Yin and Yang

TCP brothers Ellis and Solomon Yan share few similarities: Ellis is eloquent, fast speaking and shifts freely between Chinese and English. Solomon, the elder brother by 10 years, has a mild manner. He is silent most of the time and listens as Ellis does most of the talking.

Solomon doesn't speak English, but does call his brother "Ellis" instead of his Chinese name Yan Zhaoqiang.

But Ellis says their differences make them a perfect business match. "(Solomon) is more conservative, while I am more aggressive," he says.

He recalls that during the last 10 years of TCP's expansion, each time they purchased land for a new factory, his brother would ask him: "We spend so much money on purchasing properties, building factories and we have to employ workers, but can we sell so many light bulbs?"

"I always told him: 'No problem', but deep in my heart, I had doubts as well," says Ellis, who always appears to be calm and confident on the surface.

But perhaps an even better match is China's vast manufacturing capability and the huge market demand in the US. Ellis recalls that 10 years ago, Solomon said "it would be a huge business if we make 100,000 lights a day", and now they make 100,000 lights every 30-minutes.

Today, Solomon overlooks the factories and over 14,000 employees in China, while Ellis is in charge of the US sales team and travels around making speeches, and promoting energy conservation.

"The two brothers have the best opposite personalities," says Summer Ding, a TCP sales worker. "One is eloquent, the other is quiet. But they are both efficient managers."

While Ellis sets extremely high goals for his sales team and listens to no excuses, Solomon usually just smiles and get things done quietly.

The two separated in 1979, when Ellis went to the US to study in college, and his brother stayed in China.

Solomon says at that time he was already married and had his own family, so they did not leave together.

When asked who his biggest competitor is, Ellis names Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb. "My task is to persuade people to replace bulbs that he invented with more energy saving lights," he says.

When Ellis laughs and talks, Solomon, the former medical technician, remains quiet, yet is always ready to stand up and speak for his younger brother.

When Ellis talks of traveling between China and US twice a month, Solomon interrupts him and says: "That is how hard he works. Even an air hostess does not fly as frequently as him."

And when someone questions why Ellis has more white hair than his older brother, Solomon smiles. "I had mine dyed," he says.

(China Daily 05/03/2008 page12)