Tina Pham: Finding Success Beyond Self
Written by Tina Pham and Alec Kissoondyal
Edited by Sheridan Block
Tina Pham was born in Vietnam. She is the youngest of three children who grew up on a farm with oil lamps, an outhouse, and a muddy road when it rained. She’s come a long way from those humble roots. Tina is now an entrepreneur and nonprofit founder living in Jacksonville, Florida. The life she’s built in the United States started because of the dangerous journey her father took in search of a better future for the family.
A Father’s Hope
During the Vietnam War, Tina’s father fought against the communist government. He was put in a “Re-Education Camp” when the war ended because he did not support the communist ideology. After four years of hard labor in the camp, he was released for good behavior. He knew that for his family to have a promising future, he must leave Vietnam.
He risked his life for that dream, he left the family. He found a spot on a small fishing boat that would cross the Gulf of Thailand. Eventually, he was rescued and housed in refugee camps established by the US government in the Philippines. A year later, he received a sponsorship to become a permanent US resident. Tina was only six years old when her father left. Six years later, 12-year-old Tina — along with her mother and two older siblings — reunited with him in the US.
A Father’s Encouragement
Tina always heard that living in America was like living in a dreamland; but she didn’t know what to expect when she settled into her new home in 1993. She quickly saw the challenges of living in this “dreamland.” She didn’t know how to speak English, and she struggled during her early days of school. Other students bullied her for the way she dressed and the lunches her mother packed. Tina often came home crying and wanted to quit because she couldn’t speak up for herself. But her father encouraged her. He supported her desire to learn English and do her best.
At first, she didn’t believe her father’s encouragement; but after nine months of studying, Tina learned English and was able to communicate and express her feelings to her classmates and teachers. That’s when she realized her father was right. So she kept pushing herself through high school, graduating in the top 1% of her class — ranked fifth out of more than 400 students.
Looking back, she could see the sacrifices her father made for their family. Tina and her siblings continued their education, and she graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in business finance in 2003.
Tina went on to begin her career with Walgreens, becoming one of the company’s top store managers for nearly 10 years. During that time, she also raised her two children, and started a family business in the beauty industry.
Success Beyond Self
As years passed and her children grew older, Tina discovered her passion for sales and communication. She became a licensed real estate professional and worked tirelessly to become one of the top producers in the Jacksonville real estate market.
In 2019, she opened her own real estate brokerage, Golden Pen Realty. Through Golden Pen Realty, Tina and her team provide extensive real estate services for both residential and commercial customers locally and internationally. Golden Pen Realty is also the first brokerage owned and operated by a Vietnamese-American woman in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida. Tina’s goal is to continue to build the business and expand it into other services such as real estate law, title, and mortgages. Additionally, Tina obtained her Real Estate Instructor license soon after she opened her brokerage. She is an active instructor, teaching and sharing her experiences with anyone who’s interested in becoming a real estate professional like her.
Besides being a proud mother to her children Andrew and Ai-Lien, Tina is also proud to serve the community through a variety of nonprofit organizations. Tina is vice president of the Vietnamese Association of Jacksonville. She also serves on the Northeast Florida Association of the Realtors’ Global Business Council, and the Asian Real Estate of America. Tina was also a member of the Jacksonville Diversity Council, the treasurer for the Mayor’s Asian American Advisory Board, and a board member of the Night of Asia festival.
In 2019, Tina and her family founded the nonprofit “Phamily Pantry Inc.”, which focuses on helping underprivileged public school students in Jacksonville and the surrounding areas by ensuring students have access to food during the holiday breaks and school supplies for upcoming school years.
If someone were to ask Tina if she feels successful, her answer would be “No” because she believes there is still more for her to learn. Despite her numerous accomplishments, Tina’s motivation to learn and challenge herself personally and professionally remains strong. Her ultimate goal is to work until she no longer has to introduce herself — that is when she believes she can consider herself successful. With so much passion, drive and determination, she aims to continue bridging the gap between her community and the city.
