Meet Cathy Tran Nguyen

Hi Cathy Tran , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

Hi BoldJourney, Thank you for having me here with the team to share my stories. Something I really haven’t shared much about publicly.
Where do I start?
So, I came to the United States at 15 from Vietnam, facing the challenge of adapting to a new culture and language without the support of my family nearby. Raised in an Asian culture where girls were expected to be more quiet and obedient, I struggled a lot with the pressure to conform. But life in America taught me that to be understood and to succeed, I had to break those cultural boundaries and learn to speak up.

At 18, I entered into a marriage that didn’t turn out as expected. When my ex-mother-in-law told me that I shouldn’t pursue an education or be “better” than my ex-husband, it became a turning point. I realized then that I needed to break free from limiting beliefs and expectations, and that decision marked the beginning of my journey toward my own learning of being independence.

By the age of 22, I became a single parent, navigating the world on my own while raising my two babies. Though the road was tough, the kids taught me valuable lessons about resilience, love, and becoming a better parent by becoming a better self individual. These experiences only strengthened my resolve.

For 12 years, I worked in a male-dominated corporate environment in the aerospace and tech industries. This challenging work culture pushed me to develop confidence and self-belief because I understood that if I didn’t believe in myself, no one else would. And when you can’t change the environment around you, you can only change the outcomes by changing your ownself. After all of the learning curves, I threw myself into another one by deciding to become an entrepeneur – That was when The Kaffin Group built, from scratch, out of the blues and the norms.

My journey, filled with challenges and triumphs, stands as a testament to the power of resilience, self-belief, and the courage to break free from expectations. It’s my hope that my story will serve as an inspiration to other Asian American women, immigrants, and anyone striving to build a life on their own terms.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Resilience: The ability to keep moving forward, even when faced with challenges, has been crucial. Life didn’t always go as planned, whether it was overcoming cultural barriers, navigating a failed marriage, or raising children on my own. My advice for those early in their journey is to embrace setbacks as learning opportunities. Challenges are inevitable, but they help build the strength needed to face even bigger obstacles ahead.

Adaptability – Willing to fail and learning to grow: Being adaptable allowed me to learn quickly and adjust my approach to different situations. My advice is to stay open to change and be willing to learn from every experience as that’s the best part in this journey in the end.  The more adaptable you are, the better you’ll handle uncertainty and thrive in new opportunities.

Self-Belief: Confidence didn’t come naturally to me, especially coming from a background where I was expected to be quiet and obedient. But I learned that if I didn’t believe in myself, no one else would. For those starting their journey, I encourage you to trust in your abilities, even when others doubt you. Take small steps to build your confidence—speak up, take risks, and celebrate your achievements, no matter how big or small.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was sacrificing their own comfort and security to give me the opportunity to pursue a better future. They used their retirement savings to support my move to the United States, opening the door for me to chase the American dream. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the magnitude of their sacrifice, but looking back, I realize that their willingness to give up so much for my chance at success was an act of unconditional love and belief in my potential. Their selflessness laid the foundation for everything I’ve achieved, and it serves as a constant reminder to make the most of every opportunity I’ve been given. And I’m very thankful for them and all everyone whom also been supporting me.