Expat Women: Business Ideas: Interviews with Entrepreneurs
Frasia Golf Training Center
Pascale Bon Yin
Pascale Bon Yin's expat journey began almost 20 years ago, when she moved from France to Taiwan for the French Atomic Energy Council. After Taiwan, she relocated to Guangzhou to work for a French bank, then later moved to Hong Kong for L'Oreal. When Pascale met her future husband, Chinese filmmaker Yin DaWei, she followed her heart and relocated once again, this time to be with him in Beijing.
These days, dynamic Pascale lives with her husband and their adopted daughter Jiajia in Shanghai, where Pascale juggles her roles of wife, mother, entrepreneur (setting up the Frasia Golf Training Center), charity advocate (setting up the Jiajia Asssociation with her husband in 2005), and student (Pascale plans to write her doctorate thesis on the strategies of golf development in China).
Expat Women's Interview with Pascale
Expat Women: Pascale, what motivated you to change careers and start the Frasia Golf Training Center?
Pascale: Golf is one of my passions and after adopting Jiajia, I wanted to have a more flexible schedule in order to be there for her, so I decided to go into business for myself by opening a golf school.
In China, golf for children is still quite new, so my goal is to launch sport exchanges between France and China, encourage the development of golf for children, and also help promote certified golf studies in France. My dream will be achieved when I see more Chinese children join our golf school and represent China in international competitions
Expat Women: What did you know about golf before living in China and why did you think this would be a successful venture?
Pascale: I was an addicted golf player. I discovered golf in Australia when I was younger, where the game there is very casual and friendly. Eventually it became a passion and almost like a drug to me! I trained myself for many years, first in Australia and then in France, with the goal of achieving a one-digit handicap. It was hard work as I did not have the stamina of a teenager anymore, but I did finally reached my target: a 7.4 handicap.
In China, I was playing a lot of golf for business when I was a Chief Finance Officer (CFO). I saw that it was a powerful tool to earn the respect of people, especially male managers. I thought that it would be a dream come true to somehow combine this passion I have for golf, and children, in China. It turned out to be a tough road, but passion was the driving force and with that, success always seemed possible.
Expat Women: Tell us more about your golf school.
Pascale: The school provides golf lessons for every level – beginners, intermediate and advanced players – for both adults and children. The foreign teachers are PGA and LPGA members who speak French, English and/or Chinese. The school organizes weekly competitions with different formulas (for example, Scramble, 4 Balls, Stableford, Foursome and Greensome) and occasional events like golf trips to Phuket or golf weekends in Hainan.
Frasia Golf also runs programs enabling companies to use the game of golf to improve their internal and external communication. We provide team-building events, workshops, golf trophies, competitions, tournaments, and seminars. Air France, Fiat and L'Oréal are among our clients.
During the summers, we organize a program called "Golf Campus for Kids" for children 3 to 18 years old. Some of the children then find that they have a passion for the sport and decide to continue with golf training during the academic year.
Expat Women:
Is there significance to the name Frasia?
Pascale: The name is a bridge, much like the golf center itself, between France and Asia!
Expat Women: What challenges did you encounter when starting your business?
Pascale: The first challenge was finding the right assistant, in terms of hiring a deputy general manager in China, which was quite tough and not easy to do at all. Then, we needed to secure a piece of land for golf practice, but this too, was very hard to do as all of the land belongs to the government. Add to that the fact that golf is not regulated in China, so there was always the risk of meeting fraud somehow. And with no support from the State, it meant no bank loan to finance our growth.
Expat Women:
What are your top five tips for women who are considering starting a business abroad?
Pascale:
1.
Try to stay healthy. You will need good mental and physical health in order to deal with difficult situations such as losing money, overcoming partnership troubles, and of course, working a tough schedule.
2.
Relax through sports or other activities. Try learning to speak some of the local language in order to enjoy more independence. It also helps to have a good assistant to lessen the stress.
3.
You should be passionate about the business you decide to run. With all the ups and downs, you may feel like giving up. In some countries, like China, there is always a new regulation or new situation you have to adapt to and you will need resilience to carry through.
4.
Find ways to manage loneliness. Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely job.
5.
Create and build strong networks.
Expat Women:
Finally, please share with us what inspired you (and your husband) to start the Jiajia (non-profit) Association and how it has made an impact in your life.
Pascale:
Eight years ago, I had a terrible accident and then discovered that I was not able to have a child. I launched an adoption process in France and then in 2005, my Celine (Jiajia) came into our family's life and became my happiness and balance. I wanted to thank the orphanage for such happiness and decided to help more children. Starting the association has given me a way to express the gratitude I have for this treasure in my life.
Expat Women:
Pascale, we congratulate you on your success in creating a business you are so passionate about. We wish you all the very best!
