Esteh Indonesia Founder Inspires Entrepreneurship Among New Students at IPB University Vocational School
Dihya Nur Rifqy, an alumnus of the Agribusiness Management Study Program at IPB University and one of the founders of Esteh Indonesia, shared his inspiring journey as a young entrepreneur during the 62nd Student Orientation Program (MPKMB) at the IPB University Vocational School on Tuesday (8/12).
During the session, Dihya revealed that his motivation for starting a business stemmed from his desire not to become an employee with a monotonous work routine. Leaving in the morning and returning in the evening.
In 2018, together with his three colleagues, Haidhar Hibatullah Wurjanto, Aussie Andry, and Edwin Widya, he founded a tea-based beverage business named Esteh Indonesia.
At first, the business only sold five product variants which are Sweet Iced Tea, Lemon Iced Tea, Lychee Iced Tea, Milk Iced Tea, and Thai Tea, using a 1×2 meter booth in the Kemang Village and Blok M areas of Jakarta.
Their journey was not always smooth. After three months, the business temporarily closed. Dihya did not give up, instead continued to improve strategies and faced various challenges.
He admitted that most of his business knowledge was gained from hands-on experience and what he learned while studying at IPB University. In addition, he believes a supportive circle of friends played a significant role in his business growth.
“Starting a business is not easy. Building a business requires determination and a supportive environment. Being a pioneer also requires knowledge that can support the company’s development,” he said.
Esteh Indonesia began to show rapid growth starting in 2019 with a total of 19 outlets. The company also collaborated with various online platforms such as Gofood, GrabFood, and ShopeeFood. By the end of 2020, the number of outlets had increased significantly to 200, with a simpler, more elegant, yet still strong branding concept.
Growth continued until the end of 2021 with 450 outlets, reaching more than 1.000 outlets in 2022. (dh) (IAAS/KMR)
