We Don't Mine Gems,
We Lead You
Right to
Them.

I am a Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur based in Toronto. Born and raised in Hangzhou, China, I later moved to Canada for university.

Navigating life across two cultural worlds profoundly shaped how I understand traveling. Moving between two destinations, I often found myself translating more than language — explaining habits, values, humor, and ways of thinking between people who were curious about one another but lacked a channel to communicate. Over time, I realized this role came naturally to me: a bridge connected to both ends of the world. Through me, people could better understand each other's experiences, perspectives, and ways of living. I knew I wanted to keep fostering that kind of cross-cultural connection, but I wasn't yet sure how to turn it into something tangible.

These ideas came unexpectedly when a spontaneous encounter with French travelers led a friend and me to offer them a local show-around in Hangzhou.

What began as a friendly gesture eventually became what Brivience is today — a company built on the belief that traveling is not just moving between destinations, but participating in everyday local experiences: sharing meals, walking neighborhood streets, and seeing places through the eyes of those who live there.

It all started on a midsummer night in a bar in Hangzhou's Xiaohe district. I was having drinks with Linghao — just two friends catching up over a few rounds — when we noticed two French travelers, Justin and Tristan, at the table next to us playing Liar's Dice. Out of curiosity, we joined their game.

They had just landed in Hangzhou that day and had absolutely no plans for tomorrow. Somewhere between curiosity and alcohol-fueled confidence, we made a spontaneous offer: “Want a free tour tomorrow? We'll show you around.”

It was my first time ever being a tour guide. No scripts. No itinerary. Just taking them to our favorite local spots and showing them the city the way we experienced it — like old friends exploring together.

To my surprise, Justin and Tristan loved it. By the end of the day, they told us we should start a tour business. Linghao and I laughed it off at the time.

A few months later, on a random morning, I received a call from Linghao: ‘Want to start a business with me?’

That spontaneous tour eventually became Brivience.