David is given black eyes by the dark night, yet he hopes he can search for light with them.
What is your favorite travel memory?
That definitely has to be Barcelona.
I was there in June 2012. It was one of those grab-and-go trios, so I didn't really plan for anything. I am just so blessed to have a local friend who gave me one of the most precious memories of my life.
Originally I was planning to stay in BCN for only 4 days, then to Madrid. But the atmosphere, the beach, the people, the food, the amazing Gaudi works (the list can go on and on) just convinced me to cancel my trip to Madrid and stayed there for 10 days in total.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Silk Mandarin is a start-up company, so it provides the perfect platform for each and every one of the team members to grow and develop their own strength.
There is no fixed and suffocating hierarchy in Silk; instead, every one of the team was encouraged to play their strength and be in charge of a certain part of the work. This has certainly given me the perfect playground to grow and shine.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
Diana is a student of mine from America; she met her husband from Canada here in Shanghai.
The first time they were dating was in a traditional Chinese dumpling place. There they were, two ex-pats from the same continent met here in another country half a world away from home. Their story is just like a typical romantic story you find on TV. One can say it is the Chinese language that brought them together.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
I have to say I am lucky enough to be doing exactly the project that I wish to do the most: working and promoting the Slow Motion Technique.
There is nothing that motivates more me than improving on the methodology that I created and developed so it can help and benefit more foreign Chinese learners to find the easiest way to learn the language and experience the charm of it. I have to say, it is the flat working hierarchy here in Silk Mandarin that allowed me to be able to work on my dream project.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
As I mentioned earlier, Silk Mandarin is a very young team. Nothing excites me more than the ambition, the energy from this young team.
Unlike a big corporate who just cares about the revenue, and everyone is just like a screw in the big machine, when every team member here in Silk Mandarin is working together hand in hand towards the same goal and dream, it really drives you to strive for the best too.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
At Silk Mandarin, we really care about our clients, regardless if it’s a teacher working on the frontline, or a member from the marketing team doing supportive work.
I truly believe that, when a company cares about their clients over their revenue and margin, that company is really on the right path. This, however, is much easier said than done. Fortunately, here in Silk, I found the culture I am seeking for.
