The interview email was the beginning of my story at SYZ Machine. I can still clearly remember arriving for that first interview. I had just graduated from university and did not have a detailed plan for the future. I simply wanted to find a job and begin my career.
On June 3, 2013, I took bus 770, got off near Xupu Bridge, and walked along Huafa Road toward Xinning Residence. At the entrance, I even asked the security guard whether there was a company called Shanghai Yong Zheng Machinery Parts Co., Ltd. inside. He was not sure. I had heard plenty of stories about pyramid schemes after graduation, so I was slightly nervous. But I had already made the trip, and it was broad daylight, so I decided to go in and look.
I eventually found Room 103 at No. 11 and knocked on the door. The office was a two-bedroom apartment: the owner used one room, finance used another, sales worked in the living room, and the warehouse was on the balcony. That was SYZ at the time. The interview was short. The owner asked me a few questions and asked me to introduce myself in Japanese. At the end, he simply told me, “You are hired.”
It was close to the Dragon Boat Festival, and I had to catch a train from Shanghai South Railway Station. When the owner learned that I was in a hurry, he drove me there himself. I still remember that gesture. After the holiday, June 13, 2013 became my first official day at SYZ. When I started, I knew almost nothing about our products. Much of what I had studied at university did not translate directly into the daily work. I began from zero: learning the products, international trade procedures, the Alibaba platform, customer inquiries, and professional email communication. I learned one small thing at a time and improved through real conversations and real problems.
Looking back, those early years were probably the fastest period of growth in my career. In 2014, I attended the Shanghai Frankfurt exhibition for the first time. It was my first time meeting overseas customers and receiving them independently, and I was never sure whether my English was clear enough or what questions I would be asked. When I returned to the exhibition in 2015, I was noticeably more comfortable. In 2016, the company asked me to apply for a U.S. visa and prepared to take me to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. I had never traveled abroad, and my passport was completely blank, so I was nervous about the visa interview. Fortunately, I received a ten-year U.S. visa. I still remember working with the team until nearly 11 p.m. to finish the exhibition catalog, then taking my first long-haul flight from Shanghai to San Francisco.
We carried the samples ourselves and felt a little tense going through U.S. customs because they were for commercial use. The owner stood beside us and said, “Stay calm.” We passed through without a problem. That first international trip, my first time in the United States, the long flight, and the jet lag remain vivid memories. Later, I attended PRI in 2017 and SEMA again in 2018 and 2023. From being nervous in front of customers to communicating with much more confidence, I gradually grew from a new graduate into someone who could work independently with customers and the market. 2018 was also one of the most difficult years of my life. I faced serious challenges outside work, and SYZ did not treat me as just an employee. The company gave me support and understanding, and people repeatedly helped me work through that period. It made me realize that SYZ is more than a workplace. It is a team with warmth and genuine concern for its people.
From 2013 to 2026, thirteen years passed almost without notice. I watched the company move from the small apartment office at Xinning Residence to several different locations and then to its current facility. I also watched the team grow from seven or eight people to nearly forty. In many ways, SYZ and I have grown together. I developed from a new graduate who knew very little into someone who can take responsibility, face customers, and solve problems independently.
I am grateful for the opportunities, support, and patience SYZ has given me. These thirteen years included learning, pressure, and many unforgettable experiences. I am glad I made that first choice. I hope to keep growing with SYZ and to share many more years with the people who have made this journey meaningful.