Hello, I’m Thomas, also known as Tom, and I’m one of the co-founders of Tom Sourcing. My journey began in the international trade department of a small electronics factory in Shanghai. I started as a documentation clerk in a department that didn’t exist before—this was a factory with no prior experience in international trade. Through hands-on practice, and learning from trade associations and practical training, I quickly became proficient in handling Export Documentation, Shipping Logistics, Letters of Credit, Customs Declarations, Tax Refund processes, and more. Over time, I witnessed the transformation of this factory from a small workshop with just a handful of employees into a medium-sized enterprise with hundreds of staff and its own manufacturing facility—all within just 2-3 years.
My main career unfolded at a US-based company, where I was the first employee when they expanded into China. I began by inspecting products in Guangdong province, gradually moved into project management, built teams, and set up two factories in the region. Eventually, I became the General Manager of the US Company’s China Branch. I worked on many high-profile projects, including collaborations with industry giants such as Juki, Brother, PFAFF, and Bernina, in the areas of plastics, hardware, electronics, and mechanical components. One of the most memorable projects I led was the development of a computer-driven long-arm sewing machine. This was a huge undertaking that involved recruiting the first engineer, making the drawing on all parts of the machine, sourcing the parts suppliers, making prototypes and ship it US for several times, intergrating the supply chain of the machine, setting up a factory, and building a production line. The project took 4-5 years, but we successfully developed and mass-produced the product, which led to a range of related products in subsequent years.
Around 10 years into my career, I faced a major turning point when my daughter was about to start primary school. It was a moment of reflection: it was time to go home. So, I packed up my family and returned to Shanghai, leaving the US company I had worked for over a decade.
In August 2020, during the early wave of the pandemic, I founded TOM SOURCING with my family and friends. We started working from home, and after three years, as our business grew and client demand increased, we moved into our current place where have both office and warehouse space. By our sixth year, we had an entity in the U.S., with the goal of offering one-stop sourcing solutions and better serving our clients worldwide.