Tian Bao is a bread product with various stuffing. We operate online by ordering via social media. Our target market is teenagers to adults who are looking for snacks in between their time. Tian Bao is distributed using online transportation with direct or digital payment methods. We have a selling point by maintaining good quality, consistent taste innovation, and affordable prices. Tian Bao’s vision is to bring a new taste to everyone, according to our tagline #yournewexperienceofbao.
What is your personal background and how did you become an entrepreneur?
I (Nicholas Sugianto) is a pharmacist, but I have been passionate about entrepreneurship since I was in high school with experience in business ranging from the food and beverage sector, garment, transportation services and lodging. Entering college, I started a more structured business with my brother. We did a lot of experiments and also surveyed customers until Tian Bao was finally sold. My choice to become an entrepreneur is apart from family support, as well as from an educational environment, because I get knowledge both formally and informally.
What start-up/business support was available to you before you started working with the Growth Hub?
I am part of the business incubator at Padjadjaran University. I gained several experiences such as pitching, discussions related to start-up development, several business tenders, besides that I also tried several economic and entrepreneurial seminars held by Padjadjaran University. However, I feel that I need more personal guidance and Growth Hub can answer that need.
How did the GITA Growth Hub and incubation program help you become a successful entrepreneur (i.e. through start up advice, assistance with funding applications, business support?)
The Growth Hub provided more intense guidance, critical and interesting discussion topics, Growth Hub led me to immediately open a business within the university. This allows me to carry out entrepreneurial activities on a regular basis without disturbing my academic schedule, because Growth Hub itself houses both entrepreneurial and academic sides.
Growth Hub also provides substantial financial assistance to fund innovations for each student accompanied by well-scheduled guidance and monitoring so that we can experience entrepreneurial activities firsthand. In addition, Growth Hub provides even more opportunities to compete internationally for the ideas we have developed, so that we can finally measure our strength and ability in innovation and entrepreneurship.
What were the key impacts for your business (i.e. in terms of growth, income, range of product and services?
I think innovation is the key impacts of my business. Through innovation I can maintain customer loyalty, reach new customers. In addition, our integrity towards consumers makes consumers loyal in transactions. We can provide discounts if the goods do not arrive on time and offer replacement items if the product is not suitable or damaged.
What is innovative about your business?
The way of serving, taste and sales method of Mantou. Mantou itself is a food that is commonly served steamed. We innovate to serve not only steamed but also fried. Not only that, we are developing a menu, which is a taste that is rarely found in Indonesia.
How has Covid-19 affected your business and how has the Growth Hub helped you address these issues?
Covid-19 is like a double-faced coin for my business world, on the one hand it prevents me from distributing products with strict local government regulations and health reasons that make the distribution of our products less than optimal, also hampering our plans to open stores. On the other hand, digital sales make it easier for us to reach customers, communicate more effectively, and make it easier to take notes and bookkeeping.
Growth Hub understands very well what our needs as entrepreneurial activists are by opening a discussion space for us on problems during the pandemic and how to solve them. Growth Hub also helps us project our future business prospects if the pandemic period has ended, financial assistance, connection assistance, training and many other supporting facilities that are offered for the development of our business. When asked again, does Growth Hub help us? My answer is clear, Yes, Growth Hub helps us not only to run smoothly in the business world but also how to make a prominent business.