Kien Thang Lam - Blue Star Air Conditioning
Kien “Ken” Thang Lam is the founder of Blue Star Air Conditioning, a NSW based company specialising in the design, supply, service and installation of air conditioning for domestic and commercial clients. Ken’s incredibly moving story of success against the odds landed him a spot as a finalist for the 32nd Annual Henry Ngai Medium to Large Business Award.
Q: What brought Ken to Australia?
A: Heeding the advice of his father, Kien Thang Lam fled the oppression of the Communist regime that had taken a hold of Vietnam during the devastating war in the 70’s. He was 19 years old at the time and had only a few items of clothing and some dry rice, searching for freedom and opportunity.
Q: What challenges did Ken face while seeking refuge in a new country?
A: Ken was on the ocean for seven days and eight nights on a motorboat. He recalls a lot of large waves and seasickness. They arrived at a refugee camp on a small island of Indonesia. Ken recalls “there was nothing on the island. We had to do what we can to survive”.
He states that his biggest challenge at the time was his homesickness. Ken arrived in Australia on the 13th of January 1979. He has no money on him and was taken to a hostel where he stayed. It took him almost six months to find a job. Forced to work long hours, 7 days/week while also studying for certification in Electrical & Refrigeration Mechanical trades, Ken did not take a backward step.
Kien Thang Lam pictured with Joseph Assaf AO, Founder and Chairman of the EBA
Q: What inspired Ken to start his business?
A: After four years of working in electrical contracting, he met his business partner, Mr Dong Tran, who also worked in the same industry. Blue Star Air Conditioning was formed in 1997 with one truck, a few tools and a rented showroom.
Q: What challenges did the business face in it’s early days?
A: Starting off with a very small amount of money, they worked 7 days a week and long hours, not getting home until midnight most evenings. They started off with very little money and were renting the cheapest showroom they could find.
Q: How has the business grown since then?
A: After two and a half years, Ken and Mr Tran had saved enough money to purchase a warehouse and create a much larger showroom. Today, the company owns two large warehouses and showrooms and competes with the likes of Harvey Norman, Bing Lee and the Good Guys in the domestic and light commercial Air Conditioning space. They now have 35 staff members and are turning over approximately 45 million dollars in revenue.
Kien Thang Lam pictured with Prime Minister Scott Morrison
“My wife and I came to Australia as refugees with nothing”
