Back to school to realise boss goals

Some people dream of being their own boss from a young age. Others are inspired by billionaire founders who went from zero to start-up heroes. For SMU Master of Science in Management (MiM) student Julia Ciaciek, the entrepreneurial bug truly bit during her postgraduate journey. Today, she’s the proud founder of kūpaa, an environmentally focused start-up.

“After working in several start-ups in Europe and Asia, I had the ambition to start my own business, but it seemed like a big and very risky step,” relates Julia, who created a reusable silicone bowl as a sustainable way to take away food.

“During my MiM studies, I was inspired to pursue this dream. One of the courses I took was on entrepreneurship, which ultimately inspired me to take the leap of faith and go for it.”

While many aspire towards launching a business and charting their course in life, the truth is that forging a successful entrepreneurial career can be a difficult and tumultuous path. There are countless challenges along the way, from attracting investors and building a product, to dealing with setbacks and balancing the demands of work and family.

One increasingly attractive pathway for entrepreneurs-to-be is a postgraduate programme to develop business and management acumen. The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Business Planning elective module offered to MiM students, for example, helps with generating business ideas and identifying opportunities to commercialise concepts.

“The classes during my studies were very hands-on and practice-oriented,” says Julia, who also is the Head of Strategy for the Singaporean company Momentum Academy, a subsidiary of Momentum Works.

“They provided me with a wide variety of skills, abilities and knowledge that I can now apply in my start-up: from accounting and building a marketing strategy, to addressing operational issues and people management.”

An experience like no other

When it comes to learning, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Some prefer theoretical instruction divorced from the real world, while others learn best by engaging with difficult concepts and problems hands-on. For many, experiential learning provides the perfect balance of theory and practice, helping them to build a strong foundation of knowledge.

In particular, aspiring founders and management-level executives may acquire new skills and forge lasting relationships through MiM experiential learning initiatives, such as the Consulting Practicum (SMU-X) – where students work on real business challenges facing organisations, internships and interactive discussions on case studies.

“When comparing the different universities in Singapore, the MiM programme at SMU stood out to me as the best choice,” shares Julia.

“First, there is a sustainability track which I haven’t seen at any other university. Second, the mandatory internship period was something I really liked and was also unique to the programme. It’s a great opportunity to get exposure to Singapore’s work culture.”

The internship component of the programme was a valuable experience that helped Julia further hone her skills and abilities as an entrepreneur and gain real-life experience working in a start-up environment in Singapore. Group projects were also integral in multiple modules, which taught her how to be a better team player and leader.

“The programme also provides each student with a career advisor and supports students in the search for an internship,” says Julia.

“That was very helpful and helped me find my internship position.”

Having always possessed a sustainability mindset from a young age, Julia recounts how her first encounter with sustainability in a business context was during an internship at a battery software start-up in Munich. That experience sparked her interest in technology, especially its positive impact on solving some of the world’s pressing problems. She worked as a product manager in Paris for a company that develops software for tech event attendees and organisers.

“I became more interested in impactful technologies and their positive contribution to a better world,” says Julia.

“Before Singapore, I was more focused on technology management. But since arriving and experiencing life here, and having the opportunity to take the sustainability track, it opened my eyes and made me more passionate about sustainability topics.”

The MiM programme has electives in finance, operations management, marketing, and sustainability. The sustainability track offers elective modules such as sustainable finance, sustainable operations, and sustainable impact; and is part of the University’s efforts to equip graduates with the knowledge and skill sets to implement sustainable practices in business.

Julia adds: “Choosing this track gave me valuable insights and knowledge about the underlying issues in sustainability. It also equipped me with the relevant tools to tackle these issues.”

Gateway to innovation

Singapore is a cultural melting pot, with multiculturalism as part of the city-state’s fabric since its inception. The globalised environment in Singapore provides students with a unique opportunity to learn about other cultures and develop intercultural skills.

Hailing from Germany with Polish parents, Julia was drawn to the diverse cohort and the campus location right in the city centre. Moreover, she received the Global Awareness Award, bestowed on individuals who will contribute to classroom diversity and enrich the learning experience through their cultural, personal, or professional backgrounds.

“When deciding on a country to study for my master’s degree, I looked at the world map and considered almost every country on it,” says Julia.

“After much research and consideration, Singapore was where I wanted to be. It is a modern and innovative city and has a strong start-up ecosystem. I also really love the concept of the garden city.”

As a world-renowned food paradise, 36 per cent of consumers in Singapore buy takeaway food ‘several times per week’ compared to a 17 per cent average across all global consumers. Living here, Julia and her kūpaa co-founder observed that large amounts of plastic are used for everyday food takeaway.

“We started kūpaa as part of the global collective movement to protect the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink for generations to come,” explains Julia.

“Our goal is to empower the post-disposable generation of today to adopt a more sustainable way of life by providing sustainable product alternatives. For this reason, we created the kūpaa silicone bowl — a healthier and more sustainable way to take away your food.”

Above all, the transition from Europe to Singapore went very smoothly, according to Julia. She felt at home from the beginning and enjoyed her studies in a multicultural environment. The start-up ecosystem here is also incredibly strong, enabling her to start her company easily.

“On one hand, my current career goals are to continue learning, developing, and gaining exposure in my full-time position as Head of Strategy,” reveals Julia about her professional plans.

“On the other hand, I aspire to grow as an entrepreneur and my long-term plan is to grow and scale my start-up across Southeast Asia. I am incredibly excited for the next five years to come and to see the positive impact kūpaa can have.”