So you think being a full-time university student is so hard? Wait till you meet a full-time university student who manages her own business full-time as well.
Ms. Lawitra Limtoemsap is on her 3rd Year in the Intercultural Studies and Languages (ICIC) program, taking up Chinese Language via the Foreign Language Concentration.
She already finished a degree in Biomedical Science in Mahidol University and then enrolled for her second bachelor’s degree at Mahidol University International College (MUIC).
In between, she put up her own business called Leekitrungrueang 1997 Co., Ltd. Her company mainly distributes agricultural goods but her bestselling product is a special headlamp which turns out to be a very helpful tool for fishermen, farmers and rubber plantation workers. “Most of my customers are in the Northeast and Southern provinces of Thailand,” she said.
A torch or flashlight might be a simple tool but for Lawitra, she realized its importance back when she was still a child. “The idea for selling this product came from my own experience of travelling in the Thai countryside when I was younger. The places I went to were not so developed. Some nights the lights would go off earlier than expected causing us to stay in the place longer. In such cases the torches we had did not last for a long time. Later, when I was planning to start my own business, I thought of a torch that is multipurpose and has a good battery. That is why I’m selling this product.”
Today, her business is doing so well that she shoulders her own tuition fees and that of her younger sister.
So, how does it feel like being a full-time student and a full-time businessperson?
First, Ms. Lawitra credits her program for offering a more comprehensive Chinese language program. “The Chinese program in MUIC is not just about learning the language but also provides relevant cultural lessons and Chinese traditions. Learning Chinese might feel slower paced but absorbing all the knowledge can be intense. You would learn small details that you might not be able to find in textbooks yet they help the students in effectively using the language as native speakers would.”
She also shares a glimpse on how she effectively managers her very tight schedule as she juggles her tasks as a full-time student and a full-time entrepreneur:
“Most of the time, I try to schedule my classes to three days a week, if it is possible. But since only a few of my core courses are held on Fridays, I then have to attend classes four days a week instead. I usually schedule the time slots to be either morning sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays, and afternoon sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays or vice versa. This way, I can have short and long working hours in my office. I deal with all school assignments or reviewing for exams only on weeknights. Sometimes a class is cancelled, resulting in a make-up class that upsets my schedule but I do my best to adjust. With my schedule during the week and Saturdays full, I make sure to take a full day off during Sundays.”
Lastly, here’s her advice to students who dream of putting up their own business either in the near future or even while they are still studying.
“Sometimes we do not need to start a business that is as big as the others. I don’t think that the only measure of success in business is going global. There are so many ways to start a business but the basic one is to fulfill a need in the market,” she said.
Lawitra added, “Starting a business can be done by actually doing it in real life and not on paper. The only goal shouldn’t be to simply profit from it. In the end, what matters is how we think of the way we want our business to be.”
And as Lawitra has demonstrated by successfully starting and managing a business while taking up a second bachelor’s degree, we can’t help but agree with her.
MUIC serves as a nurturing ground for its students’ success, whether in academics, sports, extra-curricular activities, business startups and more. The college’s faculty and staff members and its vibrant ecosystem ensure that the students are well-equipped to be able to successfully pursue their dreams—whatever they may be.
For a complete list of MUIC’s academic programs, please click this link: https://muic.mahidol.ac.th/eng/programs/undergraduate-programs/
