Vietnamese-born businesswoman Lyn Nguyen is a shining example of how hard work and an entrepreneurial mindset can build success, even when faced with challenges in a new country.  

Lyn arrived in Townsville as a refugee in 1981 with her young family, first moving to Sydney where she worked in farming and sewing before she opened her own restaurant and beauty salon. She moved to Logan and has lived here for 30 years.  

Lyn first opened a successful nail salon at Logan Hyperdome. Over the past decade, she’s used her knowledge of the beauty industry to launch a large import/export operation and a beauty training facility, establishing herself as an inspiring example of female migrant entrepreneurship.  

Lyn saw the opportunity to supply the materials used in her nail salon to other salons and has roster of clients across the east coast of Australia and overseas.   

‘I have a showroom, a warehouse and  an import-export business where I sell salon chairs – I named my (deluxe) chair the Eden Chair after my granddaughter Eden,’ Lyn says. 

Lyn also sells nail and beauty products in her showroom and puts her success as an entrepreneur down to a business mindset and enjoying what she does.   

‘I work hard: you have to sacrifice something to make something and I work 15 hours a day, but luckily I still enjoy it,’ she says. 

‘When I first moved to Australia, there were challenges like learning the language, but people were very friendly and helped me. 

‘At that time, the government provided free English lessons so I would drop my children at school and then go to learn English which helped me.’ 

Lyn’s efforts have been passed on to the next generation too. Her eldest daughter Alexis Matthews-Frederick is also a successful entrepreneur, running a successful company, Think Feel Thrive, which most recently launched a range of holistic health products. 

Alexis’s supplement range, which focuses on organic minerals and nutrients, was inspired by her daughter Eden who suffered from chronic auto-immune issues including eczema as child.  

‘The supplements were solutions that helped heal my daughter, including Fulvic Acid, which makes nutrients more bio-available in the body and Coloidal Silver, an important mineral,’ she says.  

‘Your health stems from your mind and from the physical body and the nutrients we have or might be missing, hence the name of my business, Think Feel Thrive.’ 

Lyn and Alexis admire each other’s work ethic. 

‘I saw Alexis follow her passions ever since she was a child and I can see the energy in all her businesses,’ Lyn says.  

Alexis has similar thoughts about her mother’s perseverance in creating her empire.  

‘I’ve seen Mum’s work ethic and hard work which is the greatest gift,’ she says.  

Alexis is a member of the Logan Chamber of Commerce and says she is committed to supporting Logan. She is also part of the home-schooling community and contributes to the Logan Education Round Table. 

For more information about Lyn and Alexis’s businesses, please visit: www.thinkfeelthrive.com and https://freshnailsbeautyqld.com.au/.  

As seen on Our Logan Magazine | DIVERSITY, INNOVATION July 26, 2023 / 4 minute read