Anh Nguyen
Before last year, I had no idea what Kumon centers were all about. I sat down with Anh to get the low down on what they do and who benefits from it. But through that also came her amazing and inspirational personal journey. Anh is not just any instructor. This is a woman who fights for what she believes in and works hard for what she wants in life… but she also makes it a priority to keep balance between running a business and keeping a happy home. She is adaptable, patient and has a deep, unmatched passion for working with children and helping them realize their full potential. Here’s what she had to say before the start of our interview:
“This Kumon Learning Center was opened with a passion for serving the community. And that's what I want every student and parent who come here to experience. I did not open a learning center just because I needed something to do. But I actually gave up a lot to have this happen. I want to make sure that passion is carried on to the students and to the parents who come here. Whether they stay here for a few months or a few years... I want them to understand that whatever they experience is going to be the best that I can provide them, with the passion that I'm trying to make change in each student's life and family.”
meet anh nguyen
kumon instructor and owner at richmond-libbie
In which we talk about the unlimited potential for all children, being good to others and the importance of nurturing relationships.
So, you own this Kumon center. Tell me about how that started and what Kumon is all about.
It really all started when I first came to the United States. I was really floored with the education [here] where you can go to School and it's not a privilege but it is a right.
The culture where I come from is Vietnam. When you go to school, you have to pay. Whether it's kindergarten or whether it's private, public... you gotta pay. If you don't have money, you can't go to school. And here in the United States, every student has a right to go to school and the freedom to go to school. So I was really floored by that and I really took that opportunity because I grew up in a poor family. My parents were able to push me through school but there was a lot of challenges financially. And when I came here at age 15, I was learning English as a third language. That was very very difficult. But I had my mind set to finish High school.
So, through high school, I was able to really pick up quickly through the determination that I have to do this. This is a golden opportunity for me. Coming here, my math Knowledge was higher because in the United States the math Level was still a little bit lower. So I was very confident in math and I wanted to become a math teacher. But, I didn't know English... or at least not that well. I didn't think pursuing a teaching degree and teaching math would be suitable when I couldn’t communicate with the students. So, I switched gears and majored in business with a concentration in finance because numbers speak to me more clearly than anything else. So, I was able to finish high school and continue on with college. Then, I [began to] work in financial institutions. I loved my job, I loved my co-workers and I loved all the people that I worked with. I worked hard… but that passion of working with children was always there. So, I would always find myself signing up to volunteer to teach at school or become a youth leader or teach Bible… anything that comes with the youth.
I have great joy in seeing the youth being pushed to their full potential and then become somebody that they didn’t realize they [could be]. I was one of them. I didn’t think that I could continue school until I came to the United States. But, you know, living with a family, you’ve got to do what you gotta do. You have to make paychecks. I went to work, and I was happy... I was fine. It wasn't like I had a problem with it.
[But after being] in financial institutions for 20 years, I decided to stay home for a period of time... and I did not like it. I drove myself crazy! So, I started to search for different things, and while I was searching, I also searched for programs for my children. If I went back to work, I wanted my children to also have the opportunity to do something, because my children are gifted. And I wanted something outside of the school environment so that they could excel. And I found Kumon. So I was planning to enroll them and the next thing I knew, I realized... I could franchise this.
I didn't know what it would feel like but that first thought was, "I can franchise this and I can actually do something with it."
My journey was pretty rough because when I started it, I was working for Capital One and I was working on getting trained here [in Kumon]. Because being a Kumon instructor... you can't just have money and open up. You have to go through training.
Halfway through my first year of training, my son had a drowning incident. We thought we lost him. But he came back to us after a few days in the hospital. But even then, my mental state was not there. I constantly checked on him at night, making sure that he was breathing. That was taking a lot of my energy, so I had to put a pause on Kumon. I actually have to thank Kumon because they were the ones who reached out to me and said, "Look, we just heard about this incident and we want you to really take a pause." And... I did not take that very well. I was pretty upset.
