Daily Inspiration: Meet Di Tran

Today we’d like to introduce you to Di Tran.

Hi Di, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I came to America with nothing but faith, grit, and an unshakable belief in the power of hard work. Like many immigrants, I worked seven days a week — not because I had to, but because I wanted to. Work, to me, is love in action. I watched my mother run nail salons, support her family, and survive more than most ever see — and yet she never complained. She just kept going. That spirit became the foundation of everything I built.

Louisville Beauty Academy began not as a business idea, but as a moral obligation. I saw students in beauty programs buried in debt, working multiple jobs just to keep studying — often leaving without graduating, or graduating without ever licensing. That didn’t sit right with me. I asked a simple question: What if we built a school where students could thrive without debt, graduate without delay, and enter the workforce with pride and freedom?

And so we did.

Today, Louisville Beauty Academy is Kentucky’s most accessible, most affordable, and most human-centered beauty school. Nearly 2,000 students have graduated completely debt-free — not a single dollar from federal financial aid. Instead of chasing enrollment numbers, we focus entirely on graduation and licensing success. We offer transparent pricing, flexible scheduling, and zero-interest payment options — and more importantly, we tailor each student’s path to their real-life goal.

We’re not a one-size-fits-all cosmetology school. We do not upsell the longest programs to everyone. We ask: What do you want to do? If the answer is nails, we guide them straight to a nail technician license. If it’s skincare, we guide them to esthetics. If it’s salon ownership or advanced hairstyling, then cosmetology is right — and even then, we make it attainable. While many schools stretch cosmetology over 18–24 months and charge over $20,000, we built a model where students can finish in 9 months — at less than $8,000, with a 75% incentive discount for those who commit, show up, and complete on time.

This is unheard of in the industry — and it’s working.

The job market is actively fighting for nail technicians, estheticians, and licensed professionals. Almost all of our students walk in already hired, or they secure work even before graduating. We are not preparing students for vague futures — we are plugging them directly into a high-demand, high-impact workforce. Our graduates contribute an estimated $20–$50 million annually to the economy — in real services, real taxes, and real businesses they own and operate.

Louisville Beauty Academy is part of a broader movement powered by Di Tran University — a platform that offers AI-supported, multilingual, fully transparent education resources. Every policy, every form, every contract is public. We operate like the future — because we are already in it. In a world shaped by AI, data, and automation, our mission is to humanize education, make it radically accessible, and align it with the needs of today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce.

This isn’t just a school — it’s a sanctuary for skill, service, and self-worth. We welcome everyone: immigrants, single moms, career changers, entrepreneurs, and dreamers. If you want to work with your hands, serve others, and build something real, we’re here for you — not to sell you education, but to walk with you through transformation.

We don’t just graduate beauty professionals. We graduate contributors. People who rise, serve, and build lasting value — debt-free, license-ready, and spiritually fulfilled.

That’s the true American dream. And that’s our story.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road? Absolutely not — but we never expected it to be. At Louisville Beauty Academy, we eat struggle for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every snack in between. We are built to navigate hardship, because the communities we serve do it every day. Struggle isn’t something we fear. It’s what defines our mission.

Just opening our first campus was a 1.5-year battle. The building had been a licensed beauty school for over 20 years — originally Hair Design School, then Empire — but when we purchased it to become Louisville Beauty Academy, we faced unreasonable delays. While most schools or salons receive approval within 2–4 months, we were stalled by the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology for nearly 18 months. No clear reason. Just bureaucratic resistance.

And that was just the beginning.

When we developed our second campus — located inside a brand-new, state-of-the-art $23 million facility — we were delayed again for another year and a half. Not due to issues of safety or legality, but simply waiting on a state board member to physically show up and inspect. It took relentless advocacy, testimony from our community, and the passing of Senate Bill 14 to bring the issue to light. Following that legislation, nearly the entire board was replaced, along with the executive director.

Since opening, our school has been subjected to frequent and disproportionate inspections — monthly, quarterly, and often unannounced — by the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology. The frequency and selectivity of these visits have raised serious concerns. In hindsight, it became clear that the board had focused the majority of its enforcement activity on nail salons and disproportionately on Louisville Beauty Academy, which until recently, was the only Vietnamese- and Asian-owned beauty college in the entire state of Kentucky. Only now has a second Vietnamese-owned school opened, highlighting just how rare representation is in this space.

These inspections and delays weren’t just inconvenient — they were systemic barriers. And yet, we never stopped. We met every requirement, opened our doors with full transparency, and continued our mission: to educate, license, and economically empower our community without debt, without excuses, and without fear.

Running a school for working adults, immigrants, single moms, and career changers is never easy — especially when you’re the only beauty school in Kentucky that has offered multi-language support for over 8 years. From day one, we’ve helped our students navigate legal forms, licensing requirements, and language barriers — often acting as translator, advocate, and educator all at once.

We also led the charge for the first multilingual career licensing exam in the state’s history — and we won. With AI-powered curriculum, custom learning support, and care that goes far beyond textbooks, our students — many of whom speak little to no English — graduate, pass their exams, and become proud professionals. Nearly 2,000 to date. And counting.

