Tam Nguyen

About Tam

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• After receiving my MBA, I tried a few different business ventures before settling into the family business.
• 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.
• In addition to running Advance Beauty College, I teach a business management class part time at California State University, Fullerton—my alma mater!