Today we’d like to introduce you to Lydia Nguyen.
Hi Lydia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
During COVID, Happy Lemon became one of my favorite boba shops. It was something small that brought me happiness during such an uncertain time, and I genuinely loved the drinks, the energy of the brand, and the experience of going there. I never imagined at the time that something I enjoyed so much would eventually become such a meaningful part of my own journey.
When I had the opportunity to become a Happy Lemon franchise owner, I decided to take a chance on myself and open my first location in Fort Worth, Texas. There were definitely challenges and a lot to learn, but seeing customers enjoy the shop and watching my team grow made all of the hard work worth it. That experience gave me the confidence to eventually open my second location in Mansfield, Texas.
Looking back, it’s amazing to think that I went from simply being a customer who loved Happy Lemon to owning and operating two locations. This journey has taught me that sometimes the things that bring you joy can also lead you to opportunities you never expected. I’m proud of how much I’ve grown along the way, and I’m excited to continue learning, building my team, and creating a place that can bring a little happiness to other people too.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, and I think that is one of the biggest reasons I have learned so much throughout this journey. As a single business owner, I didn’t have a business partner to divide the responsibilities with, so I had to learn both the front end and the back end of running a business. I wasn’t only learning how to make drinks or provide good customer service. I had to understand staffing, payroll, scheduling, inventory, ordering, expenses, maintenance, permits, vendors, training, marketing, and all of the little things that happen behind the scenes that most people never see.
Before becoming a business owner, I never realized how many unexpected expenses could come with simply keeping a store running. There were fixtures, equipment, repairs, maintenance, construction expenses, supplies, and so many random costs that I never knew existed until I was responsible for paying for them. There were times when it felt like I would finally take care of one problem and another one would immediately appear. I also dealt with many difficult and unexpected incidents along the way. Some were completely outside of my control, but as the owner, I still had to be the person who figured out what to do next.
I would admit that my first year at my Fort Worth location was probably the hardest and most discouraging period for me. Several businesses around me were closing down, so the area didn’t have the foot traffic I originally hoped for. My location was also in more of a bar area, and Happy Lemon wasn’t something that everyone immediately knew was there. I had to figure out how to get people through the door and introduce the business to customers instead of depending on people simply walking by.
During that first year especially, there were endless nights when I barely slept. There were days when I was at the shop from morning until night and then went home still thinking about what needed to be done the next day. I spent countless hours personally training employees, repeating recipes, teaching customer service, correcting mistakes, and helping my team understand how I wanted the store to operate. Sometimes I would train during the day, stay through the night, and then come back and do it all over again.
It was exhausting at times, but when I look at my employees today and see how much they have grown, I realize those hours meant something. The team I have today didn’t happen overnight. It took patience, repetition, consistency, and a lot of me physically being there. One of the things I’m most proud of is seeing employees become more confident and independent and watching some of them grow into stronger roles within the business.
Managing employees also changed the way I look at leadership. As a business owner, you naturally look at things differently because you are responsible for the bigger picture. You’re thinking about labor, costs, customer satisfaction, consistency, and whether the business can continue operating successfully. But I’ve also learned that sometimes you have to be flexible and meet your employees halfway. There may be policies and expectations, but your employees are people too. Sometimes you have to listen, understand where they are coming from, explain the reason behind something, or even bend the rules when appropriate so that they feel heard and can better understand what you are trying to accomplish.
I’ve learned that being a good leader isn’t about being strict all the time. It’s about knowing when to stand firm and when to show understanding. I’ve made mistakes in that area too, and I’m still learning. Owning a business has taught me how important communication is and that different employees may need to be trained, motivated, or communicated with differently.
Opening my second location brought an entirely new set of challenges. I had more experience by then, but I quickly learned that experience doesn’t mean everything will suddenly be easy. Every location has different customers, employees, expenses, and unexpected problems. This time, though, I had the lessons from Fort Worth behind me. I knew more about what to expect, what mistakes I didn’t want to repeat, and what kind of owner and leader I wanted to become.
There were definitely moments when I questioned myself and wondered whether I was doing the right thing. But I think those difficult moments shaped me more than the successful ones. When things are going well, it’s easy to keep going. It’s when business is slow, expenses keep coming, employees need you, something breaks, or a situation doesn’t go according to plan that you really learn what you’re capable of.
As you know, we’re big fans of Happy Lemon. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Happy Lemon is an international bubble tea franchise known for its fun, refreshing drinks and especially its signature Salted Cheese series. We offer a wide variety of teas, milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, boba, specialty toppings, and our popular bubble waffles. What I love about the brand is that there really is something for everyone, whether someone is already a huge boba lover or is trying it for the first time.
As a franchise owner, I’m proud to operate two Happy Lemon locations in Fort Worth and Mansfield. While Happy Lemon is an established franchise, I’ve always wanted my individual stores to feel personal and connected to the communities we serve. To me, we aren’t just selling drinks. I want customers to walk in, feel welcomed, enjoy themselves, and hopefully leave a little happier than when they came in.
One thing that sets my locations apart is how involved I am in the day-to-day business. I’ve personally spent countless hours learning the operations, training employees, working alongside my team, and figuring out ways we can continue improving. I care a lot about consistency and customer service, but I also care about developing my employees. Many of them come to us without much experience, and one of the most rewarding parts of being an owner is watching someone go from being nervous on their first day to confidently making drinks, helping customers, training others, and even stepping into leadership roles.
I’m also proud of the culture I’ve tried to create within my stores. I want my employees to understand that while we work hard and have standards to meet, we are still a team. I encourage communication, helping one another, learning from mistakes, and treating every customer with kindness. I’ve learned that a positive customer experience usually starts with creating a positive environment for the employees behind the counter.
What I’m most proud of is how much both locations have grown. My Fort Worth store especially taught me patience and perseverance. It took time for people to discover us and for us to build a loyal customer base, but seeing returning customers, recognizing familiar faces, and watching people introduce their friends and families to Happy Lemon makes that journey incredibly rewarding. Opening my Mansfield location gave me the opportunity to take everything I learned and bring that same experience to another community.
At the end of the day, I want people to know that behind my Happy Lemon locations is an owner who genuinely cares. I started this journey because Happy Lemon was one of my own favorite boba shops, and now I get to share something I love with other people. Whether someone comes in for their favorite drink every week, is trying boba for the first time, or simply needs a little treat after a long day, I hope my stores can be a small, happy part of their day. That feeling of community is what makes the business most meaningful to me.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way people can support me is honestly by supporting my Happy Lemon locations and other local businesses in their community. Something as simple as stopping by for a drink, bringing a friend, leaving a review, sharing us on social media, or recommending us to someone means more to a small business owner than people may realize.
Even though Happy Lemon is a franchise, my locations are still locally owned and operated. Behind each store is a local owner, employees, and a team that depends on the support of our community. Every purchase helps me continue providing jobs, developing my employees, and creating opportunities for the people who work with me.
I’m also very open to collaborating with other local businesses, schools, organizations, influencers, and community events. I love the idea of businesses supporting one another rather than always viewing each other as competition. Whether it’s a fundraiser, local event, cross-promotion, catering opportunity, or creative collaboration, I’m always interested in finding ways we can bring our communities together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://m.happylemonusa.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happylemontx/?hl=en
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/happy-lemon-fort-worth-2?sort_by=date_desc
