SHAOWEI XU
A Cape Breton Island Business Leader
When Shaowei Xu first moved to Cape Breton in September 2018 to start his journey of obtaining his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Cape Breton University, he was unaware that this small island in Canada would quickly become his new home and that he would become a leader in the business community.
Shaowei grew up in the city of Kunshan in southeastern Jiangsu province in China. His family has an established business importing and exporting auto parts all over the world. With a population of more than 1.6 million, Shaowei was accustomed to his home city’s busy lifestyle. Wanting to experience a slower pace of life and be surrounded by nature, Shaowei moved to Helsingor, Denmark to pursue his post-secondary education studying business. While he thoroughly enjoyed his studies, Shaowei wanted to study somewhere English was more widely spoken.
While combing through many options for his next location to study, Shaowei came across Cape Breton University, Nova Scotia, Canada.
“The beauty of the University and the surrounding area was a big attraction for me,” says Shaowei. “As well, CBU has North America’s only Master of Business Administration program focused on Community Economic Development. I knew this program would help me build my family business and expand into other areas in Canada.”
Before starting the MBA program at CBU, Shaowei completed the English for Academic Preparation (EAP) course through ICEAP Nova Scotia, which is a language centre located on CBU campus.
During his studies in the MBA program, he developed the skills and knowledge that will help him navigate the constantly changing global business environment. Through the study of community economic development business principles, paired with real-life examples and case studies, Shaowei is now confident his education will propel his business ventures forward.
“The MBA program at CBU is challenging and causes you to think about how current global issues impact business success,” says Shaowei. “Although challenging, the professors and instructors are dedicated to helping you succeed in this program. And because of the small size of the classes, you can develop special relationships with your professors.”
One professor that stands out from Shaowei’s time at CBU is Dr. Keith Brown. Dr. Brown has taught at CBU for many years and has held several different positions within the Institution, including Vice-President, External and the chairholder of the Purdy Crawford Chair in Aboriginal Business Studies.
“Professor Brown does a very good job of taking real-world examples and current global issues and working those into the classroom. He remembers the views and comments of students and is able to provide important feedback that generates more conversations specific to each student’s interests and abilities,” comments Shaowei.
Shaowei graduated in May 2020 and has already begun working with the Cape Breton business community. Through his new company, SW East Trading Consulting Limited, Shaowei helps several Cape Breton businesses navigate the importing and custom clearance logistics to enable them to source high quality supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) that meets Canadian standards during COVID-19.
“My experience with my business in Cape Breton has been very successful, and I am excited to continue to build my business here and in Atlantic Canada,” says Shaowei. “What I’ve noticed here is that other businesses and business owners want to help you succeed and grow. There is a lot of collaboration between businesses, and I feel very supported.”
“I’ve had the great opportunity to work with Shaowei on projects, and I am excited to see what he brings to the business community in the future. I knew owning and operating businesses in Cape Breton would have its challenges. I also knew that I would have support from so many other businesses and leaders in the community,” says Danielle Johnston, General Manager, City Printers and Owner, Anchored Ideas.
Most recently, Shaowei started a new role with Louisbourg Seafoods Limited as Sale Manager.
“Currently, we are working on e-commerce platforms both in Canada and China. We are making a strategic plan to explore the new way of doing international business under COVID-19 while travel and trade shows are restricted,” says Shaowei. “I am proud to be involved and try my best to contribute to this multimillion-dollar seafood company.”
“Through my studies in the MBA program, I can better see my decision-making process, analyze feedback and plan for the future. During the MBA program, you have to rely on yourself and hard work to bring value to your degree and education.”
To find out more on supporting Cape Breton University, visit www.cbu.ca/alumni