Beyond the Traineeship: Journey from Intern to Strategic Planning Senior Executive

At AnyMind Group, growth is not just about titles. It’s about the opportunities to learn, take ownership, and create real impact for businesses.

One example is Bui Xuan Thanh, who joined AnyMind Group in Vietnam as a Strategic Planning Intern and has since grown into a Strategic Planning Senior Executive.

Through hands-on projects, cross-functional collaboration, and exposure to AnyMind’s technology-driven marketing and commerce ecosystem, Thanh’s journey reflects how young talents can quickly develop both strategic thinking and real business impact.

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Starting the Journey at AnyMind Group

I chose AnyMind Group for my internship because it offered both strong international exposure and a solid learning environment. With the presence in 15 markets, the company gave me the opportunity to work on exciting, large-scale projects for major brands and clients.

What stood out to me was that AnyMind Group is a BPaaS company with a combination of technology and operations teams. That means working here gives me the opportunity to see how strategy connects with data, creators, media, and e-commerce within one ecosystem.

I was also drawn to the Strategic Planning team, which was well-structured and made up of highly skilled seniors. For me, that meant the chance to learn the advertising world with proper guidance while growing in a fast-paced, high-standard environment.

Growing Through Challenges and Support

What helped me grow the most was the combination of people, projects, and AnyMind’s ecosystem.

I was fortunate to work alongside highly capable yet very supportive teammates who shared their expertise and encouraged me to keep raising my standards. On top of that, being involved in major demanding projects helped accelerate my learning and sharpen more practical, high-value skills.

The integration between different teams from strategy, creative, influencer marketing, to D2C also gave me a much more holistic understanding of how modern marketing works.

My managers and mentors were transformational in how they pushed me to constantly bring fresh thinking, newness, and innovation into every project.

At the same time, they gave me a lot of autonomy. Instead of only assigning tasks, they trusted me to take ownership and make decisions. That balance between guidance and empowerment allowed me to grow much faster.

Working in an environment where ideas are valued – even from interns – made a big difference in building my confidence as a strategist.

One of the biggest challenges was navigating peak periods when the workload became very heavy. Those moments could easily feel overwhelming, but what helped me push through was the strong support system around me. My manager and teammates were always there to provide both practical guidance and emotional encouragement.

The company culture also showed genuine care for employee wellbeing. During intense periods, initiatives like after-hours meals or massage sessions helped people recharge and stay resilient. It might seem like a small thing, but it reflects how AnyMind truly values its people.

Since joining AnyMind, I’ve grown significantly in three areas: mindset, capabilities, and the way I work.

In terms of mindset, I’ve become much more growth-oriented. I’m now more comfortable stepping into unfamiliar situations and treating setbacks as part of the learning process rather than failures.

In terms of capabilities, AnyMind gave me a very strong foundation in strategic planning. Working in an ecosystem that combines influencer marketing, media, data, and commerce pushed me to think beyond traditional communication strategies and consider the full consumer journey.

And in terms of working style, I’ve become far more structured and professional. Operating in a fast-moving, high-expectation environment taught me how to manage responsibilities effectively while collaborating smoothly across teams.

I would describe AnyMind’s culture as fast-paced, challenging, and innovation-driven.

There is always something new to explore, whether it’s a new platform, a new marketing approach, or a new client challenge. That constant momentum pushes everyone to keep learning and evolving.

Because AnyMind operates across multiple industries and continues to invest in AI-native technologies, the culture naturally encourages people to stay curious and forward-thinking.

Creating Real Business Impact

Some of my most memorable projects were working with FMCG brands. They are extremely dynamic and competitive, which means every campaign requires fresh thinking and strong strategic direction.

One experience that stood out in particular was working on a beauty brand, where I had the opportunity to collaborate closely and co-brainstorm with the client to shape the final output. The idea not only generated strong awareness, but also delivered meaningful business results. What made it especially rewarding was seeing how strategic, social-led thinking could go beyond communication and create real impact for the brand.

At the core, AnyMind has a strong ecosystem powered by vast data capabilities, which gives us a much stronger foundation to build sharp and meaningful strategic recommendations for brands.

Through platforms like AnyTag for influencer marketing, AnyLive for live commerce, and AnyX for e-commerce analytics and operations, the company connects creators, brands, and commerce in a single ecosystem.

Because of that, working here never feels siloed. Every project involves collaboration across multiple teams and disciplines.

On top of that, AnyMind’s presence across many markets in Asia and its direction of becoming an AI-native company create a future-facing environment where young talents can grow very quickly.

Building a Career at AnyMind

The biggest factor was the clear growth path I could see here. AnyMind has a well-defined promotion framework and clear expectations from managers, which gave me a strong sense of direction for my development. I also feel very aligned with the company’s values and vision.

AnyMind is constantly pushing for innovation and new ways of solving business challenges, and being part of that environment naturally encourages me to become more proactive, adaptable, and open to new ideas.

My advice would be to come in with a real willingness to learn and a strong can-do attitude.

Planning is a very specialized craft, and it takes years to truly build depth in it. Even mentors with more than a decade of experience have shared that they still feel they have only mastered a small part of it. I relate to that a lot, because the more I learn, the more I realize how much more there is to explore.

That is why, to me, mindset matters a lot. Skills can absolutely be built over time, but having a positive, resilient, and proactive attitude is what really helps you keep going, especially when you are just starting out and learning how to navigate both the early stages of your career and the more challenging parts of the planning process.

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Thanh’s journey from Intern to Strategic Planning Senior Executive demonstrates how the right environment can accelerate professional growth.

Through the AnyMind Traineeship Program 2026, we continue to invest in the next generation of marketing and commerce professionals – equipping them with the tools, mentorship, and real project exposure needed to build impactful careers.