Entrepreneurs Facing New Opportunities

Vietnam has placed one foot through the door toward deeper and broader integration with the global economy. While businesses from many countries recognized Vietnam's advantages early and poured investment into the country to seize the opportunity, many domestic businesses remain indifferent, without giving the new prospects sufficient attention or investment. ĐTTC records the concerns and recommendations of several entrepreneurs.

He Văn Đức Mười, General Director of VISSAN:

Make VISSAN a leading enterprise

 

45 years ago, on 20-11-1970, construction began on the “Tân Tiến Đô Thành Slaughterhouse”—the predecessor of today's VISSAN—on about 20ha of wild, marshy land in Bình Hòa Commune, Gia Định Province. Its mission was to pioneer livestock slaughtering and food processing in southern Vietnam at the time, laying the foundations for modern livestock slaughtering in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

After 4 years of construction, the factory was completed and began operating on 18-5-1974. Since then, VISSAN has changed its operating structure many times, becoming a member enterprise of Saigon Trading Corporation. Looking back on nearly half a century of establishment and development, VISSAN has continually adapted to the market through workforce training, investment in modern equipment and technology, organizational restructuring, and other efforts…

The country is integrating more deeply, bringing both opportunities and challenges — in my view, more challenges than opportunities. Yet the State has not prepared businesses well, leaving them to fend for themselves.

We hope the State will adopt policies supporting businesses. Particularly in today's large playing field, every industry is affected, but agricultural products are most vulnerable. In this context, to increase competitiveness, VISSAN is moving toward an integrated process and investing in the value chain to provide products that ensure food safety, increase domestic market share, and boost exports.

VISSAN's direction for the coming period is to become a leading enterprise in the food industry, helping drive the strong development of Vietnam's food industry. That is the aspiration of the entire VISSAN collective, with 45 years of growth in building a strong brand.

He Nguyễn Thu Phong, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Young Entrepreneurs Association:

Opportunities only arise at certain times

 

The year 2015 marked an important milestone for Vietnam’s economy as the country integrated increasingly deeply into the global economy, participating in negotiations and signing numerous bilateral and multilateral trade agreements.

In particular, the end of this year is also when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will be established. This is an opportunity for businesses, especially SMEs, because opportunities arise only at certain moments; if businesses do not seize them in time, the risk of losing their market is very high.

It must also be emphasized that when entering foreign markets, finances are critically important, yet this is a weakness for many Vietnamese businesses. But without boldly entering neighboring countries first, reaching a larger arena will be very difficult.

Looking at the ranks of young entrepreneurs, we can affirm that they have advantages such as dynamism, adaptability, and self-reliance, particularly the ability to equip themselves and their businesses with the resilience needed to enter a broader playing field.

Of course, difficulties remain, and although the Government has introduced support programs, they have not yet reached businesses directly. In the coming period, we hope the State will work with businesses on key programs such as finding new markets.

Mr. Tạ Minh Tuấn, CEO of HELP International:

You need to understand your strengths and weaknesses

 

Today's world is far more open, and young people like us have many opportunities to access the world's finest knowledge. However, I believe knowledge is not power; it is only a tool. What matters, and what constitutes power, is how that knowledge is applied in real life.

Equally important is experience that brings an understanding of society and the market in Vietnam. This can only come through ‘street smarts’: getting involved, stumbling and making an effort. Success cannot be measured by qualifications, although they may make a difference at the beginning.

So the issue is not where you start, but how you finish. You need to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Alongside building on your strengths, work to overcome your weaknesses to improve yourself.

Because life is not only about success but also about becoming a good person. People say that even if you do not succeed, you can become a good person. I believe you should become a good person in order to succeed. Make time for personal development every day.

What we need to learn are principles, then create further from them. Young people like us have many opportunities to access humanity's new advances; a peaceful country gives the young generation good conditions to develop and contribute.

He Markus Schneider, General Manager of Eastin Grand Hotel:

Travel must be professional

 

Human resources and service quality play crucial roles in a country's tourism industry, particularly its competitiveness in a globalized environment. Tourism and accommodation services must continually improve professional standards to lay the foundation for restaurant and service brands that meet quality standards.

These points will create a solid foundation for Vietnam to become a more attractive destination. Necessary changes are also needed to align Vietnam’s tourism standards with ASEAN’s shared standards.

Vietnamese tourism needs to accelerate in preparation for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community. Human resources play a central role in this development, especially in tourism. Personnel are trained in accordance with ASEAN's Mutual Recognition Arrangements for Tourism Professionals (MRA).

Tourism and travel play a very important role in ASEAN's overall economy, contributing about 4.6% of the bloc's gross domestic product (GDP), or 10.9% including indirect contributions, while directly employing 9.3 million people and indirectly supporting 25 million.

The development of international tourism within ASEAN will be one prerequisite for the international integration of Vietnam’s tourism industry.

He Trần Văn Mười, Chairman of the Board of Five Star International Group:

A goal serving consumers' interests

 

Over the past 40 years, Vietnam's economic outlook has grown brighter, particularly during the transition from a centrally planned, subsidized economy to a market economy, industrialization and modernization, opening up, and international economic integration.

As an entrepreneur, I feel that in recent years the Party and Government have created favorable conditions encouraging all economic sectors to proactively innovate, advance and develop in a highly dynamic market economy.

After 20 years of growth and development alongside the national economy, Năm Sao is now a large diversified business group operating in fertilizer production, trade, import and export, bonded warehousing, financial investment, real estate, tourism, and hotels, with over 10 affiliated companies and branches in Vietnam, the United States, and Cambodia.

Through continuous effort and innovation for consumers’ benefit, we have become a trusted brand.

He Nguyễn Vũ Bảo Hoàng, General Director of Thủ Đức Housing Development Joint Stock Company:

Joining hands to make the city more attractive

 

Every real estate investment and development business wants to create beautiful projects, high-quality products, and a good living environment for residents, helping make the city’s urban landscape increasingly attractive.

Over the past 40 years, the real estate business community has helped accomplish this alongside the city government and businesses in other sectors. We can easily see it in numerous transport projects and new residential developments in the southern and eastern areas, such as District 2, District 9, and Thủ Đức…

However, I believe individual businesses and residents are not yet truly satisfied with those results. We want the city's urban landscape to become more attractive, with new urban areas improving residents' quality of life and real estate businesses developing more sustainably.

Alongside businesses’ own efforts, leaders need to create more open conditions and faster, simpler procedures for businesses. This will motivate them to work together to make the city increasingly beautiful.