'Priceless' experience offers new viewpoint

Leaving his job at a nuclear facility in a big city and starting a snack business in a small town was a "priceless" life experience for Xu Yizhong, even though he only made a small profit.

The 29-year-old from Zibo, Shandong province, worked as a radiation monitor at Fujian Ningde Nuclear Power, Fujian province. He took the job after graduating from Yantai University in Shandong with a degree in nuclear engineering and technology programs in 2015.

He worked 1,500 kilometers from his hometown and earned just 5,000 yuan ($785) a month, but the job satisfied his need to explore the outside world.

"I didn't take too many factors into consideration when choosing the job. Later, when I discovered that there was no promotion channel－plus my parents were strongly opposed to me working there－I quit and returned to my hometown in 2016," he said.

"I think parents often affect their children's decisions in China to a greater or lesser degree. Meanwhile, I also weighed my situation and found that it was much easier to go back to my hometown where I could find a job at the same salary. However, when I look back, the experience of working outside was not bad."

At the time, many of his peers were rushing to work in big cities, but Xu went the other way. He returned to Zibo for a better work-life balance, more time with his family and the low cost of starting a business.

His parents asked him to take the civil servant exam. He did so, but failed the test.

He said the idea of starting a business had always been in his mind. In 2018, Xu started a business selling pork rib snacks. His startup capital was a gift of 140,000 yuan from his parents.

"You can find many opportunities in small towns. Residents have relatively low pressure in terms of housing and children's education, as well as more disposable income," he said.

After buying materials at the market in the early morning and then handling cooking, cleaning and sales duties, he didn't get home until about 10 pm every day. None of his relatives had worked in the catering industry, so he had no one to seek advice or help from.

Business was bad in the first three months, with the result that the poor sales and high costs pushed him into the red.

"All I had was a recipe I had bought. When I encountered difficulties, I watched what the other snack shop owners did, talked with them and researched online," Xu said. "Instead of feeling tired, I had a sense of pride as I was trying my best to achieve my dream."

Later, he received more orders and earned about 8,000 yuan a month at the peak. He closed the store in late 2018, though, as he could not make more than that.

"Such an income made me feel that my hard work wasn't paying off, so I sold the store. I made a profit of 20,000 yuan, so I don't think my first venture failed."

In 2019, Xu became a physics teacher at a local senior high school, and his business experience won respect from his students. His friends and family want him to remain as a teacher for a long time, but he is looking to start new businesses in addition to his work in the classroom.

"I want to play it safe now because I have a wife and child. I need to be responsible for my family's sake," he said.