Kim and Vanessa Pham: Co-Founders of Omsom

Kim and Vanessa Pham: Sister Co-Founders of Omsom, the loud and flavorful Asian meal starter kit for all

Prior to starting Omsom, what were you both doing?
Kim: Vanessa and I cut our teeth in business - in different ways!

I’ve been living and breathing startups since 16. I graduated from NYU and then was Head of Platform for a venture fund based in London. My co-founder and sister Vanessa is a Harvard alum who advised Fortune 500 CPGs on their growth and retail strategy as a management consultant at Bain & Company. 

Both my sister and I left our jobs to co-found Omsom because, as first-generation Vietnamese Americans and daughters of refugees, we want to build the world we want to live in. We both really felt ready to jump in, quit our jobs, and put our full weight behind the mission of celebrating and reclaiming proud, loud Asian flavors. 

What are you doing today that your 20-year-old selves would be proud of?
Twenty-year-old Vanessa would be proud of the heart-forward, intentional leader she is becoming. Twenty-year-old Kim would be proud to see herself living so authentically in her skin.

Did you always want to work in the food industry?
Vanessa: As first-generation daughters of Vietnamese refugees, food is not just a love language for us, it’s a way for us to re-engage with our identities as women of color and “third culture”. Growing up, we never felt represented by the “ethnic” aisle in mainstream grocery stores (why do they even still exist?!) - so we wanted to build a company that reclaims the complexity, integrity, and nuances of Asian cuisines and communities. It honestly felt like a matter of time before we started a food business.

What obstacles have you faced in your industry/career as a woman if any?
Kim: A lot of folks expect founders – especially female founders – to be perfect, sanitized versions of themselves; presenting perfectly curated views of what it’s “like” to be a small business owner. Call it a vestige of the “girlboss” era. Vanessa and I work every day to show up fully as ourselves (both online and offline) because we think it is important to show that there is no one “right” way to be a small business leader. All of us all contain multitudes - the big wins, the hard times, the messy life experiences, and the loudest parts of our personalities. I am personally really proud that I’m slowly becoming the figure I so badly wished to see when I was growing up as a queer Southeast Asian woman - and I encourage other founders (especially those who are underrepresented) to step fully into their authentic truth as they embark on this tough journey.

What advice do you have for fellow female entrepreneurs?
Vanessa: It is hugely important to find mentors who are not only advocates for your career, but also for your mental health and your journey as a leader. Particularly for female and/or BIPOC founders, this piece of the puzzle is even more critical.

For example, some of our biggest advocates, who I truly don’t know what I would do without them, encouraged Kim and me to take a half-day off to celebrate our achievements which helped us bounce back to be stronger founders. These people have also taught us the ropes on weathering the challenges that come with being a founder as well as building a team wholeheartedly. As a child of immigrants, I think I was always trying to please people, but our mentors have encouraged us to be vulnerable leaders. I think the path forward is to build a community of people that aim to build each other up and help each other succeed, and both Kim and I aim to be a part of this work throughout our own careers and journey as founders.

[Photo courtesy of @kim_tpham and @vanessatpham]

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