WHILE SOME students may wake up late after beating academic deadlines, student entrepreneurs have to start their day early with or without school requirements to trudge through their business inventories.
Their day? A high-wire act. One moment, they’re diving into studies; the next, they’re riding a wave of business pings, looking at sales data, reading customer messages and recalculating prices.
Free time isn’t free–it’s grind time filled with logistics hubs and pop-up strategy sessions.
Once classes are dismissed, it is only the halfway mark for them. Their second shift, running the business, does not have a clock out time.
Despite the challenges, they are fueled by persistence and hard work.
There is no need to debate on what is more important between diploma or diskarte (grit). These students prove that they can go hand in hand.
The spark: Where dreams start
Different goals take form from different ideas—each beginning as a spark shaped by unique visions before evolving into concrete plans and eventually coming to life as distinct ventures.
This was the case for Behavioral Science freshman Jan Pauline Morillo, whose business aspirations are intertwined with a cause greater than profit.
Morillo began in 2022 during the pandemic, not with a grand business plan, but with a simple yet powerful idea to make a difference.
A K-pop fan, she drew inspiration from a bracelet worn by Jake, a member of boy group ENHYPHEN, whose accessory had a sticker of an organization named Save the Children.
“Apparently, having those merch means that he’s a monthly donor, so I got intrigued, researched about the (non-governmental) organization, and led me to discover that the organization had a branch in the Philippines,” Morillo said.
Upon discovering this, she started planning her campaign, Piece of Peace, which was initially called Crochets for a Cause. The campaign involved collaborating with local businesses to create and sell products and then donating the profits to a chosen non-governmental organization (NGO).
“I just decided to do a crochet for a cause for the NGO named Save the Children, and then I decided to donate the pieces I made,” she said.
Morillo’s crafts, which usually range from P40 to P180, feature a blend of quirky and funky designs based on objects she finds interesting, such as stars, traffic cones and aliens. She also sells items at a physical store in Moody Club in Katipunan, Quezon City.
Although finishing a piece takes time and labor, she expressed fulfillment in completing projects that do not sacrifice authenticity for convenience.
“I try to stay away from mass-producing. As a fiber artist, that’s the challenge—making every piece feel unique, true to my creativity,” she said.
For others like Communication student Andrea Ferrer, businesses are born out of necessity.
In 2021, Ferrer started with an estimated capital of P1,000. Ahead of her graduation from senior high school, she bought coffee grounds and gradually invested in the tools for her business, which focused on portable, origami-style pour-over coffee.
During the pandemic, her business supported her college applications and provided for her family during difficult times. Being the eldest child, she felt a strong sense of responsibility, often sharing her earnings to help with basic needs.
“For me, since my business started during the pandemic alongside my college applications, one way it has helped is by allowing me to apply to the schools I wanted,” she said.
Her pour-over coffee drip packs, whose prices range from P125 to P225, are available in a variety of blends: premium Sagada, barako blend, butterscotch, hazelnut and mocha. Her cookies, priced P60 to P75 per piece, come in flavors such as white cin-choco, OG choco chunk, matcha mania, midnight classic and Biscoff s’mores.
Other student entrepreneurs are not only driven by personal ambitions but also by their families’ origins.
Take the case of Legal Management freshman Angelo Sy, whose business sense came from his father.
“My dad was both a police officer and an entrepreneur…He specialized in customizing handguns, but due to the gun ban, the business shifted focus to ammunition sales, which has since slowed down,” he said.
From reselling goods such as rice, Sy’s family now also manages a casino in Manila.
Watching his father as a successful entrepreneur across various industries instilled in him the importance of perseverance and adaptability in business.
“I thought, if he could do it, I could too,” he added.
Sy’s career began with his buy-and-sell toy business during his senior high school years. He seized an opportunity to bring in popular toys like the trendy Sonny Angels from Pop Mart. He bought some stocks in Hong Kong for acquaintances who were lined up as buyers.
Tonkotsutoys, Sy’s business, offers a selection of POPMART collectibles, featuring sought-after figurines like Crybaby, Molly, Skullpanda and Labubu. Their prices vary, depending on the size and collectible value.
