Starkhorn

Directing large-scale PE backed IT integration projects across multiple countries, standardising operations, streamlining processes, and managing complex IT infrastructures to achieve significant cost savings and efficiency gains.

Collaborated with C-suite executives on IT due diligence, post-merger integration, and the creation of scalable operating models, delivering measurable synergies and enhanced portfolio value.

Developed and executed bespoke IT strategies for private equity clients, ensuring alignment with business goals, operational scalability, and long-term growth through innovative technology solutions.

Offering consultancy, fractional support, and expertise in M&A, Divestments, Outsourcing and Private Equity.

Founder

Age UK

Non Executive IT Director - Digital and Technology

Jardine Motors Group trading as Lancaster

Spearheaded IT due diligence for a £300m transaction, enabling the seamless sale of Jardine Motors to Lithia & Driveway.

Supported the £400m acquisition of Pendragon PLC, integrating IT systems to establish Lithia UK, driving operational synergies.

Achieved £1m+ annual savings by centralising telephony systems, enhancing customer service.

Designed and executed a cybersecurity framework, achieving a NIST CSF maturity score of 29.

Chief Information Officer

Mothercare

As Head of IT Service Delivery & Infrastructure, I led seamless IT service delivery across 150 UK stores, franchises, head office, e-commerce, and warehouses. Aligning IT with business objectives, I enhanced efficiency and drove innovation.

Head of IT Service Delivery & Infrastructure

IT Service Delivery Manager

IT Technical Services Manager

IT Technical Support Manager

VisitBritain

Technical Support/Infrastructure Analyst

2nd Line Engineer at VisitBritain

Fractional CIO | IT Strategy for High-Stakes M&A | Faster M&A, Smoother Exits | De-risking IT & unlocking value | Author

If IT isn’t creating enterprise value, it’s destroying it. Most firms still treat IT as a cost centre. Growth-focused companies can’t afford that mistake. I help CEOs, CFOs, boards, and investors turn IT into a value-creation engine — accelerating deals, de-risking operations, and boosting EBITDA.

Proven Results

✓ £1.6m in savings within 18 months across 10+ countries
✓ Seamless IT integrations in £300m+ and £400m+ transactions
✓ 40% fewer outages across 150+ retail locations
✓ Cybersecurity resilience with NIST maturity scores above industry benchmarks

Why Clients Choose Me

✓ Fractional CIO flexibility — strategic leadership without full-time overhead
✓ Interim CIO firepower — execution in high-stakes transformations
✓ Board-level insight — translating IT complexity into clear business impact

Whether you’re scaling a mid-sized firm or leading a multi-country enterprise, IT should fuel growth, protect assets, and support scale. If it isn’t, it’s silently eroding value.

I am currently accepting 2 more clients in 2025 (Fractional, Interim, or Advisory).
DM me or book a call to explore how IT can become your competitive edge.

Daniel J. Jacobs

EC I ESD STUDIO GLOBAL

CO-FOUNDER & VICE PRESIDENT

BRIDGE2BUSINESS

Struggling with sourcing complexity in China and Asia? 

With 22 years of boots-on-the-ground experience across China and Asia, we connect you to the best suppliers, manage quality, and optimize your supply chain for success with our value added services.

Let’s explore collaboration opportunities together! 🙋🏻‍♂️🙏🥂

WeChat / WhatsApp: +86 13818297998

FOUNDER & CEO

Market Union Co., Ltd.

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Winholt Equipment Group

As a leading American 🇺🇸 manufacturer/importer with a global supply chain to a wide variety of industries — and for good reason, we've been designing and manufacturing top-tier equipment solutions for dish, prep, cooking, storage and transport-producing equipment in stainless steel, aluminum, and steel, all readily available or easily modified to your specifications. 

I was responsible for sales and marketing among all international supermarkets & chain stores both in China 🇨🇳 and USA 🇺🇸, such as Wal-Mart, Target, Ross, etc., with all kinds of OEM/ODM products. 

It was a very impressive and great experience in my career.

KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER

Tears of Time

TEARS OF TIME IS AN 🇵🇱 AMBER BRAND FROM POLAND. IT STARTS THE BUSINESS IN CHINA SINCE 2011. I HAVE BEEN DOING THE WHOLE MARKETING JOB FOR TEARS OF TIME BY ASSISTING MANAGING DIRECTOR FROM SINCO POLAND...

MARKETING DIRECTOR

SINCO IMPORT SP. Z O.O.

As a team leader of Shanghai Rep. Office of SINCO from POLAND 🇵🇱 , I have been managing and coordinating the whole sales and purchasing term to work in Import & Export business between China and European Retail Chains (mainly with Poland, like BIEDRONKA, ROSSMANN, PEPCO, etc). The widely exported products include: Toys, Kitchenware, Home Deco, Home Textile and 
Knitting garments, Plastic and Paper Products, Gardening, Outdoor products, Working Safety products and Hardware, etc. The imported products: Amber jewelry.

IMP. & EXP. MANAGER

SHANGHAI LUXMAN DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.

I was doing export business in Home furniture & Fashion garments, acting as a sales supervisor.

EXPORT SUPERVISOR

SHANGHAI 3L MEDICAL PRODUCTS CO., LTD.

I was doing export business in Medical products: 3ply disposable face masks, medical/surgical face masks, non-woven surgical gowns, etc. We were exporting worldwide markets especially to South American countries, such as Mexico, Brazil, etc.

EXPORT SALES

Managing Director @ MU Group | MBA, China Supply Chain Management, committed to exporting Consumer Goods mainly to Retailers in the EU 🇪🇺, USA 🇺🇸, and Mexico 🇲🇽, etc...

With 20+ years of international trade experience, I specialize in helping companies scale their product offerings, optimize sourcing strategies, and accelerate revenue through China’s vast manufacturing landscape. 

From Europe 🇪🇺 to the U.S. 🇺🇸, and to LATAM (Brazil 🇧🇷, Mexico 🇲🇽, Peru 🇵🇪…), I’ve worked alongside distributors, retailers, and brand owners to turn supply chain complexity into competitive advantage by delivering the right products, at the right cost, with speed and reliability.

What You Can Expect

👉 20+ years of hands-on sourcing success in Chinese supply chain

👉 On-the-ground teams in Shanghai & Shantou (Chenghai) for daily supplier oversight

👉 Fluent cross-cultural communication and negotiation on your behalf

👉 Seamless handling of compliance, shipping, and global fulfillment

Based in ShangHai & ShanTou, I lead two results-driven sourcing teams focused on 5 major high-growth categories:

1️⃣ Toys & Games
2️⃣ Home & Garden
3️⃣ Sports & Outdoor
4️⃣ Pet Products
5️⃣ Luggage & Bags

We act as an extension of your team by providing supplier access, quality assurance, and category insights that fuel business expansion. 

Whether you're entering new markets, launching private label lines, or streamlining procurement, we help you move faster and smarter.

Armed with an MBA from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, I lead with both market intelligence and cultural fluency—because great sourcing isn’t just about price; it’s about building partnerships that last.

If you’re serious about scaling your product business with the right sourcing strategy, let’s talk. 🙋🏻‍♂️🙏🥂

Davy Shi, 💡🌎 ✅

If I had to choose one skill I want in every employee…

It wouldn’t be sales. 💼

It wouldn’t be communication. 💬

In fact…

It wouldn’t even be anything related to technology. 💻❌

It’s something much simpler.

And much harder to teach.

Creativity. 🎨✨

The older I get, the more I realize this…

Creativity is the ultimate competitive advantage. 🏆

Because creativity is what helps someone see what others overlook. 👀💡

It’s the courage to challenge the “way we’ve always done it.” 🔧🤔

The instinct to turn a dead end… 

Into a different direction. 🔄🚀

It’s generally not your highest performer who saves you.

It’s your most creative thinker. 🧠⚡

I’ve seen it in my own teams for 20+ years. 🌍👥

One person can turn a rejected shipment into a customer win… 📦➡🎉

Because they reframed the situation.

