no.1 - family business
food & family
In 1991, when I was only three years old my dad opened up his restaurant, it put food on our table and allowed our family to have everything we ever really needed and wanted. After 24 years in business, my dad decided to close down the restaurant to enjoy life.
But throughout the years, I helped out at the restaurant in anyway I could.
My elementary years
- Ate a lot of Vietnamese food
My high school years
- Bus girl
- Cashier
- Bar tender
- Ate a lot of Vietnamese food with my friends
The year after completing my post secondary degree in Bachelor of Commerce, specializing in entrepreneurship, I helped my dad relocate and rebrand his restaurant.
- Responsible for rebranding and marketing.
- Designed the logo, interior space, created website, and menu.
- Assumed the role of General Manager, and book keeper.
- Successfully launched a grand opening in March 2011 and achieved positive net income within the first month and became cashflow positive by the end of 2011.
- Stopped eating a lot of Vietnamese food but continued to bring friends over.
This was my first exposure and experience in anything entrepreneurship outside of school and it lit a fire inside me I didn't realize existed. I worked for hours and hours, I would get lost in time, and it never felt like "work".
This is when I truly realized my passion was in anything business and it didn't matter in what industry or field. I loved being able to strategize the whole vision and not just one area, I loved the challenge. and being able to do it all. I was able to apply what I learned from school into a real life situation.
I knew shortly after graduating from post secondary that one day, my goal/dream would be to open up my own business.
I had no idea in what, all I knew was I would know when I felt that fire again.
And I am feeling it and this personal website is that first small step.
“there are no words to express how sad it is to say goodbye to my dads legacy but I’m beyond excited for him to live a life without stress of running a restaurant and to enjoy some much deserved time off. Westlake has literally fed me since 1991, whether I ate there everyday or from the groceries my dad paid for. I’m honoured to call the owner behind Richmond’s best spring rolls, my dad @jimm_c - I’m glad I got over my Westlake addiction at a young age, it makes this goodbye a little bit easier. The success of this restaurant would have not been possible without the support of his sister, my aunt, Le.”
food & friends