Sukses Membangun Wirausaha Sejak Mahasiswa
Sukses Membangun Wirausaha Sejak Mahasiswa
Becoming entrepreneurs has become the choice of many of the young generation. University graduates have tried to start their own business since undertaking their studies, like what has been done by UGM graduates, Hestyriani Anisa Widyaningsih (Japanese Literature) and Fadli Wilihandarwo (Medical Education). Both have developed their business whilst still studying at UGM through Innovative Academy UGM programme.
Hestriyani Anisa Widayaningsih or Anisa has empowered the local people of Nganjuk in East Java through catfish breeding. Along with her fellow students, she built the platform iwak.me for catfish investment since July 2015 that connects investors with fish breeders. Meanwhile, Fadli has developed an android based app named as Pasienia since 2016 that links patients to share information of the disease they are experiencing.
In a talkshow titled Entrepreneurship and Leadership in Solo recently, Anisa said that the young generation had big potential to run an entrepreneurial business.
“Being a university graduate is not just to be working for a company or government agency, but also entrepreneurial job,” she said.
Anisa recounted the challenge and barrier she had faced in running the entrepreneurial job, which was not easy.
“Our role as student as well as entrepreneur was to educate people who were not yet technology-minded. This was not easy to do, it did take time, not just instantly,” she admitted.
Anisa said her decision to continue the business was not instantly supported by her family, either. Her independent business was not seen as having a bright future but was risky instead.
Fadli shared the experience. The medical graduate had even gone to a lengthy debate with his parents to convince them of his choice.
“Then I tried to prove to my parents by just making achievements,” he said.
The Pasienia apps by Fadli have reaped many awards at national and international levels. By mid-2017, Pasienia was named as winner of Google Business Group (GBG) Stories, beating 468 other apps from around the world. It also made into the Top 33 Mobile Apps 2016 selected by Good News from Indonesia. Previously in 2015, it was the winner of Start Surabaya Bootcamp, Indonesia Developer Summit, and Forum Informasi Kedokteran Indonesia.
Fadli said he was fortunate to have joined Innovative Academy UGM where he was brought together with other students to build a business. In addition, he admitted the difficulty to expand insight in order to enhance interests beyond one’s field of study. For instance, medical students cannot join agricultural courses.
“It is actually good if there is a course that can accommodate the development of cross-disciplinary interests,” he concluded.