Successful Entrepreneurs Share Experiences and Insights with Wittenborg Students

22.01.2022

Hybrid Workshop Features Founders of Biu!Tea

A group of Wittenborg students had the opportunity to learn more about entrepreneurship from Yishi Huang and Chaw-Ming Lee, the two founders of Biu!Tea, a successful Amsterdam-based bubble tea shop that started its activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. On 14 December, Huang and Lee participated in the hybrid workshop “Opportunities and Challenges: Start your Business in the Netherlands (A Case Study)”. The event was attended by 31 students, out of which 15 were physically present and 16 participated online.

During the activity, the entrepreneurs talked about Biu!Tea’s trajectory and how they have managed to thrive during the pandemic, to the point of opening two more shops in Amsterdam. Moreover, they also discussed other topics such as how to identify market opportunities, principles on which to select key business partners, ways to deal with financial problems and how to define marketing strategies.

According to Wittenborg’s Support Office & External Relations Coordinator, Xiaoli Wu, who was responsible for organising the event, the workshop was inspiring and provided the students with the chance to learn from the insights of experienced professionals.

Biu!Tea founder Yishi Huang said that the activity went “really smoothly” and mentioned that both she and colleague Chaw-Ming Lee felt warmly welcomed and appreciated. “The students actively participated with questions and comments, going beyond our expectations. Many of the questions focused on how to turn a business model from a dream into a real establishment, and they also asked us about the lessons we learned in real life. We received positive and constructive feedback, and overall it was a fulfilling and motivating experience for us,” she added.

Among other tips, Huang pointed out that she encouraged students to believe in their dreams, study and work hard, stay disciplined and keep their original aspirations. “I also wanted to convey the message that while being an entrepreneur is a personal thing, building a brand or business requires teamwork. Successful entrepreneurs find good balance between believing who they are and what they can do and staying connected with other talents to create synergy together,” she said.