How do you use time zones to run your startup 24/7? In this interview, Shop Lit Live CEO Toby Zhang explains how he turned the challenge of managing global teams in the US and China into a massive competitive advantage. By leveraging the time difference, his engineering team in Shanghai can fix bugs and push features overnight while the US team sleeps, creating a non-stop development cycle. This conversation is a masterclass in modern startup operations. We discuss the massive cost advantages of hiring in China, the truth about the "9-9-6" work culture, and the communication systems required to make a globally distributed team successful.

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🕒 CHAPTERS

00:00 - How We Use Time Zones to Run Our Startup 24/7

01:46 - The 5x Cost Advantage of Hiring Engineers in China

03:14 - Our "Around the Clock" Development Cycle Explained

09:04 - Managing US vs. China Teams (Language & Culture)

13:53 - The Truth About China's "996" Work Culture

16:15 - Toby's #1 Rule for Global Team Success

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