Book-worm Nguyen Canh Binh always wondered how he could share all the interesting books he has read with others, so he decided to quit his job in petrochemistry and open a publishing house. He specialises in the same self-help books he used to become a businessman.

What are your favourite books?

There are many, but my top two are Making business like the Americans and How to do business successfully. I read the first book when I was a student, and at that time it gave me precious information that I could not read or learn anywhere else. Books about business were limited, and American businessmen are very practical and successful.

The second one included many principles that decide the success and failure of a person, and I was lucky enough to read it before I opened the Alpha Books Corp publishing house. I think it should be read by everyone who wants to start something of their own.

You started earning money as a university student. Did your experience during that time contribute to your success today?

Do you mean the time I raised chicken and sold eggs? It was because I wanted to share the responsibility for my fees with my parents who worked hard to earn a living. My family, like many others at that time, were not very rich. And I didn't want to keep asking them for money. I didn't attend extra-classes to prepare for my university exams for the same reason. Some of my friends raised chickens, so I bought 200 of them and sold their eggs to street vendors. At that time, I did not know how to make money in a more ‘intellectual' way.

I learnt about patience, belief, and above all, the value of hard work.

Having worked at Petrolimex for a long time and taken a Master's in petrochemistry, why did you decide to quit and spend a year at home reading?

Because I felt I could not contribute much to the field, even if I took a PhD. I wanted to follow my hobby, doing some work relating to research and books. I started to write articles for newspapers when I was at high school, and once I won a trip to India for a piece I wrote about our two countries. That encouraged me to follow my dream.

In your opinion, should a person start a business to earn money or because he wants to follow his passion? What is the priority?

Most people's opinions on this issue come from two extremes. Half encourage people to follow their passions while the others say they should only establish a business to make money.

I am in between because I believe that you can not live with your passion in the long run without making it work for you.

Researching and reading have always been my passion. I started my business in 2004 because I felt publishing houses at that time could not meet my requirements. I started by choosing the books I felt were interesting and translating them, but I couldn't find anyone to publish them, so I opened my own house. I spent nearly all my money to publish my first book. My friends and I chose several more to translate and introduce, but we weren't making any money and we soon realised it could not go on like that. A publishing house is a business, and we needed to learn how to run a business first.

You once said you followed some advice in a book that said the most precious time in your life is your free time and one's future depends on how you use it, rather than time spent in the office. How did you use that?

I worked hard at Petrolimex for eight years and realised that people often use their free time at noon to chat, play games and sleep. I define free time as the time no one asks you to do anything for them. You have the total right to decide what you want to do. I often spend it reading books and going out to make friends with new people of all ages. I ask them about subjects I am ignorant of. Many of them were successful at that time, and others found success later. One of them was the former editor-in-chief of your newspaper, Mr Nguyen Cong] Khuyen. I asked him for advice about my first book, How the US Constitution was made.

Many young people today don't have either life experience or money, but they have dreams. They are inspired to start businesses by books that teach them how to become rich. What is your advice for them?

I encourage people to develop their careers to the best of their ability, but it is not necessary to establish a business to be a success.

If they do, they should gather knowledge and prepare carefully. My advice for them is to do so only when they feel they are ready. People often ask me how to define "ready". For example, when a student told me he really wanted open his own firm, I asked him: "What are your alternatives?" He replied: "At the moment I work in a government office, but I could also work at a company of my parent's friend. I have a lot of choices."

This made me think that he was not ready because he didn't seemed committed to the idea. Another boy asked me: "I already have one hundred millions dong. What should I do with it?" My advice to him was that money is not an issue here. It is only a small amount, but I can start a business with ten million dong, and so could he if he wanted to. The main issue there was establishing what he really wanted to do and being clear about it.

Are you as rich today as you expected to be?

It's always difficult to tell. If you define "rich" in three ways: good knowledge, friends and money, then the answer is yes. Since I established Alpha, I've continued to learn on a daily basis, and I have lots of new relations, friends and fans. Finally, I have a car to drive home in – is that enough? I still have lots of dreams and I will realise them all.

VNSS