Another can take a stalled negotiation and find the one angle nobody saw. 🤝🔍

That’s creativity. 🌟

Creativity is what unlocks growth when tools fail. 🛠⬇

When systems lag. ⏳

When technology can’t give you the answer. 🤷‍♂💻

And here’s the secret…

Creative employees don’t just solve problems.

They solve problems you never knew you had. 🧩✨

That’s priceless. ❤💎

Video Credit: TikTok
Content Copyright: Davy Shi

#Creativity #Courage #Careers #Innovation #Sales #SoftSkills #Leadership

Davy Shi 💡🚀🌎 

Cofounder | CEO | MBA, China Supply Chain Management, dedicated to delivering consumer goods globally, with a strong focus on overseas markets including EU 🇪🇺, USA 🇺🇸, and LATAM.

When something feels wrong… do you stop? 🤔 

Or do you keep driving and tell yourself, “Someone else will handle it”?

Be honest.

We’ve all been there. 😔
(Don’t feel bad about it!)

You’re walking down the street…
You see a stranger struggling. 🤲
You hear a comment that crosses a line. ⚠️💬
You notice a decision at work that doesn’t sit right. 🏢🤨

And in that moment…

You have a choice.

Say something…

Or stay silent. 🤐

Most people keep moving. 🚶‍♀️➡️

Not because they don’t care…But because it’s easier.

But leadership often happens in the moments no one sees.

The moments when your values whisper louder than your comfort. 🌱

I learned this years ago in the office..

I saw two colleagues in my team misunderstanding each other, which caused rising frustration and tension.

Everyone noticed. 😬

But no one wanted to step in.

I hesitated too.

Then I stopped my work, and pulled them aside.

Opened a conversation neither of them wanted… but both of them needed.

It wasn’t comfortable.

But it changed everything.

Because silence would have cost more. 🤝💬

Sometimes the cost of speaking up is short-term discomfort.

But the cost of staying quiet?

Long-term regret and broken trust. 😞💔

A culture where issues grow in the dark. 🌑

Because leadership isn’t measured when things are smooth…

It’s measured in the small, inconvenient moments when doing the right thing slows you down.

So the real question is simple:

💭 When something feels wrong are you the one who speaks up… 
Or the one who drives by? 🙋‍♂️ 🙏 👇 

Video Credit: TikTok
Content Copyright: Davy Shi

#Leadership #Courage #WorkplaceCulture #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadByExample #PsychologicalSafety #IntegrityAtWork #Humanlity #Accountability

❤ What do toys and pets have in common?

They both make us feel something. 🐾

Joy. Comfort. Connection.

When you really think about it… toys and pets aren’t so different.

A child reaches for a toy for the same reason a dog wags its tail — to play, to connect, to feel alive. 🎾🧸

Play isn’t just entertainment.
It’s emotion in motion. 💡

And that’s where the worlds of toys and pets overlap.

Both tap into something deeply human — the need to nurture, to laugh, to care. ❤

Some of the smartest brands are already bridging these two worlds.

Toy designers are now creating sensory, durable, emotionally engaging products for pets.

Different audience, same heart. 💭

Because when a toy makes a child smile…

Or a pet feel safe and excited…
It creates something powerful: trust. 🤝

And trust is the foundation of loyalty.

As companies explore this crossover, they’re uncovering a truth that goes far beyond product lines:

People don’t just buy things…
They buy feelings. 🌍

Great products do more than function — They connect hearts, not just hands. ❤

And in business, that’s where the real magic happens. ✨

Video Credit: TikTok
Content Copyright: Davy Shi

#Toys #Pets #ProductDesign #ConsumerTrends #BrandLoyalty #Innovation #CustomerExperience

The Origin of BRIDGE2BUSINESS 🌉✨

Every bridge starts with one block.

