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SEA Connect – Leadership Talks: EP1 | Zero to Hero – Branding Stories From Startups

October 21, 2024

In this episode of SEA CONNECT – Leadership Talks, Lars Voedisch interviews Tran Hong Hanh, the founder of Rabity Kids, a Vietnamese children’s clothing brand. Hanh discusses her journey from a corporate career at Nestle to starting her own business, inspired by a gap in the market for high-quality, affordable kids’ fashion in Vietnam. She emphasizes Rabity’s focus on comfort, quality, and affordability, and how she leverages her family’s manufacturing background and corporate experience to manage costs and maintain competitive pricing.

Hanh also shares insights into their retail strategy, focusing on prime locations in shopping malls and busy intersections for visibility and accessibility. She highlights the importance of understanding customer needs through market research and direct feedback from sales staff. Throughout the interview, Hanh emphasizes the importance of teamwork, a strong corporate culture, and a clear business philosophy in driving Rabity’s success.

She also reflects on the challenges and lessons learned during the pandemic, which reinforced the importance of brand values and a resilient business model. Overall, the interview provides a valuable glimpse into the entrepreneurial journey of a successful startup in the competitive children’s fashion market.

Key Takeaways from the Episode 1 – Zero to Hero – Branding Stories From Startups:

  1. Identify Market Gaps and Leverage Existing Strengths: Hanh recognized a need for high-quality, affordable children’s clothing in Vietnam and leveraged her family’s manufacturing expertise to create Rabity Kids. This demonstrates the importance of understanding the market and utilizing available resources.
  2. Prioritize Product Quality and Cost Management: Rabity Kids focuses on providing comfortable, high-quality clothing at affordable prices. This is achieved through efficient cost management strategies, including restructuring and optimizing their retail approach.
  3. Value Teamwork and Customer Insights: Hanh emphasizes the importance of teamwork and a strong corporate culture, where employees at all levels have a voice. Gathering customer insights through market research and direct feedback from sales staff is crucial for understanding customer needs and preferences.

Soundbites

Hong Hanh – “The reason why we survived the pandemic when a lot of key players in the field failed and closed their business forever is because we have a strong belief in the values that we can bring to the consumers and the values we can bring to our employees.”