CLOSED

Self-service laundromat opened · CLOSED after 5 yr 11 mo

Đỗ Thị Hương, 38 · 5 yr 11 mo

“Paid ₫480.9M to learn what a blog post could have told me”

I closed after 5 years and 11 months. What remained was ₫249,373,416 in debt and 36 regulars.

On the last day, you sat in front of the register. Cash ₫16,020,062, debt ₫249,373,416, 0 employees, 362 customers. You did the last count alone and pulled down the shutter. The business failed, but that time did not disappear.

How it went

1. 2026 · preparing to openĐỗ Thị Hương, 33. You have decided to try starting a company in Da Nang. No idea, no product yet. Savings ₫189,970,902, employed (₫19,418,041 a month).
2. 5/2026: what now?Start a business: «Dessert café» — You are going with «Dessert café». Next: a location and people.
3. Where to start, and with whatGround floor with foot traffic — It is a good spot. People walking by see the sign. The money going out every month got heavier.
4. Who opens the doors with you?Hire one experienced person properly — In the interview they knew this trade better than you. A little uncomfortable, a lot reassuring.
5. 2026 · year 1 beginsChinese Demand Cooled
6. 5/25 · HeatwaveA heat warning. The air conditioning ran all day. The electricity bill is on your mind.
7. An insurance agent dropped byTake the full package — Signed, hoping you never need it.
8. You are short of moneyHold on — Instead of the bank you called suppliers and asked for a month’s grace. Two said yes, one said no.
9. 6/12 · Reviews piled upThree one-star reviews with the same wording appeared in one day. You could not tell whether they were customers or a competitor.
10. 6/28 · Supplier price increaseThe delivery driver said a freight charge starts next week. In effect, a 6% rise.
11. 6/5 · A loan payment bouncedThe loan payment did not go through. One text from the bank, and your credit grade dropped a notch.
12. Cash ran outTake a credit loan — The rate is 20%. You can breathe, but the interest comes back every month. The repayment schedule in the banking app starts to look like a calendar.
13. 7/26 · Minimum wage announcementA minimum wage increase was announced. Payroll and prices have to be recalculated.
14. How to handle the bad reviewsSend a legal demand letter — The accounts that received the legal demand letter went quiet. It felt less like winning than like spending money and time on a fight.
15. 8/6 · Heavy rainHeavy rain cut the foot traffic to nothing. Two reservations cancelled.
16. 9/9 · Loan payment dayLoan payment day. ₫9,851,912 in principal and interest left the account. The balance is ₫471,685,615.
17. 10/5 · Street festivalA festival opened nearby. Foot traffic doubled.
18. Stay a business household or set up a companyRegister a limited liability company — The registration certificate came back with a fresh stamp. One more set of documents goes to the accountant every month. In exchange, fewer nights spent staring at the ceiling over tax.
19. 11/4 · Equipment stoppedA key machine broke. Three days for the part to arrive; you did it by hand until then.
20. 12/23 · Down sickYou came down with something. You took medicine and pushed through, but could not concentrate.
21. 12/24 · Reviews piled upThree one-star reviews with the same wording appeared in one day. You could not tell whether they were customers or a competitor.
22. 1/12 · Oil reached the cost baseBrent rose to $127 a barrel. Quotes for packaging and freight are not what they were last month. You redid the cost sheet.
23. You are short of moneyHold on — You closed the loan papers. Instead you cancelled subscriptions, cut what you could do without and pushed the next payment date. Holding on is also a decision.
24. 2/5 · Supplier price increaseThe supplier said prices go up 5% from the next order. You need to find another supplier.
25. 3/19 · Hygiene inspection noticeA hygiene inspection notice arrived from the food safety authority. You started with the fridge temperature log.
26. 3/21 · Your mentorYour mentor sent a link to an article. “This sounded like you.”
27. 4/18 · A family emergencySomething came up in the family. You dropped what you were doing and went over.
