you fully write the story and those involved?。。。Not Yet, at least"  Then I realized that this was indeed a profound experience and it says a lot about Pittsburgh, about some entrepreneurs, about my home country of China and the vast opportunity it brings/creates in the world economy. I can simply not be able to ignore it.  Plus, if this is to be the last post of 2014, I want it to be able to leave an hopeful tone for the coming year of 2015. Hope is essential.

This is about my encounter in Pittsburgh with two entrepreneurs who are capable, ambitious, rich, successful, and want to keep themselves in the backdrop yet what they do seem to be in people's life in an omnipresent fashion.

And they are right in the neighborhood of 15213, not far from Idea Foundry's office on 4551 Forbes Avenue. The week before, Mike was telling me about he met this guy in a parking lot after a business function, who apparently drove a very fancy car. Then the next thing, Mike and I were on the way to meet him and his brother in their office to talk about potential business collaborations. We were led to a cafeteria with a setting like a bar. That was where we were going to have the meeting. "Quiet unusual" I thought. Then meeting with them turned out to be nothing less than unusually inspiring.

Tommy really knew what he was talking about. Henry was very amiable on the other hand. You can just tell they both are alarmingly bright and savvy.

Henry Wang and Tommy Wang. TMD Holdings, and many more business adventures from luxury men's wardrobe, lady's fashion line, to real estate, education, design, and manufacturing. Just when you are in awe how far they've come along, and what kind of empire they can build, Henry told us during the tour he gave after the meeting that they just started a furniture line called "Carnegie Next". "Quite Ambitious, isn't it?" I concealed my two (no, maybe twenty!) thumps up and thought to myself.

Henry said one thing before we left the building that I thought how wonderful to hear. Hope to note it here as a reminder. He said something like this: "Many years ago, when Tommy and I got started, people had doubts, after all, we were just two brothers with a lot of crazy ideas. Now we are still trying very hard. But we have made our ideas happen, and acquired business discipline to not always get hotheaded for just an idea. We don't like to share, we do it all by ourselves, and we have found a pretty good way of doing business both in China, in the U.S., and the rest of the world. It is pretty exciting."

This is an exciting time. China's economic development just generated a vast volume of middle-class, which creates an ever-increasing consumption and buying power both in domestic and international markets for services and goods. My hope for building a bridge between Pittsburgh and China will prevail. I hope it can, and will work towards that goal everyday on the platform that is promising, and just as much challenging at the same time.

The fact that the brothers chose Pittsburgh as their base camp, and I am here, just make the whole scenario more exciting. I am excited as a Pittsburgher as well as a Chinese. Why Shouldn't I be?

Apparently Mike was pretty inspired and consumed after the intense meeting too. Much to be excited about, much to be hoped for...... Like the Power of 32 has acquired millions of dollars to enhance the infrastructure for the 32 countries in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland to attract Business to come to the region.

Cheer for the year of 2015.

Beer Winning Trivia @ TMD Holdings

1. TMD Holdings is one of the industry's leading Global Sourcing and Manufacturing firms. Headquartered in Pittsburgh with wholly owned subsidiaries in China, TMD Holdings offers an all-inclusive product and service solution. The company combines award winning creative services and reliable custom manufacturing and sourcing, with a decade of retail experience to help its customers achieve amazing results. Its stellar reputation and proven track record have made the company the go-to manufacturer for such leading industry giants as Coca-Cola, MGM, Jack Daniels, Disney and many others.

Over the years, TMD Holdings have developed a vast network in China and other countries of the world. Due to the high creativity, and strong business acumen and discipline among its core leadership, TMD Holdings are constantly exploring new ways of capitalizing ever-surfacing market opportunity as well as its business network..


2. Power of 32.

【47】Can’t get enough @ Strip District

Let me tell you a story. Just a story, no Yinzerita or beer winning trivia or Investigation Discovery. So just sit back and hear me out.

One the first day of November, I needed to get out of the office in Lawrenceville and head to a graphic design shop in Cultural District to do a final approval on a printing project, just to make sure nothing would go wrong.

It was a lovely sunny day, so I planned amble time for this trip and decided to walk to the shop and walk back to catch a team meeting in the office. It was a 40-minute walk one way and most of the time you find yourself walking through the Strip District. This was actually the first time, I took a walk through this famous neighborhood and had some time to take in what I saw, heard, and smelled. It’s a vibrant market. You see those organic food stands everywhere, old but tasteful and sometime colorful buildings aligning along the streets, professionals working in adjacent areas, like downtown, having their lunches in those delicious restaurants or outdoor food stands, and some visitors from outside of Pittsburgh wandering around and about doing some antique shopping in those family-owned shops. Oh, Frank Sinatra’s music would occasionally escape from some CD stores and flew around the background to bring you back to the old times.

It was a great walk. Yet, that’s not the entire story I want to tell.

One the way back from the Cultural District, I was attempted by the great smell of food in the air. So I decided to spend $5 for a lunch to see if I can get one that is not fast food. As I was thinking that, I passed by a food truck where two people were serving food outside and one lady was working inside of the truck. The gentleman had a big smile and was greeting every of his customers with sincerity and humor. He also had many loyal customers who seemed come to his place quite often, because he would say something like this “I haven’t seen you this summer, where have you been?”

