Henry Timberlake's Action-Packed Life As A Dad + Entrepreneur

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Our expat community thrives on connection, and here at Jingkids, we’re all about our readers, what they need and want in order to maximise their time here in Beijing. Every Monday, we’re going to feature a prominent member of our expat community and get to know them a little bit better.

Henry T is the founder of Slider Nation and a busy, busy dad. To quote him, "I’m on my 10th year here in Beijing. Raising a bilingual son who is 6 years old and in 1st grade here. Let me tell you, being a business owner and full-time father is non-stop action! Always something going on. Our lives are so fast paced they fit in perfectly with the spirit of Beijing."

What's On Your Mind?

So much! At the moment it’s getting Evan on the school bus on time, then picking him up and having to translate his homework from French to English 🤯. All the while simultaneously managing a company remotely or bringing Evan with me to the shop sometimes. He’s got that hospitality streak like me and is great with the customers, even if he spills or drops something,everyone there is there with a smile. He’s becoming a little celebrity around the shop.

What Motivates You To Get Moving?

The #1 thing that gets me moving is my son. Making sure he has a good education and a roof over his head. Also I lived in the recession of 2007 market crash and lost my job (before I moved to China), was forced to move back into my parents and sulked, had a bad case of the “poor-me-whiners” for almost two years . It was a terrible sinkhole and was hard to get out of. I promised myself I would never let that happen again. Ironically those two years were when I actually learned to cook - which would later be crucial to my life in China. Since opening Slider Nation I have pretty much blown the minds and expectations of peers, friends, and other restaurateurs especially opening up in the thick of COVID. The reality is that people are down right now, and I’ve been there. So if I can shed a tiny light; that there is hope; that there is business to be had; that there are ways to make it here in Beijing... then I will do it. No one likes a “Debbie downer” or a “Negative Nancy”. Getting over my fear of entrepreneurship was my biggest obstacle. If I can do it, so can anyone else. Discipline has taken me further than motivation ever will.

What Keeps You Sane In The Madness?

Beijing is fast paced, but I wouldn’t call it madness. I would more call it “organized chaos”

Evan and I are a fan of Sunday (son day!) brunch, we hit up Feast by East a lot. Mainly because he gets to eat for free and there is an indoor playground with an ayi to watch the kids. So we get to stuff our faces and Evan is entertained for hours and hours with a free babysitter? It’s a win win for both of us! I also like Jamaica Blue - There's coffee in a quiet place right by my apartment, so it’s a safe place to unwind in the morning to plan out the day. One of my mottos to staying sane in Beijing would have to be “Walk it off!” 

What's Your Favorite Thing About Beijing?

Most definitely it would be all the cool parks here! If Evan is having a hard time, we go straight to Tuanjiehu park, which is just a 3-minute drive away, and we take a lap - we don’t talk, we just walk. In those reflective moments in the park, we cool down and get back in-sync. It's great to be "forced" into beautiful surroundings of nature and plants with peaceful tai chi and laughter of older folks. It’s a great place to get a piece of mind and get perspective. I think it’s amazing that no matter how crazy Beijing can be, driving to your nearest park can help put your mind at ease while you enjoy the butterflies, fish, baby ducks and appreciate the smaller things in life. It’s the great escape!

Have someone you believe deserves some recognition for their outstanding contributions to our community? Nominate them for our weekly spotlight by writing their name in the comments below!

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