From Viet Nam to Wellington: Công Lương's journey of becoming a global entrepreneur
My name is Công Lương, and my journey to Wellington began in Hai Phong, Viet Nam. I moved to New Zealand to pursue my studies at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, a decision that shaped every part of my personal and professional life.
I completed a Conjoint Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Commerce in 2011, majoring in Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, and Finance. My original dream was to become an actuary, but I enjoyed finance so much that I stayed on to complete my Bachelor of Commerce with Honours in Finance in 2012.
Why I chose Victoria University of Wellington
My decision to study at Victoria was deeply personal. My father, a ship captain who had travelled the world, always encouraged me to become a global citizen. Based on his experiences, he believed New Zealand was the safest, most welcoming place for me to pursue that dream, and he was right.
Victoria University’s reputation in Mathematics and Finance made it the perfect fit. Its location in the capital city meant I could connect academic theory with real-world opportunities.
The Post Study Work Visa also played a major role in my decision. When I graduated in 2012, I received a one‑year visa that helped me start my career. Today’s graduates get up to three years. That’s an incredible advantage for international students.
My career journey
My career hasn’t followed a straight line, but it has always been guided by three things I developed at Victoria University: a global mindset, a business-first approach, and the ability to teach myself complex new skills.
After graduation, my first job was actually in a Vietnamese restaurant while I looked for finance roles. Some might see that as a detour, but for me it was an unexpected doorway into business development. My boss noticed my analytical thinking and asked me to help expand his ventures; that’s where I got my first taste of building operations from the ground up.
In 2016, everything shifted. With encouragement from my wife, I joined a small Chartered Accounting firm. Even though I had a Finance degree, VUW had taught me something far more powerful: how to learn new things on my own. I treated accounting as a new language and taught myself the fundamentals on the job. This ability helped me move to KPMG New Zealand, pass my CPA exams, and become a Certified Practising Accountant in 2021.
Today, I am the Managing Director of Vina Accountants Limited in New Zealand and HVL Education Agency in Viet Nam, leading a team of 15 across two countries. I don’t just see myself as an accountant—I see myself as a global entrepreneur who bridges the business environments of New Zealand and Viet Nam every day.
My time at Victoria University
Studying at Victoria University of Wellington was the wisest investment I’ve ever made.
Professionally, it gave me the foundation to build global businesses. Holding citizenship in both Viet Nam and New Zealand allows me to operate across three markets—Viet Nam, New Zealand, and Australia. Many people in Viet Nam are surprised by how easily a Kiwi citizen can work and do business in Australia.
Being selected twice for the Summer Research Scholarships was a turning point. My first project involved analysing New Zealand’s Consumer Price Index, and my second focused on benchmarking global manufacturing performance.
These experiences taught me that real-world data is rarely clean and that the answers can’t always be found in a textbook. These experiences also strengthened my research mindset which provided me with the confidence to learn any complex topic from scratch. This later empowered me to transition into accounting and start my own firm.
My time at VUW also gave me a global network. I made friends from Viet Nam, India, China, and many other countries. We still stay connected, visiting each other whenever we travel. This community is like a global family and has opened doors to diverse perspectives and opportunities.
Community and leadership
With a growing Vietnamese student community at VUW, I joined the Vietnamese Student Association in Wellington (VSAW) and had the privilege of serving as President in 2011. We organised cultural and sports events and led fundraising efforts. Our biggest success was hosting Viet Nam Day at Memorial Theatre, with 300 attendees.
Leading a volunteer-based organisation taught me leadership, communication, and teamwork in ways that were sometimes even more challenging than running a business.
My degree
My degree gave me two major advantages: confidence with numbers and the ability to teach myself. With a strong foundation in mathematics and statistics, I’m able to spot patterns and insights within data that others might overlook, an invaluable skill in my accounting business. And when I transitioned from finance to accounting, I didn’t need to return to school for years; my degree had already equipped me to quickly learn and master complex concepts on my own. It didn’t prepare me for just one job—it prepared me for an evolving career.
Challenges I faced
There were challenges, of course. Language barriers were significant at the beginning. I recorded all my lectures, but even hours of replay wouldn’t always make everything clear. Presentations were especially stressful. I had to practise for hours in front of a mirror to get my pronunciation right.
Finding my first full‑time job within one year wasn’t easy either. That’s why I see the current three-year Post Study Work Visa as a huge advantage. It gives graduates the breathing room to find the right job, not just the first one available.
Life in Wellington
Wellington is truly home for me now. It offers the perfect balance of a successful career and an amazing family life. My wife and I love how safe and walkable the city is. Everything is close. My office is 10 minutes away, and the airport is only 20 minutes from home. It’s a very “human” city where people genuinely respect each other.
Professionally, being here gives me a unique edge. Because New Zealand is ahead of Viet Nam in time, I start my day early and enjoy quiet hours to set everything up before my staff in Viet Nam wake. With less travel time and fewer distractions, I have more space to think long-term and grow my businesses. It’s the perfect place to run a global company.
My wife and I are both VUW graduates. Because we grew up during our university years in the same environment, we share the same “Wellington values”. For us, this means being respectful, family-centred, and less materialistic. That shared mindset has become the foundation of our life together. We are proudly a “VUW family”.
Advice to future Vietnamese students
Studying abroad is life-changing. In Viet Nam, we grow up well protected, and that can limit our independence. Moving overseas forces you to build your own life from scratch—your first job, your first paycheck, your own network.
For me, being a VUW alumnus is about more than the degree. It’s about representing the values I gained: global thinking, independence, and lifelong learning. I want to inspire more Vietnamese students to come to New Zealand, pursue world-class education, and become global entrepreneurs themselves.