Mine began in 2011, when I saw a gap:

🌍 Global buyers wanted trusted partners in China
🇨🇳 Chinese manufacturers needed clearer communication, reliability & cultural understanding

So I built a bridge — BRIDGE2BUSINESS — to make global sourcing simpler, more transparent, and more human, as my first entrepreneur journey.

Why the Name Matters 🤝

A bridge connects people who wouldn’t meet otherwise.

That’s what we do:

✔️ Build relationships
✔️ Create clarity
✔️ Align expectations
✔️ Support long-term success

From Europe ➡️ USA ➡️ Latin America, our philosophy stayed the same:

Understand first. Act second.

BRIDGE2BUSINESS vs. EC I ESD STUDIO GLOBAL ⚙️🌐

People often ask about the difference.

The simplest way to explain it:

BRIDGE2BUSINESS is the voice — connection, insight, partnership.

EC I ESD STUDIO GLOBAL is the engine — execution, systems, and end-to-end supply chain solutions (My second entrepreneur journey in 2025).

Together, they form one mission with two strengths.

What We Mainly Do Today 🧩

Across Asia, we support global partners in:

🧸 Toys
🐾 Pet Products
🏡 Home & Garden
🏀 Sports & Outdoor gear
🧳 Luggage & Travel goods

Our advantage?

💡 Long-term supplier relationships
💡 Deep market understanding
💡 Strong QC discipline
💡 Fast, transparent communication

Quality doesn’t happen by accident — it’s built through structure and trust.

Expanding the Bridge 🚀🌏

Global trade keeps changing. So do we.

We’re committed to building a smarter, more transparent, and more sustainable bridge between Asia and the world — one partnership at a time.

#Bridge2Business #GlobalBusiness #SupplyChain #Communication #Transparency #InternationalTrade #Sourcing #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Partnerships #QualityManagement

View newsletter: Bridging for a Better Future

Every bridge starts with a single block. For me, that first block began in 2011, when I decided to become an entrepreneur for the very first time. At 

Open article: From One Block to a Global Bridge: The Origin of Bridge2Business by Davy Shi 💡🚀🌎 • 5 min read

From One Block to a Global Bridge: The Origin of Bridge2Business

Here’s why January starts yesterday (December 1st). 

Most people think the new year begins on January 1st.

But that’s not true at all.

The new year begins in the final stretch…

…long before the fireworks. 🎆

I learned this early in my career.

Back when I believed January was a clean slate — a fresh start.

But year after year, I watched the same pattern repeat.

The companies that struggled in Q1 weren’t unlucky.

They were unprepared. 😬

And the ones that dominated January?

They didn’t get lucky either.

They simply started earlier. 🚀

Because Q4 is where momentum is built…Or lost. ⚖️

What I’ve learned walking these factory floors is simple:

👉 If you haven’t locked in your suppliers by now, January will be reactive.

👉 If you haven’t reviewed quality systems, January will be firefighting. 🔥

👉 If you haven’t aligned expectations, January will be full of surprises.

And surprises are expensive. 💸

That’s why we need to treat Q4 differently.

We slow down to check the details. 🔍

We speed up where it matters. ⚡

We gather our teams, ask the hard questions, and face the numbers we’d rather avoid.

And when we do so…

We close the year with honesty instead of hope. 📊

This is the season that tells you the truth — about your customers, your systems, and your leadership. 💼

January doesn’t magically reset anything.

It only reveals the work you did… or didn’t do… right now.

Are you preparing for 2026… or waiting for it? 🤔💡💬

#Reflection #Preparation #Leadership #Business #Entrepreneurship

No alternative text description for this image

🔁 The most successful companies or businessmen have one quiet superpower…. 

It’s called closed-loop thinking. 

And it changes everything. 💡

Early in my career, I thought improvement came from big ideas… big plans… big moments.

But over time, I learned a simpler path to success. 

You see… great companies aren’t smarter.

They’re just better at learning. 📚🧠

Over and over again. 🔁✨

Closed-loop thinking is how they do it.

Customer feedback doesn’t get buried…

It goes straight into product development. 🛠️💬

Every comment, complaint, or compliment becomes a compass.

