Langara student entrepreneurs balance ambitions and academics
From creative accessories to cultural cuisine, students plan to spotlight their passion and promote their businesses at Langara's first ever Pop-Up Market this spring
By NEHEMIAH KUSOPILA
The Langara Management in Motion Club is planning to host the first Pop-Up Market event at Langara on March 24 in the A Building foyer to support student entrepreneurs in their business efforts. The event would give students and alumni the opportunity to showcase their businesses and display their creativity.
As of Feb. 23, the Pop-Up Market had 15 registered vendors, however the event is facing challenges to move forward due to liability and insurance concerns.
Langara Management in Motion Club Vice President Shiwani Shrestha, organized the event to help motivate entrepreneurial students to move forward with their startups.
“These might be small home-based businesses for now, but I do realize, it takes a lot to plan this dream [and] take the first steps towards it,” said Shrestha.
Early obstacles
Student entrepreneurs like Noelle Loo see the pop-up event as “a good place to start” connecting with customers. From a young age, Loo has had a love for science and wanted to share that passion with the world through her artwork. Her shop, Lov.labs, is a specialty boutique offering creative science-themed accessories like stickers, prints and keychains.
“I wish that I started looking into pop-ups earlier, because I have a pretty good idea how online shops work, but in-person is a little intimidating for me,” Loo said.
Although Loo has faced challenges balancing her business and academic commitments, she encouraged prospective entrepreneurs to “go for it.”
“Even if you feel like you don’t have a lot of knowledge, but you really have the passion for something, just do it, you will learn a lot along the way,” she said.
More than money
Like Loo, Julia Dinh, an international student and founder of Wholia Drink which offers Vietnamese food and drinks. Dinh initially struggled with time management, but now finds it essential to the success of her business.
She said the Pop-Up Market is a terrific opportunity for her to showcase Vietnamese cuisine, move out of her comfort zone and put her business in motion.
“When it comes to business, it shouldn’t be about making money, it should be bringing value to people,” Dinh said.
Muskaan Malhotra, is the founder of Ethereal Aura Candles. For Malhotra, getting people to discover and trust her brand is a major focus as it been a struggle to gain exposure. The Pop-Up Market will be the first real opportunity to showcase Ethereal Aura Candles in-person.
“This event is about building connections, learning how to market products, and understanding what it takes to create a successful business from the ground up,” Malhotra said.
Adding that this event is a great way to support fellow entrepreneurs, develop a sense of community while learning from one another.
No time like now
Samir Nathwani, an accounting teacher at Langara, said student entrepreneurs should not be afraid to look for help from others to overcome the early roadblocks new business owners face.
He said being a student while starting a business will come with challenges but can lead to success.
“If you have an idea for a business and you really want to get it going, then there’s no time like the present,” Nathwani said.
Editors note: This story was updated on Feb. 26 2025 to reflect a change in the latest planned date of the event
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