[HN] Fresh Grad Corner – Career Insights: Inside Family Businesses, Large-sized Corporations & Start-ups

On Saturday morning, 6th June at the Innovation Hub, RMIT Campus in Hanoi, our alumni gathered to explore the topic “Inside Family Businesses, Large-sized Corporations & Start-ups,” with 80% of attendees fresh graduates from the classes of 2025 and 2026. The room buzzed with curiosity—a cohort standing at the threshold of their careers, eager to understand what it truly means to work in different organizational ecosystems.

Three Worlds, Three Perspectives

The heart of the event was a candid panel discussion featuring three leaders, each offering an insider’s view of a distinct career landscape:

Le Quoc Anh, Vice President of LeBros, opened the conversation on family businesses. Rather than stepping directly into his father’s company, Quoc Anh spent 10 years building his own identity and impact in the agency world, a deliberate choice that gave him the credibility to return home with confidence. He spoke candidly about the unique pressures of family business life: receiving more criticism than peers, yet remaining fiercely loyal to the organization. With characteristic humor, he acknowledged the blurred lines between work and family—when business challenges follow you to the dinner table, and your father’s feedback comes with both CEO authority and parental concern.

When asked what truly differs between family businesses and other companies, Quoc Anh’s answer was refreshingly honest: “Nothing, except you might see two people who look alike in the meeting room.” The work, the standards, the professional expectations—they’re remarkably similar everywhere.

Tran Viet Anh, Founder & CEO of Spiderum, painted a vivid picture of the start-up journey. Returning from Finland as an international student, his CV held only one line of experience: cleaner. Rather than chase jobs that wouldn’t hire him, he decided to build something of his own with zero experience and no roadmap. Spiderum’s journey has been anything but linear; the platform has “died and come back to life” countless times. Today, it stands as a thriving ecosystem for young voices, reaching 10 million users across multiple platforms. His story is a masterclass in resilience: turning inexperience into innovation, and uncertainty into opportunity.

Bui Quang Huy, Member of the Board at TMT Motors, embodied the power of growth within large-sized corporations. Starting as an intern, Quang Huy approached every task, even those outside his comfort zone with determination and a commitment to leave his mark. Over eight years of continuous learning and dedicated work, he rose to the board level. His philosophy captures the essence of corporate growth: “Big enough to learn. Small enough to be seen.” In a large organization, he found the sweet spot where professional development and individual recognition go hand in hand.

Deep Dives: Table Discussions

The conversation didn’t stop at the stage. During the table discussions, alumni had the chance to explore three distinct organizational worlds:

• “Why Is It a Double-Edged Sword?” with Le Quoc Anh explored the unique dynamics, pressures, and rewards of family business environments

• “Start-up with ZERO Experience” with Tran Viet Anh demystified entrepreneurship for those without traditional backgrounds, revealing how to navigate uncertainty and build from nothing

• “Big Enough to Learn. Small Enough to Be Seen” with Bui Quang Huy revealed strategies for thriving and standing out within larger corporate structures

What made these conversations special wasn’t just the polished insights, it was the raw, real-world experiences that rarely make it into textbooks. Alumni moved freely between tables, asking the questions that mattered most to them, discovering that each organizational type offers distinct advantages and challenges. Many insights and experiences that are difficult to share in formal settings found their voice here, creating a space for honest dialogue about career realities.

For fresh graduates navigating the early career period, this event offered something invaluable: a clear-eyed view of three distinct professional worlds. Whether you’re drawn to the legacy and complexity of family business, the autonomy and risk of start-ups, or the structure and growth potential of large corporations, the common thread is intentionality, resilience, and a willingness to learn.

Our special thanks to the conversation hosts, Le Quoc Anh from LeBros, Tran Viet Anh from Spiderum, and Bui Quang Huy from TMT Motors, for sharing their real-world experiences and insights that inspired our fresh graduates to navigate their early career journeys with confidence and clarity.

Fresh Grad Corner – Career Insights #1 reminded us that the best career advice comes not from textbooks, but from those willing to share their real stories, the wins, the struggles, and the lessons learned along the way. Three different paths. One shared mission: helping the next generation find theirs.

📷 View the event photo album here: Fresh Grad Corner – Career Insights #1

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