It keeps innovation honest. 🧭🎯

Marketing campaigns don’t just “end”…

They return as data.

So the next launch isn’t just new — it’s wiser. 📊🚀🤝🧠

And operations?

This is where closed-loop thinking shines the brightest.

Every metric feeds the next improvement.

Every inefficiency points the way.

Because what gets measured gets better — always. ⚙️📈

I’ve seen companies with incredible talent fail because they ran on open loops — decisions made, then forgotten.

And I’ve seen companies with modest resources win…

Simply because they refused to let anything go to waste.💪🌱

Closed loops transform businesses the same way they transform people:

Through the courage to look back before moving forward. 🔁🌟

💡 Open loops waste potential; closed loops build momentum.

So ask yourself…

How can you incorporate closed-loop thinking?

#ClosedLoop #Leadership #Sales #SoftSkills #Responsibility #Careers #PersonalDevelopment

Who thought anyone could beat Meta at their own game? 🤨

Honestly… almost no one.

But TikTok did. ⚡

In a marketplace dominated by giants — Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp — TikTok wasn’t supposed to stand a chance. 🏛️

A new platform?

Impossible!

Or so we thought. 😅

But TikTok didn’t win by competing.

It won by changing the game. 🎮🔥

Back in 2017, it looked simple: 15-second videos… dancing, lip-syncing, jokes, randomness. 🎵💃

But underneath that simplicity was something Meta never truly mastered:

the algorithm. 🧠✨

It didn’t matter if you had zero followers.

If your video was good — TikTok showed it to the world. 🌍📲

Creativity became the currency. 🎨💡

For the first time, anyone could go viral.

Anyone could build a platform.
Anyone could be seen. 🌟🚀

And for Gen Z — a generation craving authenticity over polish — it was the perfect match. ❤️🔥

By 2019, TikTok downloads had already surpassed Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. 📈📱

By early 2020, nearly 37% of U.S. users were teens. 👦👧

But here’s what matters even more…

The app grew up. 🎂⬆️

TikTok isn’t a youth trend anymore.

It’s a mainstream ecosystem. 🌐🏆

So why did TikTok succeed where so many others failed?

Because they understood something fundamental:

People don’t want perfect…

They want real. 🤳💭

TikTok didn’t beat Meta by being bigger.

It beat Meta by being different. 🧩✨

And in a world where everyone is trying to copy everyone else…

Different is exactly what wins. 🥇🚀

💭 So here’s the question every leader and brand should be asking:

Are we trying to dominate the old game…

Or are we brave enough to create a new one? 🔥💬👇

Image Desc.: TikTok Headquarters in Shanghai, 1.5km away from our office. 

#Creativity #SocialMedia #TikTok #Authenticity #Uniqueness #Difference #Entrepreneurship

What’s the difference between earning something and being given it?

Everything! ⚖️

Because: 

“No pain, no gain!”

“There is no such thing as a free lunch! “ 🚫🆓🍕🌮🍜

When you earn it, you carry it differently… 🎒

You understand the effort. 💪

You remember the failures. ❌

You value the process. 🛤️

When it’s given to you, it’s easy to take it for granted. 🙄

To assume it’ll always be there.🕰️

To treat the reward as the goal, instead of the growth it took to get there. 🌱🏆

And that brings me to this…

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What are we teaching our kids?

Are we giving them everything they want, thinking it’s love? ❤️

Or are we giving them the chance to build resilience, effort, and pride? 🧱

Because when you hand someone a trophy, you may give them a moment of joy. 🏆😊

But when they earn it, you give them something far deeper…

🔥 Confidence.
🧭 Character.
🚀 And the ability to go out and earn the next one.

This might be an unpopular piece of parenting advice these days…

But it builds more resilient humans. 💥

Let’s raise builders, not borrowers. 🏗️

Let’s raise earners, not inheritors. 💼

That’s how we change a generation. 🌍👣

Video Credit: Jack Ma
Content Copyright: Davy Shi

#Difference #Uniqueness #Value #Business #WhatInspiresMe #Resilience #Entrepreneurship

🚗 Emergencies don’t create bad drivers — they reveal them.

