Recently I moved from Beijing to San Francisco. I know, I wonder why, too. I last lived in San Francisco in 2017-2018. Five years later, I was curious to see if the reports about San Francisco's death were greatly exaggerated. Cold, foggy, windy, expensive, hilly, bad, dirty, cloudy, and dead: What a great list of … Continue reading San Francisco is not that bad
Why I don’t want to be a founder
Almost every day someone asks me: "do you wanna start your own thing someday?" And people are always surprised when they hear my answer: No, at least not in the next 10 years. There are so many VCs out there extolling the virtue of entrepreneurship and encouraging people to start their own thing. I have the opposite view. Here's why.
Packing, unnecessary possessions, and self-discovery
Packing forced me to take a honest look at how much unneeded and unused stuff I have accumulated. And that led to a journey of self-discovery
Confessions of a book-buying addict
I'm addicted to books—not reading them, but buying them. I'm extremely good at starting books, and equally bad at finishing them. When it comes to reading, I follow a 80-20 rule: For the 80% of books I start, I fail to read past the first 20%. I have about 50 books on my shelf with … Continue reading Confessions of a book-buying addict
Musings on the eve of turning 30
Tomorrow is my 30th birthday. Here, I reflect on some of the biggest changes to my state of mind in the last few years. Overcoming FOMO (fear of missing out). Although I can't say I don't get stressed at all, I'm overall more at peace with myself and with my life. I think the key … Continue reading Musings on the eve of turning 30
How to have time for fitness when you’re busy
I'm a pretty busy person with a pretty intense work schedule. However, throughout the past few months, I have been able to slot in around 5 hours of workout per week—a feat I once thought impossible. Here I share some of the lessons I've learned on how busy people can consistently make time for working out.
How to make things happen – Tips for recent graduates at work
Having recently evolved from a new graduate to the manager of a small team, I have discovered an ability that separates outstanding young professionals from the rest. The ability that, if mastered, can help you accelerate your career the fastest, especially in large organizations. I call it the ability to Make Thing Happen (MTH). So … Continue reading How to make things happen – Tips for recent graduates at work
Why I Joined ByteDance
In ByteDance, I see a reflection of myself.
Why I Love Living in China
This morning I was reminded of why I love living in China. I had a few errands to get out of my way before starting my day. The handle of one of my favorite handbags broke. I walked 3 minutes to the neighborhood shoe repairer (who works from a small pushcart parked on the side … Continue reading Why I Love Living in China
“Tai 2” Sauerkraut Fish
If there is a God of Chinese sauerkraut fish, he would be delighted by the existence of Tai 2. The restaurant is so serious about sauerkraut fish that eating there feels like a religious experience.
Zara Zhang 