Kelly Lyon - Building a Creative Business, One Mistake at a Time

Behind the Biz: Entrepreneur Spotlight #9

Meet Kelly Lyon and her Creative Business

Dear Entrepreneurs, this week we’re thrilled to shine the spotlight on Kelly Lyon, a fellow entrepreneur who just started her creative business in Da Nang. Curious about what it is and how it all began? Read on!.

Kelly Lyon - Building a Creative Business, One Mistake at a Time

“To me, ‘business’ still feels kinda silly. But somehow, this little idea I had is turning into something real. I had zero expectations for that.”

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When I started, I didn’t call it a business. It was just something creative I enjoyed doing — a fun idea that made me smile. I wasn’t trying to “scale” anything or chase revenue. Honestly, I still hesitate to tell people exactly what it is because it feels so easy to replicate.

What I can share: I design Vietnamese-themed souvenirs and sell them through local gift shops and cafés around the city. It’s a small, handmade, deeply personal project that reflects both where I live and who I am.

A new way of doing business

One of the biggest mindset shifts for me came from Mel. She said:

“In Vietnam, business is all about relationships.”

That stuck with me. In the U.S., I’m used to getting straight to the point — don’t waste people’s time, get the deal done. But here, it’s different. You have coffee. You ask about their family. You get to know them before you talk about work. At first, it felt slow. Now, I see the value in it.

Business isn’t just about transactions — it’s about trust.

The mistake I’ll never forget

Oh, I’ve made mistakes.

One of the funniest ones? I confused centimeters and millimeters on my first product order. When I picked up the batch, I was in shock. Everything was huge. I stood there staring at these oversized items like, “Wait… no way this is mine, right?”

It was. Lesson learned.

I wish I had started sooner

If I could do it all again, I would have started earlier. I sat on the idea for five months, overthinking it and telling myself I wasn’t ready. But I’ve learned: you don’t have to be ready — you just have to start.

Now that I’m in it, I wish I had taken the leap sooner.

(Is it sound familiar? You might think you read that somewhere. Is it from Dear Entrepreneur blog series? Find out now!)

Failing forward

The biggest thing I’ve learned from failure is this:

We’re always doing the best we can with the information we have at the time. When things don’t work out, it’s not a reflection of our worth — it’s a signal that we’ve grown. I try not to beat myself up over past decisions. I just take what I’ve learned and move forward with better tools.

A side project that’s shifting my career

An unexpected bonus of this business is how it’s helping me pivot from tech into product ownership. I’ve never had that official title, but through this project, I’m building and testing products, managing timelines, making decisions, learning fast — basically, I’m practicing product ownership every single week.

It’s made me more confident and more marketable for the next step in my career.

I never expected this to last forever, or to generate huge profits. It was just a creative outlet — a place to play, experiment, and learn. But even just one month in, I’m already seeing sales projections that look surprisingly real. So who knows?

For now, I’m creating, learning, growing.

And that feels like success to me.

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From small ideas and personal creative interests, you can also develop and turn them into profit. That’s the story of Kelly and how her journey began. It’s also a message of encouragement for everyone who has started, is starting, or will begin their own journey. Just give it a try — because one day, you’ll thank yourself for having acted on your idea.

AND you know you can explore more real stories of professionals stepping into their power, growing their influence, and turning passion into purpose inside Wildcats' forum.

Wildcats is all about building a supportive community for entrepreneurs to thrive together. Join us to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, share your journey, and make your mark.