28. You are short of moneyHold on — Instead of a loan you opened the household budget. No more eating out; repairs that could wait, waited. Holding on needed a plan too.
29. Chinese Demand CooledA prolonged slump in Chinese domestic demand and real estate lowered Asia's export outlook. Clients who bought raw materials cut orders, and domestic consumption turned cautious as well.
30. Year 1 closeRevenue ₫400,797,639, operating profit ₫19,226,424. Cash ₫34,751,240.
31. 2027 · year 2 beginsReview Bombing
32. 5/9 · The exchange rate pushed up import billsThe VND/USD rate rose to 26,993. Imported flour and cooking oil follow it up.
33. 6/22 · Building repairsWork started on the building’s facade. Scaffolding went up in front and hid your sign.
34. 6/23 · Minimum wage announcementA minimum wage increase was announced. Payroll and prices have to be recalculated.
35. Cash ran outLet an employee go — You paid the last paycheck and severance. The next day the place was one person quieter. You hated the silence.
36. 7/14 · Loan payment dayLoan payment day. ₫9,787,549 in principal and interest left the account. The balance is ₫423,020,870.
37. 7/8 · A loan payment bouncedThe loan payment did not go through. One text from the bank, and your credit grade dropped a notch.
38. You are short of moneyHold on — Instead of the bank you called suppliers and asked for a month’s grace. Two said yes, one said no.
39. 8/19 · A small price riseEvery day there are more customers than you can take. You raised prices 5% and they kept coming.
40. 8/29 · Records requested by the tax officetax office (Chi cục Thuế) requested records for VietQR and MoMo sales and cash sales. You opened the books again.
41. 9/5 · Word got aroundA post in a local community said “this place is good.” Customers came in without warning today.
42. 9/19 · More regularsA regular brought a coworker. “I’ve told everyone about this place.”
43. 10/18 · Street festivalA festival opened nearby. Foot traffic doubled.
44. 10/24 · Supplier price increaseThe supplier said prices go up 5% from the next order. You need to find another supplier.
45. You are short of moneyHold on — You closed the loan papers. Instead you cancelled subscriptions, cut what you could do without and pushed the next payment date. Holding on is also a decision.
46. 11/13 · Reviews piled upThree one-star reviews with the same wording appeared in one day. You could not tell whether they were customers or a competitor.
47. 12/26 · Down sickYou came down with something. You took medicine and pushed through, but could not concentrate.
48. “There was something in my food. Pay up.”Pay and make it go away — Having taken the envelope, the customer left five stars. Somehow that felt worse.
49. 2/25 · A signal from your bodyYour chest felt tight, so you went to the emergency room. The result was “overwork.”
50. 3/12 · Records requested by the tax officetax office (Chi cục Thuế) requested records for VietQR and MoMo sales and cash sales. You opened the books again.
51. 3/22 · The bank asked for documentsThe bank asked for revenue evidence and the business plan again. One line said they would review whether the existing limit can be maintained.
52. 4/12 · Loan payment dayLoan payment day. ₫9,787,549 in principal and interest left the account. The balance is ₫374,885,825.
53. You are short of moneyHold on — Instead of a loan you opened the household budget. No more eating out; repairs that could wait, waited. Holding on needed a plan too.
54. Review BombingTen one-star reviews appeared in a single day. Same wording, same photos, same time window. At first you cannot tell whether it is a competitor posing as a customer or just a bad day.
55. Year 2 closeRevenue ₫529,872,488, operating profit ₫170,427,849. Cash ₫13,214,608.
56. 2028 · year 3 beginsPrices and fuel costs jump at once
57. 5/23 · The exchange rate pushed up import billsThe VND/USD rate rose to 27,452. Imported flour and cooking oil follow it up.
58. 6/4 · Heavy rainHeavy rain cut the foot traffic to nothing. Two reservations cancelled.
