Reflecting on My 3 Year Journey in a Startup
It’s been 3 years and what a journey it's been. I still remember the moment I received my job offer. I was in my university dorm room, filled with excitement and disbelief. It felt like one of the happiest moments of my life. Knowing that I’d be starting my career in Shanghai only added to the thrill.
The Early Days
When I joined, the team welcomed me warmly. I began by going through the knowledge base, getting familiar with the codebase, and slowly understanding the system architecture. My position was as a Web Developer and Designer, which meant I was initially involved in design tasks working on Figma prototypes and UI mockups.
But things didn’t stop there.
Soon, I transitioned into more frontend development responsibilities. I was introduced to testing frameworks like Cypress, and later Vitest and Jest. Working on end-to-end tests gave me a deep understanding of how everything worked across the application. It helped me learn the codebase inside out.
Growing with the Team
Over time, I began contributing to smaller features. I was still learning, building personal projects on the side, and growing in confidence. At the same time, I participated in daily Stand-ups, quarterly OKRs (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4), and regular performance reviews all of which kept me accountable and motivated.
Being in a startup meant I got exposed to agile methodologies, product planning, documentation, business trips, and even exhibitions. Every experience added a new layer to my growth.
I also had the chance to collaborate with an international team working closely with teammates and colleagues from different countries around the world. It taught me how to communicate clearly across time zones, adapt to diverse working styles, and appreciate different perspectives.
Taking On Bigger Challenges
With time, I was trusted with more complex tasks from refactoring parts of the codebase to improving documentation and proposing architectural improvements.
One of the most meaningful projects I took on was building our company website. I handled the entire development on my own, with incredible support from my manager, senior teammates, and the design team. From prototyping to the final launch, it was a huge responsibility and an even bigger learning experience.
We kept improving the site over time, making it faster, more scalable, and easier to maintain.
Alongside the website, I also developed some incredible features for our main web application features that improved user experience, performance, and internal workflows. These contributions not only challenged my technical skills but gave me a real sense of ownership and impact.
What I’m Doing Now
Currently, I’m working as a Frontend Engineer, primarily focused on developing and integrating features on the frontend side. My day-to-day work involves writing clean, maintainable code, carefully engineering solutions, and deeply understanding the underlying logic of the systems I work with.
At the same time, I place a strong emphasis on collaboration and communication ensuring smooth coordination between design, backend, and product teams. Building features isn't just about code. it's also about understanding the "why" behind them and making sure everyone is aligned.
The Ups and Downs
Of course, not everything was smooth. Being far from home and working alone at times wasn’t easy. There were challenges technically, emotionally, and mentally. But I’ve learned that staying strong, pushing through discomfort, and embracing growth is what really matters.
"Comfort is a dangerous place it means you're no longer growing. And I never want to stop."
— Anonymous
3 Years Down Many More to Go
Looking back, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. But I also know this is just the beginning. There’s still so much more to learn, to build, and to experience. 🚀