Duy Nguyen was a former IT undergrad, but his love for gym and his passion for body building led him and his company – BBT – through the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic.
The global pandemic, COVID-19, seemingly has impacted every single business firms. From beauty and spa services to gym centers and fitness building, all of unnecessary businesses are forced to temporary close. Duy Nguyen and his gym centers – BBT buildings – are not the outsiders. The company of more than thousands employees are struggling with maintaining the HR structure and the growth of their business.
In an interview with Times 24H, Duy Nguyen admitted that the pandemic has prohibited his company growth and postponed some of his future plans. Nonetheless, he is quite positive about the situation and says that it is not the first time he and his company struggle.
Mentioning the very first days with BBT (Body Building Technique – a company working on the gym and supplements industry in Vietnam founded in Jan. 19th, 2012), Duy Nguyen said that the company suffered from so many challenges. Unfaithful employees, a small budget, and not developing market are what BBT had to face in the first days.
But he is very proud of what BBT has achieved in about a decade. Right now, the company is the main contributor of supplements and gym equipment for more than 32 retailers in Vietnam, more than 10 retailers in Ho Chi Minh City, and 5 retailers in Hanoi respectively.
According to BBT, they also have retail partners in Nghe An, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc,…
About 10 years ago, BBT was established with a dream of being the best supplements retailer in Vietnam and being the best recognizable gym center in Vietnam.
More than a decade passed by, BBT nowadays is an enormous supplements contributor in Vietnam and the loyal partner of some decent supplements’ brands such as Labrada, Nutrex, Evogen, and so on.
Besides, they are the owner of 4 five stars gym buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Duy Nguyen and his team accomplished what they have dreamed for, perhaps, they even achieved more than what they have wished for.
Duy Nguyen said that one of his secrets to lead BBT to these achievements was to keep fighting and hunting for opportunities.
Definitely COVID-19 is the dangerous disaster for the entire world, but it is not the only struggle that we have ever faced. BBT in our very first days have wrestled with so many things, and we always put on our mind that we have to fight and hunt for opportunities.
Duy Nguyen, CEO of BBT and THOL Gym Centers
The other secret that supported BBT through COVID-19 and maintain their influence within the gym industry is their media channel and online marketing campaigns. Being an IT undergrad helps Duy Nguyen approach to new information quickly and from that, he possesses more information about the supplements market and how to build up effective marketing campaign for this business.
I think my IT major supports me quite decently in building up BBT. With the combination between gym and online platform, THOL-Thehinhonline is one of the best fitness information providers Vietnam.
Duy Nguyen, CEO of BBT and THOL Gym Centers
On his social media site, Duy Nguyen has about 600 thousand followers and subscribers on YouTube. He said that media content plays an important role in the development of BBT and boosted their growth despite the effect of global pandemic.
Although BBT is a well-recognizable brand name in Vietnam after 10 years of developing, they are going through a rough time right now. The global pandemic restricts transaction between him and his partners, makes several goods’ orders be postponed. Luckily, BBT figured out how to solve the problem efficiently and managed to maintain a kind of good flow of transacting goods.
New supplements are still on their ways to BBT and their retailing partners. In only a year, BBT enlarged their partnership with partners from highland mountains region of Vietnam and some partners from the Western part of Vietnam. Personally, the young CEO of BBT is very proud of this accomplishments.
But Duy Nguyen and his team understood that the pandemic delayed the sales growth of some retailers and gave them such a hard time. So far, BBT is still trying their best to support these retailers in terms of marketing and also goods contribution.
BBT retailing partners and BBT are a united block, so BBT always take care closely for our retailing partners. Depends on the partners need, we will support them from the retailing policy to the marketing campaign. Our livestream and vlog usually mention our retailing partners. If you pay to our page close attention, you will easily notice it.
Duy Nguyen, CEO of BBT and THOL Gym Centers
Here is the thing about retailing supplements in Vietnam. Some Vietnamese still have stereotypes that supplements equal to drugs and other prohibited substances. Despite attempt of educating supplements as a good supporter for health, BBT sometimes is being perceived as a pharmacy deliver.
Duy Nguyen confessed that he is not sad at all with this. Instead, he felt a little bit disappointed for those who don’t want to open their minds and welcome what supplements can benefit for their lives.
Some people still have wrong perception for supplements. Fortunately, this group is not that large at all. I am not really sad about people’s stereotypes. In several years, I have worked hard with no stop and wish that I could help youngsters of Vietnam and other Vietnamese folks possess a better understanding about supplements and approach the benefit of supplements.
Duy Nguyen, CEO of BBT and THOL Gym Centers
When I asked him whether he had any role model to follow, he said not really. In more than 10 years, he solely focused on developing himself and enhancing him to new information daily. Looking at what he has invented so far, Duy Nguyen admitted that he still has mission to accomplish, and what people see right now is not the peak of him and BBT.
For once, Duy Nguyen was an IT undergrad from a poor province, Ben Tre. But after nearly 2 decades, the young lad became a CEO of a corporation. It thanks to his wise media campaign that he and his team has built up during their very first days. And the success of Duy Nguyen and BBT thanks to the fighting spirit of the young CEO.
Right now, BBT Buildings have appeared in District 7, District 9, Binh Tan District, and District 12. The company is still progressing strong and becomes a huge source of jobs provider in Vietnam.
1 Comment
Good morning beeper!