Meet Di Tran

We recently connected with Di Tran and have shared our conversation below.

Di, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I was not born resilient. I became resilient because life demanded it from me long before I felt ready.

I came to the United States as an immigrant with very limited English, no money, and a deep sense that my parents had sacrificed everything so I could have a chance. I still remember standing in a grocery store line, unable to understand simple questions, feeling both embarrassed and determined. In that moment I made a quiet promise: I will not waste my parents’ sacrifice. That promise is where my resilience began.

At first, resilience looked very practical. I worked any job I could find, studied English at night, and learned to live extremely simply. I failed often—on tests, at work, in communication—but every failure was followed by the same question: What can I learn from this so it does not defeat me next time? I did not have many advantages, but I did have that one habit. It slowly turned fear into fuel.

Years later, when I founded Louisville Beauty Academy (LBA), resilience took on a new meaning. I did not open a beauty school because it was easy or glamorous. I opened it because I kept meeting people—immigrants, single parents, working adults—who felt that college was too expensive, too inflexible, or simply “not for someone like me.” I saw myself in them.

The early years of LBA were not smooth. We faced complex state regulations, financial pressure, and the daily reality of serving students who were juggling children, night shifts, and language barriers. There were days when the paperwork, inspections, and compliance issues felt overwhelming. But every time I thought, This might be too much, a student would walk in and say, “I’m the first in my family to try something like this,” or “I just want my kids to see me graduate.”

Their courage reminded me that my resilience is not just mine anymore. It belongs to them too.

My personal habits now are designed around that responsibility. I wake up early, often before 5AM, to pray, think, and work while the world is quiet. I fast one meal a day and drink coffee through my long work hours—not to punish myself, but to stay disciplined and focused. I treat my body and time as tools in service of a bigger mission: helping thousands of people move from “YES I CAN” to “I HAVE DONE IT.”

Resilience also comes from accepting that leadership means standing in hard places. As a school owner, I have learned to welcome audits, questions, and even criticism, because the standard for our students’ licenses and futures must be high. When systems fail or rules change, I document everything, learn quickly, and adjust. Instead of viewing regulators, partners, or community leaders as obstacles, I see them as part of the ecosystem that our students must navigate. My job is to go first, take the hits, and clear the path.

Most importantly, my resilience comes from people:

From my parents, who worked in silence and never complained.

From my wife and children, who remind me that success is measured in the kind of human being I am at home, not just my titles or awards.

From my students, many of whom commute long distances, speak little English, or work two jobs, yet still show up with hope in their eyes.

From my community, which has trusted LBA enough that we now have more than 2,000 graduates and national recognition—proof that a small beauty college in Kentucky can stand on the same stage as America’s top small businesses.

Resilience, to me, is not being tough all the time. It is the quiet decision to stand back up, again and again, for something bigger than your comfort. When I am tired, I think of the student who brings her child to class because she has no babysitter, or the immigrant student who studies theory with a translator app open the entire time. If they can keep going, then I must keep going.

So where do I get my resilience from?

From gratitude for every sacrifice made on my behalf.
From faith that my life is meant to serve others.
From the responsibility I feel to every student who believes Louisville Beauty Academy is their second chance.

Resilience is no longer just my personal survival skill. It is the culture of LBA. It is the message I repeat to our students every day:

YES YOU CAN. And one day soon, you will say: I HAVE DONE IT.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am the Founder and CEO of Louisville Beauty Academy (LBA) — a Kentucky State-Licensed and State-Accredited beauty college built on one core belief: every person, regardless of language, background, or circumstance, deserves a pathway to professional dignity.

LBA was born out of my immigrant journey. I arrived in America with little English and many rejections, but also with faith, gratitude, and a fierce work ethic. I learned early that resilience and purpose can turn pain into power — and I built LBA so that others could do the same.

Today, Louisville Beauty Academy has proudly trained and graduated over 2,000 licensed professionals from all walks of life. Our students include refugees, working mothers, single parents, and immigrants who once thought college was impossible. Many begin with no confidence and leave saying our school’s motto: “YES I CAN — I HAVE DONE IT.”

What makes LBA special is our commitment to humanization through education. We focus not only on technical skills but on emotional growth, confidence, and community impact. Every program — from nail technology to esthetics — is built around flexibility, affordability, and empathy. We offer scholarships up to 75%, interest-free payment plans, and bilingual support, because success should never depend on privilege.

We are expanding rapidly, with multiple campuses in Louisville and a vision to replicate our model nationwide through Di Tran University, a next-generation “College of Humanization.” Our long-term mission is to integrate beauty, wellness, and workforce education into a movement that redefines adult learning for America’s working class.

Recently, we were honored as one of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses of 2025 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and recognized by the National Small Business Association for advocacy and impact. But the real reward remains the same: watching students graduate, get licensed, and lift their families out of poverty — one haircut, one facial, one nail service at a time.

Every day, we prove that education is not just about learning — it’s about becoming.

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?

✨ Three Most Important Qualities, Skills, and Areas of Knowledge

1. Resilience and Faith
Life will test you long before it rewards you. My journey began with language barriers, financial hardship, and endless rejection, but every obstacle became a training ground for patience and purpose. I learned that resilience is not toughness — it’s faith in motion. It’s the decision to show up even when you feel unseen. For anyone starting out: build small daily habits that strengthen your spirit — wake up early, stay grateful, and keep moving forward no matter what.

2. Emotional Intelligence and Human Connection
The greatest skill I’ve ever developed is understanding people. As the founder of Louisville Beauty Academy, I’ve seen that education and business both succeed only when rooted in empathy. Listening deeply, respecting every background, and humanizing every interaction has been the foundation of my work. To those early in their path: master kindness — it’s the most powerful leadership skill there is.

3. Relentless Learning and Adaptability
I’ve published over 120 books and built multiple companies, but every one of them came from the same hunger to learn. The world changes too fast to rely only on what you know. Be humble enough to ask questions, curious enough to explore new tools — especially technology and AI — and disciplined enough to act on what you learn. Never stop being a student.

In short: Stay faithful, stay kind, and stay curious. Those three qualities — resilience, empathy, and lifelong learning — have carried me through every challenge and are the foundation of Louisville Beauty Academy’s “YES I CAN, I HAVE DONE IT” culture.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

Our ideal client is not defined by age, background, or language — they are defined by heart.

At Louisville Beauty Academy, our ideal student is someone who may have faced rejection, language barriers, or financial limitations but still believes, even quietly, that they are meant for more. They may be immigrants, working mothers, single parents, or individuals rebuilding their lives — people who see education as a path to dignity and self-reliance.

What makes them ideal is their willingness to learn, consistency in showing up, and desire to serve others. We can teach anyone the art and science of beauty, but what truly matters is their openness to grow and their respect for the process.

For our community and business partners, our ideal collaborators are those who share our belief that education is humanization. We look for organizations and leaders who value inclusion, discipline, and workforce empowerment — partners who want to help people rise, not just earn.

At Louisville Beauty Academy, we don’t just build beauty professionals — we build confident, kind, and community-minded individuals who say, “YES I CAN, I HAVE DONE IT.”

That’s our ideal student, our ideal partner, and our ideal future.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Di Tran | Louisville Beauty Academy

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Mental Health
Mental Health: Inspiring Stories of Perseverance and Resilience

As the prevalence of mental health issues increases and affects an ever larger number of

Leadership Development
Finding & Living with Purpose

Over the years we’ve had the good fortunate of speaking with thousands of successful entrepreneurs,

Leadership Development
How did you find your purpose?

Core to our mission is helping our audience and community reach their full potential and