Vybol was born in a refugee camp after the Khmer Rouge regime. As a refugee’s child, he was taught of the Khmer Rouge genocide, in which millions of people starved to death. Making the difficult decision that many genocide survivors face, the family relocated to France to seek a better life. Vybol as a little boy who recalls going to bed or school hungry. Despite having only $5 when they arrived in France, his family embraced the entrepreneurial spirit, not only making a better life for themselves but also teaching Vybol the gift of tenacity in the face of hardship. However, unlike most, Vybol was fascinated with the Khmer empire and all of its triumphs rather than just the crimes of Cambodian history.