Leading with Purpose: Dignity Living Founder’s Journey to Empowering the Next Generation of Cambodian-Americans (2024)

Jeff Lam, the CEO of Dignity Living, represents a unique intersection of cultures – Cambodian and American. His journey from a wartime refugee camp to becoming a leader in the business world is a testament to the power of perseverance and the balance between heritage and ambition. As a Cambodian-American, Jeff understands the struggles many immigrant families face in navigating both their cultural roots and the opportunities of their adopted homeland. His desire to break free from the cultural shackles that often hold immigrant communities back led him to establish Dignity Living.

However, Jeff’s story begins in one of the darkest chapters of Cambodian history, during the reign of the Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s. Under the brutal leadership of Pol Pot, Cambodia was thrown into chaos, as the regime sought to purge the nation of any Western influences, eradicating intellectuals, mixed-race individuals, and those deemed ‘Westernized.’ Amidst this violence, Jeff’s parents fled to a Red Cross refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodian border, where he was born in 1980.

“My mom was malnourished and couldn’t even breastfeed me,” Jeff recalls. “I survived on rice water and porridge, and, from the very beginning of my life, I had to fight.” The two years his family spent in the camp, enduring harsh conditions, taught Jeff the resilience and determination that would come to define his life.

In 1982, Jeff’s family was sponsored by a church in Falls Church, Virginia, where they began the process of assimilating into American society. But the cold weather and the overwhelming challenges of adapting to a foreign land eventually led the family to move to Long Beach, California – home to the largest Cambodian community outside of Cambodia. Here, amidst the familiar climate and the comfort of their cultural community, the Lam family found solace, but Jeff also saw the limitations of such tight-knit ethnic enclaves.

Long Beach offered Jeff’s family the comfort of their Cambodian roots, but it also brought with it a downside that many immigrant communities face: the cultural silo effect. Within these communities, many immigrants, while physically present in America, remain mentally and socially isolated from the broader American experience.

“You never really have to assimilate outside of your culture,” Jeff explains. “You can always find someone who speaks your language, someone who understands your background, and that creates a crutch. You don’t learn English as fast, and you don’t develop the independence you need to really thrive beyond the community.”

This cultural isolation often limits upward mobility. Jeff points out that within these silos, the standard of success might be seen as holding a steady job or running a small business, but aspirations often stop there. “There’s this mindset that you don’t need to look beyond the community,” Jeff notes. “Not me. I knew from an early age that I wanted more.”

Growing up, Jeff’s weekends were spent helping his parents run a flea market stall. From the age of seven to eighteen, Jeff was immersed in the world of commerce, learning the ins and outs of small business, negotiation, and customer service. While he resented waking up at 6 a.m. to set up and break down the market stalls, he now sees it as the foundation for his entrepreneurial spirit.

“It was a training ground for my future,” Jeff says. “I learned to deal with all kinds of people, rich and poor, and I experienced firsthand the challenges of running a business. Those lessons stuck with me.”

Despite his early success in school, Jeff struggled to find his academic calling. Initially majoring in chemistry at the University of California, Irvine, he quickly realized it wasn’t for him. A brief foray into psychology didn’t pan out either, and by his final year, Jeff was studying computer science certifications at night, positioning himself for a career in IT.

This blend of academic and practical experience paid off. Despite a difficult job market, Jeff secured a position at Ernst & Young shortly after graduation. His unique background – combining small business experience with corporate consulting – allowed him to rise quickly through the ranks.

“I wasn’t just looking at things from the perspective of a W-2 employee,” he explains. “I approached every problem as a business owner, thinking about how value was generated and how to maximize it.”

As Jeff’s career progressed, so did his understanding of the duality of his identity. “I’m not 100% Cambodian, and I’m not 100% American,” Jeff says. “I’m a mixture of both, and that’s my strength.” This blend of cultures has allowed him to navigate the complexities of both worlds – respecting the traditions of his Cambodian heritage while fully embracing what it means to be an American.

This duality is something Jeff hopes to instill in other Cambodian-Americans, especially those who feel confined by the cultural expectations of their community. “There’s this debate within immigrant families,” he explains. “Some people want to cling tightly to the old ways, but we have to understand that we’re not just Cambodian anymore. We’re Cambodian-American, and that comes with its own unique culture.”

Jeff believes that by embracing both sides of their identity, Cambodian Americans can break free from the cultural silos that often limit their potential. “We have to look beyond our communities,” he says. “We have to dream bigger, pursue more, and not be afraid to step outside of what’s familiar.”

As the CEO of Dignity Living, Jeff is using his platform to inspire others to overcome the challenges of their circumstances, whether they stem from cultural isolation or the hardships of immigrant life. He is also deeply committed to giving back to the Cambodian-American community, recognizing that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done in helping the next generation reach their full potential.

“We have to stop letting the world hold us down,” Jeff says. “There are always going to be challenges, but that doesn’t mean you don’t try. I want to be an example for others – someone who has faced adversity and found a way through.”

Jeff Lam’s story is one of resilience, ambition, and the power of dual identity. It’s a story that speaks not only to the Cambodian-American experience but to the broader immigrant journey in America. Through his leadership, Jeff is helping forge a path for others, showing that success is possible when you blend the best of both worlds and never stop reaching for more.

Leading with Purpose: Dignity Living Founder’s Journey to Empowering the Next Generation of Cambodian-Americans (2024)
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