Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sy V. Tran. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Sy V. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

It’s hard to say how I came up with the idea for my business. I think its a little bit of imagination for the type of life and future I wanted, but also paying attention to the blessings that come our way. Many times, opportunities come to us and we don’t seize them for whatever reason even though you know in your guy it’s what you should do. I just stopped ignoring my gut instinct and paying more attention and focus on my goals and so when those rare but life changing opportunities show up, I grab them and go with where destiny want to take me. You have to be in control of you and what you can control in achieving dreams, which means, doing everything you possibly can do, and the rest is faith. Some people say fate, but I have always had a really strong sense of faith in myself, and in God or the Universe, whatever your higher power is. I believe it’s waiting for each of us to wake up and tap in, so that it can help guide you and you will actually recognize the blessing of being guided by something divine. Your question is about my endeavor, my business, but the answer I gave applies to my life and all my accomplishments and goals. Because I dont have just one business or dream of just one thing and everything I just described is how all the blessing I have came to me, and I am just so grateful. For your last question, guess it depends on which idea or goal youre talking about…

Sy V., before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Well, I am a typical college educated American that liked to party and enjoy life and dreamed of making my life my own, but at the same time I knew it would be scary. I would have to take risks that could alter my life drastically. I always chose to take the risk and follow my heart and my gut, my brain was useful for everything else, but life changing decisions, I go with my heart my guy and think you can always find the good in whatever happens when you choose that way. I got into the healthcare industry by working in it during college. Not a big company, but a small business and pretty successful one in many ways. I learned a lot about how that industry works. Then I studied Marketing and Visual Communications in college, when I graduated I did what most do, and got a comfy job at a large multinational corporation. I was miserable. I hated it after the first few weeks. Nothing about that lifestyle was for me. Not the office politics, the fake mission statements, and having to be friendly with bitches (if I can say that). Otherwise, just not so welcoming co-workers at first. That environment was nothing like I thought it would be. I somehow glamorized in my head how exciting a big company would be, but it was the exact opposite. It was soul-sucking. I stuck through because my rich dad partially raised/influenced me to be an entrepreneuer because he was. He helped me understand that In this country, the only people who truly have freedom, are those who have their own business. But he said, before you attempt to go on your own, go work for a big company so you know what its like. Well, I hated it so much, I snuck in between 9-10am, locked my door, slept under my desk for about 30 minutes, got up, socialized with some people, read the news and surfed the web til lunch time. After lunch, I would do the same thing for about an hour. Then from about 2-4PM I would work, but I would work fast. You see, everybody else worked slowly all day long. I did the same amount of work in 2 hours and enjoyed my day as much as I could cause I as miserable. I was applying for jobs in my office even. lo.l. But nothing worked out, Then my partner passed suddenly and I was thrown into darknes and then the great recession of 08-09 hit and I got laid off. I was so happy! Because I couldnt quit, if you quit, you dont get unemployment, but they laid me off and I pretty much thanked them and walked out. Because now I knew I had time and income and this was going to move me forward in life. I felt it . The faith was there in the diving. In fact, one day my mom was freaking out all worried and telling me that I need to hustle and find another job quickly before more people get laid off. And I felt such a calm and peace inside me, I just turned my momm and said “mom, dont worry. this was a good thing. I just know that there is something better for me and I know that God will give me whatever I am meant to do. Because I know that staying at that company for decades, like some people there had been, that was unthinkable. And the next week, I got a call from my friend that I worked with that the company during college randomly out of the blue. She says, “im going to see this business for sale near you and I want you to come because you know Asians are good at math…” LOL I laughed and said ok, come get me. So we go, and after about an hour and a half I realize if he doesnt sell soon, hes going to lose everything, because he cant meet new requirements to stay in business. I felt bad for him, but I knew this as my gift from God. I basically told him that I knew he’d get nothing, and offered him what I though was fair for getting the business started which was half of what he asked for. My friend was impressed and said we should be partners. I said ok, lets do it. We did it. We took over. She had two kids and wanted out after 3 months. So there I was now the sole owner of an established legitimate profitable business in healthcare doing something familiar, and I was on unemployment so I could use the money from the business to reinvest and grow it faster. Thats what I did. All businesses have cycles and ups and downs and challenges