What It Takes to Succeed in Vietnam: TGM Research CXO Featured in Polish Media
What It Really Takes to Succeed in Vietnam
TGM Research's Chief Experience Officer, Tatiana Masalska-Laska, shared this perspective in a September 2026 feature by journalist Jacob Wirtschafter in Gazeta Finansowa (GF24.pl), one of Poland's financial news outlets. The article, “Polski eksport żywności do Wietnamu", looks at the opportunities and challenges facing Polish companies seeking to expand their business in Vietnam.
According to Vietnamese customs data cited in the article, bilateral trade between Poland and Vietnam reached USD 3.9 billion in 2025, compared with a USD 5 billion target set by both governments. Against this backdrop, Tatiana shared practical lessons from her experience working across international markets and observing European companies entering Asia
A trade mission opens the door. The real work starts afterwards
Meeting government representatives and trade organizations can be valuable, but companies still need to build relationships, find distributors and understand how the market works after returning home. She also recommends learning from European companies already operating in Asia to gain practical insights into local business conditions.
Trade missions are a great starting point, provided companies do not treat them as the end of the sales process. After that, you still need to build your business, find a distributor, and decide which brand or sector to focus on.
Local conditions can change the equation
Tatiana uses chocolate as a simple example: Vietnam's heat and humidity can create challenges that companies may not face in European markets. Understanding these local conditions before entering the market can help companies make more informed decisions about their products and approach.
Tatiana also points to opportunities across sectors including green technologies, recycling and waste management, construction, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food processing and agriculture.
While price matters, she notes that Vietnamese buyers also consider experience. For companies bringing new products or solutions into the market, understanding what local customers values is therefore an important part of the process.
Partnership matters as much as opportunity
Her perspective reflects a principle close to TGM Research's work: successful market entry starts with understanding the market. Local conditions, consumer expectations and business culture can all influence whether an offering that works at home will work elsewhere.
Explore more of Tatiana’s perspectives and activities in Vietnam, including her keynote at the Women in Business Seminar 2026.
