Our First Mile
A Founder’s Promise
Here, we believe learning is a happy journey!😆👣
— Chien Chien, Founder of Tutor ChienMilesAway
Hello,你好! I’m Chien Chien
My story begins in a small bedroom in Taiwan, with just one laptop and a simple, pure love for the Chinese language. It’s a journey that took me thousands of miles from home, only to help me find my true purpose: building a bridge for a new generation to find their way back.
From a Passionate Teacher to a Founder with a Mission
From the very first day of teaching, I fell in love with the pure joy of it. I’ve seen children do a victory dance for getting a question right, and I’ve been trusted with hilarious “family secrets” shared with innocent candor. To this day, the sound of a child’s voice saying “Chien Chien lǎoshī hǎo!” (Hello, teacher Chien Chien) is enough to instantly recharge my soul.
Yes, I truly love this work.
But behind these beautiful moments lies a harsh reality: an environment where passionate educators can barely make a living. I’ve been there. I’ve worked for private schools and large online platforms and witnessed firsthand how talented teachers are treated like disposable chopsticks (免洗筷), forced into price wars that burn out their passion.
It’s a vicious cycle where great teachers leave, and parents struggle to find quality. I found myself lost, asking: “Must I compromise my passion just to survive?” The answer came through the families who found me by word-of-mouth. They saw my value, and through them, I discovered that my professionalism and passion were worth their weight in gold.
That’s when I started asking myself: If I can thrive this way, what about all the other excellent teachers out there? And don’t our children deserve a learning space that is truly built with this same heart and integrity?
This platform was born from a simple belief:
A happy teacher leads to a happy learner.
Our Name: A Journey of a Thousand Miles
This platform was born from that single thought.
The name Tutor ChienMilesAway carries my life’s belief. “Chien” (芊) is my name, but it also sounds like “thousand” (千) in Mandarin. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” (千里之行，始於足下) has been my personal motto since my university days studying Chinese literature, inspiring me to build my own path in Taiwan, one step at a time.
Now, that journey has a new meaning. I know there are countless families, though miles away, who long for their children to reconnect with their warmest cultural roots. Our mission is to close that distance with Mandarin, to walk with them into the world of Taiwan, and to help them understand that while it may be a small island, it is the home we hold with the most pride and love.
Our Mission: Closing the Miles with Mandarin
Our Core Beliefs:
👨👩👧👦 A True Partnership
We believe a sincere, trusting partnership with families is the greatest strength in a child’s learning journey.
🌱 More Than a Language
We believe Mandarin is a cultural root and a connection to one’s identity.
✨ Education That Empowers
We believe in a “win-win-win” model where students, teachers, and the platform thrive together.
My Promise
I never could have made the journey from Taiwan to California without the unwavering support of my students and their families. Thank you.
My promise is to build an environment where students can grow with joy and teachers can focus on what they do best: teaching.
Welcome aboard. Let our happy journey begin! ❤️