but I never stopped believing that the Universe basically brought that to me for a reason. I still have it 13 years later. But on top of that I have other things too because life is so full of opportunity to live, create, build what you want, that one business wasnt my goal. I always imagined a pyramid of businesses that funneled money to me at the top. But Im not all business, so the businesses are taking their time, but everythings is on Gods time anyway, just keep your eyes open. Well by this time I was recovering from the loss of my partner who I shared my life with for 6 years. Six important years, and it was sudden so it was traumatic. It took awhile to heal. There was a moment where I was done with life and didnt care about living, but God said that was unacceptable in his miraculous ways in which he communicates wtih you, if you listen. So I made a deal, or really a request, I said “if you want me to live, this is what I need. I need a community of people that get me, truly get me and that I get them and want to be around them because im tired of being surrounded by people and always feeling alone.. I said I need to be creative. I need to fulfull the artist within me because if i dont, my soul will die anyway. and I said, heal my paid and take it from me. Either help me, or take me. Yea, I was that far down that I Gave God that ultimatum. Well, I guess must really need me around for something, because shortly after, I found an amazing community, one that is filled with talented crazy wild free-spirited artists like myself. People of all walks of life, that could meet you on any level, whether its emotional depth, light hearted and fun, crazy and adventurous, real and down to earth, but also sophisticated enough if we ever wanted to be. And this community is global. When you got Burning Man in Black Rock City, you have 70-80 thousand people from all over the world descend onto a barren desert to build the most amazing thing I have ever seen or experienced in my life. The most fascinating large scale art on display the way Burning Man Org does will transform you. My first year there, I was a lead on a friends project, His design was accepted and awarded honorarium, which means, not only are you accepted, but they are going to help pay for you to make it happen. Its not easy things. Its probably the hardest and most challenging way to express yourself and be an artist. I mean if you think about nothing survives in the desert, but we all go there, and create life and magic for a good 2-3 weeks. Its tough just getting a ticket to go, such a small percentage of the world will ever have the luxury of experiencing something like Burning Man. My first year, after the excitement wore off after the 2-3rd day, I didnt think I would be able to make it. My mind was telling me I was going to die out there and I was really afraid Id have to leave abandon my friends project. You see even though you might be an honorarium artist, and just spent a year building your art piece outside of your normal job to bring there, you also have to bring everything you need to survive. The hot days to bone chilling nights. It doesnt get anymore extreme or challenging for an artist. But If you can call yourself a Burning Man artist and successfully built and brought, then you have earned the respect of many great people around the world. and Amazingly, the following year, I finally accomplished something I wanted my whole life, and that was some truly legitimate that would allow me to call myself an artist. I submitted a concept titled “Freedom Killed Lady Liberty” that was controversial piece. The org told me thehy debated my piece longer than most ever because most people do create stuff thats political. But my concept came to me after the school shooting florida that started that huge movement by the kids, and I was tired of hearing the stupid news repeat the same talking points that never did or solve anything. And so I wanted create a piece that would make people stop and iinstead of immediately thinking about our 2nd amendment right to bear arms, I wanted to be human, to feel compassion, and to look at what it is that we are doing with our guns. That was the more important question that was never discussed but if we do, all parties my just agree that what were doing is heading in the wrong direction with our obsessive gun culture. Anyway, It turned out to be a big hit, a group from DC was there and saw my piece and thought it was perfect for Catharsis, and even on the national mall. I had never been to DC so I didnt know what the national mall was at first, I was like mall?? Like shopping mall? lol… but no, Its that long stretch of park area between the Jefferson memorial and the Washington monumnet, which most everybody knows, but in case its the Iconic pyramid tipped obelisk. And that was right after Burning Man ended. I think I had a week of rest and then two friends I drove up there with my piece in a trailer. I was tired exhausted and nervous that something wasnt going to work electrically because there are hundreds of LED bulbs. But everything turned beautifully. I met some wonderful new DC Friends and now I have photograph of my are project in front of the washington monument. I just couldnt believe it. I was aleady so grateful for Burning Man, but now DC on top of that, I was on such a high, I felt a love that I didnt know existed. It definitely changed my life. Because when I came back from DC, I broke down and basically cried for a week by myself, in my beautiful apartment. I dont know why, it was like damn had broken. I just remember thinking, this cant be it, Ive achieved having my own business, I achieved becoming a recognized artist, and I had just turned 40 and all I could think was what the hell am I supposed to