But then I thought about it... I really needed that. So I took almost half a year break and once I was stable enough, I reached out to them and I restarted my journey. A year after, I opened my Kumon center and it has been open for a year and three months now. And it's definitely growing.
So, you’ve always wanted to work with kids?
Yeah. I mean I have three kids myself and ... I love seeing kids and young people who go above and beyond their comfort zones… My firm belief is that every single child has potential. Whether is In math or in reading or in music or in art. They all have potential.
But sometimes they either don't realize it or they don't have the opportunity to realize it. And the sole purpose of this Kumon center is to really open that up and say, "You were born to be somebody. Be that person." And I think that's why I work hard for this and I want the students to realize that whether you came here struggling and needing help, you’re a normal or average student or you're a gifted student. To me, you are no different. The way I work with you is going to be different. It is my job to find out how I can motivate you... How I can continue to push you so that you find your own self.
Separate from Kumon, do you have any hobbies or side gigs?
I love volunteering. Especially when it comes to youth. I find joy in volunteering. You know, when you do things and you get paid for that, it's great…. But it's a greater joy when you do something and you don't get paid for it. You find yourself like, "Wow, I really did that and I didn't need a reward. I didn't need recognition. I just did it because I want to be part of that." A few years ago, I volunteered at Maymont and planted all the flowers. So I every time people take pictures at Maymont, it reminds me of that day when I was on my knees doing the flowers. And it makes me appreciate that more.
A lot of people are really surprised when I say that I'm not big on crowds. I'd like to be alone. I like quietness. But at the same time, when I need to be in the center of something, I have no problem doing that. I would say my strength is that I can adapt into any environment really quickly. I think that's why I was able to adapt into this society much faster. Because I was determined.
I was the oldest of four sisters, so I was determined to get this done and to [be] a role model for [them]. Second, I need to do it for myself. And then I just keep pushing myself and sometimes people [say] “I don't know how you do all these things.” If you really pay attention, those people who volunteer... They are not the ones who have free time to just sit around with nothing to do. They are typically the ones who are always very busy... but they find time. Those who always say, “I'm too busy to volunteer,” are the ones who need to do something.
Spending time with my kids is another great thing. When I’m not at Kumon, I find myself driving my kids to different events and to do different things. I grew up in a society where it does take a whole village to raise a child. And I want to be that village.
What what are some of your favorite volunteer opportunities?
Junior Achievement is one of my favorites. It’s a national program. They teach economics For students from kindergarten all the way to high school. And the cool part about Junior Achievement is that volunteers do not have to have teaching experience. They have a lesson plan out for you. All you need to do is to read it, prep it, and then you can deliver the lessons. They provide everything for you. Junior Achievement was one way for me to teach and volunteer at school.
I would say another one is [being] a youth leader. And actually that's how me and my husband met. We've been youth leaders for a really, really long time. And the organization that I belong to is called Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement. And it's international. We have our own uniforms and it's similar to scouts but it's a combination between religious life and regular life. We teach them through activities, through songs, through games and all of that. So it's really interactive. [When you] volunteer at church and become a bible teacher, it's great because that's an opportunity to really learn the Bible.
People joke around and say I am “the woman of the society,” meaning that I'm not a typical woman who stays at home and cooks. Actually, my husband does all of that! So, I have a great husband who, even though he works and he supports the family, he loves cooking and he loves feeding the family. I'm [a] woman who loves to go to meetings and have debates with people. It motivates me... When I'm at home cooking, I don't mind doing it... but I don't think that's me.
When you were Considering opening the Kumon center, what made you stay here in Richmond?
[Kumon] is Japanese based. So everything they do, they have their reasons. Unlike any other franchise where if you have money you can open up any store... Kumon is like, “No. We gotta do the research. You can only open here and here.” So, when I reached out to them, they only had two green dots available: Henrico or Chester. The reason I chose this one is because I am very [closely] knit with the Asian community in this area. This is considered a Vietnamese corner. All the restaurants and business are Vietnamese here. So, I have a lot of connections in this area. Second of all, I wanted to serve the Asian community and the Hispanic community. They really needed it.
