Ryan D'Souza is an MBA ’24 candidate and member of the logistics committee for the Ivey LEADER Project, a student-led international economic development program. He was part of a student and alumni volunteer team that recently travelled to Vietnam to coach and inspire promising entrepreneurs to launch or grow their ventures. In his blog below, he discusses the insights gained from the experience and how they helped him to grow personally and professionally.
My introduction to the LEADER Project
After beginning my MBA journey in March 2023, I heard about a unique and exciting extracurricular program called the LEADER Project.
Founded in 1991, the student-led organization coaches promising entrepreneurs in several countries around the world through a two-week campaign. Currently, the organization has site partners in India, Nepal, North Macedonia, Serbia, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
Modelled after Ivey’s Case-Method of Learning, the annual program is planned and taught by current Ivey MBA and HBA students, commonly referred to as LEADERites, with the support of an extensive alumni volunteer pool, and respective site partners.
Although I was apprehensive to fly across the world and teach entrepreneurs, I became a LEADERite and was stationed in Vietnam. I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to participate in this invaluable experience. It enabled me to grow in many ways. Here is my story.
Pre-trip preparations
I was a member of the LEADER Project’s logistics committee and tasked with updating health and safety procedures and site guides as well as coordinating our alumni volunteers. By fall, I began site-specific work for Vietnam, which involved working with Trinh Minh Tri (Jimmy), a representative of our site partner, Saigon Innovation Hub (SIHUB).
By January, we were assigned our travel locations and team. I was lucky enough to be selected for the Vietnam trip along with fellow MBA classmates Gayan Ferdinands and Bethany Lin; HBA students Annie Liu and Cindy Zhang; and Nadine de Gannes, HBA ’09, an assistant professor and HBA Program Faculty Director at Ivey, who served as our alumni volunteer.
Taking in Vietnam
In April, we arrived in Hồ Chí Minh City to a metropolis bursting with energy, and under an excessive heat warning. Although it was almost midnight, we were immediately struck by the humidity and heat.
The streets were bustling day and night. Scooters buzzed around, automobile horns blared, and the sidewalks were filled with makeshift food stalls. Crossing the street forced us to dodge vehicles like in a game of Frogger, with traffic coming from all directions – including from behind us while we were on the sidewalk!
It’s a surreal experience to write a short blog about a city that I only spent 15 days exploring. Diverse influences from Chinese to French colonialism shaped its rich history. These influences are still present in many of its food dishes, like Phở, bánh mì, fresh spring rolls, and cơm tấm. Offering insights into the storied traditions and culture that were further shaped by the Vietnam War is no easy feat, but we did our best to immerse ourselves in our new home.
We visited everything from local establishments to tourist traps, including iconic landmarks like the Hồ Chí Minh City War Remnants Museum, the symphony, Bùi Viện Walking Street, Bến Thành Market, Bà Nà Hills, and the Củ Chi war tunnels. The part I enjoyed the most was the dining experiences with our participants. The communal table was always filled with a variety of savoury and sweet dishes and fostered lively discussions about business aspirations, travel plans, and daily life.
The teaching experience
Standing in front of 30 participants and multiple SIHUB representatives, we LEADERites took to the front of the classroom to teach concepts like finance, strategy, marketing, and new venture creation to name a few. While prepping lecture slides and cases beforehand, we learned to break down complex concepts into digestible bits. It was a true test of our understanding of each subject.
Lectures and cases were supplemented with learning team discussions, workshops, and guest speakers. We were thrilled to host Donnaa Fredrick, Co-founder and Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant with Mako Immigration, who spoke about business immigration pathways in Canada; and Quynh Vo, Program Director with ZoneStartups, a startup accelerator, who discussed the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The learnings
This was an incredibly rewarding experience. Although we were there to teach, we learned a lot about the culture, traditions, and international economy within Vietnam. We also had the pleasure of learning about our participants’ ventures, which ranged from herbal remedies to artificial intelligence-powered language training, fragrances, teas, interior design, and interior building mapping.
Teaching entrepreneurs about business fundamentals allowed me to make a positive impact while also learning a tremendous amount. There are three key insights that I will carry with me:
- Teaching facilitates deeper understanding: Simplifying complex concepts, especially with language barriers, strengthened my knowledge and communication;
- Relationships: Connecting with students outside the classroom allowed us to become more comfortable with each other, enhancing classroom contributions; and,
- Business fundamentals are universal: Specific applications depend on local conditions, but things like passion, work ethic, innovation, and calculated risk-taking are essential.
I encourage anyone who is considering participating in LEADER to take the leap. You'll be surprised by what you're able to accomplish and the skills you gain will serve you in your career and life. Most importantly, you'll build connections through cross-cultural exchange that reinforce our shared humanity.
View photos from the trip below.
LEADERites with Vietnamese participants.
LEADERites on their way to Vietnam. Top row, l-r: Ryan D'Souza, Bethany Lin, Annie Liu. Front row, l-r: Nadine de Gannes, Cindy Zhang, Gayan Ferdinands.
Ryan D'Souza with a group of Vietnamese participants.
A busy street in Hồ Chí Minh City.
A visit to the symphony.
Bà Nà Hills.
Getting ready to enjoy local cuisine.
The Saigon Innovation Hub Coffee Shop where entrepreneurship workshops were held.
Visit to the Long Son Pagoda, the world's largest Buddha statue, in Nha Trang.
Visit to the Hội An Night Market.
Buildings along the Saigon River in Hồ Chí Minh City.
The Ivey team exploring the streets of Hồ Chí Minh City.
A traditional Vietnamese dish of cơm tấm.
LEADERites enjoying the views along the Saigon River at night.
LEADER Project participants invited LEADERites to experience their customized fragrance workshop. After an introduction to the notes (base, heart, and high notes) that go into making a fragrance, the LEADERites were able to smell and combine various notes to create a customized fragrance, which was then gifted to them after the experience.
Ryan D'Souza enjoying the Golden Bridge at Bà Nà Hills.
Ivey trip participants. L-r: Cindy Zhang, Nadine de Gannes, Ryan D'Souza, Gayan Ferdinands, Annie Liu, and Bethany Lin.