Morning in Khanh Yen commune, Lao Cai, begins with the scent of lemongrass, ginger, and cinnamon drifting from the small workshop behind the home of Ngan Thi Trang, a 35-year-old Tay ethnic woman and director of Van An Agricultural Cooperative. In that herbal-infused space, the hum of tea dryers blends with the laughter of women at work.

For them, this place is not just a production workshop—it is where they “replant” confidence and income for their own community. It’s hard to believe that just a few years earlier, Trang was struggling inside the very model she had created.

A simple dream ignites a new path

In 2016, Trang began an online business selling clothing and shoes and quickly realised the potential of the digital market. But in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains and slowed her business. She didn’t give up; instead, she closely observed market trends and noticed rising demand for natural, health-focused products. She saw that right in her hometown of Van Ban, Lao Cai were abundant ingredients—chrysanthemums, roses, and other local herbs.

From this opportunity, the Van An Agricultural Cooperative was born. Trang’s goal was to earn a livelihood from local plants and create jobs for middle-aged women in her community. At first, the cooperative had only seven members, with just three working full-time and the rest joining when available.

But the moment the first tea packages were sealed, Trang realised that the hardest part wasn’t production—it was running the cooperative.

The days of struggling in management

Those early days were exhausting. Only months into the new venture, Trang became pregnant. She carried the dual weight of being both a leader and a mother. “There were days when I held my baby in one arm while answering customer calls and worrying about unfulfilled orders. I barely slept,” she recalled.

Unable to manage everything, she began leaving tasks to her staff. But without clear processes or delegation, operations grew chaotic: order errors, inefficient production, unclear finances. By the end of 2022, the cooperative suffered severe losses—send them almost back to zero again.

“I was director, worker, and accountant all at once. I didn’t know what to focus on,” she admitted.

She also struggled to choose a product direction. Tea blends sold well and kept the cooperative afloat, but her heart was set on OCOP (One Commune One Product) certified products—local specialty goods with long-term potential. With limited resources, she didn’t know which path to choose. The more she worried, the deeper she sank into a maze of endless tasks.

A turning point: A call from the Women’s Union

One afternoon in early 2025, while rushing to pack tea orders, Trang received a call from Ms. Tran Thi Ngan of the Lao Cai Women’s Union. She invited Trang to join activities of the Women’s Entrepreneurship and Leadership (WEL) project under the GREAT program funded by the Australian government.

At first, Trang felt the project wasn’t for someone like her—someone buried in invoices, orders, and staffing issues. But that evening, staring at messy paperwork and half-finished orders, she knew she couldn’t continue like this. Something had to change.

Learning to lead—and to decide

Joining the project became a major turning point for Ms. Trang. She learned leadership, decision-making, and delegation skills from project experts. For the first time, she encountered concepts like “women’s leadership,” “empowerment,” and “effective decision-making.”

From trainer and leadership consultant Tran Ngoc Diep of iChange Center—the project’s partner—she learned: “A good leader isn’t someone who does everything, but someone who helps others do their part well.”

The message hit home. Trang had always tried to “carry everything” out of fear others might make mistakes. But the more she held on, the more exhausted she became—and the more passive her staff grew.

Support from one-on-one mentoring

One other benefit of the project is mentorship support, a practical activity that is not just about experience sharing, but also a journey of her own self-reflection. Through this process, Trang worked closely with mentor Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, who listened deeply and helped her uncover her own potential.

At first mentoring sessions, Trang wasn’t sure where to begin—staff management, cash flow, or product development. Instead of giving immediate advice, her mentor helped her map out a three-year vision for the cooperative.

For the first time in months, Trang lifted her head from daily tasks and looked ahead. She imagined a spacious tea workshop, more women working, and products bearing her hometown’s identity traveling across the country. Then with Ms. Thu Trang’s guidance, she was able to develop a three-year growth plan for the cooperative, clearly identifying which products would be strategic priorities and which would be maintained as supporting lines.

Each subsequent working session became part of Trang’s personal journey of discovery and growth. One of her most valuable lessons she learned is time management. As a wife, mother, daughter, and entrepreneur, she felt torn between responsibilities. “Winning against yourself is the hardest part,” she recalled. Her mentor introduced simple but transformative tools—to-do lists, prioritised by importance and urgency, and the “four burners” principle: not all burners can stay on at full heat; priorities must rotate.

“This method changed everything for me,” Trang said. She soon found that tasks became much easier to manage, and she herself felt more at ease—able to fulfill her responsibilities both as a woman in her family and as a dedicated business owner.

Building the Van An Tea brand

The project also connected her with another mentor, Ms. Ma Thi Chu, who helped her with branding and online business. Ms. Chu helped her understand that “a good product is not enough—you need a story and a distinct identity.” With this guidance, Van An’s herbal tea packaging was redesigned, elevating the product from a household item to a meaningful local gift. A bag of tea that once sold for just over 100,000 VND could now be sold at two or three times the price as a premium gift thanks to a packaging redesign and the integration of the brand’s unique story.

Trang applied everything she learned: restructuring the team, delegating clearly, and recruiting more selectively to ensure every role contributed effectively. “Now I trust my team. They work even better than I expected,” she smiled.

She began boldly integrating technology into her operations. Where everything had once been done manually and relied heavily on personal experience, she now saw technology as a personal assistant. She adopted digital tools—including artificial intelligence—to help draft job descriptions, prepare recruitment posts, write product content, and develop communication plans. These tools saved her significant time on administrative tasks, allowing her to focus more on leadership and strategic direction.

Alongside improvements in management, Trang also invested in the cooperative’s future by planning ahead and creating job opportunities for local residents. With funding of 15 million VND from the project’s “Business Boost Accelerator,” she expanded her workshop by 100m², built a standard drying room, and acquired new tea-packing equipment. She also began developing sustainable raw-material areas through detailed planting and yield planning, ensuring a stable source of clean ingredients.

Through mentoring, she connected with local households to provide support and create employment opportunities for the community. This support became especially meaningful as Van An Cooperative helped many middle-aged women—who often struggle to find work locally—secure stable jobs.

The sweet fruit of change

In just less than a year, the results exceeded expectations. Revenue in the first six months of this year has already surpassed last year’s total. In 2024, revenue was 2.9 billion VND, while in the first half of this year it has reached 3.5 billion VND—not including sales through e-commerce and other separately accounted products. The number of full-time employees increased from 11 to 21, alongside 40 seasonal workers—all women. The women now have steady jobs and more stable incomes, working 18–20 days per month instead of the previous 10–12 days.

“What makes me happiest isn’t the revenue—it’s seeing local women employed year-round. They don’t have to leave home to find work anymore,” Trang shared.

Besides improved business performance, Trang changed too. No longer the overwhelmed mother trying to do everything, she now has time for her children and steps back so her team can step forward. “I used to work 16 hours a day and still felt behind. Now I work 10—and achieve far more because I have a capable team beside me,” she shared.

Closing one chapter—opening a new belief

From a woman struggling to juggle motherhood and leadership, Trang has become a confident leader who plans, empowers, and guides others. Her story is not only the journey of one cooperative—it is proof of the power of knowledge, connection, and perseverance.

“Just start. The more you do, the more you learn. Once you take the first brave step, the path reveals itself,” she said, glancing at the lively workshop filled with laughter and the scent of herbs.

And in that fragrant breeze, this Tay woman continues another mission—planting seeds of confidence for the many women in her community who are rediscovering themselves through work and dreams.