The Alabaster Fund: Profits That Aren’t Closely Monitored Are Heavenly Gains Turned to Dust!

Alabaster, a family office-style investment fund, is a rare model in Vietnam. It specializes in providing early-stage capital to technology startups globally. Co-founder and Chairwoman of the fund, Ms. Lê Diệp Kiều Trang, has held several prominent positions, including financial expert at HSBC and McKinsey, Director of Facebook Vietnam, and CEO of Gojek Vietnam.

After the success of the well-known startup, Misfit, which she co-founded with her husband and later sold to Fossil Group for $260 million, Ms. Trang decided to leave the corporate world to focus entirely on developing Alabaster and its promising technology ventures.

Emphasizing the importance of discipline in personal investing during the talk show, “The Investors,” co-organized by CafeF and VPBankS, Ms. Trang cautioned against following trends and buying stocks simply because others are profiting from them. The market often experiences rapid fluctuations, and stocks that surge in value can unexpectedly plummet, leaving investors unable to exit their positions in time.

The Chairwoman of Alabaster advised that all investment decisions should be based on accurate information, carefully analyzed and evaluated. Investments should not be driven by greed but instead founded on data and logical analysis: “Profits that are not monitored and do not require effort will often be lost, like ‘what belongs to heaven returns to earth.'”

To balance profits and risks, Ms. Trang encouraged investors to diversify their portfolios and avoid putting all their assets into a single choice. A common mistake is succumbing to social pressure, such as following friends’ advice or the crowd, which can lead to bias and clouded judgment, increasing risks.

Investors need to seriously analyze and ask themselves: “Is the information sufficient? Why does this opportunity have a future? And when should I exit my position?”. Especially, do not let personal emotions or relationships influence investment decisions, as this often leads to poor outcomes, she advised.

According to the female chairwoman of the Alabaster investment fund, success in investing comes not only from financial techniques but also from the ability to assess the true value of a business. Sustainable companies that create value for society and align with long-term asset growth strategies are particularly attractive to investors who do not want the stress of daily market monitoring.

She affirmed that experience plays a crucial role in helping investors gain a sharper perspective. However, this does not mean that age determines advantage; instead, it is about learning from failures and continuously improving. “Consider investing a lifelong journey,” she shared. “Each failure is a valuable lesson that will help you do better next time.”

Notably, Ms. Trang emphasized that investment knowledge and experience are essential skills for everyone, even those not working in the financial industry. She encouraged young people, especially those in the technology sector, to take the initiative to learn and stay ahead in the market game.

Furthermore, the female chairwoman shared, “When investing for the long term, focus on the value that the company brings to society and aligns with the needs of the majority of investors, as their goal is to sustainably grow their family’s assets. Sustainable companies are usually suitable for those who do not need to monitor the market daily and will help you invest efficiently with less stress.”