Lunch with a Leader: Mentorship Series #1

Madame Lam - Vietnamese Contemporary Cuisine 10 Đ. Trần Ngọc Diện, Thảo Điền, Thủ Đức, Hồ Chí Minh

August 29, 2025 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Hosted by Saigon Young Professionals
 📍 Madame Lam (Private Room)
 📅 Friday, August 29, 2025
 🕦 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Real Conversations. Real Leaders. Real Growth.

This isn’t your average networking lunch. Lunch with a Leader is a new monthly series by Saigon Young Professionals, designed to create rare, intimate opportunities for ambitious professionals to connect with those who’ve walked the path before them.

Each month, we’ll gather a small group of just 9 participants for a private lunch with one exceptional guest — a founder, investor, executive, or expert — someone who has built, led, or innovated at the highest levels in their field.

No stage. No panel. No mic. Just an honest, relaxed conversation over great food — where you can ask questions, share your own journey, and learn directly from a leader you admire.

What’s Included

🍽️ 3-Course Lunch at Madame Lam
 Enjoy a thoughtfully prepared lunch at one of Saigon’s most celebrated restaurants. Madame Lam is generously sponsoring the space, hosting us in their private dining room — a quiet setting ideal for real conversation.

👥 1 Mentor. 9 Guests. 90 Minutes of Open Dialogue
 Expect honest stories, practical advice, and room to ask what’s actually on your mind. Each guest mentor brings their own lens — from startups and marketing to leadership and investment.

🗓️ Next Event: August 29, 2025
 This kicks off our new monthly series. Each lunch features a different guest and a new focus.

Why Join?

You might be…

  • Building a business and feeling stuck
  • Exploring a career shift and unsure where to start
  • Trying to level up but lacking the right sounding board
  • Craving advice from someone who’s been through the grind

This is your chance to ask the questions that matter — in a setting that encourages real talk, not surface-level small talk. You’ll leave with fresh insight, some clarity, and maybe even a new connection that lasts.

This Month’s Guest Mentor

👤 Stefano Pellegrino
PhD, Serial Founder, UC Berkeley Alum, New York Attorney, and Co-Founder & CEO at Aquila

Stefano is a lawyer by degree, but a founder by trade. He’s the Co-Founder and CEO of Aquila, and previously served as Vietnam Co-Founder at Aspire, one of Southeast Asia’s leading fintech platforms — now valued in the hundreds of millions.

At Aspire, he built and led the Vietnam business from scratch:

  • Grew the local team to 75+ employees across 7 departments
  • Achieved profitability within 9 months
  • Delivered 300% revenue growth 3 years in a row
  • Disbursed over $65M in SME and green finance loans
  • Navigated Vietnam’s regulatory, compliance, and banking landscape from the ground up

UC Berkeley alumnus and licensed New York attorney, Stefano has led teams, launched products, and scaled operations across Southeast Asia. Today, he splits his time between building Aquila and advising early-stage companies and investors across the region.

Who’s This For?

This session is perfect for:

  • Founders & Aspiring Founders
  • Startup Operators & Business Builders
  • Technologists, Product Leads & Fintech Enthusiasts
  • Anyone curious about building in Vietnam or Southeast Asia
  • Professionals looking to learn from a seasoned, high-impact leader who’s done it before

Whether you’re scaling something now or planning your next move, you’ll walk away with clarity, perspective, and lessons you won’t find in a playbook.

How to Buy a Ticket?

Payment Options:

1. Bank Transfer

Early-Bird (before August 22): 250,000 VND
Regular Price: 300,000 VND

2. Credit Card (Stripe – USD)

Early-Bird (before August 22): $10 USD
Regular Price: $12 USD

Click the RSVP Now button on this event page and follow the steps to pay

Limited Seats. High Impact.

⚠️ Only 9 seats available per month
📍 Madame Lam – 10 Tran Ngoc Dien, An Khanh Ward, HCM City.
 📅 Friday, August 29 – 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM

Reserve your seat early — this will fill up fast.
Come with questions. Leave with insight (and a great meal).

Who can attend

This event is open to all members of the SYP Community.

How to register

SYP members can RSVP this event on Vietnam Is Awesome community platform

RSVP Now

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Looking to connect with fellow SYP members? Come join us on SYP private community - proudly hosted with our community partner, Vietnam Is Awesome!

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