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This is where I share my experiences living, working and doing business in over 140 countries world-wide and counting. I hope these experiences could be of use to whoever happens to connect with me here.
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Stress-Testing Your Franchise Unit Economics in SEA: Energy, Freight, and Rate Inflation Scenarios
Vietnam posted 7.8% GDP growth in Q1 2025 — but HSBC's accompanying analysis flagged elevated energy costs as the primary downside risk to that trajectory. Strong macro growth does not immunize your franchise unit economics from input-cost pressure. If your investment model was built on 2022 or 2023 cost assumptions, it was built on a world that no longer exists. Why Have SEA Franchise Input Costs Repriced? Three live signals are reshaping the input-cost reality for Southeast
Phi Van Nguyen
Apr 295 min read
What Global-Ready Leadership Actually Means for a Founder in 2026
Global-ready leadership is a structural condition built on three measurable dimensions: operational portability, cultural pattern-recognition, and capital narrative fluency. Founders who have built all three in 2026 are separating visibly from those who merely aspire to them — and the gap is becoming expensive.
Phi Van Nguyen
Apr 265 min read


BEAUTY IS THE NEW F&B
BEAUTY IS THE NEW F&B Why Spa, Skincare & Fitness Franchising Is Vietnam's Next Big Wave Blog #4 — Vietnam Franchise Series | Go Global Blog A question I often hear from young investors exploring franchising: "Beyond F&B — what other sectors are worth investing in?" My answer always surprises them: beauty and wellness. Not because I have a bias. But because the data is speaking clearly — and the market is showing a structural shift that most franchise investors are not yet
Phi Van Nguyen
Apr 412 min read


Phi Van Nguyen
Apr 20 min read


English Language Centers, STEM & Education Franchising: Vietnam's Most Underrated Investment Goldmine
A hands-on creative class at Arkki Vietnam Why education is the franchise sector that most investors are sleeping on Ask any franchise investor in Vietnam which sector they want to play in. Almost every time, you'll hear the same answers: coffee, bubble tea, or F&B in general. Education almost never comes up. And that is exactly why education is one of the most compelling franchise opportunities that most investors are completely missing. While everyone races to grab a bubbl
Phi Van Nguyen
Mar 3110 min read


From Haidilao to Wulao: Franchise Lessons From Vietnam's Hotpot and Grill Wave
Hotpot and BBQ franchise has made waves in the F&B industry in Vietnam
Phi Van Nguyen
Mar 278 min read


Why Vietnamese Coffee & Bubble Tea Brands Are On The Way To Become Global Franchise Giants
Why Vietnamese Coffee & Bubble Tea Brands Are Becoming Global Franchise Giants What makes them franchisable, scalable, and attractive to international master franchisees There is one question I get asked often at international franchise conferences: "Which Vietnamese brands are worth investing in for franchising?" My answer always starts with two words: coffee and bubble tea. Not because I am Vietnamese and want to champion homegrown brands. But because the data, the market,
Phi Van Nguyen
Mar 277 min read


I Was a Franchisee First. That's Why My Brands Are Built Differently.
Most franchisors build systems for their brand. I build systems for the franchisee. I've spent my career on both sides of the franchise table. As a Master Franchisee holding rights for two international brands — one for Vietnam, one across 10 ASEAN countries — I know the reality that most franchisors never see: the operator who's carrying the risk, adapting to local markets, and building without enough support. I lived it. That experience didn't just teach me how franchising
Phi Van Nguyen
Mar 182 min read


Vietnam Franchise Industry Update 2022
Here's the latest update of the franchise market in Vietnam, as of April 2022.
Phi Van Nguyen
Apr 27, 20221 min read
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