Society

Young entrepreneurs: Breakthroughs through mindset, lasting success through identity.

Diep Thanh (recorded) • October 13, 2025 09:02

Join Nghe An Newspaper and Radio & Television in listening to the insights shared by two entrepreneurs in the service and technology sectors to witness the perseverance, creativity, resilience, and profound lessons of young entrepreneurs – those who are pioneering a change in mindset, using knowledge and quality as the foundation for competition, while steadfastly creating positive and long-term social impacts.

Diep Thanh (recorded) - Publication date: October 13, 2025

In the context of a market economy with numerous innovations and deep integration, the business community must strive to assert its identity through groundbreaking thinking and unwavering determination. In this article, let's listen to the insights shared by two entrepreneurs in the service and technology sectors, brought to you by Nghe An Newspaper and Radio & Television, to see the perseverance, creativity, resilience, and profound lessons of young entrepreneurs – those who are pioneering a change in mindset, using knowledge and quality as the foundation for competition, while steadfastly creating positive and long-term social impacts.

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Vu Thi Thai An (born in 1991 – from Truong Vinh ward) is the co-founder and CEO of Tubudd, a tourism technology platform connecting international tourists with locals. Founded in the UK in 2017, Tubudd officially launched in Vietnam in 2018. The project has achieved many outstanding accomplishments domestically and internationally, including: Top 10 Techfest 2018; Top 10 Pitch@Palace Vietnam 1.0 (UK); Second Prize in the "Innovative Startup Business Applying Information Technology to Tourism Development" competition; Top 10 Vietnam Start-Up Wheel 2019; Third Prize in VietChallenge 2019 in Boston, USA; Top 250 best projects globally at the Global Startup Cup (EWC) 2022; Third Prize in Techfest Vietnam 2024…

Ho Xuan Vinh (born in 1987 in Quynh Van commune) is the Director of Ho Hoan Cau Company Limited. He is the author of 45 certificates, including 18 patents and 27 industrial design protection certificates in the fields of construction, agricultural product processing, salt technology, and medicinal herbs. He was recognized as a typical young Vietnamese in the field of labor and production in 2021; he has received commendations from the Prime Minister, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, the Minister of Agriculture, the Central Committee of the Youth Union, and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province…

PV: Sir/Madam, in the current market context, what breakthrough in thinking do you consider most important for businesses to create a long-term competitive advantage?

Ms. Vu Thi Thai An:In my opinion, to achieve long-term competitiveness, all breakthroughs must come from the quality of products and services, along with a customer-centric approach and customer care mindset. In an era where customer care reigns supreme, customers will choose a partner for all their products, services, and endeavors, rather than simply looking for a salesperson. Therefore, creative thinking about how to improve products, services, and customer care across all personnel and customer touchpoints is, in my view, the most important thing.

Mr. Ho Xuan Vinh:I completely agree on the importance of innovative thinking, but I believe the most important thing for an entrepreneur is their mindset and market awareness. We've experienced a commodity economy, then a competitive market economy, and now a knowledge-based economy – relying on knowledge to do business with unique know-how. Knowledge is the pioneering and innovative element for businesses and products. I once heard a very famous motto from a large information technology corporation:Businesses"To grow, you must lead the market and stay ahead of the competition." That's also why my company has a principle of constant innovation: small improvements every six months, major improvements every year, precisely to continuously innovate and move forward.

By adapting to the trends of the knowledge economy, businesses can flexibly find suitable changes for themselves, while also taking advantage of government support through various general policies.

PV:Today, corporate identity is considered key to success in creating intangible value. In the context of integration, how have you built your company's identity to establish your brand?

Mr. Ho Xuan Vinh:Indeed, there was a time, when we were just starting to build our brand, when we faced extremely fierce market competition. Previously, I was the only supplier of the product, but at that time, there were about 60 similar suppliers on the market, from China and large companies. As a small business in a remote village, district, and province, I was very worried.

But then I realized my strengths lay in understanding the products and people's needs. I had a background in mechanics and invention, and I was selling products I created myself. With that in mind, I viewed science and technology as my guiding principle, persevering in production and pioneering in registering patents for my machinery. As a result, my products, while not explosively successful, have established a niche market, penetrating even the most remote corners and reaching all over Vietnam. Following that same approach, later, when the niche market of small and medium-sized construction companies had become familiar with my products, I continued to innovate in a new field.

Ms. Vu Thi Thai An:From the perspective of a startup in the tourism sector, I focus on corporate culture. In my opinion, corporate culture is not about slogans or a bulleted list; it's about the consistent performance of the leadership.

