Meeting Tumy Nguyen was an 'unexpected' yet expected way to start my day. Most of our guests at Vietcetera need a hand finding the office, but not Tumy. By the time I received the notification to pick her up, she had already arrived at our pantry door.
Rushing in with a glass of warm water and my prepared questions, I was caught off guard when Tumy took the lead. “So, how long have you been with Vietcetera?” she asked while slowly organizing her seat, genuinely curious, following up with questions about my career and future goals. I was surprised to find myself answering questions when I hadn’t expected to be interviewed as the interviewer.
Wearing a sharp blue dress and bold lipstick, she carried herself with the confidence of someone who has charted her own course through life’s uncertainties—and as I soon discovered, that course was anything but ordinary.
Tumy's journey as an international student returning to Vietnam started with the desire to strengthen family ties, but it soon transformed into a mission to create real impact for her homeland.
A Visa and a Hopeful Heart
Tumy’s story began with an interrupted dream. After missing a spot at her first-choice university in Vietnam, she spent a year preparing for another try. Meanwhile, she applied for a visa to study in the United States, not knowing what might come of it. When the visa was approved, it seemed like life had chosen a new direction for her.
At just 19, Tumy left behind everything familiar. “It was impossible to know what to expect,” she admitted. “The internet wasn’t what it is today. I was naive. All I had was hope—a picture in my head of women in power suits going to big offices, running businesses, and making money. That’s all I wanted to be.”
But life abroad wasn’t smooth. Between catching up with a new language, culture, and system, Tumy often questioned her path. It was during her third year in college, though, that she found her footing. A finance class sparked something in her—a love for learning new concepts and thrived in a career that spanned prestigious companies and cities like New York.
The Push for Accessibility in Vietnam
Do you know the wheelchair symbol on Google Maps? It’s a powerful reminder of accessibility in our daily lives. Tumy’s journey to bring that vision to Vietnam began with a deep personal motivation.
Though her career was thriving, Vietnam remained close to Tumy’s heart. “After completing my MBA, I saw it as an opportunity to reset my career path and commit to another attempt at Vietnam,” she reflected. “It’s more about what I can do in Vietnam, rather than what Vietnam can offer me.” However, instead of rushing back, Tumy moved to Singapore to join Bain & Company, where a few challenging years ultimately helped her solidify her decision.
A trip with her family in Singapore became a turning point. Her father, who struggles with mobility, experienced a level of freedom there that Tumy had never seen before. “He was beaming as he zipped around on his scooter. It was the first time in 15 years I saw him like that,” she recalls.
That moment stuck with her. Returning to Vietnam, accessibility was barely on the radar. Tumy decided to take a small step to change that. She launched Step Free, a project to map accessible locations in Vietnam. “It wasn’t just about creating a tool,” she said. “It was about raising awareness, showing what could be possible for vulnerable groups here.”
Collaborating with a developer from Google Maps and amazing partners, Tumy hosted workshops, enlisted volunteers, and began building a database of accessible spaces. Beyond giving 'accessibility' a Vietnamese definition, it’s about turning this vision into reality.
Small Steps Significance
Returning to Vietnam wasn’t easy. Tumy had spent more years abroad than in her home country, making her feel like both an insider and an outsider. Tumy’s dual identity—having spent more time in the U.S. than in Vietnam—gives her a unique perspective. In Vietnam, she noticed, people are resourceful, finding creative solutions where infrastructure falls short. In the U.S., structure and systems dominate. “Blending those approaches has been my biggest advantage.”
Tumy doesn’t position herself as a visionary or an agent of sweeping change. Instead, she embraces the cumulative power of small actions. “This is true,” she says. “I believe in the power of mindset and taking action, even if it’s small. The quote I live by is, ‘Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.’” ― Napoleon Hill.
Her upbringing provided a strong foundation for her work, combining the business acumen she learned from her mom with the academic support and curiosity instilled by her dad.
Her work now extends beyond accessibility. She’s exploring digital health, leveraging technology to improve access to care—a challenge she’s tackling with the same mindset with Hello Health in providing solutions for Vietnamese people with 24/7 access to verified health knowledge and answers to their concerns from anywhere. “Vietnam gives you the space to think bigger, but you have to start somewhere. That’s the beauty of it.”
Tumy acknowledges the tension of living between two identities—Vietnamese and American. In the U.S., she was a career-driven achiever. In Vietnam, she’s learning to slow down and rediscover the place that shaped her. “I’m more American in Vietnam and more Vietnamese in the U.S., but I think that duality helps me see things differently. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.”
Is Life in Vietnam Worth it?
It’s a 9 out of 10.
“I traded the comfort of my life in the U.S. for uncertainty here, but Vietnam rewards those who take the risks.”
She values the opportunity to contribute and build relationships in ways she couldn’t before. “The only downside? The mosquitoes,” she joked. In less than a year, Tumy has found deep value in defining accessibility in Vietnam, though she acknowledges, “I’ve barely scratched the surface.”
For Tumy, Vietnam is more than just a hometown; it’s a place filled with opportunities where small actions can lead to significant change. “If you wait for the perfect moment, it will never come,” she said, highlighting her proactive approach.