Duluth, November 11, 2025 — For many Vietnamese immigrants with entrepreneurial dreams, the path to business success in America can be lonely and overwhelming. Lacking networks, resources, and experience in navigating the U.S. business landscape, these aspiring entrepreneurs often struggle to turn their visions into reality.
Enter the Lotus Club, a new entrepreneur organization founded just three months ago by a group of seasoned local Vietnamese American business leaders who saw a critical need in the community.
“We see a lot of entrepreneurs struggling by themselves, lacking enough knowledge, lacking enough experience, lacking support from different angles and different resources,” explained Duong Vo, co-founder of the Lotus Club and a successful entrepreneur with nearly 30 years of experience in insurance and import-export businesses.
A Vision Born from Experience
The idea for the Lotus Club emerged when Vo and three other established business owners gathered about six months ago to discuss how they could better serve Vietnamese entrepreneurs in Metro Atlanta. Having weathered their own challenges and built successful ventures over decades, they recognized they had valuable knowledge to share with newcomers.
“We’ve been here almost 30 years, so we kind of know a lot of things and people compared to the young entrepreneurs that come over, been here maybe three years, five years, seven years,” Vo said. “They have their dreams, but they lack a lot of factors that can help them succeed.”
The organization launched in August and has experienced remarkable growth, now drawing 40 to 50 attendees to its weekly Saturday morning meetings from 8 to 10 a.m. at an office in Duluth.
More Than Just Networking
What sets the Lotus Club apart is its comprehensive approach to supporting startup entrepreneurs. The organization focuses on three fundamental pillars: developing clear business ideas and strategies, connecting members with the right people and talent, and securing funding.
“We work with several banks that can provide SBA loans and funding for startups,” Vo explained. “We also have private lenders or private lending to invest into businesses if they’re open to accepting investors.”
Weekly meetings feature expert speakers on topics ranging from marketing and time management to finance and team building. A key component of each gathering is small group sessions where members can introduce their businesses, share challenges, and receive feedback and support from peers.
“Sometimes you have a problem and you don’t know how to share with others,” Vo noted. “This is a great chance for you to share, and people in the group say, ‘Hey, I know this, I can help you with that.’ They start sharing information, so you learn from each other.”
Building an Environment of Trust
At the heart of the Lotus Club’s mission is fostering genuine trust among members—something Vo emphasizes as essential for business success.
“The most important thing about the Lotus Club is the trust,” he said. “We want to build trust between the members, because when you do business without trust, it’s very hard to do business with others. Here we build an environment where you trust each other, you can help each other, and we can grow together.”
The club encourages healthy competition and collaboration, even among members in the same industry. Rather than viewing fellow members as rivals, entrepreneurs are encouraged to work together and share ideas that can elevate the entire community.
Open to All Entrepreneurs
While the Lotus Club was founded to serve Vietnamese entrepreneurs—particularly those who have been in the U.S. for just a few years and may still be developing their English language skills—membership is open to anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset.
“We welcome any members that have the same mindset: to build a network and help the community grow,” Vo said. The club already has several non-Vietnamese members who attend regularly.
Membership is open to anyone interested in starting a business, currently operating a small business, running an online venture, or managing a storefront.
Complementing Existing Organizations
The Lotus Club operates on a smaller, more intimate scale than established organizations like the Georgia Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce, where Vo previously served as vice president.
“The Vietnamese Chamber speaks mostly English and has great connections to different chambers of commerce and the government,” Vo explained. “The Lotus Club is kind of like a startup—smaller scale—and we serve two different audiences.”
The Lotus Club specifically targets newer immigrants who may not yet be comfortable conducting business in English but are eager to launch their ventures and need hands-on guidance.
Looking Ahead
The organization has already received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and is in the process of establishing membership dues and building out its organizational structure. While the club doesn’t yet have a dedicated website, interested entrepreneurs can find information and meeting updates on the Lotus Club’s Facebook page.
As the organization continues to grow, Vo and his co-founders envision expanding their reach and impact within the Vietnamese American business community and beyond.
“We can guide them to the right door, help them with networking, help them with information, help them find the right way to do business rather than running around and wasting time,” Vo said. “We help them achieve their dreams faster.”
