US entrepreneur sees growing biz opportunities

Video by Lin Jianping

After 14 years of life in Qianhai, American entrepreneur John Dorris moved his office to Qianhai’s Mawan area earlier this year, drawn by what he sees as a wave of new business opportunities.

Dorris co-founded Sino Associates in Hong Kong in 2009 and opened a Shenzhen branch a year later in the Nanshan Science and Technology Park. The company provides training and consulting for Chinese firms going global, prepares managers for cross-cultural roles, and helps multinational companies in China build stronger leaders and corporate cultures.

John Dorris introduces inter-cultural development concepts. Photos by Chang Zhipeng unless otherwise stated

John Dorris works at his new office in Qianhai. 

He and his family moved to Qianhai in 2011 and have watched the area transform dramatically since then. “In recent years, the Science and Technology Park has become less attractive for us because of high office rents, fading international vibes, and growing difficulty finding the right clients,” Dorris said.

“By contrast, more networking events, mixers, and business presentations are happening in Qianhai — the area where I live. Qianhai has shifted from somewhere I had to leave to do business to a place where business comes to me. That pushed me to relocate our office here.”

From the people he sees in his neighborhood, Dorris senses a boom in young talent settling in the area. “We’re seeing increasing internationalization in Qianhai. It feels strategic — companies are deliberately building global teams. Some firms are hiring foreign talent specifically to expand into the Middle East or Southeast Asia, and their early-stage operations look very different from five or 10 years ago,” he said.

John Dorris shares cross-cultural communication skills at an international salon. Lin Jianping

Despite the international atmosphere, Dorris says cultural misunderstandings still occur. “Sometimes we need to change how we talk and how we work with others, and that’s always been interesting to me,” he explained. His interest in cross-cultural communication began as an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara and continued through college and his professional career.

“It dawned on me that many people — even those in roles that require strong cross-cultural skills — aren’t naturally good at them. You’re not born knowing how to communicate across cultures. It’s a skill you have to learn.”

John Dorris shares insights at an international story sharing session in Qianhai this August. Zhen Jianhong

Born in Singapore and raised in a U.S. diplomatic family across Asia, the U.S., and the Middle East, Dorris says his multinational upbringing shaped his focus on intercultural topics. His first job in China involved creating intercultural training events, and that work has continued to inform his company’s services.

“In recent years, I’ve seen many global companies and top talent come to Qianhai,” he said. “There are plenty of opportunities ahead as long as consumer confidence remains strong. If we continue to see opening up, reform, and a welcoming attitude toward the international community here in Qianhai, I believe opportunities will keep growing.”