Along with other careers, entrepreneurs also have had a traditional day to be proud of, because the Party and Government have recognized the role of entrepreneurs in the work of innovating and building the country. However, the feeling of entrepreneurs this year is different a bit from that of the previous years, because the global economic crisis has made the trading business of businesses face with lots of difficulties. A bit of that sad feeling is the useful quietness for businesses to look back in order to support, cherish more the aspiration, the will, and the desire of rising…” Dr Mai Huu Tin, President of Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs’ Association shared with reporters of Binh Duong Newspaper like that in an exchanging meeting on the occasion of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs’ day on October 13th…
- First of all, congratulations you on the ocassion of October 13th, the day of business community; by the way could you tell us your feeling about this day?
- The feeling of proudness is also permanently like every year because the role of entrepreneurs is noticed by the Party and Government then there has been this day. However, beside the proudness there is still a bit of sadness, not having the complete happiness like every year because many businesses are not operating well. This year, businesses have more time to sit together and a bit of sadness that is the useful quietness for businesses to look back together, then supporting the will more for the cherishing business plans.
- In difficulties people usually talk about Vietnamese will and desire. With entrepreneurs, in your opinion, how are these things showed?
- First of all, I have to assert that Vietnamese people and Vietnamese entrepreneurs, at any time, have never been afraid of difficulties. In difficulties, the will and desire of Vietnamese people show its biggest power. The time of predecessors like Bach Thai Buoi being blocked by the imperialists and compradors with the time of current businesses since joining the “game” of WTO with competition chalenges and effect consequences of global economic crisis are two totally different situations. However, the common point of the generations of senior businesses and current businesses is that the Vietnamese will and desire in business are always showed by resilient and undaunted spirit of Vietnamese people which have been formed through out the length of thousands of years of history. Nowadays businesses also inherit the quality and desire of senior businesses, in the difficulties of integration period, Vietnamese businesses always assert to be able to do all the things. In reality, in the current Vietnamese business team there are still some cases having rised and asserted themselves in the global integration situation quite popular. One example is the case of businessman Tran Ba Duong, Chairman of Truong Hai Auto Corporation. Being an owner of a domestic auto business, having to face with many big auto industry groups in over the world, but the number of autos selling to the market of Truong Hai has exceeded other big groups in the world attending in Vietnam. Is that the assertion of the will and the business desire of Vietnamese entrepreneurs?
- But in the current hard situation, are the will and the belief of Vietnamese entrepreneurs being decreased?
- Although having difficulties but I always believe that they will pass, rise and continue to assert themselves. However, I also hope that the stage of getting over difficulties of businesses will be faster, easier by long-term and stable guidelines, policies like the assertion of Government. That is also the thing that entrepreneur team desires the most nowadays. The effort of each person in entrepreneur team is unlimited, but if being helped by reasonable policies from Government, the effort of Vietnamese businesses will quickly attain the result.
- With the role of an administrator, how have you led U&I Investment Corporaton – your own company to get over difficulties?
- We are also like other businesses, having to get over difficulties by the ways that we find appropriate with the condition and situation of ourselves. U&I is an investment company, not a company that operates professionally in a particular field as the kind “jack of all trades and master of none”. But if considering following this meaning, our job is to go investing. In the current situation, it’s so lucky that all fields that U&I has been investing are all operating well, because all companies that U&I invests in are all controlled by professional managers, having wide knowledge and the advantage about the operation fields.
However, there are also a few big business objectives that were thought to be very possible at the starting time, then nowadays because of common difficulties, exceeding the real abilities, U&I has to cut back. It’s not only U&I, but other businesses also do so to wait for chances and will continue to follow when right time comes. If those objectives can’t be implemented in the current situation, we will prepare the human resources, strive continuously in order that when chances come, when the environment is more convenient, we will turn back to follow the objectives that we have formed. Maybe, because of difficulties, the stage of implementing the objectives will last long, but when having been entrepreneurs then we will not capitulate.
- With the role of the President of an interdiscriptionary investment company, have you felt pleased yet?
- I think I myself never feel pleased with things I have done. All of my passion and desire on business are all in the future. We always think that, the achievements having from business should be turned back to serve for society then our effort can have bigger values. At the side of taking the effect on business to serve for ourselves, our family or staffs and employees in the company is also good objectives, but when businesses lead to wider community then those objectives are also more meaningful. This is also the objective and orientation of U&I in both present and the future.
- Return to the role of the President of Vietnam Young Entrepreneurs’ Association, do you have any messages to send to young entrepreneurs on the occasion of this October 13th?
- Young entrepreneurs should believe in yourselves and the future of our country.
- Thank you very much!
Thanh Son (implementing)
Translator: TM (Unigroup)
