Tuesday, 03 November 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Balancing university studies, launching a business and actively participating in an organisation presents significant challenges for students. However, Daffa Rizki Hervindo has demonstrated that these three areas can complement one another, providing valuable skills and experience for aspiring young entrepreneurs.
A student on the Entrepreneurship degree programme at the University of North Sumatra (USU), Daffa is building his photobooth business, Cekrekbox, alongside his academic studies and organisational responsibilities. His interest in photography and videography led him to identify a business opportunity, which he subsequently transformed into his own enterprise.
This journey has given him more than just knowledge of product development. It has also shaped his understanding of financial management, business operations, marketing, leadership and teamwork. These experiences provide an important foundation for developing his business and fulfilling his responsibilities within the organisation.
Daffa's interest in photography and videography began during his junior and senior secondary school years. His passion continued to grow until he started university, when he began to consider how he could turn his enthusiasm into a commercially viable business opportunity.
A pivotal moment came in 2023 during a visit to Bandung. While walking along Jalan Braga, he came across numerous photobooth businesses that caught his attention. The experience offered him a fresh perspective on business opportunities that he had rarely encountered in Medan.
Daffa subsequently decided to bring the business concept to his home city. He established Cekrekbox independently, financing its launch with his personal savings. This laid the foundations for building a business from scratch while demonstrating his ability to take responsibility for running an enterprise.
Cekrekbox is not merely a way for Daffa to pursue his passion for photography and videography. The business also provides him with a practical learning environment in which to understand customer needs, develop services and overcome the various challenges of running a business.
Throughout his entrepreneurial journey, Daffa has realised that running a business requires more than a creative idea. He must manage finances, organise operations, develop marketing strategies and ensure effective teamwork to support the company's growth.
Every decision also requires careful consideration. Daffa strives to remain optimistic without losing sight of the actual circumstances he faces.
"I am optimistic and realistic, not pessimistic. I am very rarely pessimistic, but I certainly look realistically at the things that could happen in the future," he explained.
This principle guides Daffa in assessing opportunities. He remains willing to take bold steps, while seeking to ensure that his decisions are aligned with his actual capabilities and available resources.
Alongside his business activities, Daffa is actively involved in student organisations to further develop his leadership skills. He previously served as chairman of his degree programme's student association. He also completed two terms as a division head at the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association for Higher Education in North Sumatra, HIPMI PT USU.
These experiences exposed him to challenges that differed from those of the business world. Within the organisation, Daffa learnt to coordinate members, establish effective communication, bring together different ideas and implement joint work programmes.
These experiences eventually led to greater responsibility. In September 2026, Daffa was officially appointed chairman of HIPMI Perguruan Tinggi Sumatera Utara.
In this leadership role, he aims to encourage more students to take the step towards entrepreneurship and help existing businesses develop further. In his view, an organisation plays a strategically important role in supporting students as they establish businesses, particularly by providing access to business opportunities, capital and networks.
Daffa does not regard HIPMI PT merely as a meeting place for students interested in the business world. The organisation must also deliver tangible benefits to its members, particularly by helping them establish businesses or improve the performance of existing enterprises.
"The main responsibilities of HIPMI PT, or HIPMI Perguruan Tinggi, are twofold. The first is how members and office-holders involved in the HIPMI organisation who do not yet have their own businesses can establish one. The second is to help those who already have a business reach a higher level of development," he explained.
This statement illustrates the direction Daffa wants his organisation to take. Students should not stop at expressing a desire to become entrepreneurs, but should take concrete steps towards establishing their own businesses.
He also wants to create opportunities for students who already run businesses to expand their networks, improve the quality of their management and explore new avenues for growth. In this way, the organisation can become an integral part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem within universities.
Daffa's experience in business and organisational leadership has also given him the opportunity to participate in entrepreneurship competitions. Together with his team, he secured third place at the Kewirausahaan Mahasiswa Indonesia (KMI) Expo.
This achievement marked an important milestone in his entrepreneurial development. He had to refine his business idea while also convincing his team members to remain committed to their shared enterprise despite the pressure of competition.
The process taught him valuable lessons about the importance of communication and consistency within a team. Daffa realised that entrepreneurial success does not depend solely on the abilities of one individual, but also on whether all members are willing to work together and remain committed to common goals.
For Daffa, university studies, entrepreneurship and organisational activities complement one another. His studies provide an environment in which to acquire knowledge and understand entrepreneurial concepts. His own business, meanwhile, allows him to put ideas into practice, test strategies and tackle challenges directly.
The organisation also provides opportunities to develop leadership qualities, build connections and work with others. These three areas offer different experiences that can support his development as a young entrepreneur.
Balancing several responsibilities simultaneously naturally requires effective time management and a high level of commitment. Daffa seeks to make the most of every opportunity as part of his learning process. He does not view university studies, entrepreneurship and organisational activities as pursuits that hinder one another, but as different learning environments in which he can develop a range of skills.
His experience also demonstrates that the entrepreneurial journeys of students do not always follow the same path. An interest in a particular field can provide the starting point, while the courage to seize opportunities and the willingness to embrace challenges are essential elements of business development.
Daffa Rizki Hervindo's journey shows that students can develop their potential across several areas simultaneously. Through continuous learning at university, his experience building Cekrekbox and his responsibilities at HIPMI Perguruan Tinggi Sumatera Utara, he is working to strengthen his capabilities as a young entrepreneur.
For him, every stage of the process offers valuable lessons that can help him overcome future challenges. These experiences also motivate him to create new and broader opportunities, both for himself and for other students who want to begin their own journeys into the world of entrepreneurship. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
