Born and raised after the liberation of Vietnam. The young generation of today’s Vietnam is regarded as “dynamic”, “daring to think, daring to do”, and “willing to face challenges”. Ms Phan Dinh Phuong Anh, founder and CEO of Mya Communications, is a typical example. In celebration of the 32nd anniversary of our Southern Liberation day, we have an up close and personal interview with this young lady.
Was it a risky decision to leave a well paid job at a famous foreign investment fund in Vietnam to establish your own business?
Well, I think I’m truly inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of the older generations. Our young generation has been very fortunate. We were born in a peaceful time. Thanks to our pioneers in business who dared to take risks during the transformation of our economy, and to rise above challenges to successfully create the economic achievements that we can inherit today.
Compared to entrepreneurs in the 80s and 90s, we have major advantages. Above all, we have a great chance to learn from their experiences. With Vietnam’s international economic integration, we are able to be exposed to even more of the world of knowledge.
Sir Richard Branson, a UK billionaire, founder of Virgin Corporation has a famous quote, “Screw it! Let’s do it!”. I strongly believe that entrepreneurial spirit is a common trait of successful persons. Hopefully, I’ll be able to learn a lot from them.
While many people are trying to develop their careers in the “hot” sectors like investment & finance, it’s a surprise that you do not continue to stick with the finance industry, where you already have accomplishments. What made you choose PR (Public Relations), a new industry? Is there anything exciting about this industry?
You know, one of the great things about the PR industry is how we can creatively communicate to win support from the public. There are many criteria to evaluate the efficiency of PR activities. Personally, I tend to look for the answer to the question
What does the public think and do after exposure to the message?” as the best evaluation criteria.
People have their own individual emotions after receiving the message. They may either like or dislike it, be enthusiastic or bored. If positive coverage about a company cannot win support from the public, but instead an adverse reaction if the public views the coverage as some kind of “self-promotion”, then that is not efficient PR.
The biggest challenge is how to make the public think positively about “you”, rather than self promotion. I think this is what makes PR such an exciting and dynamic industry. I’m just proud to be part of it.
I’m aware that you do not have formal PR training. What makes you confident that you can succeed in such a new, challenging industry?
If a PR professional has the ability to communicate the message to the public at the right time in the right manner, he/she has a 50 per cent chance of success. The rest depends on the ability to research & plan strategically to make sure the message will not only reflect deep understanding of the industry and business environments, but most importantly to create a unique hallmark for clients.
I’m lucky to have working experience in diversified industries. Most importantly, I’m with a team which has supplementary skills & knowledge. This ensures Mya Communications can meet clients’ strict demands.
During the time when I studied law and eventually worked at a foreign law firm, I learned to develop reasoning skill and the skill of thinking from different perspectives when approaching an issue. When I was involved with the investment fund, I spent great deal of time talking to hundreds of entrepreneurs in different sectors in Vietnam. As a result, I was able to learn how to evaluate risks & opportunities, and learn how the organization evolves at different stages.
Moreover, I was also lucky to become member of the Board of Directors of one listed company and private company. This gave me invaluable insights into company operations and dynamics in organizational culture, and employee and investor relations.
Do you have any difficulty persuading prospective clients to utilize the benefits of PR services? There are many advertising & PR agencies currently operating, does this mean more competition for your new business?
There is a great principle about the relationship between a company and its customers. The success of an enterprise does not solely depend on the ability to sell, but also on the demand for the services/products of that enterprise.
90 per cent of Vietnamese enterprises are still small & medium sized. It’s obvious these small & medium enterprises (SMEs) will soon need a tool, like PR services, to boost their competitive advantage. If they efficiently execute PR activities, enterprises can indeed develop business based on “their network of relationships” & not necessarily on big-budget advertising activities.
I’m always interested in case studies of PR activities playing crucial part in a company’s success. The more I search, the more relevant examples I find. For instance, it’s really fascinating to see that efficient PR activities significantly helped make Starbucks the No.1 coffee chain in the world.
As for competition, I think it always exists. If PR companies are diversified in terms of their services, customers will have much more choice. If customers prefer a PR company with a deep understanding of Vietnam’s business environment and able to provide the right strategic planning for business communication solutions, then Mya Communications is the one. Mya Communications is currently not the top advertising & PR agency, but I strongly believe customers will soon realize the added-value & synergy that Mya Communications can provide.
Doanh Thu
Vietnamese
