From Skateboarding Lessons to Entrepreneurship in Chengdu

Greenberg’s path to entrepreneurship began with an Instagram project, @shanghaiobserved, which he launched while working in video production for brands like Adidas and Vans. What started as a casual photography hobby grew into a platform with over 280,000 followers, serving as a bridge between his creative experiments and professional media work. Even after a multi-year hiatus in New York, Hawaii, and California due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, the connection to China remained central to his career.

Returning to China in 2023, Greenberg opted for Chengdu over Shanghai, citing the city's vibrant creative scene and affordability. While he pays roughly $420 monthly for a furnished studio—a fraction of his former rent in Encinitas—the move is driven by more than just savings. He is currently scaling Observed Media, a creative studio focused on brand storytelling that leverages the cultural insights he spent years documenting. For Greenberg, the transition from a wandering graduate to a founder reflects a shift from uncertain exploration to intentional business building, proving that his initial, impulsive decision to move abroad was the foundation for his current professional life.