From Refugee To Legendary: The Roller Coaster Hustling of Serial Entrepreneur Tony Lam

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September 16, 2022

“I want to tell everyone it is NOT EASY. For all the folks in the restaurant/food business, I respect you and take my hat off to you.”

Tony’s current passion projects include helping to bring popularity to Vietnamese coffee in the United States and guiding the next generation of young, ambitious entrepreneurs to realize their full potential.

He is married to his lovely wife Van Lam and has two sons named Damon and Andy. His son Andy is on the spectrum (ASD), “Raising an autistic child has many challenges and requires a lot of patience. These kids have a special place in my heart.” Because of this, he is currently working closely with Linda Nguyen, founder Laugh Out Loud with Autism Foundation (LOLA) whom he got connected through the Asian Hustle Network (AHN), “Much respect for this beautiful human being for having a BIG heart. We need more compassionate leaders like her in this world.” he said.

Known for being a successful serial entrepreneur, Tony shared his successes and his humble beginnings and challenges that made him the hustler he is today.

Escaping Vietnam

My story began 45 years ago from today. During the Fall of Saigon (April 30th, 1975), I was only 3 months old when my family fled on a tiny boat to the US. My father was one of the Naval captains of the South Vietnam government.

My mother had just given birth to me and they had to make the difficult decision: Should they stay, or should they go with a 3-month-old baby and risk death by the communist government? They made the decision to drop everything they had and took a chance on a better life into the unknown.

My grandma, aunts, uncles, and cousins left everything behind and boarded the boat. My father to this day still has nightmares of the harrowing escape.

My mother had just given birth to me and they had to make the difficult decision: Should they stay, or should they go with a 3-month-old baby and risk death by the communist government?
-Tony Lam

A Fresh Start

My family was refugees in the Philippines for about 6 months. Not knowing what would happen, my family prayed hard and God answered our prayers. We were sponsored by an American family through Catholic Charities.

This American family took in a total of 6 of us, gave us a roof over our heads, put food on the table, and gave my family support for a couple of years to survive. My “sponsored grandparents” are now angels in heaven, but their kids whom I called Aunt Kim and Uncle John still live in southern California and we still communicate every so often. My family is grateful to their parents’ kindness and open heart to take in complete strangers into their homes.

My family would move to the Bay Area a few years later for a fresh start. My brother and sister were born, and we quickly became a family of 5. My father got his AA degree from San Jose City College and his trade was being a technician fixing medical devices for hospitals while my mother worked as an assembly worker.

Building Blocks That Lead To Success

I remember growing up in a poor neighborhood, teased by classmates for being Asian. Racism did exist at an early age for me but I did not let it bother me.

I remember my parents giving me a $100 allowance to buy enough clothes every year during my middle and high school years. So no, I did not grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I was grateful for what I had. I got decent grades but was not smart by all means in high school.

I attended California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) where I got my business degree. My dream was to open a business one day but I didn’t know at the time what it would be. My first job out of college was at Cisco Systems (’97). I worked for corporate for way too long (14 years). I was a workaholic working 60-70 hr. weeks to save up money to start a family one day.

I should mention that this all would not have been possible without the love and support of my wife. I met my beautiful wife Van Lam through a college friend. We chatted for 3 months via Yahoo Messenger, fell in love, and married her one year later in Vietnam. We have two boys (Damon – 10 yrs. old and Andy – 7 yrs. old)

While I was working at Cisco, I discovered my first hustle (Wingstop) and the many more that would follow after leaving the company.

I was a workaholic working 60-70 hr. weeks to save up money to start a family one day.
-TONY LAM

The Serial Entrepreneur

Wingstop Franchisee — for 5 Locations (San Jose, Milpitas, Fremont, Union City) in the Bay Area for over 3 decades.

COOP Marketing President — for 50 Wingstop in the Bay Area instrumental in inking the deal with the GS Warriors and becoming “The Official Wings of the Golden State Warriors” since 2015

Omni Bev Co-founder — the first company to have an RTD (Ready to Drink) Vietnamese cold brew with condensed milk on the market with a shelf life of over 6 months. Its coffee beans are imported directly from Da Lat. They also serve nitro cold brew!

Omni Bev Co-Founders Tony Lam and Tammy Huynh

Mavens Creamery Shark Tank Winner — a macaron ice cream place that started in a 400 sq. ft. garage, expanded to 300 venues, and 4 years later struck a Shark Tank deal on TV with Barbara Corcoran.

alaMar Kitchen & Bar Co-Owner — voted the Best Seafood Restaurant in Oakland by Oakland Magazine in 2020, was also featured in the Michelin Guide for 3 years, and on KQED

Okashi Fusion Co-Owner — with a 4.8/5 star rating on Yelp reviewed by 710 customers, is the “BEST POKE in town with the BEST desserts” as Tony describes.

