Walking with Quiet Passion: The Working Style of Chang from Seven-Eleven Japan

Chang was born and raised in Liaoning Province, located in northeastern China.
While winters there can drop below –20℃, the land bursts into vibrant green during spring and summer. It’s also known for producing high-quality rice.

"As a child, I used to ride my bicycle through the mountains," he recalls.
"A small river flowed nearby, and nature was always within reach. I still vividly remember the pear blossoms I saw on a mountain after the rain — they were so beautiful."

A sensitive and curious child, Chang grew not only through his contact with nature but also through his interactions with people and different cultures.

One of those early influences came from his neighbors.

"A family from an ethnic minority lived next door, and they were always so kind to us. They shared their traditional dishes with us and gave us handmade rice cakes for New Year’s. Through them, I became deeply interested in learning about different cultures."

"At that time, most students entered the workforce right after completing compulsory education. Few could afford to continue their studies. Even though many families couldn’t cover tuition, my parents always said, ‘We’ll make sure you go to high school and college.’"

To meet their expectations, Chang devoted himself to his studies—taking breaks now and then in the nearby mountains to refresh his mind.
Only a small percentage of students from his middle school advanced to high school, even apart from financial reasons.

"I think I never gave up because of my mother’s influence—she was determined and always ready to take on challenges," he says with a smile.
"But my personality is more like my father’s. He often told me, ‘Be honest and gentle as a person.’ Those words have stayed with me."

Carrying the values of both parents—his mother’s determination and his father’s sincerity—Chang went on to high school, and later entered university, where he chose to study Japanese language and culture.

"The first time I heard Japanese was through TV dramas when I was a child. They often featured women doing their best to live through changing times. I remember thinking, ‘Japanese people are so earnest.’"

His curiosity extended beyond the language itself to the society behind it.
At university, he majored in discourse analysis, studying how language reflects social structures and cultural values.

"For example, Japanese expressions like ‘shite itadaku,’ ‘shite ageru,’ and ‘shite morau’ are fascinating," he explains. “They reveal subtle relationships between giver and receiver — a reflection of Japan’s culture of mutual consideration."

His curiosity led him to a one-year exchange program in Japan.
Though his time in Japan was short, one thing unexpected captured his heart:
7-Eleven’s tuna mayonnaise rice ball.

"Liaoning is famous for delicious rice, so when I tried a 7-Eleven  rice ball in Japan, I felt that same comforting taste of good rice I grew up with."

The soft rice, crispy seaweed, and the tuna perfectly blended with mayonnaise.
Having never eaten a rice ball in China, Chang was deeply moved by its flavor — a comforting blend of nostalgia and new discovery.

"I’d never tasted anything like it before, but I loved it right away. I think it’s the balance of flavors that appeals to me. And now, in fact, Tuna Mayo is the best-selling rice ball at 7-Eleven  in China."

After that, Chang often found himself stopping by 7-Eleven —not only for the rice balls but also because he liked the store’s red uniform at the time.

"I even applied for a part-time job because I wanted to wear that uniform," he says.
"But I wasn’t hired — my Japanese wasn’t very good yet."

Even so, Seven-Eleven remained a special presence in his memory.

After completing graduate school, Chang joined a Japanese IT company. Later, family circumstances brought him back to China — seemingly closing the chapter on Seven-Eleven.
But fate had other plans.

In 2012, once his situation had stabilized, Chang came across a job posting of Seven-Eleven Chengdu.

Since opening its first store in Beijing in 2004, the Seven & i Group had been expanding rapidly in China, establishing the Chengdu subsidiary in 2011. It was at that very moment of growth that Chang and Seven-Eleven would cross paths once again.

"I felt it must be destiny and immediately applied for an interpreter position. When I visited the office for an interview, I was struck by how warmly everyone greeted me.
They greeted me with a warm ‘Welcome’ when I arrived, and a ‘Thank you very much’ when I left. That atmosphere left a deep impression."

The newly established Seven-Eleven Chengdu was filled with an incredible sense of energy — the kind that comes from building something from the ground up. Chang was successfully hired into this lively, fast-growing organization. The Seven-Eleven he had admired as a student had finally opened its doors to him.

However, he was not hired as an interpreter.

"Before I joined the company, there was no planning department in charge of budget management, so I was hired as a manager to establish one. But since it was a field I had absolutely no experience in, I was at a complete loss at first."

Chang received strong support from the company (Seven-Eleven Chengdu) as he trained under the planning director of Seven-Eleven Beijing and also took part in training programs in Japan.

"Both then and now, Seven-Eleven Chengdu has had a strong commitment to developing local talent in China. The goal has always been to nurture people who can play active roles in the company’s future here. Thanks to that, although it wasn’t easy, I was able to gain truly valuable experiences in many different areas."

Chang recalls those days with a constant smile.
Perhaps it was this calm and steady attitude that led to his being welcomed into a planning role despite his lack of prior experience.

After six years of working at Seven-Eleven Chengdu, Chang decided to take another step forward in his growth.
In 2018, he joined a two-year training program at Seven-Eleven Japan.

"I had the opportunity to learn not only about head office operations, but also about store development, accounting, training, and management. I even worked in a store to experience daily operations firsthand. My time learning at Seven-Eleven Japan was truly a significant milestone in my career."

After completing his training in Japan in 2020, Chang began working as Head of the Planning Division at Seven-Eleven China. He now oversaw operations not only in Chengdu but across 14 regions throughout China, supporting the company’s nationwide business expansion.

"In China, each region operates under its own license, so the methods and approaches differ from place to place. That means management analysis and budget control alone aren’t enough to communicate effectively. What helped me bridge those gaps were the practical experiences I gained in Japan — in store development, operations, and day-to-day management. By viewing things from multiple perspectives, I was able to draw out the strengths of each region. It was truly a rewarding role."

Chang’s steady career growth may well be thanks to the qualities he inherited from his parents — his father’s sincerity and his mother’s resilience in the face of challenges.
Finally, we asked Chang to express his way of working in color.

"It’s red. I may not always show it on the outside, but inside, I carry a strong sense of passion. It’s the feeling of wanting to take on challenges with sincerity and wholehearted dedication. To me, that feeling is red."

Carrying forward the spirit he inherited from his parents, Chang’s story — painted in his own shade of red — will continue to unfold.

This text has been translated using an automatic translation tool.