I grew up in a rural part of Vietnam, where the internet didn’t arrive until 2005. If you had to guess, you might never imagine that I’d go on to build a successful career in the U.S.—but that’s exactly what I did.

From being part of the inaugural cohort of professional fellows hosted by the U.S. State Department to earning an MBA from a top business school in Europe, my path has been anything but typical. Along the way, I built a new function at UserTesting (which went public in 2021), worked at Google, and became an executive at a startup valued at $100M.

Here’s the truth: I don’t consider myself the smartest, nor did I have any special advantages. So what’s the secret to my success? It wasn’t luck. I developed a personal formula to overcome language barriers, cultural differences, and background disadvantages, transforming them into strengths. This formula helped me lead with confidence, communicate with conviction, and present myself authentically at every step.

Now, I’m excited to share this formula with you so you can apply it to your own life and career—aiming even higher than I did.