Phi Nhung had a way of bringing light everywhere she showed her smile. Presenting my work writing books for Vietnamese people on Vietnamese Startup Day this week, I felt blessed to have her behind me, as if somehow I had met with her approval.
The Startup Wheel event was created to showcase young Vietnamese talent and the potential of emerging Vietnamese businesses. Wandering around the booths in the exhibition hall, I saw so many great companies with fantastic ideas based on advanced technology. I wondered how I could dare stand on stage next to these high-tech geniuses to talk about something so old-fashioned as books.
The fact is, no matter how advanced the world of today seems, writing books remains one of the most powerful ways to preserve and share stories that we have. Social media is fleeting, books preserve content that can last for generations.
Writing books is not easy, and very few people ever have books written about them. I started Metro Writers to make it easier for Vietnamese people to have their stories written and preserved in English, and to share stories about Vietnam with a world that barely understands this wonderful country.
I’ve been fortunate to produce some wonderful books about Vietnamese cultural and business icons, from Hollywood chef Jack Lee to contemporary ao dai designer Vo Viet Chung. I’ve produced books to help Vietnamese businesses establish a global reputation as well as those to help Vietnamese Americans preserve their memories for future generations, as well as to honour their parents.
I presented at Startup Wheel to show young people that books have real value and relevance in an age when so many of them are distracted by the allure of their smartphone screens. Metro Writers is seeking new partners and clients to help make our vision come true. We are so grateful for the support of those who have worked with us so far, and we have a long way to go in our path to success.
While we strive to reach our objectives as a business, we can never forget the core values of who we are and why we started down this path. Writing “An Emissary from Heaven” for Phi Nhung is a great honour and as we count down the final weeks to the book’s release, we are so grateful to have the chance to share her inspiring story with the world.