THANE HOLLAND
From Government Procurement & Supply Chains to Nightlife: Thane Holland’s Entrepreneurial Journey in China, USA, EU and Beyond
Thane Holland
Thane Holland is a native of Houston, Texas but spent many years in Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado and 17 years in Greater China.
After graduating from Luther College in Iowa, Thane hopped on a plane and started his Greater China adventures.
Two years in Taiwan and fifteen years in China nourished Thane’s entreprenuerial spirit.
Present day
Currently, Thane is focused on his 2 newest start-ups: Toyland EU™ & Kiddos With Dad™. Both ideas came to fruition through the process of becoming a father and then dealing with life’s inevitable twists ‘n turns.
VersaJam is the world’s only true clip portable bluetooth speaker. The idea stemmed from Thane’s displeasure of speakers that were incapable of being worn while fishing or kayaking. Secondly, RIP Lures® is the only cremation & memorial fishing lure company in the world. Rip Lures® incorporates your loved one’s ashes into a fishable artificial bait. The lures can be used as memorials or as functional lures.
When not working, Thane is a news and politics junkie. His other interests include geo-politics, domestic US politics, fishing, scuba diving, empowering single fathers after widowship, separations or divorce and most importantly- being a great father.
While in China
Thane started his first company in 2001 in Taiwan supplying fasteners to many large US manufacturers. Optimizing his supply chain, he moved to Ningbo, China and expanded into plumbing and aeronautical seals. Large corprations such as Watts, Bombardier, Nitto Denko, EZ-FLO, Brasscraft, Home Depot, Pentair, Petmate and Walmart benefited from the establishment of Thane’s unique supply chain. Being a licensed US Customs Broker, Thane utilized the infancy of China’s Free Trade Zones and leveraged his network to establish a one of a kind solution for MNC’s with a China nexus. The results were increased freedom of the movement of goods, flexibility within ASEAN, increased efficiency, greater access to market and cost reduction.
Thane has personally audited more than 600 factories in the greater China region.
Once the new program began running on autopilot, Thane delved into the Food & Beverage and Publishing industries. More below…
F&B and Publishing
Thane then began his Publishing and F&B ventures. Creating and developing Ningbo’s (population approx 5M) bar/pub scene was a challenge. Thane created a total of 7 different F&B venues from idea conception, to operations, to final sale to buyers. On average he proved each concept for 2 years before selling each business. Through the Londoner Pub, Office Bar, Buddha’s, Stix, Tasty’s, Insomnia and Karma, Thane revolutionized the bar and pub scene in Ningbo, China.
Amidst, all of the above, Thane and a partner started and owned one of six independently owned English magazines in China. The Ningbo Guide was in print for 12 years. The glossy monthly publication averaging 100 pages, focused on culture, business, tourism, events and food/drink. One of Thane’s proudest accomplishments is the 12 plus year run of The Ningbo Guide.
Thane has traveled to more than 80 countries (including North Korea) and was and/or is responsible for the following brands/businesses
