After 5 years in tech, I wanted something new. An internship on a tea farm in Japan was the wake-up call I needed.

14.10.2024 - 21:26 / insider.com

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cherie Luo, a content creator and entrepreneur. Luo spent 5 years working in tech in Silicon Valley. She graduated from Stanford Graduate School of Business in June. Business Insider has verified her employment and education history. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

In June, I graduated from business school with a new career plan: tech was out, and matcha was in.

I grew up in Long Island, went to college in Manhattan, and worked in tech for five years before attending Stanford Graduate School of Business.

In order to graduate,students are required to fulfill an international program known as the Global Management Immersion Experience.This can be done by taking a class about international business or participating in the work abroad program. I chose the latter.

I am a first-generation Chinese American and have traveled to Asia a few times to visit family and as a tourist.

I was eager to explore more and started looking at internships listed on the Stanford portal. There were opportunities to intern in Hong Kong or at a water park in Indonesia. However, the opportunity to work at a matcha farm in Japanfor a month stood out.

Tea was an integral part of my childhood. Growing up in New York, my mom would bring my sister and me to Flushing, Queens, every other weekend to enjoy dim sum.

Whenever we sat down at the restaurant, the first question the waiters asked was, "What type of tea do you want to drink?" It was a way to reconnect with my Asian heritage.

The farm, D:matcha, is located in Wazuka, an hour from Kyoto. It's owned by Daiki Tanaka, a Japanese farmer in his late 30s, who left his job as the president of a doughnut company to work in agriculture. It's a small business with less than 10 employees.

On my first day at the farm, I remember being surprised by the sound of cicadas that filled the air. From my room on the farm,I could see expansive tea fields. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. Room and board were covered during my stay.

Every day on the farm was different. Daiki-san's farm also offered tea tours and had a bed and breakfast; my project was to determine how to improve the retention of guests on the farm.

As part of my project, we created itineraries for guests,including a mapped-out walking trail in the backyard and a schedule of cooking classes.

Having worked as a content creator since 2020, I was already familiar with content marketing. I helped Daiki-san create videos to post on Instagram. I also posted about my time on the farm on my social media channels, which was meaningful as I could use my platform to shine a light on his small business.

Living in Silicon Valley and working at LinkedIn as a