From humble beginnings selling used cars in front of his house, today he owns two rapidly growing used car dealerships. He’s also a student in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation program at Sripatum University, successfully applying classroom knowledge to develop his business.
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This is the story of P’Prem – Prem Sarapadilok, a senior student from the Faculty of Entrepreneurship at SPU.
Instead of waiting to graduate…choose to “take action” starting today.
Starting from selling cars in front of his house…to expanding to two large car dealerships!
My family’s used car business started with my father, who used to work for a car rental company, so he was skilled at appraising and inspecting cars. Once he saved enough capital, he started buying and selling cars himself from 2020-2023, both from his home and online. In 2022, he registered the company, Monkey, and expanded to open his first showroom in On Nut in September 2023. The response was very good because of our rigorous car selection, online marketing, and after-sales warranty. In 2024, we expanded to a second branch at Chalong Krung 29, which required increasing our stock and team. I’ve been helping the family business full-time since the first branch opened, overseeing almost every aspect, from selecting and purchasing cars, refining them for sale, creating customer communication campaigns, managing the team, to solving on-site problems, ensuring customers get the best value and meet their needs with our used cars.
How to balance life as a student and a business owner to make it work?
For me, the key is “time management.” On weekdays, I study hard, and on weekends, I run a car dealership. Is it tiring? Sometimes, yes. But between the ages of 18 and 25, my body was still fit, and I had a passion for my work and goals, so I enjoyed tackling both simultaneously – studying and working. This taught me many things: responsibility, decision-making, problem-solving in stressful situations, and the incredibly essential time management skill. All of these are invaluable assets you couldn’t have acquired without pursuing both paths at the same time.
Every class = Leveling up your business.
Studying at the Entrepreneurship Faculty at Sripatum University isn’t just about listening to theory; it’s about hearing real-world stories from people who actually run businesses. Every professor has firsthand experience and shares their success formulas and pitfalls to avoid. The advantage is that what you learn in class can be immediately applied to your business. You can learn something today and adapt it tomorrow, whether it’s developing marketing plans, team management techniques, or solving on-site problems. This helps your business grow faster, and you develop alongside it.
Think like an entrepreneur, starting from university.
What I gained from my studies wasn’t just business knowledge, but a true entrepreneurial mindset. It allowed me to constantly look for new opportunities, dare to try new things, adapt quickly, and use innovative ideas to keep my business up-to-date. The entrepreneurial mindset instilled in me since my studies has helped me not stop at past successes, but to think about how to take my company even further.
Whether you do it with your heart or with passion, the important thing is to "do it to the fullest."
I think before we start anything, we should ask ourselves, “Do we truly love it?” If we do, then go all out. But if it’s not the right path, then do your best during the time you’re doing it. And if today you have to do something you don’t like, try to enjoy solving the problems, because every business presents challenges for us to learn from and develop.
DEK69 students who want to be business owners must dare to enter the field starting today.
If any of you DEK69 students are thinking, “I want to have my own business, but I don’t know where to start,” I want to tell you that the Entrepreneurship Faculty at Sripatum University is the perfect solution. Here, you’ll learn from real-world professors with real-world experience in the business world. You’ll have the opportunity to start thinking, experimenting, and working on business projects from your first year, and you can immediately apply what you’ve learned to a real business. The program teaches you everything from business concepts and models to marketing and management. Come and join the SPU Entrepreneurship program!
A modern course! Designed for those who want to own their own business.
Own a business while still a student, and learn from real business professionals.
Apply now! https://www.spu.ac.th/register.landing/
Faculty of Entrepreneurship, Sripatum University
#SripatumUniversity #SPU #FacultyofEntrepreneurship #SPUExperiencedLearners #DEKSE #showcase
