Established in 2018, with only two initial founding members, to date, the My Tho City Youth Startup Club has attracted 27 members to participate in regular activities. In addition to sharing information, supporting knowledge and experience in startup activities, the Club members are also supported by the My Tho City Youth Union, proposing to relevant departments and branches to support preferential loans, training, coaching, updating knowledge... to help bring practical results in the startup process.
 A meeting of the Youth Startup Club of My Tho City. |
*Meet, exchange, share, support
Mr. Cao Huu Tai, Director of Long Tuyen Phung Company Limited (Ward 9, My Tho City), Chairman of the My Tho City Youth Startup Club, said that with the desire to create a forum for young people with ideas and startup projects to exchange and share experiences to support each other on the path to starting a business, in early 2018, he and Mr. Tran Hoang Chuc had the initiative to establish the Youth Startup Club. After presenting the idea, the Ward 9 Youth Union and Tan My Chanh Commune Youth Union unanimously proposed the My Tho City Youth Union to decide to establish the My Tho City Youth Startup Club; in which, the Chairman is Mr. Cao Huu Tai, 02 Vice Chairmen are Mr. Tran Hoang Chuc and Mr. Le Trung Hieu (Owner of Ngoc Thanh Nem Cha Production Facility).
When it first started operating, the club encountered many difficulties such as: no meeting place, limited operating budget, few members, monotonous activities... To overcome these difficulties, Mr. Tai and Mr. Chuc mobilized members who were active in Youth Union organizations in My Tho City to join the club; at the same time, they chose a spacious, airy, and convenient coffee shop as the meeting place.
According to Mr. Tai, the procedure for joining the Club is quite simple. Organizations and individuals who want to become members only need to submit an application (according to the form) along with a Business Registration Certificate (enterprise or individual business household). After submitting the application, the organization or individual becomes a probationary member of the Club, can participate in activities for 3 months, then the Board of Directors decides to accept them and they become official members.
Currently, the Club organizes regular activities once a quarter (on the 15th of the first month of the quarter). In addition, every Tuesday morning, members also participate in "Startup Morning Coffee" at the Club's Startup Product Exhibition Area (Old Ferry Terminal Area in Ward 6, My Tho City). Participating in activities at the Club, members share experiences related to startup activities, product improvement, market penetration and expansion; at the same time, they participate in professional update and training programs organized by provincial departments and branches related to trade promotion activities, training series on things to know about the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program, and OCOP product development associated with local potential and advantages.
*Attract more members to participate
 Place to display and introduce youth startup products (Ward 6, My Tho City). |
Through propaganda and mobilization, the youth union members who participated as reserve members saw the benefits and practical effectiveness of the club's activities, and most of them believed that this was an indispensable activity in the process of starting a business, so they wished to apply to become official members and participate in activities more and more. Initially, with only 05 members when it was first established, up to now, the club has a total of 27 official members and 08 reserve members participating in regular activities.
According to the Club's Board of Directors, in recent times, the Club has received special attention from the My Tho City Youth Union. In addition to creating favorable conditions for living space, connecting functional agencies and businesses to participate in activities with the Club as guests, the City Youth Union leaders also contacted and introduced members with feasible projects to receive start-up loans from the My Tho City Social Policy Bank and the Provincial Youth Union. By the end of 2023, 05 Club members had access to start-up loans from the City Youth Union and the Provincial Youth Union with an amount of nearly 500 million VND.
In the quarterly meetings, depending on the content and proposals of the members, the Club proposed that the leaders of My Tho City Youth Union connect and invite leaders of a number of agencies and enterprises such as: Center for Investment Promotion and Enterprise Support (Department of Planning and Investment), Center for Industrial Promotion and Trade Promotion (Department of Industry and Trade), My Tho City Economic Department, Ocean Bank, Laco Group... to participate in answering, guiding, supporting proposals, recommendations, difficulties, and problems of members on a number of related issues such as: Organizing training courses on business start-up, business management; supporting enterprises to borrow capital with preferential interest rates (supported by the Industrial Promotion Fund for loan interest rates); digital transformation solutions, application of digital signatures in enterprises; receiving support from banks to borrow capital from programs and loan packages with preferential interest rates; Consulting and supporting in building and applying management systems according to international standards (ISO, HACCP, traceability...) for small and medium enterprises (Laco Group)...
Mr. Bui Quang Thai, owner of My Tho Laptop service (Ward 6, My Tho City) said that he joined the Club in August 2022. Due to his expertise in information technology, he was assigned by the Board of Directors to be in charge of communications and managing the Club's website; at the same time, supporting members in building and designing websites, installing business management software, sales management, etc. This is a useful playground for union members, youth, and young entrepreneurs on the path to starting a business.
Mr. Le Vuong Quoc Hung, Director of Thua Thien Duoc Thanh Company Limited, Member and Secretary of the Club shared: "Joining the Club since its establishment, at first the Club's activities were quite monotonous. Until the City Youth Union leaders paid attention and directed, the Club's activities improved a lot. Joining the Club, members can share information, have more opportunities about the market and partners; receive support and help when encountering difficulties and problems; receive support in introducing and promoting products through the website, showroom to introduce and sell products; receive support in preferential loans to implement start-up projects...".
| "The My Tho City Youth Startup Club is truly a place to gather union members and young people on the path of starting a business, establishing a career, and bringing about efficiency, contributing to the economic and social development goals of the locality. Members produce and do business in many different industries, so they have the opportunity to share, exchange, and support each other effectively. By joining the club, in addition to receiving support in communication, free promotion, and preferential loans from the startup fund, when members encounter difficulties or problems, they are also consulted and promptly supported by leaders of relevant departments and branches..." - Mr. Dang Huu Loc, Secretary of the My Tho City Youth Union said. |
Huynh Van Xi
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