Happy Family - A Foundation for Success, Say Businesswomen

4:20:23 PM | 3/2/2006

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, March 8, Vietnam Business Forum of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry interviewed businesswomen about their lives and business experiences.

Tran Thi Yen, director of the Lang Biang Mineral Water Plant

Businesswomen have more advantages than male colleagues thanks to their soft and charming behaviour. If they can learn determination from men, they will become perfect. A scientist as I was, I was very nervous when I started my business career. Fortunately, I have received much support from colleagues.

The difficulty for businesswomen is how to harmonise their business activities with family life. Many businesswomen are successful in their business but fail to complete their role as wives and mothers, so they are unhappy. Another difficulty results from a prejudice that women are less intelligent than men in doing business. In fact, women can develop fully their ability as excellent managers if they are trusted and placed in right positions.

Pham Thi Hong Phuong, director of the Full Moon Resort in Binh Thuan

People think that only men can do important jobs while housework belongs to women. When I started my business, I faced many difficulties because I was too young and older men did not listen to me as they thought they were more intelligent than me. However, I thought that time would give them an answer because there was no difference between men and women in doing business. Women are sometimes careful and clever, and calmer than men.

I think that family happiness is the most important thing for businesswomen regardless how successful they are. This is because happiness is a solid foundation, helping us beat all obstacles in business activities. I have a good husband, who shares with me housework and child care. I am very happy, so I do my work better.

Tran Thi Thanh Mai, general director of the Phap A Company

I entered the business field not only to seek a job but also to satisfy my dream of travelling to every corner in the world to explore interesting things and enrich my knowledge. However, business is not an easy job. At first, my enterprise traded PCs and I faced many difficulties because of a lack of experience and this kind of commodity sees its price going downward very quickly. After two years, with experience learnt from trips to foreign countries, I decided to shift to the trading of drinks and opened a supermarket on Nguyen Van Troi street, right at the gate of the Tan Son Nhat international airport. Recently, I established a company in the US to provide study consultancy services for Vietnamese students. I have planned to establish a school for training business administration and English for those students who want to go to the US for study.

I think business is an attractive job, which offers me opportunities to learn about new things and to have interesting trips. However, businessmen, and especially businesswomen often have to travel a lot and pressure is very heavy. Businesswomen have to arrange their timetable in a suitable manner. They need support and sympathy from their families.

Nguyen Xuan Tra Mi, director of the Great 4 Business Company

I have a busy working schedule with many tasks. I act as the organiser of events for famous foreign firms and a marketing consultancy or business director for domestically-developed projects. To complete my job, I have to sacrifice my entertainment and rest time and have to organise my schedule very effectively. Over the past ten years, I have had to exert a great effort. That is why I have not had time for my private life.

I always strive to become an intelligent, dynamic and decisive businesswoman. I want to spend all of my passion on life, so each minute of my life is meaningful.

Doan Thi Kim Hong, Chairwoman of CIAT and the most popular contestant of the Mrs World Pageant 2005 in India

I faced many business start-up difficulties. Advertisement and fair organisation in Vietnam were still immature. I had to work and study alongside my great passion. I had to go to developed countries, such as the US and Japan, for study for more than two years. Therefore, I learnt knowledge and experience for the business. At the same time, I have to try my best to meet all the demand of my customers.

I think that entrepreneurs should have two words ‘HEART’ and ‘PRESTIGE’ apart from knowledge. ‘HEART’ has a great meaning in life of an entrepreneur, especially woman. This word helps businesswomen adjust their behaviour in management and lifestyle. The word helps them attract talents to increase their business strength. At the same time, ‘PRESTIGE’ is very important as keeping prestige of enterprises and trademarks will secure 90 per cent a success for enterprises.

M.N