do with the next 40 years of my life. If that was climax, I as in trouble because there is no way, I would be able to just life the wonderful life I had that most people would kill to have. I just felt like i was going a prisoner iin a pretty and comfy prison. Or so thats what I thought, until one night, I had a dream where I was floating in bubble that was shimmery, and sparkling, almost like it was a membrane of irridescent glitter encapuslating me, and i was just floating in the center. I thought wow, this is weird but wow, this so amazing beautiful at the same time. I looked deeper and closer at this membrane bubble to try and figure out what it was, and then it hit me. I realized I wasnt in a bubble at all. I was just floating in space and the bazzillions of stars and galaxies in every direction created an optical like i was in bubble made of glitter. Right I realized how magnificent the universe, all of these thoughts felt like that someone was speaking to me. I didnt hear a voice, but i hear their thoughts I knew they were mine, but they were answering every question I ever had in my life about why I had to endure so much pain and adversity everything made and I agreed to do it and right I agreed, I started to think, “but wait…. how do I know…” and then thats when God pressed his face into the membrane of the universe and he revealed himself to me in a way that I would know it was him. I recognized his bone structure. God is so brilliant because if anybody asked me what God looked like all I could say really is that you can tell hes handsome cause hes got great bone structure. But hair color, eye color, skin color, cant tell you… because he was the color of the universe. Besides that, I cant think of anybody else whose face could warp the universe in order to show me what I needed to see and also hear because before I woke up, God shook his head from side to side in disapproval sort of and roared two words, the two words I received in what seemed like a normal way, and not by telepathic mind messaging. He roared the words NO MORE! and then face pulled back and then universe went back to the way it was. I knew exactly what he meant. He mean NO MORE wanting to leave this world. I as was ok with that now, because now it was finally revealed to me what my lifes pupose and legacy is supposed to be. And thats when the Pink Giraffe House, comes into play. The Pink Giraffe House is non profit homeless shelter that was founded by French woman and her daugher who had to move back to France. She was going to just shut it down, everthing she got started. I didnt know much about the first few times I hear the name, but after my revelation, her daughter was at my house casually talking and it came out that her Mom was the main force behind it. She was child psychologist and loved helping childen and young adults. She started somethng, but I could understand also some of the past challenges because her talent was a compassionate therapist, the organization needed a strong and capable and willing business minded person along with her. Well, I took and chance and met her. We neded speaking for 5 hours and in the end she said to after hearing my life story I think you could be the one. I think you have what it takes to keep it going. I didnt expect that but I seized the opportunity to meet and see what would transpire. Well Im still very happy and excited to take the torch from her and carry it forward. Its just been extremely slow getting it back on its feet because of the Pandemic, My healthcare business getting hacked and me losing a lot of money, but my mind has been busy at work connecting dots and planning things. Thats one my strengths is the ability to see people strenghts and how to connect the dots of my life. So Without being overly promotional, although I do hope people who read this will visit out website at thepinkgiraffehouse.org and make a donation or help somehow, because it takes a team at least, better a village, but a community could transform the way we think about non profits. With the pink giraffe house, my vision it becomes an example of a modern approach to a very sad and growing problem. First of all there are way too many young kids that dont have a home, or if they do its instable and dangerous even. I want to break non profit stereotypes. I want to show that you can build a successful business that provides a very nice life for yourself, if you deserve it, and be in the non profit sector. I want the younger generation of kids who are so turned off by Coporate they grew up in. The one that was all about greed and had not real positive impact. It was all about just sucking the resources out of our planet so a handful can get richer. Well I want to show them that there are alternatives. You can still be an entrepreneur doing something you believe in that helps society, and still live well. You dont have to be poor just because you want to build a business that puts people over profits. You are still supposed be as profitable as possible. The more you, the more youre rewarded. There are some people who criticize some of the higher salaries of these CEOs that run the large world wide non profit organizations that do so much good we cant even comprehend the impact. I say, if they are impacting peoples lives in a good way, and they are playing by the rules. pay them what they deserve, because I wold much rather a person devoting their lifes work to a good cause being rewarded well, than somebody that takes from people who already have so little, for their own gain. For example Health Insurance companies, Managed Care Organizations and those CEO’s they take home millions, but every single extra dollar they take, is taking away from somebody who needs better healthcare. We need a new system of measuring