Entering a new market is often seen as a matter of launching products quickly and scaling fast.
But after announcing the start of our work in Vietnam, it became clear very quickly that launching courses immediately would be a mistake.
We didn't yet understand the local context, and there was a real risk of doing something that looked "generally right" but didn't fit local needs.
Instead of developing products right away, we spent the first months in meetings and conversations.
These meetings included a range of educational institutions: universities such as HСMUT, schools like VNU-HCM for gifted students, and STEAM centers such as Teky.
During this period, our attention was not on potential customers, but on those already engaged in teaching.
The priority was not to find sales channels, but to assess whether there was a real need for what we could offer.
This approach changed our perspective.
Rather than asking what to launch, we started asking why we were here and what value we could add.
At this stage, there were no clear answers—and that was acceptable.
A major decision was to relocate our methodology team and CPO to Vietnam.
This was not just a gesture or a way to mark our presence. We recognized that building the right foundation couldn't happen remotely.
To design an educational product for a new context, you have to be present and engaged. You have to live with the people you're building for.
Daily routines continued alongside this work.
There were commutes, a packed schedule, and small discoveries. I learned what real pho bo tastes like. I noticed that I prefer my Vietnamese coffee black, without condensed milk. I understood how to cross the road properly, matching the pace of the city.
These weren't strategic insights, but they shaped our practical understanding of the place.
Over these six months, one thing became clear: our decision to not start with the product protected us from unnecessary launches and quick revisions.
We were not moving towards the course market, but towards the people and institutions already teaching.
Localization started not with materials, but with relocating the methodology team.
By the end of 2022, our understanding had come together.
It wasn't complete, but it was enough to move forward. The idea for a Data Science for Business course grew naturally from what we observed and discussed.
This stage took time, but it was necessary.
Sometimes, the best choice is to hold off on launching a product until you clearly see the need for it.