Lan Ho’s Bold Leap: Trading Pharmacy for Coffee
Lan Ho’s story is a testament to the courage required to pivot careers and chase passion against the odds. Formerly a Walgreens retail pharmacist earning around $120,000 annually, Lan left behind a decade-long educational investment to forge a new path as the founder and CEO of Fat Miilk, a thriving Vietnamese coffee company generating over $500,000 in yearly revenue.
Roots and Resilience: The Foundation of Her Drive
Born in Oakland, California, and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Lan grew up in a Vietnamese immigrant household shaped by her parents’ refugee experience. Their aspiration for stability led her to pursue pharmacy—a path marked by rigorous education, from a chemistry degree at Lindenwood University, a finance master’s from Harvard, to a doctorate from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
Yet, despite these monumental achievements, Lan often found herself grappling with profound dissatisfaction. “I was working at the back of Walgreens, almost hidden from the world,” she reflects, grappling with a growing feeling of being unfulfilled.
Experimentation and Entrepreneurial Spirit
Even during her pharmacy school days, Lan's entrepreneurial spirit flickered through ventures into blogging and fashion, though none took off. Her long-standing love for coffee—an industry rich with cultural rituals and creative expression—eventually sparked a breakthrough idea. Coffee represented more than a beverage; it was a craft and community she wanted to celebrate and share.
Turning Challenges into Opportunity
Lan started dabbling in her coffee business on the side in 2018. By 2019, Fat Miilk was officially incorporated. The pandemic furlough in 2020 became a pivotal moment: with two months of downtime, Lan fully launched the coffee company and soon made the brave decision to decline returning to Walgreens. Instead, she took a flexible telehealth job to support herself while pouring all her energy into growing Fat Miilk.
Bootstrapped through personal funds, loans from loved ones, and credit cards, those first years were a rollercoaster of survival and inspiration. “The mental balancing act was intense,” Lan notes. But perseverance paid off.
National Spotlight and Accelerated Growth
A breakthrough came in March 2022 when Lan was invited to compete on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars. Flying from Illinois to Los Angeles, she became a finalist and pitched Fat Miilk directly to Ramsay on national television. This exposure not only boosted her company’s credibility but also empowered Lan to envision bigger ambitions for her brand.
Expansion and Forward Vision
In February 2024, Lan opened Fat Miilk’s inaugural coffee shop in Chicago, followed by plans for a second location in Naperville, Illinois, set for 2026. Her vision doesn’t stop at state lines; a third, out-of-state outlet is already on the horizon.
Lan shares that beyond business metrics, one of the greatest lessons has been learning to claim her space and care for her well-being—an essential balance that fuels innovation and leadership.
Expert Insight: Why Lan Ho’s Journey Matters
Lan's trajectory underscores a broader trend in America’s evolving workforce: many highly educated professionals increasingly seek fulfillment beyond traditional careers, particularly in rigid fields like pharmacy. Her story highlights important questions for policymakers and educators about supporting career flexibility and mental health in demanding professions. Moreover, Fat Miilk’s rise brings visibility to Vietnamese-American entrepreneurship and the cultural richness coffee can bring to the U.S. market.
Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
- Follow your passion, but prepare financially to weather early uncertainties.
- Embrace pivots; career fulfillment often requires brave detours.
- Leverage unique cultural narratives to create authentic brand stories that resonate.
- Seek out opportunities for visibility, like media or competitions, to accelerate growth.
Editor’s Note
Lan Ho’s inspiring journey from pharmacist to successful coffee entrepreneur raises vital considerations about career fulfillment, immigrant family expectations, and the entrepreneurial spirit’s power to reshape identity and livelihood. As the gig economy and passion-driven businesses continue to evolve, Lan’s story encourages us to question traditional definitions of success and to support diverse pathways in the American dream. What support systems could better help professionals like Lan who dare to reclaim their career narratives? How might emerging businesses rooted in cultural heritage transform local economies and community identities? These remain key dialogues as we witness more stories like Lan’s unfold.
