A female Vietcomreal entrepreneur: Integrity has helped me avoid many failures.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day (March 8), we had a conversation about the life and career of Nguyen Thi Phuoc, CEO of Vietcomreal, one of the successful female entrepreneurs in Ho Chi Minh City’s real estate market.

In the business world, especially in real estate—which is a demanding industry—what led you to choose this path?

My journey into real estate came as a matter of fate. I grew up in a family with a tradition in education, but I had a passion for business from a young age. At the age of 30, with very limited capital, I left my hometown of Khanh Hoa for the Central Highlands to start a business. That was when Hiep Phuc Company was founded, going through many ups and downs alongside the coffee industry.

In 2003, when the coffee market experienced major fluctuations, the real estate market was also undergoing strong changes. By chance, I shifted into real estate. With personal effort, along with the support of our leadership team and dedicated employees, we overcame many challenges to build the brand we have today.

Having experienced many ups and downs in both your career and family life, have you ever wished you could go back and choose a different path?

Life is something we only live once, so I don’t believe in turning back time. I have experienced both success and failure, but I always live and work wholeheartedly, which allows me to enjoy life.

However, I also recognize that challenges always lie ahead. The greatest challenge is often the pressure from past achievements. This motivates me to continuously invest time in research, learning, and understanding market trends to develop suitable products for the future.

Today’s women are dynamic, successful, and sometimes even better leaders than men. What is your secret to balancing work and family life?

Life doesn’t give everything to anyone, and no two people are the same. I believe sacrifice and patience are essential qualities for women. Balancing work and family is never easy.

For me, I always remind myself to set boundaries in my work. I am also very family-oriented. To me, success means having a job I love and a happy family. With that mindset, I know how to allocate my time effectively between work and family.

As a female entrepreneur in real estate, the pressure must be immense. How do you overcome these challenges?

To me, business is like a game where risks are always present. Instead of asking, “What should we do during difficult times?”, managers should ask, “What is causing our difficulties?” and focus on resolving those issues.

I believe that business is similar to how we treat people in life. Ultimately, the most valuable things are respect and relationships—the regard others have for you, whether you are at your peak or have stepped aside.

What is your competitive advantage in business?

To meet the increasingly high demands of customers, I believe product quality and corporate credibility are key to success. A real estate company that focuses on diversifying products across both mid-range and high-end segments to meet different customer needs will be less affected by market fluctuations.

In nearly 30 years of doing business, have you ever had to “pay a heavy price” for a wrong decision?

I rarely fail, and if I do, it’s not significant. Perhaps I have been fortunate, but in business, no one can succeed forever—especially if they neglect credibility, even just once.

Every profession has its ethical standards. In real estate, when building homes for sale, developers must honor their commitments to buyers regarding both construction progress and quality. We should remember that many customers spend their entire lives saving for their first home.

Thank you for the conversation!

Nguyen Minh – Nhip Song Kinh Te