KUALA LUMPUR: Sometimes one comes across individuals who are entrepreneurial in spirit and are willing to take the plunge into a new business or activity that they’re passionate about. It’s even more difficult when one is a student studying full time at university, having to juggle studies, social life, and yet find time to launch a business, and make it a success.
Meet one of HELP University’s successful alumni Venon Tian, who embraced the resilience required to be a successful entrepreneur and Chief Operating Officer of ZUS COFFEE. Like many, he felt the weight of parental and peer expectations pushing toward studying for a law degree at HELP University. However, Tian took the plunge despite his true passion lying in the realm of entrepreneurship. But Tian’s story is not just about conformity; it’s about the resilience to follow his own path.
While reflecting on his time at HELP University, Tian warmly recalls how the support of his lecturers helped him transition from pre- medical studies to Law. These college years, though challenging academically, became the best days of his life.
While studying, Tian ventured into the world of e-commerce, selling laptop skins and stickers on eBay. The passion for entrepreneurship did not stop, leading him to start a laundry chain 2 years after being in the corporate sector. He used the profits to create EPIZOD, a laundry locker business in 2017.
Tian’s journey took another turn when he joined ZUS COFFEE, a move that would eventually make him its Chief Operating Officer. Navigating through the challenges of a global pandemic and two lockdowns, his coffee chain not only survived but thrived, creating thousands of jobs and becoming a prominent coffee chain in Malaysia.
But Tian is not content with just success; he sees it as a checkpoint in the business’ growth. The evolving landscape of home-brew cafés inspired him to focus on the mass consumer market, envisioning his coffee chain to be the biggest in South East Asia.
In his eyes, your current academic pursuit doesn’t dictate your future. “It does not matter what you are studying right now,“ he advises. “The journey toward a degree doesn’t have to define your career.”
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Tian emphasises the importance of diversifying skills, understanding different perspectives, and debunking the myth that success requires a specific formula.
In the world of Tian, being open to change, embracing diversity, and following your passions are the keys to creating a future beyond the confines of societal expectations and academic choices.
