Hoa Sen University Partners with Businesses in Ho Chi Minh City to Spread the Value of the Golden Brand

The Entrepreneur Talk is one of the projects conducted by Hoa Sen University in collaboration with businesses awarded the “Ho Chi Minh City Golden Brand” under the guidance of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade. With the theme “Effective Business Trends 2023,” the first session of the series was held on April 28, 2023, at Hoa Sen University.

The program received participation from:

• Ms. Le Nguyen Duy Oanh – Deputy Director of the Center for Industrial Support Development, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade;
• Mr. Nguyen Anh Duc – CEO of Saigon CO.OP, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Retailers Association (AVR);
• Ms. Tran Tue Tri – CEO of Pharmacity, Executive Board Member of AVSE Global;
• Mr. Tran Hoang Ngan – Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors – CEO of Colusa – Miliket Foodstuff JSC;
• Mr. Vo Van Khang – CEO of Vietnam Media and Technology Development Company (Vinatech);
• Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan – Deputy CEO of Sales at Colusa – Miliket Foodstuff JSC;
• Ms. Nguyen Thanh Giang – Executive Director of Vietnam Brand Purpose;
• Mr. Tran Hoang, Chairman of the Vietnam Marketing Association;
• Mr. Luu Nhat Tuan – Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Culinary Association under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism;
• Mr. Vo Hong Van, Member of the Editorial Board of Saigon Economic Times;
• Associate Professor Dr. Vo Thi Ngoc Thuy – Principal of Hoa Sen University;

Along with the Heads of Departments representing various Faculties, Institutes, Centers, as well as a large number of students and postgraduate students from Hoa Sen University.

Speaking at the seminar, Associate Professor Dr. Vo Thi Ngoc Thuy shared: “The Entrepreneur Talk is honored to be a program that continues the values of the ‘Golden Brand’ Award and inspires through the knowledge of entrepreneurs who have extensive experience in brand building to the next generations. Hoa Sen University believes this is a golden opportunity for students and postgraduate students, as there is nothing comparable to learning from the actual situations of businesses, from the challenges, from the successes, and the difficulties faced, especially during the recent Covid-19 pandemic. With different themes in each session, the Department of Industry and Trade, Saigon Economic Times, along with entrepreneurs and Hoa Sen University will bring The Entrepreneur Talk series to many other universities across Ho Chi Minh City.”

In the first session, the speakers were experts in business management and CEOs of companies that have achieved notable successes recently. The speakers shared detailed stories about the practical experiences of businesses in the process of building and developing their brands.

Discussing the opportunities available for Vietnamese brands in today’s era, Ms. Tran Tue Tri, a Brand Building Expert, CEO of Pharmacity, and Executive Board Member of AVSE Global, shared: “In the recent period, Vietnamese enterprises have focused on developing and promoting brands in key sectors to create a sustainable ecosystem. Additionally, the youth today have begun to return and pay more attention to domestic brands. Vietnam is also one of the bright candidates for the China + 1 strategy. At the same time, the attractive domestic market and the rapidly growing middle class, as well as the swift development of e-commerce and social networks, are also factors that can drive the development of Vietnamese brands.”

For a brand to form and succeed, businesses also need to pay attention to customer perceptions, starting from the small details to achieve a grand vision and promote staff training and corporate culture development. These are also the insights shared by Mr. Nguyen Anh Duc – CEO of Saigon CO.OP. Regarding the business trends for the next phase, a representative from Saigon COOP believes that businesses can turn threats into opportunities to maintain stability and expand in the future.

According to Mr. Tran Hoang Ngan – Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors – CEO of Colusa – MILIKET Foodstuff JSC, a successful brand is one that receives consumer recognition, brand protection, and optimizes human resources to contribute to business operations. Beyond these factors, Mr. Hoang Ngan also shared: “For a brand to successfully develop, a business needs to converge five elements: product quality must always be a top priority; this leads to the connection that forms the product; bringing about a harmony of interests accepted by the majority for the community, society, workers, and the business; knowing both oneself and the competition, and combining the application of science to produce products that meet consumer needs.”

Each business will have different development strategies based on its size and scale. From the perspective of a leader of a small and medium-sized enterprise, Mr. Vo Van Khang – CEO of Vietnam Media and Technology Development Company (Vinatech), states that to conduct business effectively, especially during the period from 2023, businesses need to be adaptable and undergo changes in their working methods, management approaches, and market engagement strategies to align with current trends.

The audience participating in the program was also very enthusiastic about the exchanges with the speakers and raised many issues from their own businesses to the representatives of various enterprises. The seminar featured lively and interesting discussions not only from the speakers but also from guest representatives, students, and trainees from Hoa Sen University and other businesses and universities in Ho Chi Minh City.

Wrapping up its inaugural edition, The Entrepreneur Talk will return with a new look and theme in the next issue. The organizing committee hopes to continue partnering with businesses that have received the “Golden Brand” award to develop their brands and to serve as a driving force for other businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, to grow together. Additionally, the program aims to motivate and encourage an entrepreneurial spirit among the student community, master’s students, and to spread inspiration, helping young people gain the vision, mindset, and knowledge of a leader, thereby being ready to face challenges and break through to success in their own careers.

Information about the next issue will be announced as soon as possible on the official Facebook channel of The Entrepreneur Talk, Saigon Economic Times, Hoa Sen University, and the Institute of Postgraduate Studies & Leadership.