Deborah Negrash

I CAN’T believe that I’ve already called Shenzhen home for six years.

When I first arrived in Shenzhen in early 2008, I remember telling myself that I would not be here for more than five years and that my time here was just another adventure while riding out the U.S. financial crisis. I was determined to go back to the West once the economy recovered, as I thought that was where I belonged and fit in.

Before coming to China, I lived in Washington, D.C., for a decade and was fortunately laid off — I say “fortunately” now — which catapulted me into moving to the world’s second-largest economy. My father always told me, “You haven’t really done business until you’ve done business in China.” So I took a leap of faith and jumped.

Today, I proudly call myself a Shenzhener. I have come to love this city and have had no problems fitting in, contrary to my initial expectations. I found the perfect job and husband in Shenzhen — what more can I ask from a city? It has provided me with the two most important aspects of my life.

I spend most of my time in Futian District, Shenzhen’s CBD. When I joined my company, The Executive Center in Kerry Plaza Tower 2, six years ago, Futian was hardly as glamorous as it is today. It was much quieter and did not have a true metropolitan feeling. Even doing business was not as easy, as the market was nowhere as near as mature or ready for the kind of services we were providing. I remember running around doing sales calls and meeting with people who slammed the door in my face, saying they didn’t need to order furniture, because they assumed that’s what I was selling when I said I represented a serviced office in Kerry Plaza. I was frustrated and even furious.

Nowadays, my team and I get much better treatment, as most industries are aware of what a serviced office is and the benefit of using one. Business models in Shenzhen are changing and businesspeople are much more receptive to the idea that saving time equals saving money. When we first started, 80 percent of our clients were foreign-owned companies. Today, I can proudly say that 40 percent of our clients are Chinese companies, which means we have been very successful in bringing our business model into local acceptance.

My husband, a Russian expat, also loves working and living in Futian. His business requires him to travel frequently and being only two stops away from the Futian border is a blessing. Hong Kong is just at our doorstep. I often joke that when there is traffic, it can take longer to go across town than to another city. We are also looking forward to the completion of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen high-speed train that will get us to Hong Kong in 15 minutes. How fantastic it will be, to be able to have lunch in Hong Kong and return for an afternoon meeting.

My husband’s business, Protek Asia Ltd., is a startup, promoting and distributing eco-friendly nanotechnology used in construction, agriculture and various other industries. Startups are never easy, but being in Futian has made a huge difference. He was lucky to be able to take advantage of the new commercial registration reform, which makes the requirements less stringent. Futian is also a very green district and encourages eco-friendly products, giving him a lot of confidence to start his business here.

Futian almost feels like Hong Kong, but with wider streets, a lot more trees and a more comfortable pace of life. There are all sorts of restaurants and entertainment venues in the area. This is a true metropolis, where people still have time to enjoy life and where big dreams come true.

Futian witnessed our romance blossom and is seeing our careers flourish. It’s the place we proudly call home.

Deborah Negrash graduated from George Washington University with a degree in international affairs focusing on Asian studies and international business. In 2008, she moved to Futian, where she is currently director of human resources for The Executive Center, a leading provider of premium serviced offices in the Asia-Pacific region.

Negrash is a professional with an international resume, speaking fluent Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) and English, as well as conversational Spanish. She has lived and worked on three different continents. In her free time, Negrash likes to cook, dance and travel. She finds relaxation in meditation and looks to nature for peace.