Isn’t it Lovely When Your Upbringing Teaches Empathy? Special Guest: Vince Danh
“We’ve got one shot here on this earth…I think and I believe that we’re meant to leave this earth with a net positive balance by contributing more than we have taken. And the best way to do that is to multiply ourselves…giving to other people and enabling them to give back.”
Isn’t it Lovely? Season 5 hits the ground running as Rachel and Tracy welcome photographer, creative director, foodie extraordinaire and Sioux Falls Hype Man Vince Danh to the podcast for a long-form interview celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit, major life pivots, uplifting communities - and his willingness to wait for really good food. Vince shares how his path to becoming a lawyer shifted the moment he picked up a camera during a 6-month (U.S. State Department Commissioned!) trip to Southeast Asia and fell in love with capturing the moments and stories unfolding around him. He highlights how growing up in Sioux Falls with a strong family bond and supportive mentors provided him with the foundation to consistently help out and support others in every area of his life. Vince teaches Rachel and Tracy an Australian accent party trick, while Rachel tries to persuade Tracy and Vince to demonstrate secret fraternity/sorority handshakes and chants. Tracy and Vince extoll the virtues of Kerrygold butter, while Rachel grapples with the knowledge that not everyone fondly remembers (or remembers at all) the Lilith Fair Music Festivals.
Episode Mentions:
Vincent Gene Website: https://vincentgene.com/
Vincent Gene Instagram: @viva_la_vince
4Front Studios Website: https://4frontstudios.com/
4Front Studios Instagram: @4frontstudios
Greater Than Zero Percent Website: https://www.gtzp.org/
Greater Than Zero Percent Instagram: @greaterthanzeropercent
Loyola University Chicago Website: https://www.luc.edu/
KOTO (Know One Teach One) Website: https://www.koto.com.au/
Anthony Bourdain: https://explorepartsunknown.com/
Pho Quynh Vietnamese Restaurant Website: https://phoquynhsf.com/
Vaney Hariri and Think 3D Solutions Website: https://letsthink3d.com/
Alterations and Tailoring by Lee and Company Website: http://alterationsbylee.com/
Tarquin Argentinian Restaurant Instagram: @tarquin_sf
Vince is a photographer and creative consultant who considers Sioux Falls to be his hometown and the Greatest Little City in America. He grew up in the city's first Vietnamese restaurant and has the burns and taste to prove it. After graduating from Loyola University Chicago, he returned to Sioux Falls in 2014 and focused on working with non-English speaking business-owners as both an interpreter and financial advisor. In 2016, he founded Vincent Gene as a photography business that eventually grew into a creative consultant and digital media production firm.
Whenever he meets new people, Vince is already thinking of at least three other people or organizations that they should meet. He is a natural connector and will always hype up his friends and causes he cares about. When he's not working, Vince enjoys cooking, traveling, and experiencing new things with friends. In 2013, the U.S. State Department commissioned Vince to spend 6 months in Southeast Asia to do documentary work and that's how his love affair with cameras and media production began.
Today, he's the proud owner and partner of a production studio (4Front Studios) with which he hopes to elevate the passions and endeavors of our local entrepreneurs and artists.