In April, Huyen took the plunge and invested VND1-2 million (US$40-80) of her own savings into her new business venture. She began promoting her unique products on TikTok, and it wasn’t long before her enterprise captured the attention of many customers.
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| Nguyen Ngoc Khanh Huyen (L) and her partner in customer care, Nguyen Pham Nha Tue. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
Huyen, a third-year international business student at the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City, originally hails from Gia Lai, a province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. She attributes her success to sourcing quality seashells, a crucial step in her craft. While shells purchased from e-commerce platforms can be costly, Huyen turned to Facebook groups, where she could acquire them for a more reasonable VND40,000-60,000 ($1.6-2.4) per kilogram.
However, this method wasn’t without its risks, as the quality of the shells could sometimes be substandard. With her growing expertise, Huyen can now craft a hair clip in approximately three minutes and embellish a mirror in around 30 minutes.
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| An array of materials, including hair clips, mirrors, seashells, ribbons, and plastic pearls, ready for transformation. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
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| Nguyen Ngoc Khanh Huyen carefully glues a seashell onto a mirror. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
Initially, balancing her business with her studies proved challenging for Huyen. However, as time went on, she mastered the art of workflow management. She outsourced production tasks to external partners and delegated packaging duties to her family members, allowing her to focus on creating captivating promotional content and saving precious time.
Huyen’s seashell-adorned hair clips and mirrors are currently available on Shopee and TikTok, generating a monthly income of VND6-10 million ($240-400). Additionally, she has rented a space for her store, aptly named ‘Em Xinh Lung Linh’ (Radiantly Beautiful Girls), located on the first floor of 57 Le Quang Sung Street in Ward 2, District 6.
For Huyen, having a dedicated store provides not only storage and a creative workspace but also helps attract a wider clientele. Her hair clips are priced at VND39,000 ($1.56) each, while the mirrors fetch VND119,000 ($4.77) apiece.
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| Huyen’s hair clips, priced at VND39,000 ($1.56) each, appeal to a diverse range of customers. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
Huyen’s creations have garnered a diverse customer base, including middle and high school students, university students, office workers, and those seeking unique gifts. She has even received orders from Vietnamese customers residing abroad.
With an eye toward the future, Huyen intends to expand her product line beyond handcrafted seashell items. She plans to introduce beauty care products and other stylish offerings tailored to women’s tastes. As a student entrepreneur, Huyen embraces a fearless attitude, knowing she has little to lose and valuable experience to gain. She encourages aspiring student entrepreneurs to choose products with low investment costs to mitigate risks and gain invaluable business insights.
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