Well, I guess it was only a matter of time. My first book, ‘I Am Gifted, So Are You!’ (that I wrote in 1998) has been traslated and pirated in China. Well, to be honest, I am not really upset. I guess in one way it is pretty flattering that people thousands of miles away are bothering to translate my book and selling it. I guess it shows that it is recognized by a worldwide audience.

Anyways, my main purpose of writing the book was not really to make money from the book sales. The main reason for the book was to boost my brand awareness and credibility so I could make the real money through running courses, seminars and Adam Khoo Learning Centre. So in a way, these pirates are helping me to break into the China market by doing my marketing for me!

There are so many of my students who have told me that they have feared to write books and sell them on the Internet or in countries where intellectual property is not enforced. ‘What if they copy my book?’ ‘What if they pirate it?’ They are so afraid of losing out (typical kiasu Singaporean) that they never dare to enter the market by putting their stuff on the Internet. I think these people are MISSING OUT ON THE BIG PICTURE!

Have you ever wondered why a company like Microsoft bothered to go into China, if they knew that their software will be pirated like crazy? Well, I guess it is because they saw the BIG PICTURE. Although they will lose millions of dollars in licensing fees, BUT they know that piracy will allow them to monopolize the whole market and spread the brand very quickly. The licensing fees they earn from the government and legitimate business will already amount to billions in sales revenue.

Anyway, I just got a better idea. I thought of getting a copy of my pirated chinee book. And since all the translation has been done, just simply copy it and sell it myself through my websites and my own company in China. So, why not pirate the pirates?