“Staying relevant means more than just having a good product—it’s about knowing what people want at the moment,” Sy said.
“We followed the trends, from Sonny Angels to Labubu to Space Molly. We didn’t know much at first, but through research and constant learning, we figured out what works. You have to invest time in understanding what’s next.”
Adelene Paula Naig, a Marketing Management freshman, also found inspiration in products she observed were popular among customers. Like Sy, she started her business during senior high school.
Noting how button pins were a staple in school events, Naig said coming across stalls made her realize that selling items that were both meaningful and personal could be within reach.
“I wanted to display my branding in my bags, in my ID laces, through button pins. As of now, I have a pin attached to my ID—it’s my branding, my identity,” she said with pride.
She offers customizable pins made according to customers’ preferences, including K-pop themed designs and organization-related pins with prices ranging from P15 to P20.
But these artistic ventures pose a more demanding journey: transforming initial enthusiasm into long-term sustainability.
Challenges
According to Commerce instructor Ramon Dacayo, sustaining the fire is where the real challenge begins.
“Notwithstanding the cultural thinking of the youth, whether it is advantageous or not, the real challenge is navigating complex government administrative procedures,” Dacayo told The Flame, noting that proper marketing advice remains limited.
“Despite these challenges, young entrepreneurs have the potential to drive economic growth and innovation,” he added.
Familiarity with technology and a desire to make a meaningful impact may also contribute to Gen Z’s entrepreneurial drive, according to Dacayo. However, this generation’s approach to decision-making presents a unique challenge.
“Gen Z tends to ask advice from their peers within the same generation, expecting agreement with their ideas. They often avoid seeking guidance from their parents, fearing conflicting answers they do not want to hear. But it is important to recognize that parental advice offers accountable information worth considering,” he said.
This inclination toward self-validation, Dacayo said, could sometimes create blind spots.
“Because Gen Z likes acceptance, they tend to think that their ideas are correct,” he said.
“Unlike our generation, the baby boomers, who were accustomed to an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work shift,…Gen Z is more pragmatic and future-centered. With technology being so prevalent today, they know how to utilize it to their advantage, which is why innovation is a defining trait of their generation.”
The newer, the better?
While many in the small business industry aspire to stand out through innovative ideas, some owners cited the importance of keeping pace with trends.
For Naig, maintaining relevance lies in aligning one’s products and services with the fast-paced and trend-driven nature of Filipino culture, particularly among the Gen Z.
“To be seen and heard, you must embrace the shifting currents of popular culture; it’s about being part of the collective narrative,” she claimed.
Dacayo said that, unlike previous generations that followed a more traditional path, Gen Z is carving its own route and is blending international perspectives with local action.
The instructor described young entrepreneurs’ approach to business as unique, citing their ability to merge technological innovation with their strong sense of purpose.
Recent studies have linked the growing trend among young entrepreneurs during the pandemic to their familiarity with technology, which has allowed their businesses to reach wider markets through social media platforms and e-commerce.
“Young entrepreneurs found ways to survive in the business through digital innovations, along with the increasing online demands for goods and services during the community lockdowns,” a 2024 study published by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies read.
The paper, “Digital Innovations in MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) during Economic Disruptions: Experiences and Challenges of Young Entrepreneurs,” also noted the challenges faced by young entrepreneurs in terms of skills needed for managing online businesses and solving market-related problems in digital platforms.
Dacayo emphasized the importance of economic responsibility through what he calls ‘GLOCAL,’ a mindset that embraces global thinking while operating within the local area.
“It is quite important for you to understand how the market moves, how the customer behaves, and from there you start your own business, on how to do it, and start from small,” Dacayo, who teaches business administration courses at UST, said.
However, he warned aspiring businessmen about the pitfalls of blindly following trends: “What is not good for the economy is doing business just to ride on a bandwagon. Instead of offering consumers a better alternative, the market ends up saturated with the same type of goods.”
Balancing books and business
Starting a business comes with challenges and the difficulty is doubled once student entrepreneurs are already knee-deep in their academic requirements.
