The shared experiences below only pertain to our involvement in asset management, finance, money, and market expansion.
July 13, 2015 marked Equitix founder Mr. Phung Le Lam Hai’s first overseas trip to Hong Kong. The city, with its unique blend of Chinese and British cultures and its status as a major financial center, offered Mr. Hai his first exposure to multinational asset management.
2018: First foray into the real estate market in Thu Duc to explore and research the market: land purchase, valuation, design, construction, handover, resale.
2018: Successfully raised $1 million in funding for a B2B2C business model with SSIAM.
November 19, 2018: Visited Guangzhou, China, to explore the world’s top manufacturing country. The goal was to understand Chinese culture, people, business practices, and the country’s strategic direction in competing with the United States, as well as to delve deeper into the supply chain and the impact of logistics from mainland China to Southeast Asia.
November 22, 2018: Chinese products offer a wide variety of styles, qualities, and are shipped quickly. Moreover, the prices are highly competitive.
On November 25, 2018, I joined a group of Saigon-based entrepreneurs in a venture to acquire an 11-hectare property. The investment was driven by the government’s ambitious plan to develop Long Thanh International Airport, which was expected to significantly boost economic activity in the region and increase property values.
December 6, 2018: Attended the International Business Acceleration Elevator Pitch organized by UNIVERSITAT LEIPZIG and the Hinrich Foundation. Global Sources and the Hinrich Foundation, both initiatives of billionaire Merle Hinrich, are actively involved in Asia, fostering the development of Asian talent networks, financial education, asset management, MBAs, promoting trade, and encouraging global leadership development at top universities worldwide.
Award: Top 3 semifinalists, being allowed to participate in the final held in Leipzig, Germany.
December 12, 2018: Flew to the Philippines, specifically Manila, to meet with billionaire Rusty Lopez and discuss the export of our first product batch to a country with a population of 100 million, and a capital city with over 30 million inhabitants.
December 14, 2018: Had a team meeting in Manila, attended by HF, and participated in a Christmas party.
The author of the article in Gam7 – The Hidden Truth, published in 2018.
2018: Established SAADO Global, our inaugural company in the United States, headquartered in Houston, Texas. Simultaneously, we secured the first US trademark for our footwear brand. A press release announcing this milestone was distributed to over 70 international publications, including prominent outlets like Business Insider and Finance Insight.
2019: Launched two new companies: the Rabbit, focused on jewelry, and EmoBreaker, a strategic design and brand identity studio.
February 21, 2019: Departed for Leipzig, Germany, after a 16-hour flight, marking my first trip to Europe.
February 26, 2019: Reached the Top 3 Finalists for the Best Innovators Award in Leipzig.
February 28, 2019:
- Attended the Leipzig city fair, a city located in East Germany.
- Met numerous Vietnamese individuals who had been residing in Germany for over 30 years, having made their journey across borders.
- Visited the Đồng Xuân Market and the Bến Thành Market of Germany, experiencing a taste of home away from home.
- Explored the vibrant city of Frankfurt.
- Took a direct train to the magnificent capital of Paris, France, and stayed with two Vietnamese people deeply connected by a wartime love story, as they were determined to find their beloved in the fashion capital. This city, which welcomes over 80 million visitors annually, boasts ancient architecture dating back to 1180.
- The European journey solidified my belief that the next 100 years belong to Asia, especially Southeast Asia and Vietnam.
- In a particularly touching moment, I enjoyed Vietnamese food in a foreign land (Europe) at a 50% discount. Overwhelmed with emotion, I realized the immense potential of Vietnam’s food and beverage industry, given the abundance of high-quality ingredients compared to what I had tasted in Europe and other countries I had visited.
March 21, 2019: The best way to participate in any financial market, including the real estate market, is to have ‘skin in the game.’ Acquired 1000m² of land with friends.
April 1, 2019: Arrived at New Delhi Airport, India.
This is Sunil Bishnoi – he worked with me at a multinational company and we met to discuss the possibility of expanding Vietnam’s products into the Indian market of 1.4 billion people.
April 5, 2019: Arrived at Kathmandu Airport, Nepal. The purpose of this trip is to explore market expansion opportunities in Nepal.
Launched the Chevalier Business Review CEO Academy on April 30, 2019.
We have trained 300-350 CEOs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Please refer to the ‘CEO’s Response’ section for testimonials and insights from these CEOs and founders.
May 3, 2019: Met with a representative from the 12,000-store supermarket chain Walmart at their Ho Chi Minh City office. The company declined the offer due to insufficient financial resources to meet Walmart’s requirements.
On May 6, 2019, Met with Alex Ward from GS & HF to discuss RMIT scholarships for Holdings’ employees, focusing on education and financial training for personal and professional development. I believe this is key to helping employees grow and contribute to society.
