Meet Vuong Tong: One of Our 30 Faces of YES
When Vuong first came to YES, he was balancing two demanding goals: finding a full-time job while launching a brand-new business. Days were packed with job applications, portfolio tweaks, and early startup planning—testing ideas, finding first customers, and figuring out sales and marketing. It was exciting but overwhelming, and even small victories sometimes felt like they didn’t count.
What made the difference was the steady guidance of his YES business coach. With empathy, structure, and accountability, each session turned challenges into progress and helped Vuong see that every step forward mattered. From sharpening his CV to building confidence for interviews, the support eventually paid off and he landed an incredible job.
Today, Vuong is thriving as a Senior UX/UI Designer and entrepreneur, proof that with the right community behind you, big goals become achievable milestones.
Interview with Vuong
What brought you to YES, and what were you hoping to achieve at that time?
When I first came to YES, I was looking for support in two areas: my job search and launching my business. A friend had been involved with YES for over a year and spoke really highly of it. What stood out wasn’t just the resources, but the structure and the accountability. Sometimes I just need someone steady to check in with, and helps me keep my own goals on track.
Can you tell us about some of the challenges or goals you faced when you first connected with YES? Was there a particular moment or obstacle that felt especially significant?
The hardest part for me was balancing two roles at once: job seeker and entrepreneur. On one hand, I was applying to jobs and looking for full-time work. On the other, I was in the early startup stage of my business, sketching it out: figuring out first customers, testing ideas, running marketing and sales, and building content. It was a lot. Even small wins didn’t always feel like progress at the time. Working with my coach helped shift that perspective. Any step forward, no matter how small, is still a step.
How did YES support you in overcoming those challenges or moving forward in your career, business, or artistic journey?
What YES gave me more than anything was empathy. The coaches weren’t just professionals, they were entrepreneurs and artists themselves. They understood the late nights, the doubts, and also the small victories that kept me going. It created a sense of community, a reminder that I wasn’t navigating all of this on my own.
Were there any tools, workshops, or insights from YES that made a lasting difference?
There was one in-person workshop around Quantum Leaps that really stuck with me. It was about setting goals, and the message was simple: often the biggest obstacle is ourselves. That shifted how I looked at challenges. Being an entrepreneur isn’t always about charging straight through a problem. Sometimes it’s about asking, how else can I approach this? Where’s the side path? That change in thinking opened up possibilities I hadn’t considered.
Where are you now in your journey, and what achievements or milestones are you most proud of?
Today I’m working full-time as a UX designer at a web and digital agency in Montreal. YES played an important role in that. Redoing my portfolio, reworking my CV, repositioning myself. Each workshop and coaching session added something new, another improvement. Even now, in my role, I think back to those lessons. I try to bring value with my skills while also staying open to learning from the process itself.
Looking back, is there a particular moment or success that stands out as a turning point?
One clear turning point was going through interviews. I went through several rounds with different companies, and not getting past the second round was tough. But debriefing with my coach after each one made all the difference. We went through what worked, what didn’t, and what to adjust for next time. Each interview became practice for the one that would finally click. By the time I landed my current role, I knew it was because of both the professional preparation and the steady encouragement I got from YES. The process gave me confidence when I needed it most.
Do you have any full-circle moments to share—such as returning as a speaker, mentor, or volunteer?
One of the highlights for me was returning to lead two workshops for the art community. It felt like a full-circle moment. I had been on the receiving end of support, and now I was able to share my own knowledge. The feedback I got, both positive and constructive, was valuable. It helped me refine my ideas and improve my work, and it also reinforced the sense of connection with the community.
➔ Check out Vuong’s work here!
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