The Global Peace Index, an initiative of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), recently released the 2012 Global Peace rankings. The Index compares 158 countries according to their "absence of violence" across 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators (see below). This year, Vietnam came in 34th, putting it in the first tier of the world's most peaceful countries. … [Read more...] about How peaceful is Vietnam, anyway?
Current Affairs
Building Better Start-ups: Developing the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Vietnam
As I mentioned in my first post, one of the reasons I moved to Vietnam six years ago was because I saw a whole new world of opportunities to start new businesses. Through my journey as both an entrepreneur and angel investor in Vietnam, I’ve come to realize that, while there are many opportunities to start new businesses in Vietnam, there are significant barriers to scaling up … [Read more...] about Building Better Start-ups: Developing the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Vietnam
Doing “Deals”: Investment vs Valuation in Vietnam
Recently, I’ve seen some pretty sensational stories on start-up blogs, news, and events. Some of these stories may come from a simple misunderstanding about the terms and mechanics of early stage investment and valuation in Vietnam. So my goal with this post is to help demystify some basic concepts and terms used in entrepreneurial finance. Let’s take a hypothetical … [Read more...] about Doing “Deals”: Investment vs Valuation in Vietnam
Absolution: Thao Nguyen on Snap Judgement
Snap Judgement is one of my favorite radio shows (story telling with a beat y'all), and Thao Nguyen is my favorite Vietnamese American singer (she braves bee stings and all). Naturally, Snap Judgement x Thao Nguyen is something that gets my little fan girl heart a flutter. In the latest episode of Snap Judgement, themed "Absolution," Thao shares the story of her grandmother … [Read more...] about Absolution: Thao Nguyen on Snap Judgement
When Did Immigrants Become the Enemy?
SAN FRANCISCO—Recently, in front a packed crowd at Duke University, former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice regretted the failure of passing the comprehensive immigration reform act and the shift in Americans’ attitude toward immigrants. Accepting and welcoming immigrants “has been at the core of our strength,” she said. “I don’t know when immigrants became the … [Read more...] about When Did Immigrants Become the Enemy?