Tam Nguyen
Advance Beauty College
Garden Grove, CA USA
"Hard work is the difference-maker. I believe in taking the stairs—there’s no elevator in life."
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Tam's work combines: Business, Education, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
My parents expected me to become a doctor, so that's what I did. I eventually realized that I didn't want to live my life doing something that I didn't decide for myself and wasn't truly happy with. The hardest decision I've ever made was facing my fear of disappointing my parents, pursuing an MBA, and making that career change. I know it was worth it because I can help change the lives of so many people now, whereas I could only help one patient at a time as a doctor.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
University of California, Irvine
Bachelor's Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
University of California, Irvine
Doctorate
Medicine
American University of the Caribbean
Graduate Degree
Business Administration and Management, General
California State University, Fullerton
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I was born in Vietnam and came to the U.S. at the age of one when the Vietnam War ended—my mother and I were separated from my father, then reunited by the American Red Cross after three months.
2.
We were incredibly poor growing up, but my parents worked seven days a week to be able to pay for my education and set me up for a better life.
3.
My parents had always expected me to become a doctor, so I got my bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and then went to medical school.
4.
When I finished medical school with my Doctor of Medicine degree, I realized that I wasn’t truly happy because I did it for my parents, not for myself.
5.
I faced my fear of disappointing my parents, made a career change, and pursued an MBA—it was the first time I felt truly happy and fulfilled by what I was doing.
6.
After receiving my MBA, I tried a few different business ventures before settling into the family business.
7.
I now serve as president and co-owner for my family business, Advance Beauty College—an accredited private beauty college that trains in nails, skin, and hair.
8.
In addition to running Advance Beauty College, I teach a business management class part time at California State University, Fullerton—my alma mater!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Parents:
You have to be a doctor.
How I responded:
My parents expected me to become a doctor, so that's what I did. I eventually realized that I didn't want to live my life doing something that I didn't decide for myself and wasn't truly happy with. The hardest decision I've ever made was facing my fear of disappointing my parents, pursuing an MBA, and making that career change. I know it was worth it because I can help change the lives of so many people now, whereas I could only help one patient at a time as a doctor.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I came to the U.S. as a Vietnamese refugee at the end of the Vietnam War. We had a rough start but my parents did their best to create a life for us here. I was a baby when we came, but I joke that it was the best decision I’ve ever made!
When my parents and I came to the U.S., we had nothing. We were poor throughout my childhood, living on food stamps and moving from apartment to apartment. My parents worked 7 days a week for me to have a better life than they did.
My family put a lot of pressure on me with their expectations for my schooling. I became a doctor because they wanted me to. I eventually faced my fear of disappointing my parents, decided to pursue an MBA, and made a career change.