The Entrepreneurial Odyssey of a U60: A Tale of Resilience and Perseverance

The story of Mr. Duong Thanh Long, a 58-year-old entrepreneur and founder of “Uncle Long’s Salted Coffee,” is an inspiring tale of perseverance and success. In just under two years, his unique coffee brand has become a household name in Ho Chi Minh City and several southern provinces, proving that age is just a number when it comes to chasing your dreams.

Since his teenage years, Mr. Long had a deep-rooted love for coffee, drinking up to 5-6 cups a day. However, it was not until his later years that he found success with this distinctive beverage. At 53, after a series of setbacks and failures, he took a leap of faith and embarked on his first business venture—opening a coffee shop with a borrowed capital of 200 million VND. But fate had other plans, and the COVID-19 pandemic struck, forcing his shop to close, and leaving him bankrupt and in debt.

It was during this low point that he discovered “salted coffee” in Hue, a local specialty. Intrigued by the concept, he tasted salted coffee in Hue and Da Nang, noticing the unique combination of bitter coffee, sweet cream, and a hint of salt. This sparked an idea—he believed that this unique coffee could be even better, and thus, the “Uncle Long’s Salted Coffee” brand was born.

Returning to Ho Chi Minh City after the pandemic, Mr. Long was determined to start anew. With a small coffee cart on Cong Hoa Street, he began his journey once more, assembling the cart and creating the signage himself. With the support of his daughter and a nephew, they accidentally went viral on TikTok, selling an astonishing 120 cups on their second day. This unexpected success led to a conversation with his daughter, who encouraged him to embrace this opportunity and expand his business.

Within three days, he purchased two small cream whippers to prepare the cream in advance and keep it chilled, while still manually brewing the coffee. His daughter’s prediction came true, and they sold an impressive 500 cups on the third day. With this success, Mr. Long quickly repaid his debts, negotiating a monthly installment plan that allowed him to reinvest and grow his business.

As his small cart gained popularity, he faced a new challenge—the perception of his “Salted Coffee 15k” sign. Taking the feedback from his young customers, he changed the sign to “Fixed Price Salted Coffee 15k,” assuring customers that all drinks were indeed 15,000 VND. Mr. Long’s focus was on diversifying his menu rather than increasing prices, a strategy that some deemed as “undercutting” the market. However, his intention was to make his unique coffee accessible to everyone, a decision that ultimately paid off.

As his business expanded, Mr. Long encountered trademark infringement issues, with an individual in Dong Thap province using his brand name and claiming to be his nephew, offering franchises for 70-100 million VND per cart. Determined to protect his customers and his reputation, he immediately took action, and the imposter agreed to remove the signage and apologize on their fanpage.

Soon after, he officially registered his brand name and considered franchising opportunities. However, after receiving feedback that the coffee at these franchised locations did not taste the same, he decided to discontinue franchising, choosing to expand his business himself to maintain quality control. In just a year and a half, he and his team have opened 44 stores across various provinces, with plans to continue growing.

Mr. Long’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and a strong work ethic. His advice to the younger generation is to always lead with passion and never give up, even in the face of challenges and setbacks. His story inspires us to pursue our dreams, no matter our age, and to never lose hope.