For Earned's 30th episode, Conor sits down with Julian Reis, founder and CEO of SuperOrdinary: the beauty incubator and global growth partner helping popular U.S. brands break into the Chinese market. We start by discussing the challenges foreign brands encounter competing with domestic brands in China, and which Chinese brands to look out for. Julian then explains the recent changes in China's animal testing regulations—and what they mean for brands looking to enter the market—before walking us through the cross-border process. Next, we take a step back to hear about Julian's entrepreneurial career journey, and what inspired him to found SuperOrdinary, as well as some of the mistakes he made when building a business in a foreign market without local experience. We chat about the Chinese commerce and social platforms we need to be aware of, before diving into the phenomenon of livestreaming, and whether or not it will gain steam in the U.S. Finally, we learn how SuperOrdinary strategically works with over 40k Chinese KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders), and Julian reveals the most common misconceptions brands have about the KOL landscape and influencer marketing in China.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.