the equity and economic value of a company and its stock not just based purely on shareholder gains. We need to start factoring into the formula for calculating share prince a factor that considers a companys intangible effects and impacts on society and the world and have that add weight and value to a companys worth. Maybe some politician will read this, implement it. Maybe the younger generation, someone possibly reading this, and gets inspired by some of this. I could only with, but my purpose is to just revive the pink giraffe house, and create the vision for a new kind of shelter, one that the community wants to be a part of, one that makes our homeless youth feel safe with enough stability and quality people around them that even though their parents may have abandoned, them they can come to us and be raised by village of kind and great people instead. And when I become wealthy, overly crazy wealthy like the top 1 percent, but enough to where I feel like I can and deserve to enjoy my life. I think thats important if we are to inspire more towards this way of business were profit isnt the first motive, we have to show those young future leaders that doing good or choosing the better way doesnt mean you have to suffer. We need to disassociate non profits with images of Ghandi and mother Theresa or Buddhist monks. We need to show them that guy lives well, butter than many of his peers, he has the home he wants, the car he wants, the family he wants, the vacation he wants, even the boat he wants, and he has money saved for security, and you know he deserves every bit of it, because his organization changed the lives of thousands of people which went to affect thousands of people, and the good just ripples through society, exponentially. I would not have a problem with a CEO like that earning a few millions dollars a year, as long as its within his legal range, we should applaud him. That will do so much more for our youth than to continue to point out the bad ones like the CEO of health insurance who you know, those millions they take home in annual pay and bonuses come from paying doctors and pharmacists and other providers like me who take care of people less. They make when they pay us less, and change you more. And most of the time a large percentage of that money is tax funded, which means, it should in fact serve the people rather than line the pockets of a few CEOs. Think about how many people have to be denied some kind of care of service to add up to the millions. Where as with a non profit, most of that money is raised from people who have plenty. That is what I hope I can achieve with the Pink Giraffe House, but I cant do it alone. So if anybody is reading this please keep checking back on our website for updates on where we are with new developments. I myself am waiting for my copliance audity to pass this next month, and to make sure the hacking of my company stops, and then all my time and energy can then be focused on what God needs me to do.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Im always pivoting. I design my life and the way I work so that I can pivot at a moments notice because those who are nimble and agile, have a better chance at succeeding this todays hyper competitive worlds. Especially in healthcare, where they are still trying to figure out how to provide for all of us. When I first go into th medical supply business it was more specialized and focused on the Orthotics and Prothetics side of medical equpment. Not just your standard walker and wheelchairs, and in order to do those things you have to have a licensed profiessional. Well the lady who had the license decided she wasnt going to renew, sp I had to go and get a license myself. It as not an easy thinkg to do because there are just way too many bones and muscles to remember, but I did what I had to do. Here I still am, and now I initials after my name LOL.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

I’ll share something I think is super valuable. I learned this after I got out of the hospital in 2015 before I got into Burning Man and making art. I was sitting on the couch trying to stay sober ad so I was watching everything I could, but I get bored with things that I feel like im not learning anything. So I watch lots of History Channel, Discovery, etc… well one day this 5 part series comes called the 5 men who built America. Of course we all know it wasnt 5 men, but they were talking about the 5 business tycoons we all know of still today, Rockefeller, JP Morgan, carenegie,, vanderbilt, ford. Each one of those 5 men had several things common, but the one thing that really stood out to me that i learned from was that everybody encounters problems and obstacles in life and in business. The difference is how you deal with it. I noticed that all these men, whenever they a problem that would think would put stop to their business, they somehow found a way to profit from their problem Taking a misfortune and finding the fortune in the misfortune. When I realized and I applied to my business with one challenge, it catapulted my business to the next level. So now I am never afraid of challenges or problems. I just try and find what is the good that can come of this. Its not always easy cause its not always very apparent. I had to think long and hard for many weeks until a strategy came to me for my situation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thepinkgirafffehouse.org
• Instagram: creativefix
• Other: because I was recently hacked, I am only interested in promoting contact info for my non profit. Please promote that so we can get back up and running again. people can contact me and see some art on instagram although I’m not great at social media. I kinda need someone to handle that for me.