Entrepreneurship Was my first language
This morning I was at the 7th Annual Startup Champions Breakfast — a room full of builders, believers, and community leaders who all share one conviction: Sioux Falls is one of the best places in America to start something.
It felt personal. Because entrepreneurship was my first language.
It Started at the Counter
My parents opened the first Vietnamese restaurant in Sioux Falls in the 1990’s. Long before I understood what entrepreneurship was, I was living it. As soon as I could read and write in English, I was helping — not just watching them build something from scratch, but translating for them. Lease agreements. Vendor calls. Permit paperwork. I was the bridge between their vision and a system that wasn't designed with them in mind. That's where my education really began. And it's a big part of why making entrepreneurship accessible still matters so deeply to me.
That foundation never left. When I eventually started my own business, I carried it with me.
The Community Asked Me to Show Up
As an adult with my own business, the Startup Sioux Falls community asked me to help host 1 Million Cups — a weekly gathering where entrepreneurs at every stage came to share their stories, exchange ideas, and build real community over coffee. From first-time founders to seasoned business owners, it was a space where experience was meant to inspire and the room was always better for the conversation. Hosting it deepened my belief that one of the most powerful things we can do for entrepreneurship is simply create the conditions for people to connect.
A Camera, Then a Commitment
During Startup Sioux Falls' transition downtown, I showed up with a camera. For several years I served as their official photographer — capturing pitch nights, early founders, and the small wins that don't always make the press release. Then our team at 4Front Studios went further. As a Founder Funder, we launched Mission 100 — a commitment to help 100 local businesses level up through video, photography, and brand consultation within one year. Many of the entrepreneurs we supported came straight from the Startup Sioux Falls community.
What It All Taught Me
Starting something is an act of optimism. You're betting on yourself before anyone else will. But founders don't just need cheerleaders — they need a city that works for them. Clear permits. Predictable timelines. Resources that don't require a lawyer or a translator to navigate.
Too often, the founders with the best ideas and the fewest connections fall through the cracks. Not because they lacked talent. Because the system wasn't built with them in mind.
That's what I'm running to change. We need people-first policy — the kind that meets entrepreneurs where they are and makes sure the path forward is clear for every founder, in every neighborhood, with every kind of background.
I've had the privilege of mentoring founders over the years and will keep championing small businesses long after this campaign ends. The 7th Annual Founder's Day is a celebration of what Sioux Falls gets right. The next chapter is making sure the system is as welcoming as the room felt this morning.
It's always been our city, and now is our moment. Let's rise together. ☀️
— Vince Danh
Candidate, Sioux Falls City Council At-Large | June 2nd, 2026