Morillo recounted the priorities she set to ensure the feasibility and sustainability of her income source.
“I had to give up my space [at a popular art market] because it was the peak of our entrepreneurship fair in senior high school at UST Senior High School. I had to prioritize,” she said.
“I think the biggest loss in giving up that space was missing the chance for free marketing at the ‘virgin market,’ a key event for first-time small businesses. But looking back, the opportunities I had this year more than made up for that.”
Now, she carefully selects markets that fit her schedule, focusing on weekend events and organizing online pre-orders to ensure she can meet her academic obligations.
“Our entrepreneurship fair was actually my first experience selling in a real setup. It became a kind of trial run for joining art markets later on,” Morillo said.
Her entrepreneurship studies during senior high school have also been essential in fine-tuning her technical skills in product design, financing and marketing handmade items for her crochet business. Time management also played a part in preventing a side hustle that would clash with her academic deliverables.
“I created a routine where weekends are purely for crocheting and weekdays are for academics. I try to join art markets that don’t clash with school. When things get hectic, I shift to online pre-orders—so I can still create without sacrificing schoolwork,” Morillo added.
Ferrer follows a deceptively short yet not-so-simple method to keep track of her requirements as a student-entrepreneur: time management.
“Time management is not easy, but planning ahead wins half the battle,” she said, citing discipline as a key element in her routine.
Dacayo echoed the sentiment, adding that the right priorities and proper use of tools are essential for productivity.
“The key to effective multi-tasking lies in prioritizing your task and leveraging your tools that will enhance your productivity and that is what is being taught in school,” he said.
Student entrepreneurs often face a tough balancing act when juggling the demands of their academic workload and business operations. However, a 2024 study co-written by Leo Santiago Arrabacca, chair of Business Administration at Xavier University, suggests that smart planning, when paired with discipline, may develop individuals’ multitasking skills and help them have a “more resilient mindset.”
“Even if students struggled with time management and conflict resolution, the hands-on experience improved them in important areas such as marketing, financial management, and business strategy,” the study said.
Hustle culture: The cost of the grind
Hustle culture, which weighs success through a “never stop” attitude, may often be hailed as the quintessential formula for success. But it is much more nuanced than that as such a relentless pursuit may lead to overworking and burnout.
Morillo argued that true motivation stems from one’s original purpose, not just from chasing the mirage of wealth.
“Success has no standard,” she said, adding that the youth should reconsider how they define achievement.
Although hustle culture may motivate some, it is not for everyone. Naig views such a mindset as one that can yield swift results, although she believes that success takes time and preparation to reach.
“You cannot manage a business if you can’t manage yourself,” Neri said.
Dacayo is convinced that multitasking as a student-entrepreneur is a matter of mindset.
“It’s how you adapt to the challenge and if you focus yourself on something that you look forward to in the future, that thing we call unsustainable can be sustainable because there’s something that drives you to excel,” he said.
Aside from an openness to challenges, Dacayo also reiterated the need for innovation and flexibility.
“At the start-up stage, you are a one-man band. You create, sell, count, and collect. All of those responsibilities fall on you,” the professor added.
From dreamer to doer
Navigating the realm of business is a gamble filled with uncertainty, where the path forward is often obscured by the shadows of doubts and unwanted outcomes.
But for some student entrepreneurs, there is greater purpose in overcoming fears than dreading what is expected in such a field.
“Do it for the art,” Morillo said.
“The moment you lose sight of your art in favor of money, the passion dies.”
Recalling his experiences, Sy said it is only by taking action that the opportunity grows.
“There’s no such thing as being greedy if there’s an opportunity. Trust in the Lord. Take the chance; if it doesn’t work, bounce back, learn from it, and find the next one,” he said.
“Gen Z has guts. They are determined to fight. In school, they are given potential activities on how they are going to streamline their plans. They can create their own strategies and execute them.”
Looking ahead, Sy said he plans to strengthen his business and take more risks while staying true to his value for quality and customer satisfaction.
He already knows a thing or two about his passion, which is more than just making money.
“I can’t buy experience,” Sy said. F – Reese Valerie Gantan
