From 21 to 51: A CEO’s Reflection on 30 Years of Leading Thien Minh Group by Tran Trong Kien

TMG – Tran Trong Kien, Chairman and CEO of Thien Minh Group (TMG), took the stage at the company’s 30th-anniversary celebration to share a personal reflection on his three decades leading the organization.

“Victoria Hoi An, September 16th, 2024

Good evening, everyone.

When I started this journey 30 years ago, I never imagined I’d still be here, leading this business three decades later. I mean, who really knows what they’ll be doing at 51 when they’re only 21? Building this company from scratch has been an incredibly rewarding experience—full of challenges, triumphs, and countless memories that I’ll treasure forever.

As I reflected on this milestone last night, I thought about how the first 15 years, I was on my own, learning as I went, figuring things out step by step. Then, about 15 years ago, my business partner David came on board, and together we’ve faced the highs and lows of this ever-changing industry. Through it all, there have been defining moments that shaped this company and made us who we are today.

There are moments of pride—some big, like when I was 38 and we acquired Victoria Hotels & Resorts. That was a pivotal moment for our growth, a bold step that opened new doors and brought new challenges. And then there are the countless smaller, quieter moments, like just last month when I looked at VMK P/L and realized we made over 100K in August and it would be fully booked for the next two years.

Of course, there have also been lows. The COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath tested us in ways none of us could have anticipated. It was a time of uncertainty and difficulty, but it also revealed the strength of our team, our resilience, and our ability to adapt. I’ll never forget standing right here in November 2021, wondering what the future held. But we made it through—together.

Over the years, I’ve been incredibly grateful for the partnerships and friendships we’ve built along the way. From working with companies both large and small, like TUI and Intrepid Travel, to the millions of customers who have placed their trust in us—I’m deeply thankful. Of course, we’ve made our share of mistakes, as any business does, but we’ve always learned from them, and every time, we’ve come out stronger.

What fills me with the most joy and energy are the moments I share with our team. Whether it’s collaborating on a proposal, winning a new contract, hitting our operating targets, or outpacing our competitors—we’ve done it all together. These moments remind me why I’m still here, why I still love what I do, and why I feel so blessed to be in this position.

And tonight, on this beautiful evening, at 51, I’m fortunate to still have the health, energy, and passion to lead for a few more good years. There’s still so much I want this company to achieve, and I truly believe that we can realize our 2028 strategy and ambitions. We have a well-thought-out plan, a clear path forward, and most importantly, we have the right people to make it happen. We’re in a wonderful, if sometimes fragile, industry—vulnerable to external shocks like wars or pandemics—but over time, it always grows, often faster than most others. And we’re positioned right in the driver’s seat of that growth. I’m confident that the next few years will be great, and with a little luck, we’ll achieve our goals together.

Before I close, I want to share one final message with the young members of TMG: You are the future of this company. It will be your hard work, creativity, and drive that will shape the next 30 years. I trust that you will build TMG into something even bigger, better, and brighter.

As I stand here tonight, I feel truly humbled to have worked with such an incredible group of people over the years, and I look forward to many more exciting years ahead.

Thank you all for being a part of this journey.”