Tell me about some places you like to spend your free time. How do you relax?
As you can tell, I'm a very busy person. I don't have a lot of time to really spend relaxing. But my family [and I] love camping. We do [it] at least once a year, in addition to camping with the youth group.
Before we had children, me and my husband would camp the first Sunday of the month, and now that we have children, we have been camping as a family every holiday - like memorial day weekend, labor day weekend, all of that. Whenever we have leisure time, that's what we do. We would take our children, go hiking, go on a trip or go to a park... just enjoy nature.
Because I feel like kids now-a-days... they are consumed with electronic devices... Sometimes they don't know anything outside of that. But we don't have that problem... We have an iPad. We have electronic devices, but it's in a drawer and they know that the only time they can play is when they earn it. Otherwise, it stays in the drawer.
“I find great joy in doing little things with great love.”
I didn't really believe it until I opened the learning center that when kids are so consumed by electronic devices, their critical thinking really decreases. Their motor skills are gone. I have so many students who come in and they don't even know how to hold a pen or pencil. It's a big problem. I call them the “swiper generation” because all they know is to swipe. But when you ask them to cut with scissors... you'd be surprised. Some kids don't even know how to hold scissors. That, to me, is very alarming. If you use electronics as a free babysitting service, it's really damaging to their personality and their skill set.
Not to say that electronic devices are bad things. But you shouldn't use it just so that your child can leave you alone.
Kids really learn through touching and feelings and experiences. I still want my kids to really enjoy the outdoors. Enjoy getting in the mud and getting dirty because childhood is going to pass by and by the time they go to middle school and high school, you [can’t] grab them back. Make sure that they live at that age.
What are some of your primary focuses in life?
I would say my primary goal in life is to embrace others. To really enhance who's around me. The older I get, the more I value relationships. I used to be one of those [people] that would try to get to know you because there were benefits for me. But I’m no longer that person because I found that … The benefit you get from knowing someone is only temporary. But the benefits of knowing someone and having a relationship with that person is really long lasting. You can't live in this life and be alone. You need everybody.
I like to introduce people. I like to reach out and I like to get to know people. And not just to know what they can do for me... but get to know what I can do for them as well.
Opening a learning center has kind of fulfilled that because when parents come here, I always try to find out, “What I can do for you? What can I do for your child so that I can better provide a good service? A service that you truly need and truly want to be part of.”
Kumon is really not just math and reading. It's about building skill sets. And I firmly believe there's only so much that you can teach kids with the math and the reading program. To be honest, they can search online and do it themselves. But the skill set building is the real true value of the Kumon program.
I love when kids come in here and they know how to do math through finger counting. Then, somehow, in a few months or a few days… they start to do mental calculations. They don’t need that calculator. Some students come in struggling in reading and now they love reading novels.
My five-year-old loves reading now, because she loves being a part of that story. She took the joy of reading on her own at such a young age and developed that comprehension skill. And that comprehension skill transfers into, “I love reading” and that transfers into, “I want to read more.” The more they read, the more they know, and the more they know, the better citizen [they are to] the community.
Every student who comes to my center - whether they realize it or not - they are being changed somehow, somewhere. They may hate the program! And I would tell them, “In 15 years, you will think about me and you will thank Kumon.” I have some parents who were Kumon students. They admitted that they hated it, but then quickly realized as soon as they hit college, Kumon really prepared them. And they’re like, “My kids can go through Kumon even though they're going to hate me just like I hated my parents!” You know, some kids look at me like, “She's mean or she makes me do these things.” But I don't mind that. I want them to realize that this is really to prepare them for the future.
That has to feel so rewarding!
