Thuong Le's Journey through Ignite’s Economic Empowerment Program
A new beginning doesn't mean leaving your experience behind. It's about finding new ways to use what you've learned.
It was April 2023 when Thuong Le moved from Vietnam to Fredericton with a bachelor’s degree in economics and professional experience in business strategy, marketing, and the business industry, accompanied with ideas, ambitions, and a desire to continue building her professional life; however, she found out that starting anew came with challenges she hadn't expected, like discovering what means to adjust to a different business environment, the challenge of communicating in another language, and the importance of building professional connections was not as simple as she thought and she lost confidence. "I didn't feel confident," Thuong recalls.
Although she had been comfortable sharing her ideas and taking on professional challenges in Vietnam, she initially found herself holding back in Fredericton. She knew she had experience and skills to offer but wasn't sure how to put them to use in her new community.
That began to change when she joined Ignite's Economic Empowerment Program (EEP).
Finding Confidence and Building Connections
Thuong first heard about Ignite’s Economic Empowerment Program for Immigrant Women (EEP) through a friend who had learned about it through the Multicultural Association of Fredericton (MCAF). After looking into the program and what it offered, she decided to take part.
One of the biggest changes for Thuong was how she began to see her own abilities.
She remembers feeling shy about speaking English and sometimes worrying that people wouldn't understand her. Through the program, she started to look at things differently. Rather than seeing another language as a limitation, she began to recognize it as something valuable she could bring to the table. "I now know one more language" she realized.
Through EEP, Thuong had the chance to strengthen her professional skills, build confidence and learn more about navigating the Canadian workplace. The program introduced topics such as communication, teamwork, leadership, goal setting and personal development, while helping participants understand workplace culture and build professional relationships.
But some of the most valuable experiences came from the connections she made along the way. Meeting other immigrant women, learning from facilitators and hearing from women leaders in the community gave her a sense of support and belonging. It also helped her recognize her own strengths, feel more comfortable reaching out to others and become open to new opportunities. She wasn’t shy anymore. As Thuong put it, "One tree can't make a forest, but a lot of trees can make a mountain." It was her way of describing how much people can accomplish when they support each other.
Turning Experience into Opportunity
Starting a business wasn't a new idea for Thuong. She had thought about entrepreneurship before joining EEP but wasn't sure she was ready to leap.
"I thought I didn't have the energy to do that," she explained, reflecting on her concerns about her English, her knowledge of the local market, and her experience doing business in New Brunswick.
After completing the program, she started looking at things differently.
"I feel ready.
Okay, I can do it."
-Thuong Le
She reached out to friends and people, residents of the province. She got informed about local business practices, food suppliers, and the community. She gathered information that could help her round out the idea and make informed decisions. She started the business plan realizing, she didn't have to know everything before getting started, and she didn't have to figure it all out on her own; she had support.
That new confidence helped her take the next step and become the starting point for Coba House, a Vietnamese restaurant in downtown Fredericton.
Bringing Coba House to Life
Coba House came together through the collaboration of Thuong, Ms. Linh, and Thuong's husband, whose experience as a chef helped shape the restaurant's menu.
Ms. Linh is the business owner and secured funding from Ignite to establish the restaurant. Thuong became a minority shareholder and took on a strategic planning role, drawing on her background in business strategy and marketing. Her husband brought his culinary experience to the kitchen, helping develop the restaurant's food offering.
Together, they wanted to create a welcoming space with the cozy feel of Vietnamese restaurants, where customers could enjoy good food and spend time together.
For Thuong, being part of Coba House is part of her vision coming true; it has been an opportunity to put her experience into practice, to work toward a shared goal, and to contribute to something in the community she now calls home.
“Then, step by step, I built this restaurant, and you can check on the Google Maps reviews. I’m very happy with every review on Google Maps. I’m very happy about that.”
Like many small businesses, however, running a restaurant comes with its share of challenges. Thuong points to the economy, particularly the rising cost of food and supplies, as one of the biggest pressures. Finding ways to manage expenses while keeping menu prices reasonable takes careful planning and teamwork. Still, she is grateful that even with those challenges, seeing customers return and leaving positive reviews makes the work worthwhile. For Thuong, opening the restaurant each day and seeing people enjoy what they have created is a reminder of how far she has come.
A Vision That Goes Beyond Business
Coba House is a big step for Thuong, but she hasn't stopped thinking about what else she could do.
Having gone through the experience of starting over in a new country, she knows firsthand how challenging it can be to find a job, make connections and build a stable life.
When she first arrived in Fredericton, her husband was working, while she was trying to figure out how to get back into the workforce. She had years of experience in business strategy and other areas in Vietnam, but finding opportunities where she could use those skills wasn't easy. The language barrier and not having an established network made things even harder.
That experience made her think about other newcomers who might be going through something similar, especially families where one partner has a job, while the other is still looking for a way to earn an income. She hopes to develop a project that could help these families find more opportunities and improve their financial situation.
It's still an idea she's working on, but one that is close to her heart because it comes from something she has experienced herself.
For now, Thuong continues to focus on Coba House while thinking about how she can turn that idea into something meaningful for other newcomer families.
An Advice to Other Aspiring Entrepreneurs?
“Just do It!”
-Thuong Le
Your skills, experience and ideas still have value.
Thuong's answer was simple: "Just do it."
So, it doesn’t matter whether you have a business idea but aren't sure how to get started or are just discovering something new.
She encourages women not to be stopped by uncertainty, to remember they have experience and skills, valuable knowledge that can be relevant to this new chapter; there is just the need to convert them into transferable skills to meet new opportunities. Sometimes, getting started means taking the time to connect with others, asking questions, and finding the support needed to move forward.
Looking back, she thinks that joining EEP was an important step in helping her recognize what she could accomplish; it brought her energy back. Today, through her involvement with Coba House, she is putting her experience into practice and continuing to explore ways to create opportunities for others.
Her journey is a reminder that starting over doesn't mean starting from zero. Sometimes, it means finding a new way to build on everything you've already learned.
Your Next Step Starts Here
After meeting Thuong's and knowing more about Coba House and her journey, we can tell how the right support and connections can help people recognize their strengths and take the next step toward their goals.
At Ignite, we work with individuals at different stages of their professional, and entrepreneurial journeys. Through programs like the Economic Empowerment Program (EEP), along with business support, resources and opportunities to connect, we help people build on their experience, explore new possibilities and turn ideas into action.
Whether you're a newcomer looking to put your skills to work, an aspiring entrepreneur exploring a business idea or someone ready for a new professional direction, there may be a program or service at Ignite that can help you move forward.
Explore Ignite's programs and services to find out what's possible for your next step.