Software engineer quits job to make handmade leather goods, earning hundreds of millions/year

(Baonghean.vn) - Giving up a stable job at a famous software company in Hanoi, Nguyen Hoai Duc, born in 1990, chose to return to Nghe An to pursue his passion for making handmade leather goods.

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Nguyen Hoai Duc's daily working corner. Photo: Chu Thanh.

Working hard on a pile of leather goods with hammers, needles, and threads, Nguyen Hoai Duc shared that he came to the profession of making handmade leather goods as a fate, especially when the current job is not related to the major he studied at university.

After graduating with a degree in information technology and quickly becoming a web administrator with a good salary at FPT Company in Hanoi, everyone thought that Duc would stick with that job for a long time. However, the young engineer who loves freedom and always has new ideas was ready to decide to quit his job to follow his passion.

Making handmade furniture is a job that requires meticulousness, precision, perseverance and high creativity. Photo: Chu Thanh.

Giving up his software development career to pursue a career in handmade leather goods is also linked to Duc’s love story. When his girlfriend’s birthday, now his wife, came, Duc was wondering what gift to give, so he suddenly thought of making a gift for his wife by hand.

Thinking is doing, he went to the handmade leather shop to start implementing his idea. Unlike others who often choose to make small products such as wallets and key chains when making leather products for the first time, Duc decided to choose to sew bags, a product with a higher level of difficulty and more effort. To complete his gift, Duc spent more than a week fumbling around with piles of leather, needles and sewing threads. And from here, Duc's love affair with handmade leather products began.

Depending on the size and difficulty, a handmade leather product can take several days or even a week to complete. Photo: Chu Thanh.

Some time later, when he learned about handmade leather goods, Mr. Duc quit his job at FPT, much to the surprise of his family and friends. This was a difficult time for him. For many months, he devoted all his energy to self-studying and making leather goods. Thanks to his English and IT skills, he was able to quickly find the necessary knowledge and skills from websites, especially foreign websites.

From theory to practice is not an easy journey. To get the satisfactory products as now, Mr. Duc has spent a lot of effort and money. Because according to him, making handmade leather goods is not easy because it requires the craftsman to work precisely, meticulously, and persistently, especially when wanting to breathe life into the leather products he makes. Just one small mistake, the effort of working for several days can become meaningless.

Handmade leather products made by Mr. Duc according to customer requests. Photo: Chu Thanh.

Realizing that the trend of handmade leather products has the opportunity to develop in Nghe An, specifically in Vinh city, Mr. Duc decided to return to his hometown to build a career. Initially, his parents strongly opposed his decision. But with his own determination, over the past year, he has gradually proven to everyone that the path he is pursuing is not just a temporary impulse but a path with a long-term plan.

His products began to be known by many customers and were welcomed by those who love handmade leather goods in Vinh. His income from the job was also quite good, averaging about 20 million VND/month.

For him, making handmade leather goods is not only a profession but also a passion. He himself always believes that youth only comes once, so it must be lived with passion and enthusiasm./.

Chu Thanh