Bô Saigon
“Have your conviction, passion, and excellent product and I would say, just start and try and don't be scared [of starting your own business].”
When traveling to Hoi An in 2018 I discovered these nicely designed and made towels by Bô Saigon! I proceeded to contact one of the founders, Tina Riehle Bo later on when I learned about their brand and story to put together this Q&A piece to share with others! They have since expanded their towel business to Tinkalu an Eastern influenced western designed online homeware goods company! Read more below to learn about how Tina started her journey from towels made in Vietnam to an expansion of other product lines for your home a few years later, Tinkalu!
Curito:
Hi Tina! Could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Tina:
I am originally from Germany and lived there until I graduated from high school, followed by apprenticeships. Before proceeding with my business education at Georgia Southern University in the US, I spent a year with various internships in Paris. I married in 1997, who would have thought a German guy, and we started an expat life for a huge multinational company. Since we have been expatriated and after years in France, Poland and Germany, we came 2010 to Vietnam, moved in the Year 2018 to Shanghai, China and have lived since 2020 in Dubai, UAE. At the time, with two young children, it is somehow unbelievable that both graduated this month. One from New York University in the US and our son this year with his IB high school diploma from JESS in Dubai UAE.
Curito:
What were you doing prior to establishing Bô Saigon in 2015?
Tina:
In Vietnam, I went through some culture shock at the beginning of my stay, and it always takes some time to call a country your home. This is a process which also can not be sped up as you just have to get accustomed to so many different things. When we arrived in Saigon in 2010, this country somehow still felt somehow rural, and I will never forget my first drive from the airport on my arrival when I thought I was surrounded only by motorbikes and no cars around me. There was a lot to discover, and I still was co-owner of a clothing brand called “Why Shy”, which we sold later. Besides, I took care of my young children.
Curito:
What does Bô mean and what inspired you to start your own business?
Tina:
I was never scared of opening my own business, and Bô Saigon somehow fell in front of my feet. My friend Ina is a very creative entrepreneurial soul, and she started to form the brand Amai into what it is today in Vietnam. The towels were part of the development, and after she had sold her Amai business into Vietnamese ownership, the ground was laid to work on the towels and develop this further.
Bô Saigon - Bô is derivated from the French word “beau”, and we connected it to our Vietnamese hosting country. That is also why we put the Zirkumflex on the o to bring Ina and me somehow under the same roof. It should mean: "C’est beau pour toi“, which translates into “It's nice for you - wrap yourself."
Curito:
What were some of the challenges you encountered as a foreigner doing business in Vietnam?
Tina:
Saigon has a dynamic and relevant expat community, and modern, classy products with high quality are always hard to find, so we started with this consumer group.
Curito:
What are some of the tips you would give to other entrepreneurs who want to create their own home goods line and to work with factories and designers in Asia?
Tina:
To set up the business itself is somehow a bit challenging in every country I live in as it does cost to form the legal entities, and in Vietnam, on top, you need help as the language is a barrier. Have your conviction, passion, and excellent product and I would say, just start and try and don't be scared.
Curito:
Do you collaborate with other artists to create limited edition pieces?! Have people asked if they can make produced customized goods with you?
Tina:
No, we don't do this. We have been asked many times, but the production threshold is too high for our products, so it usually is not interesting for other artists.
Curito:
Has Covid affected your offline and online business? How did you cope with things during Covid?
Tina:
The market in Vietnam was dead during the tough Covid times as people could not go and shop around. Online is hard when you don't have the coverage/visibility yet.
Curito:
You recently founded another company, Tinkalu! Tell us more about this online shop, what does Tinkalu stand for?!
Tina:
We stayed for eight years as a family in Vietnam, but I knew that we would move on at a certain point. I always dreamt about bringing something home to my home country, and on top, all my friends visiting in Vietnam took the Amai dishes and the Bo Saigon towels home. Ina had moved on doing other things, so I found Tinkalu with my dear friend Eva Conrad. With Tinkalu, we wanted to express bringing treasures found along the way home to you.
Curito:
Was it naturally intuitive to transition from just creating Bô Saigon towels to producing more homeware goods? To source materials, factories, and figuring out the logistics to running a retail business?
Tina:
Yes, it was as just explained. Those were the two products I fell totally in love with in Vietnam, so it was somehow clear that those were the items I wanted to bring home to my friends and make available to the public. Logistics is a never-ending story and by far more complicated than I assumed initially. Luckily, through my German friend / Business partner, we have the know-how from one of Germany's biggest Sourcing platforms in Europe. There is a lot to learn, and the daily challenges remain.
Curito:
What inspires you to continue to create beautifully crafted Asian homeware goods with a western twist?
Tina:
Day to day usage, observing and anticipating trends, my international friends and community.
Curito:
What do you hope Bô Saigon and Tinkalu grow into in this next decade?
Tina:
Feeling home is becoming so relevant also for the younger generations. Hence there are enough growth opportunities.
Curito:
Thank you for sharing your entrepreneurial story, Tina. For those interested visit Bô Saigon and Tinkalu website to purchase their products you can also follow them on IG! I till this day continue to use their hand towels!
