Kent Kedl interviews Geoff Holdsworth, managing director, Asia Pacific for WD-40. This is part 1 of a two-part interview. We'll post part about a week or two from now. Geoff talks about the beginnings of the WD-40 brand and distribution in China, how they entered the market, and how they “leaked in” for some time before formally entering the China market.

Geoff and Kent discuss changes in the Chinese marketplace, including the areas of strength for WD-40, including the Guangdong province and the coastal areas. They also discuss product distribution, relationships with distributors, and how, if at all, the WD-40 brand is positioned differently in China.

Geoff also says that one of WD-40's biggest problems in China is counterfeiting. People buy a product they think is original WD-40 and come back asking, "Why doesn't this work?"

Part two of this interview, which we'll post soon, includes more from Geoff Holdsworth, including discussion about finding and hiring good people and how to train them.