Chapter 13 — When I Stop Being Invisible

I gradually freed up my hands and started doing something else — designing a standard operating diagnostic toolkit. Previously, everything I did at Hang Vien was manual, mainly using Excel and text. It's fine to use, but it's almost impossible to replicate on a large scale. Now, I want to turn it into a mass-deliverable product. Tham Dich fully supported me and even sent two more programmers to coordinate with me. When the first version of the toolkit was released, Ha Duy immediately took notice. He sent a WeChat message:

“Boss To, if this thing is made into a SaaS product, it can be sold to all small and medium enterprises on the market.”

I don't answer. But I know, what he said is not wrong. This idea… has actually been in my head for a long time. One Friday afternoon, Tham Dich found me.

“To Van, let's talk a bit.”

He closed the door.

"I've seen your toolkit. Surely you understand its value beyond just consulting services."

"I get it."

"At this stage, Thuy Hoa does not have the capacity to do SaaS. But if you want to go in that direction, I can help you find investors."

I looked at him.

"Aren't you worried that after I become big, I will separate from Thuy Hoa?"

He laughed.

"But from the beginning, you didn't belong to Thuy Hoa. You're a partner, not an employee. If you have bigger ambitions, I can't stop you. Then why not... go together."

“Boss Tham, how long have you been preparing these words?”

He laughed.

“One month.”

That evening, when I got home, I sat in front of the computer, writing a productization plan for the toolkit. Five thousand words long. To Niem sat next to me and did his Physics homework. Halfway through it, he looked at my screen.

“Are you writing a business plan?”

“How do you know?”

"During Civic Education class, we studied. So... are you about to start a business?"

“Thinking.”

The baby nodded.

"I support you, Mom. But remember to stay healthy."

He thought for a moment and then asked again:

“If Mom succeeds in starting a business... then you won't have to worry about your college tuition anymore, right?”

I lightly tapped its head. The same week I started seriously considering starting a business, an unexpected event occurred. Hang Vien Group encountered problems. It's not a small thing. Ha Kien Quoc had a heart attack and had to be hospitalized. When Tran Loi called, his voice was still shaking.

"Miss To, boss Ha suddenly fainted right in the office. He was taken to the emergency room and had surgery done, but the critical condition is still not over."

“Who is running the company now?”

"There is no one. The deputy general position is still vacant. Since Chu Han left, there has been no replacement. All departments are waiting for boss Ha to make a decision. Now that he is in the hospital, everything is almost at a standstill."

“What about Co Vien Chu?”

"Boss Co said he is an independent director, not involved in daily operations. But he did say one thing..."

"He said, Hang Vien's management authority will be temporarily exercised according to the emergency backup plan that boss Ha had previously drafted."

“What emergency backup plan?”

Tran Loi's voice became even quieter.

"Miss To, last week before being hospitalized, boss Ha revised a document on corporate governance. The interim chairman of the Emergency Management Committee—"

He stopped for a beat.

“It's your name.”

I hold the phone talking, standing still for a long time.

“Tran Loi, say it again.”

"Boss Ha wrote in the revised management documents that, if he himself cannot carry out management responsibilities, he will establish an Interim Management Committee consisting of three people, the chairman will be To Van. The remaining two people are Co Vien Chu and Lam Vi."

“I am no longer an employee of Hang Vien.”

“Boss Ha's original words in the document are — 'Even though To Van has resigned, she is the person who has the deepest understanding of Hang Vien's operating system. In case the company falls into an emergency, she has the right to represent and perform management functions as an external consultant'."

I sat down. Ha Kien Quoc.