Meet Ly Thuy Mai

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ly Thuy Mai a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ly Thuy, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

The clarity I have around my business purpose came through a slow unfolding of four-years of struggle and resilience.
In 2020, I had a successful marketing and event business. But behind the scenes, life was a struggle. I had just become a new mom to my son, and had made the scary decision to escape an abusive relationship. My business at the time was my life-line, giving me the resources to leave.

Then the pandemic hit. Within 48-hours business was shut down. Live-events and gatherings were banned, and all contracts and revenue stopped. The security and confidence I had counted on to rebuild for my son and I was gone.

The next two years were a fight for survival. I was a single mom navigating a pandemic, unemployment, depression and food stamps. For two-years I poured everything into building back my business. I made it a point to connect with my community of other incredible business women. These women became my clients, purchased my products, and shared their networks & referrals with me. With this support, I was able to get back-on-my-feet.

March 2024 was a turning point. I rebranded with my true-mission: empower women and BIPOC business owners to reclaim their space, build powerful brands, and find the support they deserve.

I built a community that empowers others to do the same, co-founding “EmpowerHer PDX”, a network of over 100 women-led independent business owners in the Portland, OR area. Today, my agency serves women who are building their dreams, reclaiming their voices, and standing together- my business purpose stems from my raw and personal experience and understanding of the the fight for hope and unconditional support.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Entrepreneurship has always been in my blood. It started in childhood with $5 talent shows in my parent’s living room to summer lemonade stands. Even in college, I funded my tuition and rent by hosting house parties and charging for cups at the door – business was my side hustle long before I knew what entrepreneurship was.

I’m fortunate enough to have turned my passion into a career. In late 2023, I joined forces with several amazing female freelancers and business owners to launch 730 Creative Agency. Our full-service marketing agency is built for women, by women, with a mission to empower them to take-up-space and amplify their voices in the business world.

While we’ve been working to fully build out the agency and working with clients for eight months, our official launch is set for the end of August! Our focus on helping women-led and diversity focused brands stand out and find community is something I’m so proud of. I can’t wait for the official launch!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

My advice to early entrepreneurs, is to view entrepreneurship as a long-term lifestyle- not a one shot opportunity.

One project, one launch, and even one business doesn’t define who you are as a business owner. Most successful business owners, including myself, have had multiple businesses-.some that have worked and some that have not.

When I started my journey, I took every loss or mistake as proof that I had somehow failed. After 8-years of entrepreneurship, I know now that there is no entrepreneurship without loss, just like there is no successful business that hasn’t had a couple failures. These losses are what make you a better business owner and what helps you to build a stronger business.

Lastly, learn to pivot. Pivot, pivot pivot- and when you think you’ve pivoted for the last time, just know that as a business owner, it’s your obligation to pivot with the economy, with the seasons of your life, with economic demand, and with anything else that happens in your business. The quicker you learn how to go with the flow and change direction when needed, the easier and more enjoyable this business journey gets.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

7Thirty Creative Agency is built on collaboration! We were founded by a collective of female freelancers and business owners who understood the struggle of building a dream solo.

We would love to connect with other marketing and online business experts to help refer each other business as well as work together. We’re always looking to expand our network and collaborate with skilled individuals who share our passion for empowering female entrepreneurs.

Contact Info:

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