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Starting from nothing 30 years ago, Mr. Vo Mau Quoc Trien has made quality and integrity the cornerstones of Rita Vo, building it into a leading brand for high-end construction materials and luxury interiors in Vietnam.

Mr. Trien, Chairman of Rita Vo, never overstates his accomplishments, preferring to work quietly and let the quality of his products speak for themselves. With the straightforward and open nature characteristic of a person from Quang Ngai, his more than two-hour conversation offered fascinating insights into the vision of an entrepreneur who built an empire from the ground up.

In the 24-year journey since the company’s founding, which milestones have been the most memorable for you?

Over two decades of building this company, I wouldn't say any single milestone is the most memorable or impressive. Each one has its own emotions and significance. My philosophy is to focus on the smallest tasks. If I do one thing well today, I'll do another thing well tomorrow. Gradually, everything improves.

I believe everything must happen in a specific order. You must continuously develop what is good and what gives you an advantage. You can't adopt a "jackfruit economy" approach, where everything has thorns but nothing is a sharp point.

For example, in the high-end construction materials and interiors sector, I can confidently say Rita Vo is the top brand in Vietnam. We have 23 of the largest centers in the country, and I believe every foreign corporation entering Vietnam wants to have their products displayed in our system.

Rita Vo has an exclusive distribution partnership with Kohler, a leading global brand for sanitary and bathroom fixtures. At the time, what did you do to convince Kohler to choose Rita Vo as its sole representative in Vietnam, while other markets typically have two?

Next year marks Kohler’s 150th anniversary—making it one of the 20 oldest private corporations in the world. Besides Kohler, Rita Vo also partners with other historical companies from that top 20, such as Miele and Simmons.

My determination to persuade Kohler was sparked after a business trip abroad where I was impressed by the exceptionally clean and beautiful Kohler fixtures in a hotel. Almost 20 years ago, communication was not as convenient as it is today. We had to send faxes from the U.S. to Singapore and then to Vietnam. At that time, Rita Vo had no showroom, no experience, and our capital was not substantial.

It may seem unusual for a major international corporation to place its trust in a company that had nothing at the time, but I was confident I could meet all of the requirements of an exclusive partner. When Kohler asked what I had, I showed them two words: "integrity" and "quality"—which have been Rita Vo’s business principles for the past 24 years.

— Do you think it was just luck that a large corporation chose you when your brand was still in its infancy?

I don’t believe in luck. Since I had no reputation or experience, I prepared meticulously in other areas. I personally took my brand to Shanghai and Singapore to show them my sincerity and seriousness.

15 years ago, my colleagues and I traveled to countries like the U.S., Thailand, Singapore, Shanghai, Germany, and Italy to persuade partners to let us be their exclusive distributor. Now, the situation is reversed. Foreign corporations entering Vietnam want to meet me so their products can be showcased at Rita Vo. Our company has a distribution network that is one of the most reputable and high-quality in Vietnam, and even in Southeast Asia.

— In your opinion, why is Rita Vo so popular?

— I built this company on two principles: integrity and quality. I am a straightforward person, and all our business activities are transparent and unambiguous. I guarantee that every product from Rita Vo has a clear origin. If it’s from Thailand, it's labeled Thailand. If it's made in Malaysia, the label says Malaysia. If it’s from Italy, it’s certainly Italy. There is no such thing as misrepresenting our goods.

Furthermore, I believe the country of origin is no longer the most important factor. Samsung has built factories in Vietnam, and soon Apple will manufacture iPhones here as well. Therefore, when customers choose a product, they are choosing the brand and its reputation. Regardless of where a product is manufactured, it must adhere to global standards and quality.

Rita Vo has been in business for over 20 years and is a leader in Vietnam's high-end construction materials and interiors sector. Do you plan to expand into international markets?

— Not at the moment. The potential of the Vietnamese market is exceptionally strong, arguably the best in the region right now. A unique feature of the domestic market is the significant wealth and strong purchasing power of the population. For example, in the housing sector, foreigners often prefer to buy ready-made homes, moving if they dislike a place. But in Vietnam, people save up to buy land, build a house, and create a permanent home. Consequently, the demand for high-quality, durable construction materials is very high. This is an advantage of the Vietnamese market that few other countries can match.

