VietNamNet Bridge - So many university students have rushed to start up their businesses that some analysts have warned that the startup movement has created a generation of students who do not understand the need for preparation and hard work.  

Quang H, a former student of the HCMC University of Natural Sciences, won two prizes at competitions for creative ideas and decided to start his business with a friend to develop a honeycomb lodge project. However, the project unexpectedly failed. 

H said he thought that the project would surely succeed and, therefore, he did not carry out a market survey, an important step for any startup project. 

So many university students have rushed to start up their businesses that some analysts have warned that the startup movement has created a generation of students who do not understand the need for preparation and hard work.

“If you plan to start up a business, you need to learn about the market thoroughly first. You can work as hired worker and try different positions to learn more about the field and build up necessary relations,” he said.

One year ago, when spicy noodles became fashionable, Minh C, a former student of the HCMC Economics University, decided to open a spicy noodle shop. To his surprise, the shop had to be closed after three months. He could not understand why a favorite food of students did not sell well. 

Pham T, a former student of FPT University, now the director of an IT firm, said that before he set a company of his own, he had to try a lot of different jobs, from salesman to worker at hotels.

“It is easy to set up businesses now, but it is difficult to run the businesses and make profit with the businesses,” he said.

“You need to have not only good business ideas and capital, but also good staff,” he said.

Pham Thai Son, director of the HCMC Food Industry University’s Enrollment and Training Service Center, said that many students think starting up simply means opening a bakery shop, a café, or a company and online shop.

“They have only simple imaginations and knowledge about startups,” he said.

“The youth hear stories about successful startups and they are inspired by the showy success. They don’t understand that everyone has to work hard to succeed,” he said.

An analyst said he knows a university student who wants to run a sandwich shop, but he cannot get up before 7 am. Another student also wants to do business but she cannot decide what she wants for breakfast and her boyfriend only goes to school in the family’s car because he doesn’t want to drive a motorbike.

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