59. 6/20 · Word got aroundA post in a local community said “this place is good.” Customers came in without warning today.
60. 7/12 · Card terminal outageThe card terminal died at the busiest hour. You served only customers paying cash.
61. You are short of moneyHold on — Instead of the bank you called suppliers and asked for a month’s grace. Two said yes, one said no.
62. 8/7 · Equipment stoppedThe technician said a repair would cost nearly as much as a new one. You bought new.
63. 8/23 · A signal from your bodyYour chest felt tight, so you went to the emergency room. The result was “overwork.”
64. 9/19 · More regularsThe same customer came three times this week. “I don’t go anywhere else,” they said.
65. 10/3 · FamilyYour family packed you lunch. The note said, “Eat properly.”
66. 10/23 · Your mentorYour mentor sent a link to an article. “This sounded like you.”
67. You are short of moneyHold on — You closed the loan papers. Instead you cancelled subscriptions, cut what you could do without and pushed the next payment date. Holding on is also a decision.
68. 12/9 · The exchange rate pushed up import billsThe VND/USD rate rose to 27,452. Imported flour and cooking oil follow it up.
69. 12/14 · A competitor made a moveA nearby competitor started heavy social ads. Search for your shop and their ad comes up first.
70. 1/30 · A small price riseEvery day there are more customers than you can take. You raised prices 5% and they kept coming.
71. Demand is outrunning the teamDefer for free — You spent nothing and will reconsider at another opportunity.
72. 2/4 · A family emergencyAn urgent call from a sibling. You were away for half a day.
73. 3/17 · Supplier price increaseA new price list came from the supplier: your most-used items are up 8%. You redid your prices.
74. 4/18 · Equipment stoppedThe fridge stopped during the afternoon rush. You threw out part of the stock and called a repair technician.
75. 4/27 · Rate hike newsThe news said the policy rate went up. You reread the terms on the existing loan.
76. Hiring againDefer for free — You spent nothing and will reconsider at another opportunity.
77. Prices and fuel costs jump at onceSeptember inflation passed 5%. Gas cylinders, cooking oil, and the fuel for the trucks that bring supplies all went up inside a week. Telling customers about a price rise is not easy.
78. Year 3 closeRevenue ₫592,037,155, operating profit ₫185,999,988. Cash ₫17,959,724.
79. 2029 · year 4 beginsA Competitor Opened Right Outside · Ingredient Prices Rose
80. 5/13 · Heavy rainHeavy rain cut the foot traffic to nothing. Two reservations cancelled.
81. 5/19 · Word got aroundA post in a local community said “this place is good.” Customers came in without warning today.
82. The lease is upSign on those terms — You signed. The regulars, none the wiser, came in as usual.
83. 6/16 · The bank asked for documentsThe loan extension paperwork arrived: financial statements and copies of the VAT (GTGT) returns, please.
84. 6/27 · A signal from your bodyYour chest felt tight, so you went to the emergency room. The result was “overwork.”
85. 7/3 · Reviews piled upThree one-star reviews with the same wording appeared in one day. You could not tell whether they were customers or a competitor.
86. 7/27 · HeatwaveA heat warning. The air conditioning ran all day. The electricity bill is on your mind.
87. You are short of moneyHold on — Instead of a loan you opened the household budget. No more eating out; repairs that could wait, waited. Holding on needed a plan too.
88. 8/23 · Card terminal outageThe card terminal died at the busiest hour. You served only customers paying cash.
89. 8/29 · More regularsYou now know more than ten customers by name, and you catch yourself asking, “The usual?”
90. 9/17 · Hygiene inspection noticeWord went round that a shop on your street was fined at inspection. You redid the kitchen cleaning rota.
91. 9/21 · Supplier price increaseA new price list came from the supplier: your most-used items are up 4%. You redid your prices.
92. 10/12 · A small price riseEvery day there are more customers than you can take. You raised prices 5% and they kept coming.
