Founder Notes · Published May 16, 2026
Why We Stay in Lanzhou
Running a software company in a smaller city means fewer clients, harder hiring and a lag in information, but it has its own advantages.
People often ask why we do not move to Chengdu, Xi'an or Shenzhen. We have discussed it seriously several times and stayed each time. The reason is not sentiment; we ran the numbers.
The practical case for staying
Local companies genuinely need digitalisation, and few teams here can deliver well. Competition is calmer and word of mouth travels faster.
The cost structure is healthier. The same quote that barely covers payroll in a tier-one city leaves enough room here to do the project properly.
The team is stable. Most colleagues have families here, switching jobs is costly, and project continuity is stronger.
The honest drawbacks
Senior talent is hard to find, so we grow people internally and use remote collaboration, giving core roles real room to develop.
Information density is lower, so the team attends two industry events a year and brings the notes back to share.
Where you build matters less than whether you keep delivering. Lanzhou gives us the time to play a long game, which is rare.
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