(for the Hong Kong Trade
Development Council)

Angela Spaxman swapped the
forests of Canada for the
urban jungle of Hong Kong when she arrived
with her husband Dave in 1996. On seeing the opportunities here, the former
logging engineer retrained as an executive coach and set up her own venture,
Angela Spaxman Business & Career Coaching. Now, with a lifestyle she
loves and a client list that includes many high-profile corporates – among them
L'Oreal, Modern Terminals, the Hong Kong Jockey Club and TNT Freight Management
- she explains why coming to Hong Kong was the best decision of her
life.

“When Dave's company gave us the
choice of moving to any city in Asia, we chose Hong Kong. Having previously
spent six months here in 1993, we knew there were plenty of business
opportunities for English speakers. In many other Asian cities it is very hard
or even impossible to break into business without being a local. In Hong Kong, foreigners are welcomed and have many
opportunities to get involved. It is very easy to meet people and make connections.
A foreigner who speaks English can make meaningful contributions to the
community almost immediately upon arrival as the expat community is very active
and well integrated.

Another important draw for me to Hong Kong is that it has excellent access to hiking and
other outdoor activities. And the environment is better than some other cities
in the region.

I'd been searching for a career that would keep
inspiring me, and from the moment I started my coaching business, I knew I was
on track. I found a lot of support in Hong Kong
for setting up my business. There is easy access to business support groups
full of experienced people who are willing to share their expertise and provide
encouragement. For example, my friends in the Women Business Owners Club, the
Hong Kong Achievers Toastmasters Club and the Hong Kong International Coaching
Community all provided invaluable support in different ways and at different
stages of my development. Hong Kong also has a
lot of inspiring entrepreneurs to learn from, and a can-do attitude among the
business community. Government regulations around business set-up are very easy
and transparent.

Through my company I work with managers,
professionals, and business owners who want to love their jobs and excel. My
clients could be accelerating their learning about management and leadership
skills; inspiring, empowering and developing their team members; or creating
careers that suit them perfectly. Hong Kong is
the ideal base for a professional services business such as mine. As a hub for
so many international businesses and high-level executives in all kinds of
organisations, it is an excellent place for connecting with ambitious and
successful people who are investing in business and their own development.

From an entrepreneur's viewpoint, Hong Kong has a practical,
business-minded culture that makes it easy to meet people, find support and
encouragement, and create alliances. It has transparent, reliable business
infrastructure, and is perfect for networking. It's easy to meet lots of
different people who are interested in meeting other people and are very aware
of the value of connections in making business opportunities, learning and expanding
horizons. Another reason is that with the mix of cultures in the international
community, there are fewer barriers to communication caused by shyness or
cultural introversion.

In the past four years, my revenue
has doubled as more individuals want to change or improve their careers so they
are fulfilled and performing at their best, and corporates invest in management
and leadership development in order to improve organisational effectiveness. At
the same time, I have a very enjoyable lifestyle with the work/life balance I
prefer. Personally, I love the transport system here and the ability to get
anywhere in the city so quickly and easily using trains, buses, trams and even
boats. I also really enjoy the outdoors in Hong Kong.
There are hundreds of kilometres of excellent and varied hiking trails
throughout the territory that are well marked and easily accessible. It's also
possible to find challenging climbs and spectacular beaches and waterfalls.

Hong Kong has given me the
opportunity to find very rewarding work and to extend myself personally through
the challenges of creating my own ideal career. And, it is a place where my
husband has been able to do the same. My decision to come to Hong
Kong and start a business was a key turning point which enabled me
to establish a business and career far beyond what I had imagined
originally.”