A week ago I was privileged to be able to meet with the designer of 6streets, Andy Nguyen, and talk about his story. I can say without hesitation that Andy is one of the most down-to-earth and inspirational individuals I have interviewed and perhaps met till this day.
So how did Andy Nguyen become who he is today?
Andy obviously didn’t start off automatically as a designer, it was a passion and a hobby, but he truly began his journey in business. Post-highschool, Andy studied business and did quite well for himself working at Coca-Cola and Anheuser Busch while reaching new heights in his career. However there came a point in time for him when he realized it just wasn’t what he wanted out of life, he wanted something “more” to truly give him happiness and that “something more” was and is 6streets. Making that decision to move on was easy for Andy, however persevering through it was the opposing challenge. When telling friends and family about his change in career choices there was undoubtedly hesitation and some judgement coming from those he told. Some people found it difficult to understand why Andy would leave a company where he was doing so well, making great money, and technically stable. The simple answer to all of these questions was passion. Andy’s passion for fashion is what gave him the motivation to dedicate himself to 6streets and succeed when doing so; he said there is no for sure guarantee in life no matter what you do, so he decided to just go for what his heart desired.
However how does one keep motivated?
A mantra Andy lives by is “let your passion be your alarm clock.” I asked Andy how he stays motivated and he replied by saying it is his passion and love for what he does that encourages him to stay inspired. He doesn’t consider his work an obligation, for him it is a privilege of which he is extremely grateful for. Andy’s passion is his drive, dedication, and success. He feels as though he is living the dream and seems to fill his life with positive vibes by giving back to the world around him.
What core values does Andy live by?
“Living in the present and gratitude.” At the end of every day Andy writes down three things that he felt for grateful for during his day; gratitude for him is a way of realizing all he has and being content with his life. It is also a way of counting his blessings and gaining optimism and motivation to keep doing what he is doing.
Living in the present means truly enjoying each moment and gift presented to us in life, Andy reminded me of how important it is to that. His whole life is modelled around this buddhist belief of being present and aware. He focuses of giving his complete energy and attention to the task he is currently working on or people he is with, he has learned to enjoy the little things in life from it. I believe this is a value mankind needs to really understand and learn and is a message that Andy is sharing and teaching the people around him. We need to be completely alive in the present to truly gain anything from it, this in itself has made Andy, the down-to-earth and humble individual he is today.
However no one is able to be who he/she is without a support system, so who is Andy’s?
Andy spoke very fondly of his cousin in Vancouver who really supported him throughout all of his endeavours even when he hit bumps along the road. She was his “right hand man” and really encouraged him to follow his heart and pursue what made him truly happy. She was there for him in good times and bad times, and didn’t double think when Andy told her he wanted to be a designer; she knew he could do it and stood by him through it all.
We all need inspiration and we all have the one person we look up to, in Andy’s life that is his mother. She was a single parent being both Andy’s mother and father and having gone through a lot in her own life, she is someone Andy will always look up to for inspiration. Sometimes we don’t realize that the most amazing and inspirational people in our lives are people we interact with everyday and Andy definitely made me realize that. The people who love us aren’t to be taken for granted and once again gratitude is what allows us to acknowledge them and recognize that they are crystals in disguise!
Any individual following his/her heart will come across obstacles, it is just the way of the world.
For Andy an obstacle when it came to 6streets was budgeting, like any local brand in Calgary it is quite difficult with the market here. However instead of moving out to Toronto or Vancouver, he decided to stay here and set the foundation for a fashion industry with a streetwear/lifestyle brand for men. Having a background in business combined with talent in design and style has also given him an edge and benefit in overcoming this obstacle and the confidence needed to do so. Rather than taking the easy way out and moving up to a fashion capital in Canada, Andy decided to stay here and be a pioneer for the growing arts aspect here in Calgary which I and many others appreciate him for. He is a representation of how hard-work and dedication pays off, and we all salute him for that!
And lastly, a few words from Andy to us, the youth of today:
Opportunity lies in every difficulty. Own this concept.
A bad attitude can be your worst enemy. It’s far too easy to feel defeated or depressed when things get difficult. You need to be your own biggest cheerleader, fire up your ambition to succeed and listen to your gut. If it’s telling you to get out of what you’re currently doing, or away from the path that you’re on now, listen carefully. Recognize that new opportunities are presented by your challenges, but also be aware that some opportunities are also distractions in disguise. Just because it’s a good opportunity doesn’t mean its the right one for YOU. Be true to yourself.
I’d personally like to thank Andy for taking the time out to talk to Youth Are Awesome and sharing his story with us. Individuals like him inspire us to follow our own dreams with hard-work and dedication and I thank him for being a reminder of that for not only me but for all of you reading this. We have the power to create magic, so let’s do it, let’s do what makes us happy.