Real work we've done. Specific deliverables. Actual results.
By Jing (based in China) + Kai | 2026
Here are some of our recent projects. We work across sourcing, manufacturing, quality control, market entry, and brand building — reach out to discuss your specific needs.
A stealth-mode IoT startup developing sensor-based hardware for agricultural and environmental monitoring.
The Challenge
The startup needed to go from prototype to field-deployable hardware — sourcing specialized deep tech components, coordinating between international engineering teams and Chinese manufacturers, and managing the full product launch cycle. The technology was advanced, the timeline was tight, and the team needed someone who could bridge the gap between Western product requirements and Chinese manufacturing capabilities.
What We Delivered
End-to-end 0-to-1 product management — from component specification to field deployment
Sourced specialized IoT sensor components and subsystems across multiple Chinese suppliers
Managed cross-border coordination between international engineering team and Chinese manufacturing partners
Handled supplier KYC, verification, and quality control for deep tech components
Navigated customs, logistics, and regulatory requirements for hardware exports
Served as the sole bilingual bridge between Chinese scientists/engineers and international stakeholders — for 9+ months of intensive product development
Delivered working sample units to client sites for field testing
"Hardware successfully deployed to client sites. The project demonstrated that complex deep tech hardware can be sourced and assembled through China's manufacturing ecosystem with the right bilingual, technical bridge person on the ground."
— The Result
Why this matters: Most sourcing agents handle simple consumer goods. We handle deep tech — IoT sensors, custom PCBs, specialized components, field-deployable hardware. If your product is technical, we speak both languages: engineering AND Mandarin.
Note: Details limited under NDA. Brand and technical specifics withheld.
Quality & Sourcing
The D9 Standard — POD Apparel Quality Rescue
The Client
The D9 Standard (thed9standard.com) — print-on-demand apparel for Divine 9, the 9 historically Black Greek letter organizations in the US.
The Challenge
The founder's factory (CatKissFish, Shangrao, Jiangxi province) was sending wrong fabrics and terrible color accuracy. 75 products needed triage. The Pantone colors were completely off — official organization colors weren't matching. For example, Kappa Alpha Psi was coming out dark maroon (#622128) instead of the vivid red (#D50032) it should be.
What We Delivered
Scraped all 41 official Pantone colors from Pantone Connect — sRGB, HEX, and L*a*b* values for every Divine 9 organization
Cross-referenced every color against actual customer complaints from the founder's Notion database
Built a complete color reference sheet — official colors vs. what CatKissFish was actually printing
Key insight: Lab dips don't apply to POD (MOQ is 1). Solution: color reference prints per method/fabric combo
Created minimum quality standards — fabric weight (180–350gsm by type), composition (≥80% cotton), color fastness (Grade 4), shrinkage (≤5%), DTG print accuracy (ΔE ≤ 3)
Drafted product-level QC methodology for 75+ SKUs across all 9 organizations
41Official Pantone colors scraped
75+SKUs triaged
ΔE ≤ 3DTG print accuracy standard
"The founder got a systematic QC process instead of guessing. We fixed the supplier relationship — not by finding a new factory, but by giving the existing one the right specifications to work from."
— Our approach
The pattern we see repeatedly: A brand has a “bad supplier” in China. But the supplier isn't bad — the communication and QC process is wrong. We've lived in China's manufacturing ecosystem. We know how to make the relationship work.
SupplySwap (Netherlands-based) — a B2B surplus inventory platform connecting European suppliers with Chinese buyers.
The Challenge
SupplySwap needed to enter the Chinese market, specifically Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), but had zero Chinese social media presence and no understanding of the platform's algorithm, culture, or content style.