The retail market has also changed dramatically over the past 20 years. The growth rate of retail sectors, not just construction materials, is astonishing. You can see many foreign corporations entering this large market, which shows its future potential.

— Rita Vo operates in eight sectors, with construction materials and interiors as its core business. What is the company’s second largest focus area?

— The company operates in multiple sectors depending on market fluctuations, but the core business remains high-end construction materials and interiors. The other businesses are supplementary.

I believe business is a matter of destiny. I have many aspirations, and I act on them when the opportunity arises. Soon, Rita Vo will develop real estate as a potential secondary focus. This has been a passion of mine for not just one, but 10, even 20 years. I want to redefine the concept of a truly "luxury" apartment. The term "luxury" must encompass many factors, from location and design to the quality of the building materials.

Are you confident that your real estate products will be well-received by consumers?

I am confident for three reasons:

First, a comparison to regional and international luxury apartment markets. In Europe and Singapore, luxury apartments sell for $60,000–$100,000 per square meter. In Thailand, they go for $20,000–$30,000 per square meter for truly high-end properties. In Vietnam, prices are already around $15,000–$17,000 per square meter. I believe the market will absorb products at a similar price point to our neighboring countries.

Second, our guiding principle is to create products that align with Vietnamese culture. To put it metaphorically, I know how to prepare a "meal" that suits the Vietnamese palate, using products with sizes, designs, and materials that meet local consumer preferences. This is the result of many years of market research and listening to customer feedback.

Third, our brand's large customer base. The number of units—just over 280—is not large. We have data on millions of customers who have trusted our brand's quality over the years. Only 1% of them would be enough to fill the supply Rita Vo brings to the market.

— With a market that has so many foreign competitors, what are Rita Vo’s strengths to remain a market leader?

— We are confident in our distribution system, our people, and our reputation as the exclusive partner of many major brands.

Rita Vo owns all the land for its showrooms, so we are not dependent on any landlords. I have been preparing for this for over 20 years. In terms of our people, our team includes employees who have been with the company for over a decade.

Many international partners like Kohler have signed exclusive agreements with Rita Vo. This means our competitors cannot import products from the brands we have exclusive contracts with. We also collaborate with over 30 other brands, most of which are major, reputable names in the industry.

— You have a team of senior collaborators who have been with you from the beginning. What is your secret to retaining them for over a decade?

- I don’t have a secret for retaining people, but I do empower my subordinates. People here often joke that they wouldn't leave even if I tried to fire them. I think this is partly due to the opportunities Rita Vo gives its employees.

My senior staff are people who have worked with me for over a decade, since the days when I was still seeking partners abroad. They are extremely competent, often more skilled than I am. Some manage over a dozen showrooms, while others are in charge of the entire Southern region. I am comfortable with delegating authority, which allows employees to develop freely. The core team handles operational management, while my role is to focus on development, mentoring new staff, and exploring new sectors.

Many large private corporations worldwide are now transitioning to the second generation. What is your view on the role of the next generation at this stage?

My view is very clear: if my children are not competent, I will unquestionably appoint someone else. Rita Vo is a legacy I built with my blood, sweat, and tears; it cannot be inherited easily just because they are my children. Therefore, I have instilled in them the ambition and clear direction from a young age to strive and train themselves to be responsible and aware that they can only take control when they are competent.

I believe acquiring knowledge is a basic requirement, but learning to be a good person is the most important thing. I have three children; the eldest has finished his studies and has started working with everyone. I have him working in the trenches to learn from the ground up, to understand how to treat people before he goes out into society, or considers taking on a leadership role.

The first step is always to learn, to avoid becoming a "nouveau riche" who sees making money as the ultimate goal. I have also made it clear to my children that you cannot work with major corporations just by having money. To become their partner, you need to be versatile, which means understanding everything from finance, marketing, production, and products to politics. Politics means adhering strictly to the law and not making mistakes. To achieve all of this, education is a mandatory factor.

Source: Zing News

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