A Passion for Business Sparked by a Small Opportunity

My interest in business began with an internship at a well-known hotel chain in Quang Ninh City. I took on this role hoping to gain experience during my summer break and challenge myself while earning money through my own efforts.

Childhood Memories Inspire a Unique Bamboo Business Idea

Curiosity about how the world works has always drawn my attention to detail. Hotels frequently use disposable plastic toothbrushes for their guests. My deep concern for the environment pushed me to find a sustainable alternative to reduce plastic waste. Recalling my childhood visits to traditional bamboo craft villages with my mother, I immediately saw an opportunity. I came up with the idea of starting a business producing bamboo toothbrushes, using affordable sustainable materials to replace plastic ones.

To understand consumer behavior, I conducted research titled "Examining the Determinants of Green Purchase Intention among Consumers in Northern Vietnam: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach." I surveyed nearly 400 consumers in Northern Vietnam and found that people are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental impact. Seeing the potential of these results, I launched my startup project, EcoSmileChoice.

I leveraged the relationships I built during my internship to approach hotel managers for business partnerships. With reasonable pricing and a high-quality product, the managers were highly interested in my proposal. We successfully set up retail booths at the main entrances of hotels to promote our products, selling 100 toothbrushes in only 3 days. Additionally, we distributed 500 sets of toothbrushes to 3 hotels in Ha Long, generating 10 million VND. Through this project, I learned how to operate and manage a business model. It was my first time being involved with market research, procurement, packaging design, and sales strategy development.

From Art Enthusiast to Entrepreneur

My passion for business continued to grow after the success of EcoSmileChoice. I’ve always sought opportunities to generate income in every situation. With collaborators leading the VieSouvenirs Club, a project focused on fabric mosaic art, I came up with the idea of using my artistic talent to create a new business opportunity. We organized Fabric Mosaic Art workshops where I mentored participants on creating art from fabric scraps. The workshops attracted many young people, generating 2 million VND per session.