VitaBowl Board Advisor & Investor — a premium on-demand delivery brand that serves locally sourced, vegetarian, superfood meals and beverages. Tony teamed up with Charles Michael Yim through Asian Hustle Network, who also struck a deal on Shark Tank. Charles has assembled an A-team of talent, “I am honored to be working with these guys. Together, we have started a new company VitaBowl.” he expressed.

Enterprise Purchasing Group Co-Owner — a group purchasing organization that leverages the combined volume of many e-commerce businesses to secure exclusive programs with major shipping carriers (USPS, UPS, DHL, FEDEX) for both domestic and international destinations. “Our team has saved 10’s of millions for many customers spending in the range of $10K to $70M+ to date,” Tony added, “If you ship at least 50 orders a day domestically, we can surely help you with saving with our program.”

A Few Hurdles That Turned Into Bigger Opportunities

When IOS apps were just coming out in 2011, my partner and I created a booking app called Chimpped, which allows users to book with all your service providers (e.g. your dentist, doctor, kid’s activities, restaurant, etc.). One and a half years later, we closed down our business because we ran out of money and did not get enough traction. The “high tuition” I had to pay through this failure allowed me to consult with other app companies.

The apps KEA, Nextforce, and WorkStream have gone through Series-A funding and 1 Seed round. The seeds have been planted, just waiting on fruits to grow.

The “high tuition” I had to pay through this failure allowed me to consult with other app companies.
-Tony Lam

What Is Next For Tony Lam?

Tony wants to dedicate his time to the special needs / autistic community and provide resources such as jobs and career-building services.

He is also planning on launching Andy’s cafe where a large portion of the staff hires will be from the special needs community. The plan is to launch this in 2023 in California. If successful, he would like to open 100 of these in the next 5 years to give the special needs community a safe place to work and be able to socialize with people

Lastly, Tony is planning on starting up a PE fund to invest in startup CPG companies.

Advice To Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Surround yourself with mentors and successful entrepreneurs. Join a support network of folks that bring positive energy
Write up a business plan so that you have done the research before venturing out
Have 18 months of the runway of savings to cover your expenses while you launch your company

You can reach Tony at tony@launchyourfirst.com

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From A Struggling Restaurateur To Successful Netflix Chef

The ability to cook does not, however, automatically translate into the capacity to manage a restaurant. The food industry is a fiercely competitive one.

Fortunately for Vietnamese chef Nikki Tran, he succeeded as an “accidental chef” despite his previous failures in the restaurant industry. But what exactly is the secret to his success?

Nikki launched his first restaurant in Vietnam but was doomed to flop from the beginning because of its quick decline. It started on a drunken night when he drafted his first business plan. He had put down a deposit on a new location that same night, hired a chef, and opened a new restaurant within a week.

The only problem was that the chef didn’t show up which caused trouble on the first day it was open. The restaurant also struggled to bring in customers despite the backing of Nikki’s famous actress friend, which resulted in a steady loss of revenue.

Nikki recognized his missteps and realized he was not as well prepared as he thought. Consequently, he worked to improve and reinvent his culinary skills. It did not end up being a challenge for him; instead, he worked toward opening a second restaurant in Houston, Texas, when he returned to the United States.

At that time, he got hooked on crawfish and began eating them frequently. He took it to Vietnam and experimented with it using a typical technique of its culture. His family, friends, and the first people in Vietnam are thrilled to try it out, and they’ve called it “Viet-Texan cuisine.”

This innovation, which was his take on the now-classic Viet-Cajun crawfish boil made using Vietnamese river prawns, became the one that accidentally brought and pushed him into the international limelight.

Soon, he was profiled by media outlets such as Vice, NBC’s Travel Voyager, Houston Eater, and Netflix. He did not let his first failure or lack of experience prevent him from pursuing his dreams and developing relationships until he became a Netflix star. He is also a familiar face in David Chang’s Ugly Delicious, Phil Rosenthal’s Somebody Feed Phil, and the critically acclaimed Street Food: Asia.

Today, Nikki operates three locations of his restaurant, known as “Ku Ba Quán.” And even though he is known for breaking the rules of traditional Vietnamese cuisine and blending in international influences whenever he feels it is appropriate, he has the impression that he has always gone his own way.

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Wu Makes Historic Singles Match Grand Slam Win For China In 63 Years

Wu Yibing became the first male tennis player from China in 63 years to win a Grand Slam tennis match with a victory in this year’s US Open beating Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3 6-4 6-0 in the first round.

The 22-year-old didn’t compete from March 2019 to January 2022 owing to elbow, back, shoulder, and wrist injuries, with elbow surgery being the most significant. But Wu didn’t want to use his injuries as an excuse.

“I don’t really like to talk about those injuries in too (much) detail because every player has injuries,” Wu had told the ATP website, “The mental strength that you have to go through the pain is part of the game,” he added.

Wu’s compatriot Zhang Zhizhen nearly joined him in the second round, but Tim van Rijthoven saved seven match points in the third set to win 3-6 6-7(4) 7-6(9) 6-1 6-4.

