Mike Hoang, owner of KM Communities and former president of the Asian District of Oklahoma City, is talking about his passion: using business to benefit the Oklahoma City community. “Business isn’t just about making money; it should benefit others as well. With KM Communities, I wanted to make money so that I could also donate to charities and provide a good living for my employees. But more than that, I love the idea of social entrepreneurship—the work you do can also work for the betterment of your community.”
KM Communities is a social enterprise in Oklahoma City that focuses on community development through real estate investment. It buys, renovates and rents homes, with a commitment to giving 20% of the profits back to the communities through local initiatives like tutoring and mentoring children in the neighborhoods it operates in. It also emphasizes building community relationships.
Hoang explained, “I get excited about the ideas of place-making and accidental community. Right now, we are the most connected we have ever been, yet the loneliest we have ever been. We have social media and texting. We drive into our garages, the door shuts and we don’t have a chance to say hello to our neighbors.
“Architecture tends to reflect the values of a culture. As our houses have grown with our wealth, the bedrooms and closets have gotten bigger. The front porches and front yards have disappeared or shrunk significantly, while backyards have grown. We are inventing ways to isolate from one another and from our neighbors. We value our belongings and our privacy over community.”
“We [at KM] try to be thoughtful about our architecture. Our homes are built with front porches, so that if your neighbor is out walking their dog, hopefully people will have a chance to say hello and meet one another. We bring a gift card when someone moves into one of our neighborhoods and have all the neighbors sign it, introducing them to the people around them. It’s their first introduction.”
Hoang was born in Oklahoma. His father was a veterinarian in Vietnam and came here after the Vietnam War, where he had to work as a dishwasher while learning English and studying at night to get his degree again. Hoang remembers how hard both his parents worked during this time to support the family. Perhaps their tremendous work ethic and need to find a new community at that time inspired him to build communities that benefit everyone.
In speaking to young people who aspire to become business leaders, Hoang advises, “You are who you associate with. Find people whom you admire and want to be like and spend time with them. Connect with them. Even if you can only read their books or listen to them online, seek your mentors out.”
