You Don't Know Vietnam

EXPLORE

Society & Culture

© 2024 PodJoint

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/25/3a/49/253a49e3-3826-d1dc-1d4b-0690f32167d0/mza_14662554663380392941.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

You Don't Know Vietnam

Ian Paynton - We Create Content

61 episodes

1 week ago

Vietnam’s economy is booming. Foreign factories are multiplying, GDP is surging, and global investors are calling it the next Asian powerhouse. But who’s really benefitting from this rapid growth? In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton speaks with journalist Lam Le, known for going beyond the headlines to tell the human-centred stories behind Vietnam’s economic rise. She explains what life looks like for the factory workers assembling products such as AirPods and MacBooks, and...

Show more...

Society & Culture

All content for You Don't Know Vietnam is the property of Ian Paynton - We Create Content and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Vietnam’s economy is booming. Foreign factories are multiplying, GDP is surging, and global investors are calling it the next Asian powerhouse. But who’s really benefitting from this rapid growth? In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton speaks with journalist Lam Le, known for going beyond the headlines to tell the human-centred stories behind Vietnam’s economic rise. She explains what life looks like for the factory workers assembling products such as AirPods and MacBooks, and...

Show more...

Society & Culture

Episodes (20/61)

You Don't Know Vietnam

E61: Factory towns, gig work, and the untold side of Vietnam’s economic boom

Vietnam’s economy is booming. Foreign factories are multiplying, GDP is surging, and global investors are calling it the next Asian powerhouse. But who’s really benefitting from this rapid growth? In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton speaks with journalist Lam Le, known for going beyond the headlines to tell the human-centred stories behind Vietnam’s economic rise. She explains what life looks like for the factory workers assembling products such as AirPods and MacBooks, and...

3 weeks ago

32 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E60: Why foreign leadership styles fail in Vietnam (and how to fix yours!)

Many foreign leaders arrive in Vietnam full of confidence — armed with a leadership style that’s worked everywhere else. But within weeks, frustration sets in. Teams seem hesitant, feedback is quiet, and quick wins are nowhere to be found. In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, cross-cultural leadership expert Julie Sivan joins Ian Paynton to unpack why leadership styles often don’t translate — and what you can do to make sure yours does. Julie explains the key mindset shift every f...

1 month ago

34 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E59: Navigating the grey area that can decide life or death for business in Vietnam

"That grey area or that almost darkness within a conversation can be life and death. And if you don’t have the trust to be able to have an honest conversation, you can meet an impasse and never move forward," says CBRE's Lawrence Lennon, in this episode of You Don't Know Vietnam. Lawrence, who is Director of Capital Markets Services at CBRE, tells Ian Paynton about the forces driving Vietnam’s next economic leap. From record-breaking FDI and infrastructure spend to the surge in tourism and ma...

1 month ago

30 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E58: Eat alone? Not in Vietnam — the F&B localisation playbook

What makes Vietnamese dining culture so unique—and why do so many global F&B brands stumble here? In this episode, Ian Paynton speaks with Loan Vu, hospitality expert and co-founder of SNL’s Diner in Hanoi. Loan shares how she’s adapted an American menu to fit Vietnamese tastes, from portion sizes to introducing turkey dinners, and why communal dining changes everything. We dive into the challenges of hiring and keeping staff in Vietnam’s high-turnover F&B sector, the importance of ki...

2 months ago

36 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E57: The future of retail in Vietnam — with e-commerce veteran Benji Lamb

If you're on LinkedIn and interested in Vietnam, you've probably already heard of Benji Lamb. He's the founder and CEO of Asia Circles, a company that partners with global brands to help them break into Vietnam’s retail market. And one thing's for sure: he knows his stuff when it comes to e-commerce. We dive into his first-hand experience living through Shanghai’s e-commerce revolution and the striking parallels—and differences—he sees in Vietnam today. Benji breaks down modern trade vs. gene...

