Global Shapers Hanoi Hub
Walking into the room where everyone's more impressive
Becoming the youngest Global Shaper in Vietnam felt like winning the lottery and being thrown into the deep end simultaneously. The Global Shapers Community attracts accomplished young professionals—entrepreneurs who've launched successful companies, activists who've led national movements, innovators who've built solutions affecting thousands of lives. And then there was me: a high school student who'd done some cool projects but was definitely playing in a different league.
Meeting with Mr Shaggy - Global Shaper Board of Management on his visit to Vietnam
Impostor syndrome hit hard. But here's the thing about impostor syndrome—sometimes it pushes you to prove yourself in ways confidence never would. I decided that if I was going to be there, I might as well contribute something meaningful rather than fade into the background.
I proposed "Project LearnThrive" for the GSC Innovation Prize (with more hope than expectation)
My first pitch was terrible. I was too defensive, too attached to my original vision, too focused on explaining what we'd done rather than articulating what we could become. The feedback stung, but it was also exactly what I needed. I spent weeks rebuilding our MVP, refining our value proposition, developing actual answers to those tough questions.
That mindset change transformed everything. We didn't win the Innovation Prize, but we gained something more valuable: a clear strategic direction and mentors willing to guide us through implementation.
GreenerFuture Vietnam
GreenerFuture taught me that sustainability isn't just environmental—it's social, economic, and deeply human. You can have the perfect technical solution, but if it doesn't account for cultural context, risk tolerance, and community dynamics, it will fail
Most importantly, I learned that business skills and humanitarian values aren't opposites—they're complementary. Creating sustainable livelihoods requires understanding market dynamics, supply chains, financial planning, and risk management. But it also requires empathy, cultural sensitivity, and genuine respect for community knowledge. The best solutions come from blending both approaches, which is exactly the kind of interdisciplinary work I want to do with my life.