One thing driving has taught me is this:

Our ability to forecast and stay calm can save our lives. ⚠️

Last weekend, I was almost involved in a serious car accident while driving with three friends to a party in another city (please watch the video 📽️ to the end). 

Fortunately, we were all safe and sound in the end, thankfully! I have encountered similar incidents several times in my nearly 20 years of driving, and thankfully, I have always escaped unscathed. 💝📿🙏 

Most accidents don’t happen because of bad luck…

They happen because someone reacted late and wrongly — or reacted emotionally.

And the truth is, many of us carry dangerous habits without realizing it:

 • Tailgating because we’re in a rush
 • Checking our phones “just for a second”
 • Speeding to make up lost time 
 • Occuping the fast lane by slow-moving
 • Cutting lanes without awareness
 • Driving tired, distracted, or irritated
 ...

When an emergency hits — a sudden stop, a child crossing, a car drifting — your emotions will decide the outcome before your skills do.

Calm sees what panic misses.

Forecasting avoids what reaction cannot fix.

Whether on the road or in life, the principle is the same:

Slow down, stay aware, and don’t let emotion drive the wheel.

Remember: Arriving safe is always more important than arriving fast. 🚦🙏🙋‍♂️ 

Video Desc.: On the highway...
Content Copyright: Davy Shi

#Leadership #BusinessMindset #DecisionMaking #RiskManagement #EmotionalIntelligence #SafetyCulture #MentalHealth #SelfAwareness #EmotionalStability #OperationalExcellence

🇫🇷🇨🇳 What happens when two world leaders sit across from each other…

Knowing they don’t see eye to eye? 👀

That’s what I thought about when I read that President Macron traveled to Beijing…

And told President Xi that France and China must overcome their “differences” to move forward. 🌍🤝

In business, it’s the same.

Some of my strongest partnerships were born not from agreement…

But from disagreement handled with respect. 💬❤️

Here’s what I tell my team:

You don’t need to think the same. 🧠

You just need to move in the same direction. ➡️

And sometimes, moving forward starts with a simple admission:

“We see the world differently… but we still choose to work together.” 🌉✨

The world could use more of that. 🌎

💭 My takeaway?

Real leadership isn’t avoiding DIFFERENCES.

It’s navigating them with Respect, Patience, Clarity, and Courage. 🧭💡

Because whether you’re running a country…

Or managing a supply chain…

Or building a global team…

The future belongs to those who can stay at the table. ☕🤝

Oh…

And President Macron and President Xi made some significant progress, including business cooperation in many sectors, as well a call for peace in Ukraine. 🕊️🇺🇦

When politicians can work together, we can follow their lead and make meaningful progress as well. 🌟

#France #Europe #China #Leadership #Differences #Partnerships #Respect #Patience #Clarity #Courage

P.S: We are hiring...📢 
有兴趣加入我们共创一番事业的朋友请私信联络我。📧💬🤝 
WhatsApp / Wechat: +86 13818297998

📢 Exciting Career Opportunities in China! 
Join Our Global Team 🌍

We are expanding our presence and looking for talented, 
multilingual professionals to join our dynamic teams 
in Shanghai and Shantou, China!

If you have a passion for international trade and relevant category experience, we want to hear from you.

Current Openings:

📍 Shanghai Office (Focus: Home & Garden, DIY)
📍 Shantou Office (Focus: Toys)

What We Are Looking For:

Language Proficiency: 
Excellent English skills are required. 
Proficiency in other languages like Spanish or Portuguese is a significant advantage!

Category Expertise: 
Proven experience working within the Home & Garden, DIY, or Toys categories.

This is a fantastic chance to grow your career and work in a cross-cultural environment.

Ready to take the next step? 
Please comment below or send a direct message to learn more about the roles and how to apply!

#Recruitment #Hiring #JobsInChina #Shanghai #Shantou #HomeAndGarden #DIY #Toys #Multilingual #Careers

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