For example, at Tubudd, our identity revolves around three elements: a leadership spirit guided by action, resilience, and a global ambition. In the early days of our startup, after returning to Vietnam, I had to work full-time without pay for a very long time, struggling to survive and maintain the business... That resilience helped us weather many challenges. To this day, I see fear as an opportunity, a challenge to overcome, not something to discourage. For a startup, fear will always be there like a shadow, and you need to learn to "dance" with it. That spirit has positively and effectively influenced all other members, becoming the identity of our team. That's also why we've been able to stand firm against the fierce competition of the global market.

PV:If fear is considered a driving force, what challenges did you face in your development journey to transform fear into opportunities for advancement? What is the most profound lesson about risk management that you would like to share?

Mr. Ho Xuan Vinh:Every business faces difficulties, every journey has challenges, and like everyone else, I've learned many valuable lessons. One of them is a costly one: "Over-promoting a flawed product is a terrible failure." Every product needs time to improve, but that time, I marketed a new product too effectively, and after its release, I received a lot of criticism, spent a lot of time fixing the problems, and lost a great deal of customer trust.

After that experience, I chose to go slowly but surely, introducing my product through word-of-mouth marketing. That's why I managed to sell my non-fired brick-making machines: I invested heavily in brick production, gave away bricks, and sold them cheaply… I did this for a whole year. After people had used the bricks extensively and found them good, they started to learn how to produce them themselves, and I began selling my first machines. As you can see, the entrepreneurial journey is a lifelong learning process, with each lesson having its own value.

Ms. Vu Thi Thai An:I completely empathize with Mr. Vinh's story. During the development process, I also faced many objective challenges, such as having to start over after the Covid-19 pandemic, difficulties with financial conditions, fundraising, and circumstances… I also went through a long period of loneliness with my idea, had to work 18 hours a day, and had to handle all the business tasks, including manual labor like cleaning.

After numerous setbacks, I realized that it's not easy to anticipate all risks, and managing them is even more difficult. Therefore, business owners can only learn to adapt with a resilient mindset. An entrepreneur's path is one of upward movement, not backward, so instead of managing it, it's better to adapt with the mindset that there is always opportunity in adversity. This will help the business maneuver and make timely decisions. Each challenge offers a unique lesson.

PV:Beyond profit, today's entrepreneurs need to create a tangible social impact. In your role, could you share some of the positive and long-term impacts you have made?

Ms. Vu Thi Thai An:With Tubudd, we have been helping international tourists experience Vietnam authentically and safely by connecting them with hospitable and language-proficient locals. In doing so, we contribute to generating income for workers and bringing foreign currency back to our homeland. Furthermore, I believe each entrepreneur chooses different positive activities to both give back to society and leave their mark.

Besides my work, I dedicate time to teaching and sharing knowledge with students, guiding them through various stages of their lives and entrepreneurial endeavors. My team of around 50 business owners also strives to raise funds and support, building a charitable school for children in remote areas each year. In 2024, we built a school in Son Lam commune (Nghe An province) and collaborated with other business owners to support 10 children there. For me, providing valuable knowledge and creating opportunities for children to attend school is what I cherish most.

Mr. Ho Xuan Vinh:In my opinion, every business creates its own unique value for society. With that in mind, my company contributes to the Vietnamese construction and salt industries, benefiting both the people and businesses, generating income and opportunities for high-quality human resources. Especially in the field of science and technology, when our company successfully commercializes its inventions and innovations, we contribute to changing the face of the local science and technology and industrial sectors, improving the quality and standards of domestic production, creating greater value for the supply chain, and motivating other businesses to invest boldly in research and development. That is the long-term impact that a science and technology enterprise can make.

PV: To "activate" stronger economic development momentum, what specific and urgent proposals would you like to convey to the relevant authorities?

Ms. Vu Thi Thai An:In my opinion, the most urgent task for government agencies now is to thoroughly and empathetically support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) nationwide. They are entering a new phase where new laws are not yet firmly established, and they face the challenge of creating jobs and generating revenue for their businesses. What they most desire is for authorities to provide the utmost support to SMEs, allowing them to operate fairly, easily, and transparently. Only then will we have the time and motivation to develop the economy.

Mr. Ho Xuan Vinh:Indeed, the development of businesses depends heavily on the support and facilitation of relevant authorities. From a scientific and technological perspective, I hope that the Nghe An provincial government will soon issue a Resolution related to support for science and technology and digital transformation so that businesses can thrive.Nghe An businessesThis will quickly give them a competitive advantage in market development. I also hope that the Intellectual Property Law will prioritize and support inventions with commercial value. In addition, stronger enforcement of protection laws is needed to prevent the theft of designs and ideas followed by predatory pricing.

Hopefully, with the attention of the authorities, legal regulations will serve as a foundation to help businesses invest, innovate, and develop sustainably with confidence.