We had the good fortune of connecting with Vivian Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vivian, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“Visualize your highest self, then start showing up like her.”

It is my favorite quote because it has always and will always be important and relevant to me in every stage of my life. To me, it means two things.

Notice that it doesn’t say “be like so-and-so”, but it also doesn’t say to be complacent with the person you are now. The key I have unlocked over various chapters of my life and discovering who I am is that there is no purpose without knowing what makes you you and what lights your soul on fire. Different people can have different qualities you admire, but nothing will be satisfying if it is not driven by authenticity to your goals, happiness and self. However, it doesn’t mean you should settle on “oh this is who I am” and never push yourself to grow. That’s why “highest self” has always resonated with me. These words really strike the balance between staying genuine but always striving to be the very best version of yourself.

The second part is even more instrumental in guiding my journey because it focuses on converting visions and dreams to action and reality. From being a competitive cheerleader throughout high school to modeling in a campaign shoot this year and just showing up in my client meetings on the day-to-day at work, while none of these scenarios correlate, they were all grounded in me making the choice to believe I could do a back flip in front of an arena of fans, rock clothes in front of a camera when I don’t fit the beauty standard of tall and white and lead meetings with professionals several years my senior. And I believed it even when it was my first time doing each of these activities because I was visualizing what I wanted to be every day until eventually my actions followed suit and I reached it.

This quote has guided me through many seasons, and I know it will continue to, whether that eventually becomes showing up like the incredible wife, mom, CEO or all of the above I hope to be. All I know is that no matter how my dreams evolve, as long as I step into whatever role I want to be, with whatever qualities I hope to have, I can and will get there…or at least come pretty darn close.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an Associate Strategist at Khoros working in the Strategy department where we partner with global clients to manage their social communities and advise them on campaigns, content and other strategic decisions on their channels. When I’m not working my 9-5 I am creating and sharing content across fashion, food, lifestyle and travel verticals, occasionally partnering with brands that are a good fit. What sets me apart is while my roles have all been rooted in my experiences and skills in social media, I’ve carried them across a myriad of different industries that have provided me with some of the coolest experiences of my life from curating IG Stories at the CFP National Championship Game to monitoring social amidst world crises for a tech company and shooting content for a fashion brand. It certainly didn’t come easy and definitely came with lots of trial, error and rejection, but the biggest lesson I learned is to trust that you will be redirected to the path meant for you but to never count yourself out before you even try.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I recently moved to LA and it feels like all of my childhood dreams are coming true! If (when) my best friend pops in to visit, I would have a jam-packed itinerary with a mixture of all of our favorite activities in all of my favorite spots around the city. We’d start with the classic Runyon Canyon hike in the morning followed by breakfast and coffee in a cafe in West Hollywood (they’re all good). Then we’d hit up a farmers market followed by thrift shopping then regular shopping on Melrose and in Beverly Hills, of course taking cute pictures all along the way. We’d make dinner reservations on the rooftop at Catch LA and get the Catch Roll, super seared. On another day we’d head out to Malibu, eat brunch on the pier at Malibu Farm, take surf lessons, read a book while catching some rays and close out the night at Nobu, crossing our fingers for a celebrity sighting. Throughout the week we’d also mix in some touristy activities like checking out studio tours and Hollywood as well as catching an in-season game at one of the arenas, bopping over to cultural hubs like Koreatown for some authentic eats and always ending the night with a sweet treat like one of the many delicious vegan ice cream spots.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Victoria’s Secret PINK marketing team represents the first brand who saw the potential in the content I was creating, and I will be forever grateful and shout them out for that opportunity. From that first taste of content creation, social media marketing and brand representation, I quickly learned that I was passionate about combining my creativity with my knack for connecting people through social communities, and it became just the beginning of years of working with various brands in various campaigns, growing my own channel and taking it corporate into my career now.

Instagram: @viv.nguyennn

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivnguyennn/

Other: TikTok: @viv.nguyennn

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.