Today we’d like to introduce you to Philip Le.
Philip, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born September 30, 1960 in Nha Trang, Vietnam. During my childhood, a war broke out between the north and the south Vietnamese known as the Vietnam War. I remember hearing helicopters whirring, missiles flying, and bomb explosions over my home when I was seven or eight years old. After America pulled out of the war, the communists of Northern Vietnam took control over the south in 1975 and my family was left with nothing. After a few years of preparation, I fled Vietnam with many others crammed onto a small wooden boat in search of freedom. After 6 days aimlessly sailing, with many other boats like mine sinking in the process, our boat reached the the US Naval base in the Philippines. From there, I lived as a refugee until I was sponsored by the International Refugee Committee and flew into Washington, DC in 1978. After hopping around a few jobs, I was hired by Dan Kain Trophies, where I was taught to build and engrave trophies by hand with a small metal carving tool. I stayed with Dan Kain Trophies for a few years where I became the head engraver in 1982, and decided to create my own engraving company in 1983 with the blessing of the owner of Dan Kain wishing me the best in my future endeavors. It started out with a few customers, friends and family. Word of mouth spread, and fast forward to today, I have done engraving work for many presidents, four star generals, and billion dollar companies. We have specialized in engraving plaques, crystals and acrylic awards, and can engrave on almost any customer provided materials with the help of our seven machines. Over the course of these last 42 years, my love for engraving has grown significantly, and my passion for creating one of one pieces for deserving individuals has kept me going. My son, Paul, has been working with me since he was in high school and he will be taking over the company when I “retire”. I see myself in the devotion he puts into our work, and hope he will bring the love of engraving to the next generation.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was not easy at all. I came to the US when I was 17 years old by myself, and I did not speak a word of English. I was forced to create a brand new life for myself with no one to help or guide me. When I started Le’s Engravers, I had no experience in business management, payments, wholesale suppliers, taxes, etc. There were mountains of paperwork in a language I was not raised learning, and that was just to incorporate the business. I worked 12-16 hours a day trying to figure out what worked well and what didn’t when it came to bringing in clients and doing the work from start to finish.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Le’s Engravers, Inc.?
At Le’s Engravers, our team is fully equipped in engraving/ photo etching a wide variety of government or military plaques and figurines as well as personal gifts and awards to suit the needs of any individual or organization. Founded in 1983 in Arlington, Virginia, we have spent over 40 years to perfect the art of engraving with all seven of our machines independently utilized to complete specific projects. As a family owned and operated business, we are proud of the quality of work we produce and guarantee the fastest turn around time in the area.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Lesengravers.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/www.lesengravers/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/les-engravers-arlington
