When artists do business – livelihood is no poetry!

DNHN - A series of indictments, arrests, and bankruptcies among artists has sounded a serious alarm.

Lacking knowledge, management discipline, and legal awareness, the brilliance of the spotlight can too easily fade into the shadows of the business world.

Up to 96% of Vietnamese artists currently own their own businesses or brands. That figure sounds impressive—if it weren’t for the unfortunate reality that the majority stop at “being named as director,” without a professional management team or expert advisers. When impulse replaces reason, when greed and ego take over, failure becomes almost inevitable.

Between the dazzling lights of the stage and the cold reality of the business world lies a very thin line. In that space, emotion—once an invaluable asset for an artist—can become a double-edged sword. When the lights go out, when applause fades, what remains are the cold figures of finance, the unforgiving clauses of law and the responsibilities that legal representatives cannot shirk.

The story of Vietnamese artists over the past decade shows that this line has cost many dearly. Phước Sang, once the “box-office king” with a string of hit films, found himself mired in debt and illness after diversifying into unrelated business. Siu Black, the powerful mountain-voice singer, ended up bankrupt, sold her home and quietly returned to her home village. The late Chánh Tín, a venerable actor, was forced into bankruptcy and had to sell the house to which he had long been attached. Actress-singer Đoàn Di Băng’s beauty-products business and enterprise came under investigation for counterfeiting, a brand she had endorsed. And more recently, actress and entrepreneur Trương Ngọc Ánh, once a symbol of success for artists-turned-businesswomen, was arrested in connection with a real-estate business. The social-media celebrity couple Lương Bằng Quang and Ngân 98 were prosecuted for counterfeit goods trade and bribery. And there are likely more names yet to come.

All of them, talented people who once brought laughter, tears and emotional resonance to the public fell victim to the very numbers they could not control. The tragedy did not stem from art, but from illusion: the illusion that fame could replace knowledge, that emotion could run a business, that making money was a simple endeavour.

Is doing business hard or easy?

Business is a profession, one that demands intellect, discipline and integrity. It is so challenging that society assigns it a dedicated day for honouring it, Vietnamese Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). In the marketplace, there is no director, no applause and no “cut” to allow a do-over. A single mistake can end a career, collapse a reputation, forfeit freedom.

A company wanting to survive cannot rely on glamor alone. It needs a governance system: a clear strategy, transparent finances, honest personnel, strict risk control, and above all, ethical business practices. In recent times the products that have been prosecuted include counterfeit goods, sub-standard items and ultra-profitable products lacking corresponding value… Could this be a matter of ignorance or ethics in business? The marketplace is not a place to experiment with emotion, it is where reason must prevail. Without knowledge, without a mentor adviser, without self-regulation, emotion can turn into recklessness, ambition into greed and ego can push one into the abyss.

When the government says “train 10,000 CEOs” – it is not just a strategy, it is a warning.

In the Resolution 68-NQ/TW dated May 4, 2025, the Politburo set out the objective: “To implement a training and development programme for 10,000 chief executive officers (CEOs) in order to enhance the workforce quality of the private economy.” The Vietnamese government is not merely creating more capable managers, it aims to cultivate a generation of “people-first” business operators, those who run enterprises with intelligence, uphold the rule of law and live by ethics.

Because a “businessperson” in the truest sense is not simply someone who trades, it is someone who knows commerce, knows enterprise and knows humanity. Knowing commerce means understanding operational laws; knowing enterprise means creating value; and knowing humanity means respecting community and oneself. If an artist wishes to become an entrepreneur, they must master all three.

No one is discouraging artists from going into business. The question is: don’t enter the marketplace with the emotion of the stage. Artists may bring a warm heart, but they must learn to keep a cool head. Because in the marketplace there are no spectators, only partners, contracts and the law. There is no room for greed, deception or illusion. Venturing into industries beyond one’s own, without ethics and discipline, is no different from rolling the dice in a high-stakes performance.

In a rapidly transforming economy, anyone can stumble if lacking foundation and unwilling to learn daily. But for artists, the price is always higher, they risk not just money, but also honour, public trust and freedom.

Yet that success, without managerial knowledge and governance skills, proved only a brief glimmer before fading out.

“Livelihood is no poetry”, an old saying, yet today it rings louder than ever as a warning. If life and society have entrusted someone with the mission of being an artist, then let them live fully for art with passion, devotion and creativity. Artists bring value to the world through their works that move hearts and inspire minds; in doing so, they have fulfilled their social role.
But once an artist decides to cross into business or investment beyond their craft, the realm they enter is no longer one of artistic freedom, it is a world ruled by livelihood, responsibility, and hard reality.

Reported by Dr. Nguyễn Thúy Lan

Vietnamese version: https://doanhnghiephoinhap.vn/khi-nghe-si-lam-kinh-doanh-com-ao-khong-dua-voi-khach-tho-120155-120155.html