Well, nevertheless, as a daughter of a former restaurant owner, I understand that a happy person often make very good food. So those fried rice and noodles and spring rolls looked so delicious as if they were saying “try me, and you will not regret!” So I spent $5 dollars getting a box of mixed fried noodles and rice plus a spring roll. Not bad. Not bad at all. Maybe I was influenced by the good spirits of this sands and content about the good lunch deal, before I left, I was attempted again to talk to the gentleman.

And I did. From our brief conversation, I learned that he is of Philippine origin, came to Pittsburgh in the 1960s, opened an Asian grocery store and ran it until 1988. Made some money, but the market was changing at that time in Pittsburgh (population outflow) and he wanted to try something new. So he closed the grocery store in 1988 and opened this food truck in 1989. He was happy about the business so the food truck has been around ever since. Since he owns the block the food truck resides on, he has been at the same spot for 24 years. And his name is Robert.

It’s a beautiful story about the resilience of the people living in our City, an inspiring story about the adaptability of International folks thriving in this City while also contributing to its prosperity, and…... there is more…..

As I kept walking while ruminating over Robert’s story in Pittsburgh, a brand new woody stand inside a typical Strip District building caught my attention. Two gentlemen were conversing lightheartedly but I could tell the one in Pittsburgh Penguins hockey shirt was very excited about something new in his life, although he appeared to be calm and in charge. So I couldn’t help but stopping to ask the question “Sir, Are you planning to open a new business here?”  He might be slightly surprised by this question from a complete stranger, but he was kind enough to nod his head and said “Yes. I am”. Then I told him the story of Robert just down the street and wished him good luck.

Isn’t this a great manifestation of life, and our life in and around Pittsburgh? Some people have been around the block for a long time and they can tell you all about history and their experience so we become humble and eager to create our own legacy.  There is also always someone new trying to find their spots, and they can tell you the excitement, the exploration, and the possibilities we face ahead so that we always have something vibrant  to hope for, for ourselves, our family, our neighborhoods, as well as our city.

I can’t never get enough of what I encountered that day in the Strict District. Not after opening to its lively spirits and finding myself completely submitting to its dynamics and beauty, let alone knowing all these stories behind those brick walls and glass windows.

Can you?

⑯An Indian business owner I know @ Pittsburgh

His name is Victor, from India, who came to the United States 20 some years ago, did many hard jobs, had some tough times, and now is the owner of a wonderful Indian Restaurant: Coriander Indian Grill & Bar, in Squirrel Hill.

When Sarosh, Alb and I met him for the first time on June 2nd, 2012, we were only there for the drink: Mango Lassi. For some reason,  he treated our table with delicious appetizer free of charge. We were greatly flattered. Then we started to chat and had a good time.

Before we left, he told me something with a carefully constrained shyness but apparent frankness that was most humbling. He said, “I admire that you guys had the chance to go to school, learn so many different interesting things, and have a good time. I never went to school for very long and I would say I never enjoyed school while I was still a student. Then I entered into society on my own, started to work, work, and more work. Those jobs were not all easy ones. Now I am happy to run my own business and have everything I've ever wanted. But once every a while, I see fellow like you and I realize then maybe I've missed something.”

I didn’t know how to respond at the time. But in my shoulder bag, I had one of my favorite books, a poetry collection, Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran. So after several seconds of self-debate, I took out the book and handed it to Victor, “If you don’t mind, please accept this small gift from a friend you just made who also consider you as her teacher in so many ways.”

Kahlil Gibran said once in his poem on giving “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It’s when you give of yourself that you truly give….It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding….…” Gibran’s words impacted subconsciously upon me in a very powerful way at that moment. Or the openness from Victor, the most generous giving, not just with his food but his thoughts of himself and his willingness to show his vulnerability. He had that impact on anybody receiving it, as it should be. I was the receiver in the first place. As of today, I am still thinking of this encounter and consider him as a friend who inspires me. Who would disagree that he is a giver.

Beer winning trivia @ Indian Food

1. Indian Cuisine is divided into various regional cuisines with each region having a dominant flavor. In Southern Indian cuisine Coconut plays an essential role. As southern India is surrounded by the sea, sea-food is dominant in the cuisine. North Indian food, typically Punjabi food allows a variety of diary based variations in the cuisine. Because of a strong Hindu-Muslim heritage fish, chicken and mutton (Lamb and Goat) are the popular meats. These are cooked in mouth-watering curry or tandoori (roast) style encapsulating the non vegetarian dishes of India. Indian food ranges from mild to very spicy.

2. India's newest biological weapon, the world's hottest chili pepper, or bhut jolokia, is 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce, and just a touch on the tongue burns. India’s Army plans to use the chili in tear gas.

Your ID @ Coriander Indian Grill & Bar

Where is Coriander Indian Grill & Bar located?

Samosa is which part of India's food?

What’s your favorite Indian Dish?