Nguyen Huyen Trang

CONQUERING A MANAGEMENT POSITION IN TECH AT THE AGE OF 24 – NGUYEN HUYEN TRANG

From an introverted student to a confident young manager, Nguyen Huyen Trang, an alumna of BUV’s Marketing Management programme (Class of 2020), has undergone an inspiring transformation to build a thrive career in the technology industry. By redefining her goals, expanding her global outlook, and developing strong leadership skills, Trang rose to become a Strategic Partnerships Manager in Qikify (a company that build the SAAS and web apps to help merchants grow up in cross-border ecommerce field) at the age of 24. This remarkable achievement reflects both her determination and clear vision for success.

Beyond her impressive professional milestone, Trang’s journey is also one of self-discovery, perseverance, and growth. From identifying her strengths in tech, learning business strategies in Singapore, and broadening her global mindset in Australia, to returning to lead the very company where her journey began, her story is a testament to courage and lifelong learning.

Finding herself through failure

In her early job-hunting days, Trang sent out countless applications to startups and large corporations alike, only to stop at the interview stage. Reflecting on her internship journey, she noticed an interesting pattern: most of her opportunities had come from tech companies. After refining her CV and aligning her profile with the tech market, Trang officially began her career at Ownego, a turning point she calls “a destined opportunity.”

At this small startup, Trang quickly showed her workability, contributing ideas, leading projects, and gaining valuable experience in both marketing and technology. Starting as a Product Marketing Specialist for Teeinblue (a Shopify app), she steadily advanced to the role of Product Owner.

During her time there, Trang often faced challenging questions from senior leadership. One, in particular, stayed with her: “Why should a technology product care about branding?” As a fresh graduate, she couldn’t yet give a complete answer. But through years of learning and experience, Trang found her response and when she returned to Qikify (Ownego’s new name), she was ready to lead strategic marketing initiatives and help redefine the company’s brand from within.

Exploring global markets and reshaping her mindset

After starting her career in Vietnam, Trang expanded her professional journey by taking on a remote role with Inknoe, an edtech company based in Singapore. There, she was introduced to international brand-building strategies, including how employees and educators can act as brand ambassadors, similar to Microsoft’s model.

This experience taught Trang an important lesson: building a strong brand is not just the marketing department’s responsibility, but a shared mission that unites the entire organisation.

Her time studying in Australia further refreshed her perspective on connection and community. Naturally introverted, Trang had to step out of her comfort zone, initiating conversations, asking for help, and learning to connect genuinely with others.“Living abroad taught me to set aside my ego and truly connect with people,” Trang shared. She believes that this open mindset helped open up her professional network and eventually land her current position as Strategic Partnerships Manager at Qikify.

From mastering global branding strategies in Singapore to embracing cultural openness in Australia, these experiences became turning points, laying a strong foundation for both Trang’s professional development and personal transformation.

Leading with empathy and vision

When Trang returned to Qikify as a Strategic Partnerships Manager, she brought with her a renewed perspective on leadership and growth. What once seemed like setbacks had now become valuable lessons that helped her guide her team with greater confidence and empathy.

Her leadership style has evolved, no longer about control, but about creating an environment where every individual can thrive and play to their strengths. Under her guidance, the team transformed Shopify from a simple e-commerce app builder in 2020 into a leading market brand by 2024, achieving remarkable growth and recognition.

Success goes beyond performance metrics, it lies in the process of building trust, fostering collaboration, and growing together as a team. Her path from a junior marketer to a strategic leader shows that perseverance and belief in people can transform challenges into remarkable achievements. To young graduates stepping into their careers, Trang offers this advice:

To her, a growth mindset is the gateway to success, while maintaining balance between work and life ensures lasting happiness. Above all, she values people, those who uplift, empower, and grow together toward greater achievements.

Have an inspiring story to share? We’d love to hear from other graduates! Contact us at alumnirelations@buv.edu.vn