Leadership Gets Real When Setbacks Hit
What do you do when a $2.5 million deal collapses days before launch?
In this episode of Inner Work, Toan Luong shares the raw truth behind building Ampersand from rock bottom to award-winning success, including a $2.5M investor withdrawal weeks before opening at DFW Airport. Discover what it really takes to lead under pressure, build a resilient team, and create a community that won’t quit.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
- 00:24 Meet Toan: Humble beginnings & early confidence
- 01:24 Building Ampersand: Coffee, robots, and rapid growth
- 04:39 Leading inside the 3rd busiest airport in the world
- 08:24 Crushing moment: Investor pulls out mid-build
- 15:24 How Toan raised capital from scratch
- 20:24 The mental toll of leadership setbacks
- 26:24 Turning financial trauma into team strength
- 33:24 From black sheep to full-circle scholarship leader
- 36:24 Bringing tech, robots, and humanity together
- 42:24 Daily habits and values that fuel resilience
About the guest:
Toan Luong is a DFW-based entrepreneur and cofounder of AMPM Concepts. He leads the youngest concessionaire team at DFW Airport, launching its first robotic barista and scaling ventures like Ampersand and Maestro Tacos. A two-time Fort Worth Chamber Business of the Year winner, he’s deeply committed to community, serving on multiple leadership boards.
👉 If you’re navigating a hard season in your own leadership, let’s talk.
Book a 1:1 call with MaryAnn: https://collectivegrowthleadership.com/book-call