93. Your body wants to stop firstClose for two weeks — You turned off your phone for two weeks. The work was as you left it, and your body was a little lighter.
94. 11/7 · Heavy rainHeavy rain cut the foot traffic to nothing. Two reservations cancelled.
95. 11/28 · Records requested by the tax officetax office (Chi cục Thuế) requested records for VietQR and MoMo sales and cash sales. You opened the books again.
96. 12/9 · A family emergencyAn urgent call from a sibling. You were away for half a day.
97. 1/29 · Building repairsWork started on the building’s facade. Scaffolding went up in front and hid your sign.
98. Demand is outrunning the teamDefer for free — You spent nothing and will reconsider at another opportunity.
99. 2/24 · Your mentorYour mentor sent a link to an article. “This sounded like you.”
100. 3/4 · The exchange rate pushed up import billsThe VND/USD rate rose to 27,686. Imported flour and cooking oil follow it up.
101. 3/11 · Loan payment dayLoan payment day. ₫9,857,283 in principal and interest left the account. The balance is ₫232,373,170.
102. 4/5 · Supplier price increaseA new price list came from the supplier: your most-used items are up 4%. You redid your prices.
103. 4/16 · Card terminal outageThe card terminal died at the busiest hour. You served only customers paying cash.
104. 4/13 · A baby arrivedYou and Hùng welcomed a baby. Up three times a night. Living costs went up by ₫2,444,229 a month.
105. The baby is hereTake a month off — For a month you counted only nappies and feeds.
106. You are short of moneyHold on — Instead of the bank you called suppliers and asked for a month’s grace. Two said yes, one said no.
107. A Competitor Opened Right OutsideSame trade, similar goods, prices 10% lower. From the first week, your regulars walk toward it. Competition is not an abstract word; it is the sign visible outside your window.
108. Ingredient Prices RoseWholesale prices went up. The same stock now costs 7% more. Raise the price and customers leave; leave it and nothing is left.
109. Year 4 closeRevenue ₫635,772,126, operating profit ₫198,128,486. Cash ₫7,368,681.
110. 2030 · year 5 beginsRegulars Appeared · The Currency Calmed Down
111. 5/24 · A loan payment bouncedThe loan payment did not go through. One text from the bank, and your credit grade dropped a notch.
112. Cash ran outTake a credit loan — The rate is 20%. You can breathe, but the interest comes back every month. The repayment schedule in the banking app starts to look like a calendar.
113. 6/18 · Records requested by the tax officetax office (Chi cục Thuế) requested records for VietQR and MoMo sales and cash sales. You opened the books again.
114. 7/11 · Building repairsWater leaked from upstairs. You and the landlord argued over who pays for the stain on the ceiling.
115. 7/13 · Equipment stoppedA key machine broke. Three days for the part to arrive; you did it by hand until then.
116. Hiring againDefer for free — You spent nothing and will reconsider at another opportunity.
117. 8/16 · More regularsA regular brought a coworker. “I’ve told everyone about this place.”
118. 8/24 · Street festivalA festival opened nearby. Foot traffic doubled.
119. 9/11 · The bank asked for documentsThe bank asked for revenue evidence and the business plan again. One line said they would review whether the existing limit can be maintained.
120. 9/12 · A small price riseEvery day there are more customers than you can take. You raised prices 5% and they kept coming.
121. 10/25 · A competitor made a moveThe shop directly opposite started 20% off. A few regulars went there.
122. Staffing up before peak seasonDefer for free — You spent nothing and will reconsider at another opportunity.
123. 11/4 · Hygiene inspection noticeWord went round that a shop on your street was fined at inspection. You redid the kitchen cleaning rota.
124. 12/27 · Reviews piled upThree one-star reviews with the same wording appeared in one day. You could not tell whether they were customers or a competitor.
125. 1/9 · Supplier price increaseA new price list came from the supplier: your most-used items are up 7%. You redid your prices.
