Startup Story:
I was born in Nam Định, and life brought my family south… Two things immediately impressed me when I first set foot in Saigon: its bustle and its wonderful food. Right then, I realized I wanted to run some kind of food business here in the future.
During high school, because I was physically weak, I joined several district sports clubs, including Boxing, Pencak silat, and Body building,… I was fortunate to receive extensive advice from coaches about the nutritional properties of different foods. I gradually began to understand how to eat to stay healthy and how to eat in a way suited to my own development.
During my first two university years studying Finance and Banking, I learned fundamental business concepts. Without wasting time, I began testing that knowledge by trying an online gift business under the brand “The curious box.”
In my third year at university, I wanted more exposure to real life and to learn selling from actual companies, so I became a broker at a Forex financial investment consultancy, then a distributor for a multilevel marketing company.
In my final year at university, I spent most of my time, including my internship and graduation exam preparation time, and… all my savings backpacking in Singapore to learn how business was done abroad. When I returned, I applied for a Sales Representative position at Japanese beer company Sapporo. That period taught me many lessons I had never learned at university. Fortunately, I still managed to pass my graduation exams “safely.”
…and so, Vietnam’s fast-food arena gains another contender
A month later, I was hired as an office employee, giving me a stable income to support my family. But my childhood dream still burned within me, and the time spent struggling through different jobs only made me more determined. I began seeking like-minded ‘teammates’ with business experience to form a ‘fighting’ team. We now have 5 members, and I have decided to devote all my time to launching my first F&B brand: Hotdogs & Yogurts JOY (www.hotdogjoy.com). Targeting school and university students and office workers, with the core value ‘Real Touch’ (Images are NOT merely illustrative), it promises to make waves in the F&B ‘arena’ on the upcoming 10/05/2015. Stay tuned!
Take a Look at the Future of a Vietnamese-Owned Fast-Food Brand:
Take a look at more lively photos of Hotdog JOY from the YUP! Startup Challenge 2015 event
>> Great Articles on Entrepreneurship
