Wine retailer has many reasons to be cheerful

The success of wine retailer Cheers in China can teach us important lessons on how to build a successful business: seize the opportunities and have a broader view by eyeing the whole of China, have a clear target and mission, do honest business by forging a close relationship with clients and be persistent, and offer competitive prices while building up a smart team.

The success of Swiss entrepreneur Claudia Masueger is a case in point. She told me her adventure in China started when she decided to learn to love lucky numbers as the Chinese do, because "while in China, do as the Chinese do".

As eight - sounding similar to fa (making a fortune) in Chinese - is such an auspicious one, she landed in Beijing on Jan 8, 2008.