Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in publication but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tam Nguyen, owner of VietCan Books, located in Calgary, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
VietCan Books is an online bookstore that provides books and other resources for English-Vietnamese bilingual families to help children learn Vietnamese in an English-speaking environment. We support families in Canada and the US.
Tell us about yourself
After having my first child in 2019, I was determined to raise her bilingual. But I found very little resources to enable me to teach her Vietnamese. Vietnamese communities that I have joined voiced the same concern, so I bridged that gap by launching VietCan books, and consolidating books from different sources into a one-stop-shop. While there is a huge selection available in Vietnam, quality of content and translation are always big issues. I'm determined to improve the quality of available books to readers. I also have a mission to introduce bilingual families to Vietnamese authors, as well as other authors who write about cultural diversity and inclusion.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being able to provide a consolidated platform for a great collection of books to help children learn Vietnamese, and to help adults in this daunting journey.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
While I have the passion to weed through numerous books and pick out the best, spending countless hours researching books, I'm not good with social media and finding my audience.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
1. Determine what your passion is. Your passion will keep you going on days you want to quit.
2. Ensure you have a network of support. You can't start a business alone.
3. Be patient and continue to invest a consistent amount of time into your business.
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.instagram.com/vietcanbooks/
https://www.facebook.com/VietCanBooks
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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