We live in a very diverse city with hard working people. Many of the folks in our region are hard working immigrants who are helping to make St. Louis a great city and region to LIVE, WORK and PLAY. The St. Louis Mosaic Project is a wonderful organization that helps to ease the transition for many of these individuals as they make St. Louis home. A couple of episodes ago, we had Betsy Cohen, Executive Director for Mosaic on the podcast with Julie Li, Founder of Create Space Generator and Lulu Fresh Express. On this episode, Christy and Cheryl welcome Vin Ko, a friend and colleague from Mosaic and Cuong Dang, an energetic and ambitious entrepreneur who hails from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and is a graduate of Maryville University.

Cuong is founder and CEO of the St. Louis based tech company, Enliven, and owner of Lac Brewing, a craft brewery in Vietnam. In 2015, Cuong received the Diverse Business Leader award from the St. Louis Business Journal and in early 2016 was inducted into the Regional Business Council’s Leadership 100 network. Cuong’s drive to support fellow immigrant entrepreneurs in the St. Louis region fits with his philosophy of adding meaning and value to society. In addition to volunteering as an ambassador to immigrant entrepreneurs for St. Louis Mosaic Project, he currently serves as the Vice President of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce (AACC). It is through both organizations that Cuong and Vin have the opportunity to work together. Spend some time getting to know Vin and Cuong - spoiler: they are smart and FUNNY - and find out how each is helping make St. Louis a wonderful place to do business and build a fulfilling life.

In this episode:
- Finding unique business opportunities
- Doing business overseas
- Beyond the contracts: Trust and its vital role i
- Work-Life Balance
- Goal Oriented vs. Time/Task Oriented business strategy
- Risk tolerance and Fear
- The need for a collaborative team and/or co-founder with complimentary skills and shared values
- You don't have to and can't know it all, nor do this by yourself
- The problem with multiple priorities

www.stlmosaicproject.org
www.enlivenhq.com