Hang is co-owner of a biscuit-making business in Hoai Duc District in Northern Vietnam. Her business is expanding in size and product lines. No one would know, looking at her now, that just a few years ago she made a big change in the direction of her work and life.
Born in a trade village, for many years Hang had stuck with the traditional occupation of her hometown making “banh quay”, a kind of Vietnamese fried bread. She faced many struggles and difficulties. In 2007, when she got pregnant, she had stopped producing this because the working conditions were not good for her health. Hang, together with her husband, her brother, and sister-in-law, established a joint-stock company to produce biscuits, and she and her husband joined as executive board members in 2010. After a few years running, the company was profitable, but stagnant.
In 2012, Hang went with her friend to YWAM Mercy’s training on applying 5S and Lean Manufacturing principles to their businesses. Her sister-in-law, a member of their management board, was also attending YWAM Mercy’s full business training on business management
The training on 5S and Lean Manufacturing prompted Hang to make changes, but at that time her schedule did not allow her to attend the full business training course. It wasn’t until 2016 that Hang signed up to attend Class 10 of the business training program.
Due to the training, she recognizes that she has changed a lot. For example, when working with employees, she doesn’t give job assignments only verbally but also in writing.
She had many anxieties and concerns on persuading other people to change. From the leadership training module, Hang understood herself and the natural behaviors of other people better so she could discuss with them changes needed convincingly.
Nowadays, Hang’s business is developing in both size and quality. She is expanding her workspace, investing in new machines, recruiting more workers, promoting new products, and registering brand names for her products.
Seeing the change in herself, Hang realized that the two remaining members of the management board should also participate in the training program of YWAM Mercy. She convinced them to join another class that started earlier this year.