In May 2019, I worked on the Ravolution Music Festival with my first boss, Tristan Truong. He founded RMF and has been a big inspiration for my leadership style.
July 28, 2019: Attended the first class taught by my mentor on Internal Control Systems (Finance + Human Management). The course was led by Professor Nguyen Huyen Linh, a PhD and ACCA holder, whose doctoral dissertation was completed at Kingston University (United Kingdom). As an authorized individual, I am permitted to utilize the professor’s dissertation as a foundational knowledge base for assisting SMEs in their growth journey towards becoming influential large enterprises in Vietnam.
Featured on MSB Bank’s homepage on August 1, 2019 for my social impact.
September 27, 2019: Opened a technology company about Affiliate & D2C.September 15, 2019: Arrived in Siam, Bangkok, to establish a branch in Thailand. I met up with Thao Tinh, a wonderful friend from Vietnam. She’s married to a Thai man and has been incredibly supportive in helping me successfully introduce my products to the Thai market. A truly good friend!
On September 27, 2019: Opened the first technology company focused on Affiliate and D2C (SaaS) models.
10.2019: After secretly having my intellectual property rights registered in India by a general contractor I met, I had to immediately return and register them through WIPO Madrid. Protected the trademark in 7 Southeast Asian countries + the United States.
29.10.2019: Visited Jakarta, Indonesia to explore market expansion opportunities. Met with Emerela & Victoria Kike, two Indonesian friends from a multinational company. When going multinational, you must understand the following:
- Each country has its own legal system.
- Taxes and corruption vary from country to country. The 0% tax rate enjoyed from ASEAN internal policies is only on paper.
- When you enter another country, you are a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
- Large financial institutions like Vietnamese banks have not gone multinational, where Vietnam’s resources and assets are held.
- The business model must be lean and smart.
- Human resources must have international capabilities.
- Language is a major barrier as not many countries speak English.
- You rarely have 100% ownership of a domestic company due to domestic ownership protection laws.
- Supply chain costs vary by country and can significantly increase costs if not managed efficiently and cost-effectively.
- Payment gateways are crucial for consolidating assets domestically and internationally.
13.12.2019: Met with 200 leaders of the HF organization after many years of working and being nurtured by knowledge, relationships, and experiences in over 11 Asian countries
2019 was also the foundation year for opening an investment and asset management company, specifically:
- Managing cash inflows and outflows according to standard SIPOC processes.
- Managing capital usage effectively and implementing business plans according to board resolutions and annual business plans.
- Presenting financial reports and asset management performance over time.
- Mergers and acquisitions; investing in subsidiaries and assisting in valuing subsidiaries based on capital structure from fundraising rounds to IPOs.
- Improving net profit, company valuation, EPS, P/E, and maximizing business management efficiency.
- Managing human resources.
- Expanding into international markets with payment, technology, and transportation services, and establishing companies in tax-friendly countries.
14.3.2020: Moved into the first office of 120 square meters.
As the youngest author among the top 20 experts and leading Vietnamese entrepreneurs featured in the 4 books of the Management and Entrepreneurship Group, which compiles articles with thousands of social media interactions:
- Startup: Leading the Race
- Branding: Paving the Way to Success
- Steady Steps: The Marketplace
- The Art of Leadership
Thank you to the founders of the group for creating opportunities for young people to develop and express themselves!
2020: Became a shareholder in the agricultural company Vuon Rau Bo Yeu
Later, exited and transferred ownership to the founder and CEO.
16.10.2020:Inspirational speaker at FTU Innovation & Incubation. Supporting young people has always been a goal. I share with them, and we work together to make society better and more livable.
4.3.2021:Grand opening of RVBY building and Picaal Box. Unfortunately, shortly after, the entire Holdings experienced a 7-month lockdown due to the pandemic but still persevered and restructured the asset management portfolio.
October 8, 2021: Blockchain and technology investment director at VietUnicorn, overseeing more than 200 NFT, GameFi (Game Studio) projects, and community building.
On average, we invest: $50,000 – $80,000 per project.
Investment round: Seed or private investment.
2021: 5 awards featured in World Brand Design, AIGA magazine for brand identity and packaging design.
- 2019:
- Idol Kid
- AIGA (America)
- SAADO Global
- World Brand Design (UK)
- 2020:
- Packaging of the world (US)
- Rokume World Brand Design (UK): (Rokume featured on Packaging of the world)
- SEUN Vietnam
- Ben Thanh Invest
May 25, 2022: Renamed Chevalier Business Review and merged Saado Holdings into Equitix Investing.com
Strongly restructured asset management portfolio after being under pressure of 3 years of pandemic and 6 months of lockdown: M&A, transferring and liquidation.