So yes — we’ve faced challenges. But we’re not built to avoid them. We’re built to overcome them.

Because every challenge a student faces — from red tape to self-doubt — is why we exist. We don’t just teach beauty. We teach resilience, hope, and transformation. And we’ll keep doing that, no matter how hard the road gets.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a lifelong learner, servant leader, and builder — of systems, businesses, and people. By training, I am a computer engineer with a bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D.-level education. At one point, I was ranked in the top 3 out of over 7,000 engineers at Fortune 52 company Humana, serving as a lead engineer on global systems that touched millions of lives. But even as I succeeded in the corporate world, I never let go of my roots — I worked full-time as a small business owner, running nail salons, investing in real estate, and later founding Louisville Beauty Academy.

What sets me apart is not a single title — but the willingness and joy to work seven days a week, for years, doing what I love: building businesses that serve people. I believe work is love made visible. Every business I create — whether it’s Di Tran University, Louisville Beauty Academy, Di Tran Bourbon, Kentucky Pharmacy, or our upcoming bakery — is built around that core idea: service, value-add, and empowerment.

I’ve authored over 120 books covering humanization, vocational training, affordable housing, and faith — many available for free or under $1 to ensure access. I serve as a professor, speaker, and mentor at the University of Louisville, while staying deeply connected to the immigrant, small business, and student communities I serve daily.

What I’m most proud of isn’t the growth, the awards, or even the graduates — it’s that every day of the week, I get to serve others with my full heart, showing my three sons and every student I meet that you can live a life of purpose, passion, and impact — all at once.

I am deeply in love with Louisville, Kentucky — the city that raised me as a man, an entrepreneur, and a contributor. Everything I do is to uplift this city, its people, and its promise.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risk-taking is not just something I accept — it’s what I live. It’s my work, my calling, and even my hobby. But I don’t chase risk for thrill or ego. I take risks because I believe deeply in adding value to others, and that kind of value creation always requires bold decisions.

Since I was young, I watched my mother — a fearless Vietnamese immigrant — run businesses with heart and grit. She never called it “entrepreneurship,” but that’s exactly what it was. I learned from her that risk is normal when you’re serving others. Her example shaped me, and today, every one of the 120+ books I’ve written reflects that learning and my gratitude to her and to everyone who has contributed to my growth.

My approach to risk is deeply practical: I move fast because I see clearly. I make decisions based on value to people, not dollars. Of course, money is the currency that moves business forward, but I don’t chase money. I count people. I count impact. I ask: Did this action meet a real human need? If yes, that’s success — and money tends to follow naturally.

I’ve taken big risks — some that failed, many that thrived. I’ve lost over $100,000 in real estate ventures. But I never saw it as failure. It was a step, a lesson, a repositioning. I move forward not out of arrogance but out of faith — because I know I’m not running this path alone. God drives it all. Even this answer? It’s not mine. It’s written by grace. I just follow.

I don’t fear risk because I trust the process. I trust that when I give with pure intent, when I solve real problems, when I focus not on self but on service, I’m exactly where I need to be. That mindset has led to Louisville Beauty Academy, Di Tran University, Di Tran Bourbon, Kentucky Pharmacy, dozens of ventures, and a heart still full of joy working seven days a week.

Risk, when rooted in purpose and faith, is not reckless. It becomes divine movement. And I am grateful to be moved.

Pricing:

• At the core of everything I do — whether it’s education, real estate, beauty services, or products — is one simple philosophy: give more than you take. I am in the business of offering 50% or more value than the typical market price. I don’t enter any business unless I can confidently say: the customer will walk away knowing they received significantly more than they paid for. We compete on price — always — but never at the cost of quality. Our goal is to make excellence affordable and accessible, especially for working families, immigrants, and everyday individuals who want more for their life without going into debt. Here are a few examples of our pricing model: Louisville Beauty Academy (Education) Nail Technology Program: Less than $2,500 total — no hidden fees, no loans. Cosmetology Program: Under $8,000 with 75% fast-track incentive discount (compared to $20,000+ at most schools). Zero-interest payment plans and pay-as-you-go options always available. All students graduate debt-free. Books by Di Tran (Over 120 Titles) Most priced at $0.99 or free on Kindle Unlimited. Topics include beauty licensing, small business, AI, life purpose, faith, and financial literacy. Future Ventures (Di Tran Bourbon, Kentucky Pharmacy, Bakery, etc.) Designed with a mission to price below market while delivering above-market quality. We aim for community-first pricing: fair, generous, and human-centered. In every venture, we don’t just price to sell — we price to uplift. Our students, clients, and customers deserve to feel respected, empowered, and valued every time they interact with us. Because that’s what real business is about: trading value, not extracting money.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.louisvillebeautyacademy.net
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: (502) 625-5531
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CK64CFN9/allbooks
• Instagram: @louisvillebeautyacademy
• Faceboook: facebook.com/LouisvilleBeautyAcademy
• Other: https://www.ditranuniversity.com