From Refugee to Multimillionaire: Don Ha on Real Estate Business & Overcoming Bankruptcy
Episode Description
Don Ha was born in Vietnam then spent a couple of years at a refugee camp in Hong Kong before his family got relocated to NZ in 1980 with no English and little more than the clothes they had on.
Despite this massive disadvantage, Don Ha became a New Zealand rich lister through real estate with a net worth of over $100 million.
Then during the Global Financial Crisis, Don was declared bankrupt. And in the years since then he has managed to find success a second time.
This podcast is a part of the Don Ha story: Rags to riches to rags and back to riches. A story of resilience and recovery.
We talk about his early memories from life in refugee camps.
His aspirations to achieve more than just working in the family bakery.
His reflections on spending $2 million dollars to buy a racehorse at an auction.
Lessons learned about himself and others from bankruptcy and receivership.
And much, much more.
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**The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast belong solely to the host and guests and may not reflect the views of the show sponsors**
00:00 The Journey Begins: From Refugee to Resilience 11:49 Building a Legacy: Family and Business 24:09 The Rise and Fall: Financial Success and Setbacks 41:44 Navigating Bankruptcy and Recovery 46:36 Lessons Learned from Adversity 57:50 Creating a Legacy and Future Aspirations
Brief Summary
Don Ha shares his journey from refugee to real estate success, discussing adversity, resilience, and the importance of community support.
Key points
- Refugee Experience. The guest discusses their challenging journey as a refugee and the impact of bankruptcy.
- Family Resilience. The guest reflects on their father's determination to provide for the family after leaving Vietnam.
- From Bakery to Real Estate. He sold his bakery for 60,000 to pursue a career in real estate, aiming for freedom.
- The Power of Hard Work. He sold 86 properties in his first year, earning 53,000 in one month.
- Overcoming Bankruptcy. After facing bankruptcy, he rebuilt his career and regained his credibility.
- Mental Health and Music. During tough times, music became a source of strength and motivation.
Ask about Dom Harvey
Episode highlights
- Refugee ExperienceThe guest discusses their challenging journey as a refugee and the impact of bankruptcy.“I was declared bankrupt and it was very public, quite humiliating.”1:37Feb 22, 2025
- Family ResilienceThe guest reflects on their father's determination to provide for the family after leaving Vietnam.“I think at the time my father secretly was already building his boat to leave Vietnam.”8:45Feb 22, 2025
- From Bakery to Real EstateHe sold his bakery for 60,000 to pursue a career in real estate, aiming for freedom.“If I sell six houses a year, I can take the whole year off.”21:40Feb 22, 2025
- The Power of Hard WorkHe sold 86 properties in his first year, earning 53,000 in one month.“In my first year, no kidding, I sold 86 properties without any experience.”22:35Feb 22, 2025
- Overcoming BankruptcyAfter facing bankruptcy, he rebuilt his career and regained his credibility.“I can do it again; I call it the perfect storm.”39:55Feb 22, 2025
- Mental Health and MusicDuring tough times, music became a source of strength and motivation.“I play the song 'I’m Not Afraid' every day to keep me going.”42:26Feb 22, 2025
- The Power of LoyaltyLoyalty in business is crucial for success and stability.“Loyalty is really important because if you don’t have loyalty, your business might not be as strong.”50:15Feb 22, 2025
- From Bankruptcy to SuccessAfter facing bankruptcy, he rebuilt his business to unprecedented heights.“We were doing like 750 million a year when we were with a brand before that.”52:26Feb 22, 2025
