I lived in Shanghai in my 20s. Now, at 34, I'm back in China to start a business.
Alex Greenberg says the time he spent in China in his 20s shaped his social life, career, and the way he sees the world.
After college, Alex Greenberg decided to move to Shanghai to teach skateboarding for a year. However, the city's vibrant atmosphere captivated him so much that he decided to stay for five years. After returning to the US for a few years, he returned to China in November 2022 to establish a business in Chengdu through Observed Media, a creative studio.
Greenberg's journey started with zero knowledge of Chinese when he arrived in 2015, but he immersed himself in the skateboarding scene and the video production world, eventually creating Shanghai Observed, an Instagram account that documented his daily life in the city. The platform grew to over 280,000 followers and provided numerous opportunities for Greenberg, including working as a project manager at PUSH Media and producing campaigns for brands like Adidas and Vans.
In 2023, after a stint in Hawaii working on a pineapple farm, Greenberg moved to San Diego for a remote brand manager role, but still maintained his connection with China through Shanghai Observed. He decided to return to China in September 2023, choosing Chengdu due to its lower cost of living and a thriving creative scene.
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