What We Delivered
40 Xiaohongshu draft posts — bilingual content strategy tailored to the platform's algorithm and culture
24-point pain point database mapping European supplier frustrations to Chinese buyer needs
SupplySync one-pager — pitch document for Chinese buyers explaining the platform value proposition
Full Chinese market entry strategy for a B2B surplus inventory concept
40Xiaohongshu posts drafted
24Pain points mapped
BilingualContent strategy (EN/CN)
"Complete Chinese social media content strategy ready to deploy. We don't just translate — we rebuild the message for how Chinese platforms actually work."
— Our approach
Why this matters: Xiaohongshu is not Instagram. The algorithm rewards different content structures, the audience expects different formats, and B2B content requires a completely different approach than B2C. You can't just translate — you have to rebuild.
Delzzad Jewelry (@delzzad_jewelry on TikTok) — moissanite jewelry brand doing factory-direct to consumer via TikTok Shop. 104.8K followers, 1M+ likes. $1M+ revenue in year 1. Live stream GMV: $200–300K/month.
What Jing Learned from the Inside
Jing worked directly in Delzzad's TikTok live stream operation (~5 hrs/day), learning the model from the inside. This isn't secondhand knowledge — it's operational experience from a $1M/year TikTok Shop business.
The real engine is video content, not live streaming — videos drive 80% of discovery. Live streams convert, but videos bring the audience
Factory-direct moissanite model — passes diamond detector, honest education + video proof beats polished marketing every time
Built a TikTok Live Cheat Sheet — phrase builder, situation triggers, diamond/stone cuts reference, materials comparison
$1M+Year 1 revenue
104.8KTikTok followers
80%Discovery from video (not live)
"We don't just theorize about TikTok Shop — Jing has worked inside a $1M/year operation. When we advise clients on TikTok commerce, it's from firsthand experience, not playbooks."
— Why this matters for our clients
Key insight: Most TikTok Shop sellers obsess over live stream optimization. But 80% of discovery comes from short-form video. The live stream is the conversion engine — the videos are the growth engine. Get the video strategy wrong and your live streams are empty.
Manufacturing & Branding
Adinkra House — Custom Jewelry Manufacturing from China
The Client
Adinkra House (theadinkrahouse.etsy.com) — African-diaspora identity brand creating cultural jewelry and accessories inspired by Adinkra symbols from Ghana.
The Challenge
Stuck with Printful limitations (only t-shirts and mugs). The founder needed premium products that represent the culture with dignity — not flat ink on generic blanks.
What We Delivered
Complete manufacturing research — what China can make that Western POD literally cannot
61 Adinkra symbols researched with cultural fact-checking (Akofen verified, negative-meaning symbols flagged)
Full brand guidelines — 5 lifestyle collections: The Griot, The Cornerstone, The Alliance, The Boardroom, Sunday's Best
Etsy shop launched — 5 cufflink listings live at theadinkrahouse.etsy.com
5 → 20+Product types (Printful → China)
61Adinkra symbols researched
5Lifestyle collections designed
"We find what China can make that nobody else can. The result: a brand that went from ‘I can only sell t-shirts’ to ‘I can sell museum-quality custom jewelry’ — at twice the margin."
— Our approach
The competitive gap: Most sellers in this niche are solopreneurs with inconsistent quality and limited product range. A China-backed supply chain gives consistent production at margins that allow both aggressive pricing and funded marketing.
Ready to work with someone who actually lives in China's factory belt?
Whether you need manufacturing research, supplier quality fixes, or a full brand growth strategy — we deliver concrete results, not decks full of buzzwords.
Every engagement produces a concrete deliverable — a document you own and can act on immediately. We don't sell retainers, seat licenses, or vague "advisory" packages.
We Do
We Don't Do
Manufacturing feasibility research
Alibaba link dumps
Supplier evaluation & QC process design
Generic sourcing agent services
D2C brand growth strategy (data-driven)
Social media management
Market entry analysis (US, China, cross-border)
Customs brokerage or freight forwarding
Product-market fit research for China manufacturing
Dropshipping setup
Based in China. Fluent in English and Chinese. We work in the time zone where your products are made.