After graduating with a degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management, I was determined to build my own career. Despite the tough job market during COVID-19, I was fortunate to land a role as a Product Executive at VNG, and later as a Product Manager at Firegroup. With strong support from colleagues and managers, my career, despite being outside my field of study, went smoothly for over four years.
Throughout that time, my father and I often talked, and I came to see the deep, boundless passion he had for the awning and tarpaulin business. It struck me as a real shame if that legacy was not carried forward. So I decided to leave my job and return to take over the family business, stepping once again into an entirely new field.
Starting out as a newcomer, I had to learn everything from the ground up. Unlike the digital products I was used to, information about Vietnam's awning industry was scarce and hard to find. Worse, the company's data still lived on paper and scattered spreadsheets, making it hard to see the bigger picture, and I suspected this was also holding back every new hire.
So I proposed implementing an ERP system. The idea met resistance at first, but I worked to win over our long-tenured staff by showing them the benefits and personally training them. They struggled early on, as they were used to the old ways, but gradually came to see the system as a real help for business decisions, pricing policies, and beyond.
An efficient operation, though, is only half the story. As a former Product Manager, I believe a great product is what truly sets a business apart. Vietnam's awning industry today competes mainly on price, which drags down quality and squeezes margins. Amid Vietnam's rapid urbanization, my father and I are now focusing on premium product lines cassette awnings and aluminum louvered pergolas, hoping to help make our cities more beautiful along the way.
Throughout that time, my father and I often talked, and I came to see the deep, boundless passion he had for the awning and tarpaulin business. It struck me as a real shame if that legacy was not carried forward. So I decided to leave my job and return to take over the family business, stepping once again into an entirely new field.
Starting out as a newcomer, I had to learn everything from the ground up. Unlike the digital products I was used to, information about Vietnam's awning industry was scarce and hard to find. Worse, the company's data still lived on paper and scattered spreadsheets, making it hard to see the bigger picture, and I suspected this was also holding back every new hire.
So I proposed implementing an ERP system. The idea met resistance at first, but I worked to win over our long-tenured staff by showing them the benefits and personally training them. They struggled early on, as they were used to the old ways, but gradually came to see the system as a real help for business decisions, pricing policies, and beyond.
An efficient operation, though, is only half the story. As a former Product Manager, I believe a great product is what truly sets a business apart. Vietnam's awning industry today competes mainly on price, which drags down quality and squeezes margins. Amid Vietnam's rapid urbanization, my father and I are now focusing on premium product lines cassette awnings and aluminum louvered pergolas, hoping to help make our cities more beautiful along the way.
