What Is Conside and Why I Started It?

Conside is a podcast focusing on the fast growing tech industry of China delivered in English. It will cover tech news, tech giants and startups, VCs, new trends, facts and background stories in China. 

The name 'conside' comes from debating. It means the against side to a given proposition. The reason why I borrow this term is that China has always been 'the other side' of the world. It is quite different from the rest of the world in many ways, yet it still gained some amazing accomplishments that beyond anyone's imagination. China already has the biggest internet user base. Besides those world's leading incumbents like Alibaba and Tencent, we've also built Xiaomi, DJI and many other emerging, competitive startups. Together, they created a vibrant tech scene that is comparable to the Silicon Valley.

In debating, the con-side is not necessarily the 'wrong side'—it's just discussing the topic in a different angle. On the topic of tech development, China also has its unique patterns. Thus I'm not going to tell you which side is right, but I will focus on figuring out how China proves itself and see if it can finally win this debate as the 'conside'.

I named this show Conside is also because it is standing on the other side to those mainstream media (home and abroad) as well. Honestly, there are many western media and observers already keeping their eyes on China's tech scene. They passionately report what Chinese people are doing, how big their tech giants become, and all those 'China model' topics. However, what you normally see from major outlets about China is just the phenomenon, the observation from outsiders. Most of them don't really understand China. They don't have much of the context of what's happening there. I am not saying they are doing a bad job, but this is their own limit that cannot be overcome easily. 

Another 'standing-on-the-other-side' thing is that I chose the form of podcast. We have already read too many news articles and reports about China, but I think there is a better way to present China than written words. When it comes to getting familiarized with something new, it'd be better to do it in the form of story—people all love good stories—and stories are better be told. So podcast is a much better medium to introduce China's tech scene to people who are not that familiar with it.

In this show, I will try my best to explain what's really happening in China and the logic behind them in a vivid way. Although I am a native Chinese, I am not going to keep celebrating the 'greatness' of China, or demean it to cater some people's illusion. I will just deliver the truth. Neutrality, independence, and authenticity are the most important values of Conside. 

So now you should have a basic grasp of what Conside is. But why I wanted to started it in the first place? As an English major and tech nerd, I am able and eager to get in touch with the outside technology world. And I am also fascinated by how our country is catching up and how this process shapes our lifestyle now. In recent years, we are seeing a trend that many foreign companies are trying to get a slice of the enormous and lucrative market of China, while many Chinese startups are stretching out to (or even launching themselves in) overseas markets. What I want to do is to build an information bridge between two worlds—letting people outside know how China's market works, and introducing China's products and models to the outside world.

This is a podcast for people who care about China. And if you don't care, I don't think that will last long. China is undoubtedly one of the biggest economy in the world. The way it develops probably has a much greater influence on everyone's life than you can imagine.

Conside is the show you can't miss if:

• You are interested in China's tech industry, and you want to know how it works
• You want to extend your business to China, or you are already working in China
• You want to learn from the successful cases in China's market, and apply them to your own
• You care about China's rise, and wonder how it will affect your life

Producing a podcast is never an easy task, especially when doing it in a foreign language. Even so, I will still try the hardest to deliver the best show I can. If you find the first episodes are not satisfying enough, it's because I am still improving it.