For over fifteen years, Ngan Nguyen, worked in strategy consulting for Fortune 500 and 100 companies but felt limited by what clients and projects she could take on. It was five years ago when she decided to pursue her love for entrepreneurship and open her own firm. Now, Ngan is a certified coach, Engagement Director of Cintamani Group, and President of IAW’s London Local Chapter. She offers a virtual group coaching program, individual coaching, and more on her website.
When she started her firm, Ngan realized her business management skills were only part of becoming an entrepreneur. The more she developed her business the more she learned. “It was all very new and challenging for me to get out there and be more visible. I felt like I was tooting my own horn, but you have to do that when you’re looking for sales or clients. Once I got the project, I knew how to execute it, but it was a matter of building up the business and juggling all the priorities as an owner between marketing, hiring, working on projects, and running the business” said Ngan.
Her advice to other women is to “find something that you love enough to do it for free and build a career around that. Find a way to be paid what you would love to earn.” Now, her firm is booming with multiple sources of revenue and investment, allowing her to stretch out into new projects that aren’t as lucrative.
Ngan always wanted to work on projects for non-profits in industries, such as animal conservation or environmental protection. In larger corporations, those are not always favored because of the expected low revenue. “I love business and solving large-scale problems because of the mental stimulation and the ability to make a global impact is fun and rewarding,” says Ngan. Since establishing her firm, she wants to engage in global impact projects despite revenue and develop more client relationships with other firms in those fields.
Along her journey in establishing her firm, Ngan was a member of IAW. It wasn’t until she left the corporate job that she dove into the community and support waiting for her. “I went from a very social environment in financial consulting where you’re in a team, there are clients, and you’re traveling with people. So, when I left to build my own business it became very lonely all of a sudden, and I was looking for women I could connect with,” explained Ngan. At the time, she lived in Boston and became involved in the local chapter as the President. The opportunity to host events and meet others helped build that lost social connection and grow her network. “We had a couple of in-person events that were cool cocktail hours around Boston and we actually sold out a couple times too,” she said.
Once COVID hit, Ngan and her boyfriend felt a bit stir-crazy in Boston and wanted a change after all their years there. Within a year, they moved to London and established their new lives. It was around that time IAW wanted to launch more global chapters. With Ngan and other members moving, she started the first London local chapter for IAW and began building the leadership team. “It’s been a great opportunity to push me to go out and meet people. The ladies on the leadership team are friends now too and we are connecting with others. It was a fun way to establish myself in a new city,” said Ngan. Her advice to other IAW members is to take some time to join various events to connect with others because you get what you put into it.
Connect with Ngan Nguyen:
LinkedIn
Want to find a community like Ngan? IAW is open and waiting for women from all around the globe to join our community of professional women who want to expand their horizons just like you. Register for one of our weekly events, or find a local chapter near you to get started.
