POP MART

Do you know POP MART also runs a printed version magazine called play/GROUND in China? This latest issue is very unique - SKULLPANDA artist Xiongmiao is featured on the coverpage while NIKE being the collab partner of this issue! We got ONE copy in our Singapore office - happy for anyone to drop by to read it (unable to loan outside of office, sorry...) Hope an overseas version will be unlocked soon... Once again, this is what we do in this AI blooming world, offer a physical touch-point to connect individuals through personalized experience! https://lnkd.in/gBmTYCMk

Leaving comfort is never a rational decision. --- In 2017, while pursuing my MBA at Peking University, I met someone who would later change the direction of my career. We first met as friends. Over time, that relationship evolved into a business partnership, and we worked together on several collaborations between CJ and POP MART. --- One day, he asked me: “Have you ever thought about starting your own business?” --- I was almost 40 at the time. I had spent over a decade in large corporations. My answer was immediate: “No. I’ve never even considered it.” --- Then he asked another question: “What do you think are the critical factors in starting a business?” --- I thought for a moment, then answered: “A clear direction and the right product. And just as important — the founding team.” --- He paused, then said: “Then why don’t you join my founding team?” --- That person was Wang Ning (Grant Wang), the founder of POP MART. --- At the time, I had a stable career, a clear path, and very little reason to take a risk. --- But I couldn’t ignore the question anymore. --- For about six weeks, I thought about it constantly. I spoke with mentors and friends — more than 60 people. Almost all of them said the same thing: “Go for it.” --- Only one person strongly disagreed — my wife. Her concerns were simple, and very real: “What about stability?” “What about the family?” --- She was right. And that made the decision even harder. --- There was also another question in my mind: Could a foreigner really succeed in a Chinese startup? --- I didn’t have a clear answer. --- But in the end, I made the decision anyway. --- Looking back, it wasn’t a perfect decision. It wasn’t even a rational one. --- It was simply a choice to step out of the comfort zone and move forward without certainty. --- And sometimes, those are the decisions that define the next chapter. --- Global business is no different. It only begins when you leave the comfort zone behind.