2 months ago

44 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E56: Copywriting, killer audio ads and a drone show fail — the state of advertising in Vietnam

What’s really going on in Vietnam’s advertising scene? In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, we sit down with creative director Espin Hoan to unpack the fast, loud, and ever-changing world of Vietnamese advertising. We explore why copywriting rhythm matters in a tonal language like Vietnamese, why audio ads are having a golden moment, and what brands can learn from two very different campaigns — one that built genuine brand love, and another that left audiences feeling used (yes, we’re t...

3 months ago

31 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E55: Can Hai Phong become Vietnam’s Shanghai?

In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton travels (virtually) to Hai Phong — Vietnam’s third-largest city and rising industrial powerhouse — to speak with Koen Soenens, the Sales & Marketing Director of DEEP C, the European-managed industrial zone developer that’s been helping the shape economic growth in the region for nearly 30 years. Koen shares why Hai Phong is being compared to Shanghai, how Vietnam became a “safe bet” for global business, and what it really takes to suc...

4 months ago

37 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E54: Why slow is better in speedy Vietnam – with kombucha entrepreneur Faya Nguyen

In Vietnam’s fast-paced F&B landscape, where trends explode and vanish overnight, kombucha entrepreneur Faya Nguyen chose a different path — and it’s working. In this episode, Faya shares how she grew her brand Cultra Brewery from her parents’ garage into a premium kombucha supplier trusted by top hotels, restaurants, and wellness-minded consumers across Vietnam. We explore how slowing down helped her build long-term partnerships, why trust and transparency matter in Vietnam’s evolving bu...

5 months ago

27 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E53: Meet the stand-up comedian who made Durex Vietnam hilariously hyper local

Meet Ankita Ghosh, a creative director and stand up comedian who is based in Ho Chi Minh City and runs Saigon International Comedy. In this episode of You Don't Know Vietnam, she talks about the state of stand up comedy in Vietnam right now, what you can joke about and what you can't, and how the comedy scene changes from north to south. She explains what it was like moving from Bangladesh to Vietnam as a creative director in advertising, and talks through her role on the Durex Vietnam accoun...

5 months ago

35 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E52: Is Vietnam's richest demographic being ignored by brands?

Vietnam’s Gen Z may get all the attention but there’s another demographic with deep pockets and untapped potential. In this episode, Ian Paynton speaks with Lai Tien Manh, Managing Director of market research and branding agency MiBrand to uncover what global brands often miss when entering Vietnam. From the rise of local brands and the north–south cultural divide to the boom in digital payments and livestream commerce, Manh explains what’s changing fast — and what brands need to do to keep u...

5 months ago

26 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E51: Redefining "Made in Vietnam" with the rise of homegrown innovation

Thomas Binh Do is the Director for Global Business and Cooperation at VINASA, the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association. Using his experience working with more than 600 of Vietnam's tech companies, Thomas explains why Vietnam is so well positioned to become a tech and innovation hub in the region, and the country's vision to redefine the meaning of "Made in Vietnam". He describes the new mindset of Vietnam's young tech start up founders, and describes the sectors experiencing the most ...

6 months ago

34 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E50: Patriotism and PR disasters: What global brands MUST know about Vietnam

On the 50th episode of You Don't Know Vietnam, we talk to PR expert Minh Duc, who shares why 2025 is such a big year for Vietnam's PR and media sector. He reveals what you need to know about Vietnamese patriotism as a global brand and how you can avoid a big, ugly PR scandal. He also talks about how "social seeding" can be used to shift the online narrative in Vietnam (maybe more than you might expect!) and how you can build a good relationship with Vietnamese media professionals. He gives ti...

6 months ago

33 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E49: Vietnam’s digital shake-up: Threads, Facebook's fightback and the banking app boom

Ho Thuy Tien and Thue Quist Thomassen from market research agency Decision Lab return to You Don’t Know Vietnam to break down their latest Connected Consumer Report — and what it means for brands. We dive into why Threads is exploding among Gen Z, how brands should approach audio platforms and live commerce, and why Vietnam’s ride-hailing and digital finance sectors are evolving fast. From the rise of Xanh SM to the blurring lines between e-wallets and banking apps, this episode is full of in...