It is very rewarding! It’s rewarding when parents call me and say, “My tenth grader never passed SOL and this is his first year passing.” Or it's rewarding when little students whisper into my ear "I passed my reading SOL" where last year, he didn't know letter sounds. It brings me joy when parents call me in tears, or come here and show me that report card and say, “Thank you so much. I didn’t believe it was working, but my sons are now A and B honor roll students.”
One of my moms just talked to me last week. Her son was an honor roll students all his life, so he wasn’t a struggling student... But this year she got an email from school that he’s going to receive an Excellency Award, straight A honor roll, and the Student of the Year Award. She said, “I really believe that you had something to do with [it]. Kumon has really set him apart from other students.” Because he developed that discipline in study and he developed that mental calculation and that confidence. It's a challenge, it’s difficult, it takes time... but you can do it.
It even gives me joy [when] some parents say, “You know what... I sent my kid's here, but it didn't work out. Here's my feedback.” I value that feedback because it helps me to become a better instructor and it helps me to better serve the community.
What inspires you and how do you find your motivation?
I'm a self-motivator. But I find great joy in doing little things with great love. I don't see myself going out there and changing the world... but I do see myself finding those people who just need a little smile from me or a touch on the shoulders to [say], “Hey. You can do this.” The little things that I do... I always put all my effort in it. And whether it comes out great or not so great... I accept it. Because there's a reason for everything in life. So, I don't beat myself up anymore for not being able to deliver the results that I want. I find myself more accepting. And I continue to pour my heart out every time I do something, whether it’s a little project or big project. In that moment, I do whatever I feel like is best for that situation. And once it's done, I let it go.
I don't have to go out there and feed 500 people. But I can pack a little snack and give it to a homeless person. If I do that with a lot of passion, it gives me the reward to move on and do more. I motivate myself and when I motivate myself, I find that I motivate other people to do similar or better. I love when young people can do a better job than me. I always tell my children and my students, “My goal is not to teach you to be me... but to push you to be better than me.” There's always a better way and there's always a better someone. You can be that better person. Because when you do something better than me, I can learn from that as well.
I don't have the mindset that I know it all. I actually learn a lot from children. Even when they say something that is so silly and funny... if you really think about it, they give you the most valuable lessons. When you talk to adults, you tend to cover up. Children pour everything out!
We’ve already touched on the rewarding aspects of working for Kumon… but do you have any stories that really stick out to you?
I have a lot of stories. Every student here... they are here for a reason. But the one story that really sticks out to me was last summer. I [was] open maybe a month and a mom came here crying. She said she needed help. She said, “I have a son who refuses to go to school. He was a wonderful A student and I don't know what happened this year.” I said, “Okay. I can't help you unless I meet your son.” So, we arranged an appointment and she brought him in. He refused to talk to anybody.
We did the placement test, we did the orientation and she enrolled him in. A few months later, his mom's like... “I don't know what you did but he loves coming to Kumon!” I said, “I think I know why.” Because I gave him confidence that he can do it. Granted, I started him very low. He was in second grade. I started him at the first level of reading. Next thing you know, he finished his second year strong and he's third grade and his first report card says he’s an honor roll student.
He still comes here and he was the one who whispered into my ear, “I passed my reading SOL.” Because reading was one of [his] struggles. And I don't know what happened but I think that at school, he [didn’t] feel very confident. So, he refused to participate. But once he found that, “Oh, actually I can do this,” he started to open up. Now, he's doing above grade level.
When students come in, they are looking for that support. They are looking for that boost of confidence. They’re intelligent! They just need that opportunity. They just need somebody to tell them, “You can do it.” And they can! They move above and beyond what you can imagine.
What are some of your biggest challenges?
Even though owning a business is not new to me, there is so much I still need to learn. And that challenge really helps me continue to move forward. I want to be better so that I can better assist my students. So, I find myself seeking information and networking with people... not just for business but for knowledge… I have a lot ahead of me to really become who I want to become. And I don't think I will ever become who I want to become because I always want to be better.
