I joined SYZ Machine eleven years ago. If life has a few important turning points, joining SYZ is certainly one of mine. It was my second job after university and a major career transition.
Before SYZ, I spent eight years working in foreign companies. The processes were mature and responsibilities were clearly defined, while I knew almost nothing about mechanical manufacturing, international trade, or sales. When I arrived at SYZ, drawings, materials, heat treatment, tolerances, international logistics, export procedures, and technical terminology all felt unfamiliar.
I still remember my first training session. Zhou Chen spent an entire afternoon teaching me the basics of product structure and materials. That training helped me enter the world of mechanical manufacturing. Afterward, I learned by asking questions, solving problems, and accumulating experience through practice. Looking back, the early years felt like a period of rapid growth. I moved from being unable to read a drawing to discussing product structures with customers; from not knowing how to quote to analyzing cost and the market; and from knowing little about international trade to developing overseas customers, advancing projects, coordinating with the factory, and solving problems.
At times I felt more like an independent business owner operating on the SYZ platform. I had to develop customers, maintain relationships, follow projects, and coordinate solutions. Every order felt like my own business. Later, I realized that this opportunity existed because the company gave me enough trust, space, and patience to grow in that way.
SYZ built the platform, and I continued learning on it. The company did not limit me because I came from another industry, nor did it define me by temporary changes in performance. Instead, it gave me time to explore, try, and accumulate experience at my own pace. As I learned the industry, I began to understand that we were not simply selling products. We were helping customers solve problems. Why should a component use one material rather than another? Why does a particular tolerance matter? Why will a customer pay more for stable quality? Why can a project take months or years to become a real program?
Seeing these questions from the customer’s perspective changed how I understood sales, manufacturing, and service. The journey was not always smooth. In years when performance was weak, I questioned my ability and wondered whether changing from a foreign company to sales had been the right decision. I worried about unanswered development emails, delayed projects, and customers who did not place orders.
Yet the experiences that shaped me most were not only the successful orders. They were the difficult moments: handling complaints, facing quality problems, coordinating with the factory, and discussing compensation with customers. Some projects involved significant amounts of money, and I worried that one decision could affect years of cooperation. Many nights I kept thinking about how to answer a customer the next morning.
Fortunately, leaders, colleagues, and the wider team helped solve those problems with me. I learned to stay calm under pressure, look for solutions instead of only seeing the problem, and take responsibility for the next step. The experiences that once caused anxiety and sleepless nights eventually became some of the most valuable lessons in my career. I have also witnessed SYZ grow through a period of major change in the global economy. The pandemic, shifting trade conditions, logistics volatility, and rising material costs created challenges for many companies. During that period, SYZ continued to develop steadily, invest in products, improve its capabilities, and reach new markets and customers. That stability gave me a sense of security and made me more confident in the choice I had made.
These eleven years have been part of my life as much as they have been part of my career. I married, started a family, and grew from someone who knew little about the mechanical industry into a sales professional who can face customers, analyze projects, and move cooperation forward. The company has witnessed my growth, and I have accompanied its growth. Even after eleven years in sales, I still feel excited when a new inquiry arrives, especially when it comes from a promising customer, involves a significant project, or opens the door to a new program. That feeling is similar to what I felt at the beginning: curiosity about the unknown and enthusiasm for an opportunity.
Sales does not bring a result every day, but the next opportunity can always renew your motivation. It has pushed me beyond my comfort zone and given me confidence for the future. As long as I continue learning and creating value, I can keep building my own competitiveness.
When I look back, I feel fortunate about both choices: choosing sales and choosing SYZ. The company gave me a platform and trust, while I gave SYZ the most important eleven years of my early professional and family life. I believe what we experienced was mutual growth.
SYZ gave me room to grow, and sales gave me the confidence to face the future. I hope to continue learning, stay curious, and meet new challenges with the company.