You can get a better idea of how many people make up the ChinesePod team right here. I don’t know how many people we have. I’ve counted several times but with a different answer each time. Can someone please count the people in this photo? Oh, and look, Connie is there, too!
More at the Flickr account.
I’ll be bringing you more background on who we are in the coming days and weeks. Stay tuned.
Ken Carroll
pretzellogic on 
Andrew Cockerham on 
Dave on
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
There’s 34 in the “We Are Chinese Pod” photo…but aren’t you missing a very important person?
Actually two people. Jenny wasn’t there for that shoot and Aric actually took the shot. They both appear in the other shots though.
Ken
CPod HQ TEAM
I know I must share all of you with the rest of the Poddies around the world, but one of the nice features of CPod is it is possible to think CPod is just for me. So from your one and only Poddie(in my mind) Thanks and jeez I guess I have to work harder since there are so many of you trying to help me.
Mike in Jubei
Mike,
Some people seem to have the imopression that we’re a part-time operation with 5 or 6 guys. In fact there are almost 40 people on the team. Aggie is also missing from these photos, as are some others who work part time on some projects.
I am happy, however, that perople think it is a personal service, designed just for you. That is exactly what we want you to feel – special, and important (yes, even you, Mike!).
Ken
And here we were, thinking Ken’s everywhere at once and he sees and hears all.
No, it’s not true. There are 80 trained eyes watching our every move.
This must be ChinesePod’s best kept secret, the … oh…. oops… hang on, I need to get dressed, sorry, you’ll get the screen saver for a few minutes…
Ken, very nice pics on the flickr page. I’m especially impressed with the one of you talking with a group of visitors. Is the roll of toilet paper on the table a Shanghai respect thing ?
btw, I was listening to to a Podtech podcast on the plane yesterday – one of their new channels, Web 2.0 Voices – with the founder of Digg. Digg only has 15 employees now, with no plans to expand. That’s a lean operation !
Ma ding,
Toilet paper? That one went past me. Why are you, er, talking toilet paper?
I know that Digg has only 15 staff. That’s a fact. Some companies with different business models have 10,000 staff, which is another fact. So, the conclusion would be what? If we could produce what we do produce with only 15 people then my name would be ‘Mandrake’. Read: it ain’t remotely possible. (If that’s your point.) Different product, different business model. Why am I explaining this to you? (You started it!)
Ken
Ken
Check out the table in the photo where you are sitting with four guys (visitors) there it is on the table.
Mike in Jubei
thanks Mike
Memo to self: stop trying to post humour on cpod weblog…
Ken: re; Digg: I was just making an observation. You have a great handle on all things 2.0 and podcast related, and I wasn’t sure you had heard that podcast. Sorry if you thought I was making some sort of point, criticism, or suggestion; I wasn’t. Jeez.
Ken,
I can not believe there so many of you there! And you started a year ago with a team of 3 or 4? Wow! With this team in place I’m sure that a lot of good things will come out of CP. I surely hope so. I still have a long way to go before I will be really fluent in Mandarin.
BTW, about the toilet paper. Years ago I was working in the City (London) and there were several people there who kept a roll of toilet paper on their desk. I couldn’t think of any reason why someone would need to do this. For a moment I thought that perhaps you had to bring your own in case you needed to go…or perhaps it was for keeping your shoes clean when yoa had gone out while it was raining? It only took a few hours to see that everyone used it as tissue paper for blowing their nose. Is that what you use it for? Is it a British thing?
Marc in Belgium
P.S. This will probably be my last post for a while here. I’m leaving for China tomorrow. If I can post from there I will do so, but I intend to be very busy with other things, so I don’t know if I will be able to follow the continuing story of CP. I will be back by mid-October.
Have a great time, Marc! Then hurry back when the time’s over. We’ll miss you!
“Meet the ChinesePod team!”
… or, as I like to call them: “PhotoShop fodder.
Ma ding, no problem. Alles klar.
Marc, you can access CPod in China. You may even need it! You could also come to vist us when you’re here.
FDW, I’m glad you see us as photoshop fodder. Now get to wrok and do some more.
Ken
How about a group photo of all us poddies?
We could all submit our photo and you could stick them all together in a single collage. In fact I could probably do it, it would probably be fun.
Bazza, what a great idea! How do we get it started?
Ken
About the Great Toilet Paper Mystery:
In China most restaurants (except more expensive ones) don’t provide napkins. They just have a roll of toilet paper at each table (Or you can buy a pack of tissues). And since you can’t really buy disposable napkins, people will often use toilet paper when eating at home too. In fact there is a fresh roll sitting on my coffee table right now.
Maybe Aric and Jenny can expand on this topic this saturday.
Ken, I’ve posted a topic on the forum: http://www.chinesepod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=589
Great! Once we’ve met all the people, I’d like to know how is a day at CPOD. What do you do in a normal business day at CPOD??
Jeff,
Let me wade into the great toilet paper debate. When I was a boy scout we used to call toilet paper APP (all purpose paper). Seems the Chinese really took this idea to heart. Over here is China, any place you would find disposable paper (napkins, paper towels, Kleenex, serviettes, etc.) you are more likely than not to find a roll of toilet paper. We keep things pretty simple here at the office (at least one roll of toilet paper on every desk), but many people prefer to accessories with the wide assortment of toilet paper holders. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, even the traditional lucky cat motif. Personally I am waiting for the “Mr. T” design. And for those of your who need to know how to say toilet paper in Chinese – 卫生纸 wei(4) sheng(1) zhi(3).
Remember, when you travel in China, don’t leave home with out it.
Matt Park 段伟
Life saving paper – makes sense to me!
Given how scarce the stuff can be in China, a few squares have saved my life more than once!
Not necessarily the same few squares, of course…
Let’s get this conversation uplifted. Ken, help!
I love the meet the team page on this site, it looks nice and makes it feel a lot more personal. The info areas on the site have improved several times over recent months. Occasionally I notice something new there by accident, and it’s seldom announced, so it’s worth taking a poke around now and then.
Gee, everyone looks so young! It must be all that good food. (ahem)
Gee, everyone looks so young! It must be all that good food.
Or the fact they’re standing next to Ken.
/I kid … I kid …
CPod HQ
The perspecitve of the photo is tough. Who is taller and who is bigger? John or Mr. “7″ in the red shirt?
Mike in Jubei