A personal challenge right now would be my family. We’re coming from two very stable, strong incomes. And when I decided to open the Kumon Center, we lost one... because when you open a new business, you don't make money. You don't really see any return for a few years. We are still at that point where we are relying solely on my husband. I see him working harder just to provide the support for the family... not just money-wise, but he also has to carve out time to help me care for my children. I'm very blessed to have a husband who really works hard to provide the family with what we need... but also provide the support.
… He shares that passion with me [and] he sees the long term in this Kumon center. He might not see what I'm seeing, but he can feel that through me and he's fully supported that.
What do you love most about working with Children?
Seeing them become who they are meant to be. Seeing them being successful in whatever they want to do. Truly, when I see children confidently and willingly accept more challenges and say, “I want to do more.” But the most joy of it is... I learn from them. I learn to let go of the worries. I learn that I can always be better.
Children ask questions. They drive you nuts, but they ask questions … not because they want to bother you, but because they want to be better. They're very curious. Every child is so different. You really have to know them to be with them.... Find what drives them. What motivates them is what motivates me.
My favorite part about them is their laugh. The way they giggle, the way they laugh. It really changes the mood of anybody. Sometimes we, as adults... you don't think it's funny but everybody is laughing so you laugh with them. But children, they have the joy. When you’re with them, you just become them. A lot of people would say, “You don't look 42 years old to me!” and I will joke, “Because I'm not 42!” Because I'm around a lot of young kids and I move with them, I dance with them, I sing with them and I joke around with them. That really keeps my mind young.
Children... are brilliant! Sometimes, my 5-year-old or my 8-year-old will say something and I’m like, “When I was their age, I didn't think that way!" I don't know where they get it from. But I think when children have the freedom to do what they truly desire to do, they really develop that confidence.
You know [Meghan Markle]... Her story always stuck out to me when she saw a commercial for a company who sells dish washing detergent. The tagline was something like, "make the woman’s job easier." And she did not like that because she felt like, “why is doing dishes a woman’s job?” So she actually wrote a letter to the company's president and expressed her feelings about that commercial. They changed that commercial because of her. Those stories stick to me because you have to allow children to be who they are and they will be better than you expected.
They find joy in everything that they can do for themselves, and children love helping people. I think adults need to learn from [them]. When I see children playing together... that's when I’m truly touched because when they play together, they don't care if that person is black or white or yellow or green... They just play.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to break into this line of work?
As a business owner, especially new business owner, you always worry about money... which is very normal. But I say, see beyond that. If you do something just because you can save two hundred and fifty dollars... You only saved two hundred and fifty dollars. But if you do something and you know you're going to lose [that money] but it's going to bring you a long term relationship... That actually brings you more in the future. As a business owner, you are always reaching out, trying to get new customers, new students. But if you don't take care of what you have now, you can't handle what's coming to you in the future.
Be honest, be truthful and be passionate about what you do at that moment and treat every student as if they are your own children. They are here because they have a reason to be here. Just because kids have Autism, or learning disabilities doesn't mean they can't learn. They can learn. They are actually very brilliant. They just learn differently. So the way you plan lessons for them is it's going to be different.
My life advice would be: be who you are and don't be afraid. I always say, “believe in what you know, know what you teach and teach what you do.” … My three aspects of life is that I always put God first, family second and career third. Not that I don't care about my work... but God always comes first. Without God, we wouldn't be here. Without him, I wouldn't be who I am right now and without my family, I wouldn't be sitting here doing what I'm doing.
I did not open this learning center to be wealthy. I opened this learning center first to fulfill my passion of working with youth, second to serve the community... But most importantly, to find a life balance between work and family. I can make a lot of money... but if my children don't see me, it's not worth it. I want that balance. But it also means that I'm not going to just worry about my family and not care about my business. It has to balance out somehow. If I lose a student because I have to spend more time with my family, so be it. That student might be with me for a few years but my family is forever. And I have to know what is more important to me.
“Believe in what you know, know what you teach and teach what you do.”
Virginia photographer and artist.
