Triathlon participation in Vietnam has grown nearly 30x in a decade. And Danang is about to host its first full-distance Ironman. In this episode, Ian Paynton speaks to Rob Zamacona, the General Manager of Sunrise Events Vietnam, about what it really takes to build an event of that scale here. We unpack what Ironman's growth reveals about modern Vietnam: the power of community, how nothing important happens overnight, and why “reading the room” might be the most valuable business skill you can develop for getting things done in Vietnam.

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This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.

In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton is joined by Gauthier D'haenens, a Vietnamese-born Belgian adoptee who returned to Vietnam as an adult searching for his biological parents — and instead found a very different sense of belonging.

Gauthier shares his deeply personal journey of growing up feeling like an outsider in Europe, returning to Vietnam to reconnect with his roots, and ultimately choosing to build a life here despite never fully fitting into one box or another. Together, Ian and Gauthier explore what it means to live between cultures, how Vietnam can strip away old identities and force new ones to emerge, and why grief, distance, and belonging are some of the least talked-about realities of long-term life abroad.

The conversation also dives into Vietnam’s evolution beyond the usual Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City narrative, why Danang is emerging as a serious tech and lifestyle hub, and what global leaders consistently misunderstand about building businesses and teams in Vietnam.

This is a reflective, honest episode about adoption, ambition, wonder, and the quiet sacrifices that come with choosing Vietnam — and why, for many, the country has a way of confronting you… and changing you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Growing up Vietnamese in Europe and returning to Vietnam as an adult
• Searching for biological parents — and making peace with not finding them
• Identity, belonging, and the emotional cost of living far from home
• Why Hanoi can break you — and why that matters
• Danang’s rise beyond tourism into tech and innovation
• What Vietnam’s future could look like, and what it risks losing along the way

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If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.

Vietnam is no longer just a fast-growing economy or a low-cost manufacturing hub. It is entering what many local leaders now call an era of rising — defined not only by economic momentum, but by diplomatic agility, cultural confidence, and a new generation reshaping the country’s future. In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton speaks with Hang Vu, Managing Partner at RSI Consulting, about what Vietnam’s rise really looks like on the ground — beyond GDP headlines and investor hype. Drawing on her experience as a corporate leader turned market-entry advisor, we unpack

• What Vietnam’s rapid growth looks like on the ground — from mindset shifts to changing consumer behaviour
• The move from resilience to reinvention in Vietnamese business culture
• The rise of cultural confidence and creative industries
• The role of Vietnamese women as both guardians of tradition and pioneers of change
• Common mistakes international companies make when entering Vietnam
• Bamboo diplomacy and how it shapes Vietnam’s global positioning
• What success could look like for Vietnam’s era of rising over the next decade

This episode is essential listening for global business leaders, investors, and anyone seeking a deeper, more human understanding of where Vietnam is heading — and what it takes to succeed here in the years ahead.

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If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.

Tết has always been Vietnam’s most important moment of the year — culturally, emotionally, and commercially. For some categories, it can account for up to 40–45% of annual sales. But something feels different now.

In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton sits down with Cimigo's Richard Burrage, a long-time Vietnam resident and one of the country’s most experienced consumer insight leaders, to unpack how Tết is changing — and why many brands and marketers haven’t caught up.

Drawing on nationwide consumer research and focus groups, Richard explains why Vietnam is spending differently, gifting less, celebrating more quietly, and approaching Tết with a very different mindset.

For senior leaders looking beyond the hype, this episode offers a grounded, on-the-ground view of cultural change — and why understanding the “new Tết” may be critical to getting Vietnam right.

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If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.

Michaela Baur is the Country Director of GIZ Vietnam, a German development agency with more than 30 years of experience working in Vietnam. Today, Ian asks the question on the tip of everyone's tongue: Can Vietnam really become a high-income country by 2045 AND reach its net zero target by 2050? Michaela explains why Vietnam is choosing to pursue economic growth and emissions reduction in parallel, not sequentially, and why, while it's very ambitious, it's also very smart. She breaks down Vietnam’s four major reform thrusts for the next decade and why they’re being tackled together rather than in silos. Drawing on GIZ's experience in Vietnam, Michaela shares concrete examples of the agency's high impact work. She also gives five things outsiders must know about getting things done in Vietnam – from genuine curiosity about the country and its history, to working at eye level with Vietnamese partners. If you care about climate, growth, or doing business in Vietnam, this episode shows why Vietnam might just become a global example for how to do both.

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If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.

Vietnam is changing shape fast — but its soul hasn’t moved an inch. In this episode, Ian sits down with Vinamilk creative director Chieu Pham to unpack the cultural codes that remain constant beneath the country’s rapid transformation. From ancestor worship and family rituals to emotion-driven storytelling and Vietnam’s unique sense of humour, Chieu explains why global brands so often misread the market — and what they must understand to get it right. She shares 15 years of insight across ad agencies and national brands, and why authenticity beats polished cleverness every time. She also dives into gender dynamics inside Vietnam’s creative industry, the rise of influencers, and the future of Vietnamese cinema.

Send us a text

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.

Vietnam’s economy is booming. Foreign factories are multiplying, GDP is surging, and global investors are calling it the next Asian powerhouse. But who’s really benefitting from this rapid growth? In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, Ian Paynton speaks with journalist Lam Le, known for going beyond the headlines to tell the human-centred stories behind Vietnam’s economic rise. She explains what life looks like for the factory workers assembling products such as AirPods and MacBooks, and for gig-economy drivers caught in relentless algorithmic cycles. From ageing out of factory work at thirty-five to the quiet ambitions of women retraining as beauticians, Lam paints a vivid picture of the people powering Vietnam’s rise — and offers advice for global businesses looking to employ here responsibly.

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If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.

Many foreign leaders arrive in Vietnam full of confidence — armed with a leadership style that’s worked everywhere else. But within weeks, frustration sets in. Teams seem hesitant, feedback is quiet, and quick wins are nowhere to be found. In this episode of You Don’t Know Vietnam, cross-cultural leadership expert Julie Sivan joins Ian Paynton to unpack why leadership styles often don’t translate — and what you can do to make sure yours does.

Julie explains the key mindset shift every foreign leader needs to make: trust comes before performance in Vietnam. She breaks down how hierarchy really works (it’s a roof, not a wall), why silence doesn’t mean agreement, and how to build trust through consistency, presence, and care.

You’ll also hear:

🇻🇳 The biggest traps foreign leaders fall into — and how to avoid them
🇻🇳 How to decode hierarchy, respect, and feedback in Vietnamese workplaces
🇻🇳 Three things to do in your first 30 days to earn credibility and connection
🇻🇳 What not to do if you want to keep trust intact

Whether you’re leading a team in Hanoi, managing a regional office in Ho Chi Minh City, or planning to expand your business into Vietnam, this episode is your field guide to cross-cultural leadership that lands.

Send a text

If you enjoy this conversation or think someone in your network could find value in it, please share it and hit follow to get notified when the next episode drops.

This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content, the content marketing agency that builds audiences for global brands in Vietnam. You can follow our host, Ian Paynton, on LinkedIn, and follow the podcast on Instagram, TikTok and X.

A special thanks to DJ Jase at The Beats Saigon for the soundtrack, and to YOU for listening.