Chen Siqi vankochensq@163.com FOR Lee Beaudoin, an entrepreneur who has been engaged in product development in China for 14 years, venturing to China and establishing a company in Shenzhen was never on his to-do list before 2010. Beaudoin is currently the CEO and founder of Quorum, which is based in the Intelligent Enterprise Growth Park in Shajing, Bao’an District. The company specializes in product development, supply chain management, manufacturing, and business consulting. Over his extensive product development career spanning more than a decade, Beaudoin has helped develop over 200 products that range from self-care items to consumer electronics like flashlights, back shavers, and drones. Builder by nature Raised in a family of craftsmen — where his grandfather, father, and brother were machinists — Beaudoin identifies himself as a “natural builder.” Beaudoin recalled that when building LEGO sets at a young age, he was always brimming with imaginative designs. “It made me happy to turn those crazy ideas into physical objects,” he said. His passion for product development was ignited after his friend, who operated a speaker company, invited him to help with manufacturing and product development in China in 2010. “I fell in love with the process. I loved working with factories and being able to see all the different types of manufacturing that were done here,” said Beaudoin. “I’ve worked in factories my whole life, but I had never built a product before — like a full product.” Initially tackling modest engineering projects for others, he later set up his own company, Fat Dragon, in 2013 to provide engineering solutions and services. In order to expand his services, Beaudoin established Quorum in 2023 and recruited six associates from around the globe who specialize in engineering, industrial design, branding, and product design. This diverse team assists small and medium-sized enterprises in transforming ideas into fully realized projects. Bao’an, a hub for development Most of Quorum’s clients are from North America and require manufacturing support in China. The reason he chose Bao’an is its favorable location. “Shenzhen, especially Bao’an, is the development center of the world,” Beaudoin said, further noting the gathering of companies specializing in software, computer hardware, and related industries in the area. “We’re an hour away at most from anywhere in downtown Shenzhen, and we’re about an hour and a half away from Guangzhou. So that covers about 90% of the people we will ever have to deal with. Being able to visit a factory in person makes a significant difference compared to exchanging 500 WeChat messages over six months,” Beaudoin explained. Aiming high While Beaudoin dreams of creating his own products someday, he currently focuses on strengthening each aspect of his company, step by step. “For anyone with an industrious mindset, this [Shenzhen]is like the ultimate playground because everything is so accessible, and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to here,” Beaudoin shared. Despite occasional feelings of cultural detachment and isolation in China, Beaudoin has opted to pursue his aspirations and make his dreams come true by tapping into the numerous opportunities Shenzhen provides. | 