Learnings from the hosting of the Japanese students

Written by our Intern: Shaurya Bohra

Some of my most meaningful learning experiences came from witnessing Japanese students visit GUILD and present their ideas and projects. Their presentations, together with a workshop on entrepreneurship, changed the way I think entrepreneurship.

The entrepreneurship workshop by Mr. Benjamin taught me that starting something is not simply about having a good idea. It is important to first understand who your target audience is, what they need, and what promise you are making to them. A product or service should not exist just because we think it is useful. Instead, we need to understand the people we are trying to help and create something that genuinely addresses their needs.

One example that stood out to me was the comparison between Yahoo and Google. Both started as search engines, but their approaches were very different. Yahoo eventually expanded into many different services, while Google remained much more focused on its core purpose of helping people find information. Today, it is clear that Google has achieved far greater success than Yahoo, becoming the dominant search engine worldwide. This taught me that clarity of purpose can be more important than trying to do many things at once. It made me reflect on how having a clear direction can help an organisation stay effective and meaningful.

Another major learning moment came from watching the Japanese students present their ideas at GUILD. I was impressed by how creative and unique some of their solutions were. One example was the use of technology, such as sound sensors, to support visually impaired individuals by providing a greater sense of autonomy, showing how technology can be used to address real life challenges faced by others. 

More importantly, their mindset changed how I view problems. The phrase “When there is a problem, there is an opportunity” resonated deeply with me. This is especially relevant to life in Singapore, where many of us are accustomed to convenience and comfort. Sometimes, we complain about even the smallest inconveniences because we expect things to work smoothly all the time. However, these inconveniences can also be opportunities to identify problems that need solving and grow as a person.

Seeing the Japanese students take problems and turn them into creative ideas inspired me to adopt the same mindset. In the future, whenever I encounter an issue, instead of immediately complaining about it, I want to pause and think about how I could resolve it myself.
Overall, my experiences taught me that entrepreneurship is not just about starting a business. It is about understanding people, having a clear purpose, thinking creatively and, most importantly, seeing problems as opportunities to create change.