Mr. Y Pot Nie decided to leave his job as a doctor and establish the Ede Coffee Company with the desire not only to create a business for himself but also to create a sustainable model to support the community.
On the afternoon of January 7th, within the framework of the CEO Circle Forum 2026, the NEXT GEN CEO 2025 journey officially concluded with a series of in-depth dialogues organized by CafeBiz (a subsidiary of VCCorp Joint Stock Company). The event was not only a meeting point for pioneering leaders, but also a space for stories of "thinking big" to be shared amidst a world full of change and uncertainty.
In Dialogue Session 1: “Thinking Big in an Unstable World,” moderated by Ms. Ha Thu Thanh – President of the Vietnam Institute of Directors (VIOD), speakers including Mr. Le Tri Thong – Vice President and General Director of PNJ; Mr. Pham Hong Hai – General Director of OCB Bank; and Mr. Y Pot Nie – Director of Ede Coffee Joint Stock Company, offered multifaceted perspectives on growth aspirations, leadership skills, and social responsibility in the new context.
Dare to dream – Dare to think!
Amidst the broader discussions, the story of Mr. Y Pốt Niê left a particularly strong impression. Born and raised in Dak Lak, a member of the Ede ethnic group, he was a general practitioner, a graduate of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and had a stable job in a hospital. He never thought he would become an entrepreneur, much less imagine himself venturing into coffee production and business. However, his concerns about the impoverished lives of his fellow villagers – from their production mindset to their precarious livelihoods – prompted him to take a completely different path.
Mr. Y Pot Nie decided to leave his job as a doctor and establish the Ede Coffee Company with the desire not only to create a business for himself but also to create a sustainable model to support the community. This decision faced considerable skepticism and even criticism from family and friends. But looking back, Mr. Y Pot Nie affirms that it was the word "courage" that marked a turning point in his life.
“"I dare to pursue my dreams, dare to take responsibility, dare to share, and dare to stand alongside the people in my village," he said, a simple yet powerful conclusion.
To date, his business has purchased and supported nearly 1,000 hectares of coffee from local farmers. In the early days of his startup, the biggest challenge for him was finance: how could a young person have enough resources to purchase raw materials from farmers? Instead of borrowing from banks, he raised capital through his own trust – from customers and partners, those who were willing to come to his house, listen to his aspirations, and go through difficult times with him.
According to Mr. Y Pot Nie, without the word "dare," there would be no journey today – a journey where business is inseparable from social responsibility, where "thinking big" is not a slogan, but a steadfast choice amidst countless uncertainties.
javascript:if(typeof(admSspPageRg)!='undefined'){admSspPageRg.draw(201015);}else{parent.admSspPageRg.draw(201015);}
The journey of building trust
Mr. Y Pot Nie is always humble when speaking about himself. He doesn't consider himself a CEO or a true entrepreneur, but simply a son of the Central Highlands – a barren land where the lives of the villagers are still fraught with hardship. This very starting point has instilled in him a fundamental motivation: first, to broaden his thinking; then, to dedicate himself to doing as much as possible; and finally, to self-reflect on his own abilities – to see if he is truly suited to the path he has chosen.
To date, Ede Coffee has gone through a six-year journey of formation and development. Many challenges still lie ahead, but alongside the difficulties are very concrete achievements. Looking back on the journey so far, Mr. Y Pot Nie believes that ability, skills, and responsibility do not exist separately, but must go hand in hand. And for him, being able to gradually achieve that is already a great stroke of luck.
Y Pốt Niê didn't just dare to dream big; he also dared to act. His first "daring step" was approaching banks seeking initial funding. However, as a fledgling startup, he faced a barrage of critical questions: how much money was needed, how long would it take to repay, and how would he repay? Some questions were even skeptical, reflecting a lack of confidence in entrepreneurs from rural villages like himself.
However, Mr. Y Pot Nie completely won the trust of the local people. He started with very small things. When he had just sold a few hundred kilograms or a few tons of coffee, he returned to support the community. For him, helping was not just about giving a few gifts or boxes of instant noodles, but more importantly, helping the people change their mindset and working methods. When their mindset changed, their products would be purchased by businesses at a higher price, and their lives would become less precarious.
Not stopping there, he also supported the villagers in borrowing capital to invest in production. Instead of having to borrow at high interest rates as before, since 2019, the villagers have been able to borrow money from Ede Coffee without interest, even for small amounts of 1-2 million dong*. For many people in the village, that amount of money is enough to create a new beginning.
Having poured all his finances into his startup and the community, Mr. Y Pốt Niê spends almost nothing on himself. He shared very honestly: "The suit I'm wearing today is the only one I've ever worn, because a suit alone costs 2-3 million dong. I try to save as much as possible to reinvest in my business and have more resources to support the people.".
It is through self-restraint and consistency between words and actions that trust is gradually built – not through flashy plans, but through persistent, quiet work that lasts long enough to prove itself.
| Next Gen CEO is a special program aimed at finding and encouraging a new generation of CEOs – strong in management and full of ambition – nominated by a Nomination Council of entrepreneurs and business managers; evaluated and guided by reputable experts and leading figures in various fields. The program is organized by Cafebiz, in collaboration with Admicro and AdSponsor, acting as the initiator and coordinator of all activities. We would like to thank Techcombank for accompanying NEXT GEN CEO 2025 on the journey to honor the young generation of Vietnamese leaders. By promoting superior thinking, self-reliance, and sustainable development, unleashing potential, self-reliance, and achieving success in their own way, each generation of leaders will contribute to creating long-term growth momentum for the business community and the Vietnamese economy. |
According to Ung Ha Chi
Legal life