The Founder Effect: My Journey to Becoming an American Scientist and Entrepreneur

"I have never felt at home in those spaces."

Yi "Sherry" Zhang confesses with characteristic honesty. Her powerful memoir traces her search for belonging across continents and careers—a journey that illuminates both the enduring promise and complex reality of building a new life in America.

Zhang's quiet, contemplative voice—developed through years of scientific observation and musical training—brings thoughtful nuance to her extraordinary story. Landing in Milwaukee with three bags and three thousand dollars, she faced the disorienting reality of American academia while carrying memories of her childhood in Tianjin, where her mother had once vowed: "I will not let my child be stuck in the place I was forced to go."

With the precision of a scientist and the soul of an artist, Zhang explores the immigrant experience: the exhaustion of constant adaptation, the isolation of being perpetually "other," and the challenging choices between professional advancement and family obligations. "Sometimes, I wondered if my life would be defined by the constant competition against extremely slim odds," she reflects, capturing the pressure many entrepreneurial founders feel to be exceptional merely to succeed.

When she risks everything to leave academia and launch GenoPalate, Zhang reveals the complex calculations entrepreneurs make: "I knew I had to quit my job at the medical college to focus on GenoPalate," she writes, alongside her son's poignant question: "Why can't you just be normal, Mom?"

Through her understated storytelling, Zhang thoughtfully examines the process of integration, reflecting on the delicate balance of embracing a new culture while honoring her roots. "For the first time in my life, I found peace with the long-standing question of my place in the world," she writes of finding her entrepreneurial community, articulating the profound relief of acceptance.