But Wu hopes they can both raise China’s flag, “We are both pushing Chinese men’s tennis levels and we’re still young… I think we’re going to get to the Top 100,”

As of this writing, Wu is ranked 173rd in the world for men’s singles. However, he hopes to move up the ranks when the 2022 U.S.

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Young Siblings’ Pest Control Startup Skyrocketed In Two Months After Their Tiktok Video Went Viral

In just two months, these two siblings launched a pest control business that now serves a wide area around Quezon Province and nearby cities in the Philippines. They are like any other young adult with unfortunate life prospects, but they’ve persevered because they know there must be a better way.

Pesconex Pest Control Services is owned jointly by its co-founders, Clark Dennies and Clarissa Joyce Demejes. They started their team with their cousin, who has grown to include four more members.

What began as a training ground provided by their uncle is now a well-recognized business offering services with a quick phone call around Quezon Province and even reached the island of Palawan.

Their uncle quickly loaned them money to help them start their own business. The effective pest control technique they use is a standardized process and is a convenient way to get rid of pests. They also made sure it is safe and environmentally friendly.

Within the first month, they serviced only a handful of clients, including a few homes, small sari-sari stores, and some bakeries — their parents even drove them to their clients. Nowadays, certain large companies and grocery stores are among the few that hire the team.

Their success and customer acquisition began when Clarisse posted a TikTok video demonstrating the service they are providing. Many netizens have praised what the two have been doing, and some are so impressed that they would like to utilize their services.

In just two short months, the siblings have established themselves financially and have also acquired their company car with their first significant earnings successfully.

Instead of focusing on the possibility that the endeavor will be unsuccessful, Clarissa encourages taking the risk. “Manifest that your business will be successful, do your best to succeed.” — she added.

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Asian-American Woman in Law On Finding Her Voice That Lead To Her Success In The Courtroom

When looking at an Asian-American woman, certain implicit biases exist. They are often judged as being too meek, timid, or passive to achieve their goals. They may be held back by such an evaluation, preventing them from realizing their full potential.

It was difficult for Asian-American lawyer Debra Wong Yang to speak up throughout her early career. In the long run, she realized that her inability to stand up for herself did not only hurt her but also her clients.

“Eventually, we all find a voice — my advice is to just make sure the one you ultimately adopt is actually yours,” she advised in her essay published by Law360.

Yang graduated from law school in 1985 when women were still relatively powerless in the legal field. Since she was still working toward the goal of following the path she had chosen, she has faced many challenges along her journey. She has witnessed it all, from the very traditional Chinese upbringing she received to the various sacrifices, frustrations, and challenges she must face on a day-to-day basis in her chosen field.

After years of practicing law and facing challenges in the courtroom, she came to a number of important realizations that helped her become a successful attorney. She remembered when she thought up some strategies that she hoped would assist her in communicating effectively with others.

Yang also tried to conquer her fear, and her motivation helped her cope with the situation and make further progress. With a lot of the many books she has read on leadership, she knows she has finally found her own approach to developing herself.

She aspires on detailing how she was preparing for her court session with an outline of her questions and concerns, and other litigants will be able to better manage their time with counsel. She realized she was getting better at defending her clients in court because she was able to keep her attention solely on the issues and evidence in her case.

When she was currently going through a period of learning and challenges, she learned that holding a position of authority does not guarantee respect from subordinates. She came to understand that one of the responsibilities of a leader is to address concerns raised by those who doubt one’s abilities.

In her courtroom sessions, Yang strongly suggests analyzing the situation first and looking for authentic solutions carefully. She strongly believed that the solutions to some problems sometimes are not immediately obvious and have never been tried before, or that it’s extremely straightforward. However, she is challenged to keep turning the issue over and over in her mind until she begins to see it from a new perspective.

Yang also stressed the importance of having mentors to turn to for advice and insight. She was assertive in her belief that one should be guided by the process of sitting down, thinking it through, and acting in a way that is most beneficial to them. She went on to say that if the message comes from within, the receiver will perceive it as more genuine and at ease.

In 2002, She was appointed by President George W. Bush as United States Attorney and became a former judge serving the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The fact that her success can be attributed to her strong leadership and the bravery that she possesses as an individual is a reason why she wields her power.

Not only does Yang share her own experiences, but she also provides valuable advice that other women can use to advance their careers. She stated, “My wish for each of you is that you will be brave when facing self-doubts, challenges, and obstacles. That you will dig deep, reach out if needed, do the research, make the tough decision and not be afraid of losing.”

The fact that Yang, an Asian American woman-in-law, was able to take control of her power demonstrates that one’s race should not determine the opportunities available to them or the path they choose to take in their professional advancement. However, by maintaining a positive attitude and giving oneself the power to make decisions, one will be able to live up to the standards and goals that have been established to assist in one’s own success.

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