You Don't Know Vietnam

In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton travels (virtually) to Hai Phong — Vietnam’s third-largest city and rising industrial powerhouse — to speak with Koen Soenens, the Sales & Marketing Director of DEEP C, the European-managed industrial zone developer that’s been helping the shape economic growth in the region for nearly 30 years. Koen shares why Hai Phong is being compared to Shanghai, how Vietnam became a “safe bet” for global business, and what it really takes to succeed here: long-term commitment, local understanding, and community engagement. From bamboo diplomacy to air quality challenges, this episode is packed with grounded insights on navigating Vietnam’s business culture and future potential. Whether you're exploring Vietnam as a China +1 strategy, expanding your manufacturing footprint, or just curious about life beyond Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, this one’s for you.

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This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

In Vietnam’s fast-paced F&B landscape, where trends explode and vanish overnight, kombucha entrepreneur Faya Nguyen chose a different path — and it’s working. In this episode, Faya shares how she grew her brand Cultra Brewery from her parents’ garage into a premium kombucha supplier trusted by top hotels, restaurants, and wellness-minded consumers across Vietnam. We explore how slowing down helped her build long-term partnerships, why trust and transparency matter in Vietnam’s evolving business culture, and what other founders can learn from resisting the urge to scale fast. If you’ve ever wondered whether patience, craft, and care still have a place in fast-moving Vietnam — this one’s for you.

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

Meet Ankita Ghosh, a creative director and stand up comedian who is based in Ho Chi Minh City and runs Saigon International Comedy. In this episode of You Don't Know Vietnam, she talks about the state of stand up comedy in Vietnam right now, what you can joke about and what you can't, and how the comedy scene changes from north to south. She explains what it was like moving from Bangladesh to Vietnam as a creative director in advertising, and talks through her role on the Durex Vietnam account, which became famous nationwide for its hilarious always-on social media content that tapped into real time global trends to generate buzzy local conversation. 

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

Vietnam’s Gen Z may get all the attention but there’s another demographic with deep pockets and untapped potential. In this episode, Ian Paynton speaks with Lai Tien Manh, Managing Director of market research and branding agency MiBrand to uncover what global brands often miss when entering Vietnam. From the rise of local brands and the north–south cultural divide to the boom in digital payments and livestream commerce, Manh explains what’s changing fast — and what brands need to do to keep up. He also reveals why Vietnam’s over-60s, shaped by decades of war and quiet investment, may be the richest and most overlooked consumer group in the country. Whether you're building a product, planning a campaign, or just trying to make sense of Vietnam's shifting market — this episode is packed with insight.

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

Thomas Binh Do is the Director for Global Business and Cooperation at VINASA, the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association. Using his experience working with more than 600 of Vietnam's tech companies, Thomas explains why Vietnam is so well positioned to become a tech and innovation hub in the region, and the country's vision to redefine the meaning of "Made in Vietnam". He describes the new mindset of Vietnam's young tech start up founders, and describes the sectors experiencing the most exciting innovations. He also shares his top tips for doing business in Vietnam and explains what you need to do to if you want to hire and retain top software talent. 

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

On the 50th episode of You Don't Know Vietnam, we talk to PR expert Minh Duc, who shares why 2025 is such a big year for Vietnam's PR and media sector. He reveals what you need to know about Vietnamese patriotism as a global brand and how you can avoid a big, ugly PR scandal. He also talks about how "social seeding" can be used to shift the online narrative in Vietnam (maybe more than you might expect!) and how you can build a good relationship with Vietnamese media professionals. He gives tips for global brands entering the market who want to make an impact and describes what he would do with a $100,000 PR spend vs his approach for limited budgets. 

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

Ho Thuy Tien and Thue Quist Thomassen from market research agency Decision Lab return to You Don’t Know Vietnam to break down their latest Connected Consumer Report — and what it means for brands. We dive into why Threads is exploding among Gen Z, how brands should approach audio platforms and live commerce, and why Vietnam’s ride-hailing and digital finance sectors are evolving fast. From the rise of Xanh SM to the blurring lines between e-wallets and banking apps, this episode is full of insights for anyone looking to stay ahead in Vietnam’s fast-moving digital landscape.

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

Tammy Thi Phan is a Chief Digital Marketing Officer who spent most of her professional life overseas working for some of the biggest global brands. She spent eight years working at Google in Singapore—first as Head of Strategic Partnerships for Southeast Asia, and later as the Country Head of Marketing for Vietnam. She's now Chief Digital Marketing Officer at one of Vietnam's largest FMCG-retail conglomerates and is based out of Ho Chi Minh City. Today, Tammy shares what's wowed her most about her return to Vietnam. We talk about the importance of relationship building, and Vietnam's quickly changing consumer market. She also offers her top tips for global brands that want to get their marketing right in Vietnam. Spoiler alert: hyperlocal wins. 

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

Cris D. Tran is a leading voice in Vietnam's blockchain space. He's the Regional General Manager Web3 (SEA) and Head of Growth (VN) at The Sandbox, a community-driven application that connects brands with gamers in the metaverse. Previously, he held leadership roles at Sovico Holdings, Infinity Blockchain Holding, and Frost & Sullivan, shaping the digital transformation landscape in Vietnam and beyond. Today, Cris tells us why Vietnam is so well positioned to become a blockchain powerhouse in the region and some of the challenges it faces along the way. He shares some of his favourite Vietnam-made blockchain projects to date, why Vietnam is the perfect gaming market, and his vision for Web3 applications in different sectors as Vietnam races full throttle into its future.

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening. 

Vietnam's market readiness signals are everywhere. And they are strong. GDP growth is solid YoY with no signs of slowing down, and Foreign Direct Investment is at record highs. But what should CEOs be doing to get beneath the headlines and avoid getting their market entry wrong? Jenny Nguyen, a market entry consultant at Incorp Vietnam has the answers. She helps global businesses and brands with all things compliance when it comes to entering the Vietnam market. In other words, she's got your ass covered! Today, Jenny shares what businesses need to do before jumping into Vietnam, and gives 6 tips to avoid market entry failure. She outlines 2025's Q1 tax updates that you should be on top of, and reveals what the biggest challenges are (and unexpected costs!) for companies when landing in Vietnam to get amongst the action.  

Send us Fan Mail

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X. 

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.