Since arriving in Hong Kong in 1998, Australian publishing entrepreneur Jennifer West has progressed from being a journalist on a monthly regional magazine to owning and running an expanding publishing firm. Starting out with one title, Connections ¡V Linking Asia with Australian business, Jennifer has since added two new magazine titles and a range of other publishing projects. One of the new titles, CHINA Connections, focuses on providing business people with news and information relating to the opportunities, activities and challenges for foreign companies doing business in China.

¡§Publishing in Hong Kong is fast and furious, but I love it. I took over a small publishing company based in Wanchai about three years ago. I was a young, energetic journalist, but had absolutely no experience in business when I bought Right Direction Publications Ltd (RDP). I¡¦ve since learnt a lot of things ¡V hard work, networking and business acumen.

With operations in both Hong Kong and Australia, RDP specialises in Asia Australia business-related publishing. Hong Kong is undoubtedly the bigger ¡¥buzz¡¦, and offers a lot of competitive advantages over other countries.

Hong Kong is synonymous with cost-effective, high-quality printing, and offers incredible opportunities. With so many foreign companies using Hong Kong as their hub for future expansion into the Chinese mainland, and so many local companies with international aspirations, my company is often approached with proposals for new publications aimed at building an international ¡¥bridge¡¦.

Most of the new projects RDP has developed in the past few years relate to business between different countries. Hong Kong is, therefore, a great place to have as our base. With an ever-increasing number of deadlines to meet and clients to liaise with, we find Hong Kong¡¦s publishing services sector to be flexible and reliable and, importantly, offers a fast turnaround on printing and postage jobs.

I have learnt all I know about small business in Hong Kong. It is interesting to note the advantages Hong Kong offers which I had previously taken for granted.

One of the most obvious advantages for me has been the ability to push limits to achieve business expansion. While there are always risks in taking on new projects, there seems to be a high level of tolerance among clients and suppliers which give small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enough room to move. Small businesses have no hope of successful expansion if they are tied up in red tape, industry regulations and limitations. As a publisher in Hong Kong, I have had the freedom I¡¦ve needed to achieve our business expansion.

And the other thing Hong Kong offers, which is hugely helpful in business development, is the sort of people you can mix with. It¡¦s not uncommon to find myself at the same cocktail function, seminar or social event with senior executives from large multi-national firms. For a small business person in most parts of the world, the chance of being able to present your business plans to such decision-makers is pretty low.

Like many other business people, I enjoy living in Hong Kong and am well aware of the opportunities presented by the mainland¡¦s growth and internationalization with its entry to the World Trade Organisation.