7 months ago

32 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E48: How to make your global brand relevant in Vietnam - with Tammy Thi Phan

Tammy Thi Phan is a Chief Digital Marketing Officer who spent most of her professional life overseas working for some of the biggest global brands. She spent eight years working at Google in Singapore—first as Head of Strategic Partnerships for Southeast Asia, and later as the Country Head of Marketing for Vietnam. She's now Chief Digital Marketing Officer at one of Vietnam's largest FMCG-retail conglomerates and is based out of Ho Chi Minh City. Today, Tammy shares what's wowed her most abou...

7 months ago

29 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E47: Inside Vietnam’s blockchain takeover: Cris D. Tran on grit, growth and gaming

Cris D. Tran is a leading voice in Vietnam's blockchain space. He's the Regional General Manager Web3 (SEA) and Head of Growth (VN) at The Sandbox, a community-driven application that connects brands with gamers in the metaverse. Previously, he held leadership roles at Sovico Holdings, Infinity Blockchain Holding, and Frost & Sullivan, shaping the digital transformation landscape in Vietnam and beyond. Today, Cris tells us why Vietnam is so well positioned to become a blockchain powerhous...

8 months ago

36 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E46: Vietnam market entry updates: 6 tips CEOs must know to avoid failure

Vietnam's market readiness signals are everywhere. And they are strong. GDP growth is solid YoY with no signs of slowing down, and Foreign Direct Investment is at record highs. But what should CEOs be doing to get beneath the headlines and avoid getting their market entry wrong? Jenny Nguyen, a market entry consultant at Incorp Vietnam has the answers. She helps global businesses and brands with all things compliance when it comes to entering the Vietnam market. In other words, she's got your...

8 months ago

35 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E45: The delicate art of doing business in Vietnam - with fine dining chef patron Quang Dung

Quang Dung is the Chef Patron of Chapter Dining and Grill and Tales Saigon, which are two restaurants helping to raise the bar and push the boundaries in Vietnam's rapidly changing F&B scene. While Chapter in Hanoi takes its guests on a journey through Vietnam's northern mountains with an EPIC tasting menu and drinks pairing, Tales Saigon is Vietnam's first plant-based and zero waste restaurant, which opened its doors just weeks ago. Today, Dung shares why now is the most exciting time ev...

9 months ago

41 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E44: Can Esports become Vietnam’s biggest entertainment export?

TK Nguyen is as high energy as the industry he's working in: Esports. As the CEO of GAM Entertainment, TK leads Vietnam's most successful Esports League of Legends team as they continue to represent Vietnam on the world stage. Today, TK tells me about the explosive growth of Esports in Vietnam, and how it's become a legitimate sport and career for Vietnam's young people. He tells me why Esports could be THE thing to put Vietnam on the global entertainment map, and what needs to happen to make...

9 months ago

38 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E43: Expert insights for recruiting (and keeping!) talented teams in Vietnam

In this episode of #YouDontKnowVietnam, we speak to HR expert Hanh Ngo, who recruits teams for new hotels for the Intercontinental Hotel Group in Southeast Asia and Korea. With 15 years in HR, Hanh has a lot of insight to share with global brands or business owners who are looking to enter Vietnam to build a team. She explains the difference between a good workplace and bad workplace in Vietnam, and covers that all important topic at this time of the year: the Tet bonus. Is it R...

10 months ago

40 minutes

You Don't Know Vietnam

E42: I've been a business lawyer in Vietnam for 20 years. Here's my tips for newcomers!

If your company is looking for a piece of the action in Vietnam this year, this episode is for you. In this instalment of You Don't Know Vietnam, Ian talks to Jerome Buzenet, a business lawyer with 20 years of experience in Vietnam. As Partner at DFDL Vietnam, Jerome helps businesses enter and navigate the Vietnamese market, shedding light on the complexity and fast-paced nature of Vietnam's business landscape. Today, Ian and Jerome discuss key milestones that have shaped Jerome's un...

10 months ago

35 minutes