126. 1/15 · The rush before the long holidayOrders rose ahead of the long holiday. Delivery and stock both became tight at once.
127. Demand is outrunning the teamDefer for free — You spent nothing and will reconsider at another opportunity.
128. 2/6 · Equipment stoppedThe fridge stopped during the afternoon rush. You threw out part of the stock and called a repair technician.
129. 2/15 · The exchange rate pushed up import billsThe VND/USD rate rose to 27,038. Imported flour and cooking oil follow it up.
130. 3/19 · Rate hike newsThe news said the policy rate went up. You reread the terms on the existing loan.
131. 3/28 · Street festivalA festival opened nearby. Foot traffic doubled.
132. 4/6 · Building repairsWork started on the building’s facade. Scaffolding went up in front and hid your sign.
133. 4/29 · The bank asked for documentsThe loan extension paperwork arrived: financial statements and copies of the VAT (GTGT) returns, please.
134. “There was something in my food. Pay up.”Pay and make it go away — Having taken the envelope, the customer left five stars. Somehow that felt worse.
135. Regulars AppearedA customer on their third visit says, "Make it less spicy today." You remember their taste. Regulars are not revenue; they are the reason to open the door.
136. The Currency Calmed DownThe dollar's strength eased and the VND/USD rate came down. Imported material costs fell a little, and anyone paying overseas suppliers could breathe again.
137. Year 5 closeRevenue ₫672,833,463, operating profit ₫222,101,140. Cash ₫127,762,529.
138. 2031 · year 6 beginsThe Supply Chain Broke · US Rates Rose Again
139. 5/15 · Hygiene inspection noticeWord went round that a shop on your street was fined at inspection. You redid the kitchen cleaning rota.
140. 6/3 · Minimum wage announcementA minimum wage increase was announced. Payroll and prices have to be recalculated.
141. 6/14 · A small price riseEvery day there are more customers than you can take. You raised prices 5% and they kept coming.
142. 7/20 · HeatwaveA heat warning. The air conditioning ran all day. The electricity bill is on your mind.
143. Hiring againDefer for free — You spent nothing and will reconsider at another opportunity.
144. 8/22 · Equipment stoppedThe fridge stopped during the afternoon rush. You threw out part of the stock and called a repair technician.
145. 9/28 · A signal from your bodyYour chest felt tight, so you went to the emergency room. The result was “overwork.”
146. 10/29 · Building repairsThe landlord said the pipes need repair and asked you to cut opening hours for two days.
147. Keep going like this?Switch industry: Self-service laundromat — It is practically a new start-up. You know less than you don’t, but at least it is not the same wall again.
148. 11/3 · Word got aroundA post in a local community said “this place is good.” Customers came in without warning today.
149. 11/14 · A family emergencyThe school called about your child. You left the work in other hands and rushed over.
150. 12/18 · Street festivalA festival opened nearby. Foot traffic doubled.
151. 12/20 · The bank asked for documentsThe bank asked for revenue evidence and the business plan again. One line said they would review whether the existing limit can be maintained.
152. 1/29 · Records requested by the tax officetax office (Chi cục Thuế) requested records for VietQR and MoMo sales and cash sales. You opened the books again.
153. 1/30 · Loan payment dayLoan payment day. ₫10,516,556 in principal and interest left the account. The balance is ₫268,368,785.
154. You are short of moneyHold on — You closed the loan papers. Instead you cancelled subscriptions, cut what you could do without and pushed the next payment date. Holding on is also a decision.
155. 2/10 · Rate hike newsThe news said the policy rate went up. You reread the terms on the existing loan.
156. Cash ran outAsk the landlord to wait — The landlord said, "This once." Ask again next month and the answer will be different.
157. 3/25 · A signal from your bodyYour chest felt tight, so you went to the emergency room. The result was “overwork.”
158. Cash ran outClose the shop — On the last day you closed the books. The faces of a few regulars came to mind first.

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