Success is doing what we want: coconut shell charcoal firm CEO

Quitting a stable, high-paying job at a bank, selling your house to start a business, seem extremely risky. What motivated you to do it?

I personally find it very normal. Other people may find it risky. But as an insider, I see that at a certain point of time with enough favorable conditions, we are confident of our ability and believe that a new job will bring happiness and different emotions.

When I started production, I had more problems to face and solve, through which I found out my limits and realized that if I could accept risks, just do it.

What are the differences between working for a bank and starting a business?

In principle, the differences are very clear. When I worked at the bank, I dressed in a stylish manner, had a car to pick me up, and was surrounded by professional staff. When I started my business, I worked in a factory, directly with manual workers.

Working in the bank, I received a stable monthly salary and bonuses at the end of the year. But as a business owner, I have to worry about money coming in on time to pay salaries and Tet (Lunar New Year holiday) bonuses to workers.

But the emotions they bring are also different. At the bank, there was a certain distance among colleagues. In the factory, people are very honest and open. I feel very happy because all of us here are connected and close.

I think any experience is wonderful, but at this time, now I'm older, I prefer closeness and honesty.

Were you ever fear that you wouldn't succeed?

I did not think about success or failure. For me, success doesn't mean a lot of money or doing something new to prove my ability. Success for me is seeing what I can do and the potential of this industry.

My definition is that success is not achieving big goals A, B or C, or clear, quantitative goals, but doing what I want in accordance with my own abilities.

You have no pressure at all, so do you work and enjoy everything?

That's right, even failures and difficulties I feel are natural and I am ready to deal with them.

What makes you so optimistic?

First, I am the type of person who lives for the present, which means I always try my best at everything. In my youth, I also lived my life to the fullest, experienced wonderful things and now looking back, I feel proud. Not everyone gets to experience the things I went through. Now, I still live like that, instinctively but not indulgently.

Living like that, for me, every day is an experience of many emotions. I am ready to confront everything and accumulate knowledge and experience.

In my life there were two major events. First, when my first child died, I thought I would never get over it and carry it with me for the rest of my life. However, then I calmed down and realized that no one wanted it to happen, I had tried my best, so just live a good life and God will make up for it. After that, God took pity on me and gave me another child.

The second incident was that my second child fell into a near-death situation. My 5-month-old baby contracted the hand-foot-and-mouth disease, with complications from meningitis, and was in a coma for a long time. I tried everything to save him and luckily he survived. I was so happy at that time, like going from the bottom to the top.

After those milestones, I felt that nothing could bring me down. There was nothing I could not overcome. I always keep in mind that everything will eventually have a solution. If not, it is a fate, and I will accept it.

Returning to Highlandbp, experiencing consecutive difficulties such as the pandemic, economic recession, high inflation and interest rates, how has the company coped with these?

While building Highlandbp, I faced many disadvantages. The company started operations in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. However, I still decided to follow the plan because everything had been prepared. The company initially worked to maintain customers. At that time, shipping costs were very high but the company accepted break-even or losses to get orders and customers.

After the epidemic was controlled, the company faced an economic crisis. Raw material suppliers pushed up prices, making consumption slow down. I opted for no expansion and only maintained operations at a minimum level. I was determined to find a way to survive first and then consider development.

Could you share how your business has survived?

Previously, the company planned to expand to some markets with better profit margins. However, in difficult times, I chose to maintain the existing markets.

Along with that, instead of exporting, the company focused on the domestic market. Domestic consumers started to pay attention to environment-friendly products that do not harm health, including the company's clean coal made from agricultural waste. Despite modest revenue because we joined the domestic market later than peers, it still helped us maintain production.

The company also found ways to save costs and reduce product prices. For example, we looked for suppliers offering more competitive prices, increased productivity, and retained senior, skilled workers instead of recruiting new ones with poor skills and low productivity.

We improved sales capacity as well. Besides selling to wholesalers or traders, we looked to many e-commerce distribution channels such as Alibaba, Lazada, Shopee and Facebook.

"Adversity brings wisdom", I have combined many solutions for the company to survive and overcome the current unpredictable period. This year the company has maintained operations at an intensive level as we have more customers, improved labor productivity, and lowered prices.

How has the company handled the pressure of high interest rates?

The company used financial leverage, so it really faced great pressure when interest rates increased. I raised capital from relatives and those who understand and trust my abilities. We borrowed loans in U.S. dollar at lower interest rates than Vietnamese dong, so our pressure eased to some extent. However, in the past three months, the exchange rate has increased sharply, making it more difficult.

How are the upcoming economic prospects?

The current economy is too unpredictable. Everyone hopes that it will become stable in the fourth quarter of 2023 and develop in the first quarter of next year. However, the recent escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas has lifted oil prices, causing product costs to increase, leading to a decrease in purchasing power.

On the other hand, as the year-end nears, businesses seem to hibernate and wait for a better year. I think that the economy will improve in the second quarter of 2024. In that context, businesses with limited capital will lose steam. With an economy as closely linked as it is today, such a business will affect others. The saying "when one horse is sick, the whole stable refuses the grass" is very true for the current situation.

Having given up stability to start a business at the age of 40, what advice do you have for women over 30 who are struggling with work?

Why don't we think that the older the ginger, the spicier it becomes? Don't turn age into a disadvantage. I think women over 30 years old have experience and maturity as advantages. Women under 30, when encountering difficulties, easily give up because they think they have a very long time to do it again. Those over 30 are more resilient, they will find ways to solve problems and thereby develop skills to handle difficulties.

In addition, women over 30 often have a stable family, so they are ready to devote time to their careers. This is another advantage in the eyes of employers.

Women over 30 now have many more opportunities to do things than in my time. They can open their own businesses by taking advantage of technology such as online sales, delivery management, website management, and content creation.

I want to advise women over 30 that there are many opportunities to work. Whenever you feel the job is suitable, take the plunge. Don't wait for this or that condition to start and miss the opportunity. Let’s know what you have, what you can do and be confident in what you have.