I love solving complex problems. Not just the highly technical ones; my favorites are those squishy human problems that simultaneously require a soft touch, a clearly communicated vision, technical expertise, and the patience/perseverance to lead a team through to the finish line. Sometimes that means taking a struggling team member out for a beer. Other times it means hopping on the next flight to China to meet face to face with a supplier who isn't holding up their part of the bargain. No matter what the challenge, building common ground with my fellow humans to accomplish a mutually beneficial goal is what gets me out of bed every morning.I studied international business and before committing to a career, I wanted to get some perspective on what that actually means. So, I spent 6 months in Germany with a wonderful host family. I did an internship with the EU on climate change. I backpacked around Europe striking up conversations about politics, religion, business and culture. We debated what role the US should play in world affairs (Bush was on his way out and Obama on his way in). I let my curiosity lead the way and learned more from these informal conversations than I ever did from a textbook.Next I spent a few months in China, arriving just in time for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. I went to my first Olympics solo. I traveled deep into western China, debated China's seemingly inevitable rise to the world stage, and discovered the true meaning of "eating anything with four legs except a table."I graduated right as the subprime mortgage crisis brought us into the great recession. With lackluster job opportunities and a general sense that it was again time to explore the unknown, I turned down my graduate school opportunities and bought a one way ticket to Cusco, Peru. I spent the next few months living, working and traveling around South America on a shoestring budget. Eventually, with my wanderlust satisfied, I returned back to California to "get a real job."After 2 years on 4 continents, it was clear that the relationship between the US and China was likely to define the most consequential events of the 21st century. I wanted to be a part of that so I secured a 3 month contract with a company that imports from China to help out with some IT and sales stuff.12 years later, I'm still with that same company. I run it now and couldn't be more proud of our team. Not only did we double profitability, we came out of the pandemic stronger and more resilient than we ever imagined possible.