The English Department Student Association (EDSA) went on a company visit to Anaria Souvenir on October 24, 2025. Anaria Souvenir is a business that has been established by Ria Saktia, an alumna of English Literature at UNAIR. During this visit, EDSA explored in-depth how to build a business. The main goal of the exploration during the visit was to provide varied perspectives regarding future careers that the students of English Language and Literature can pursue after graduating from college.

Ria Saktia herself was an English Literature student at Universitas Airlangga, batch of 2004, who has successfully started her business since 2010. She shared such a meaningful journey of the beginning of her business. At first, she took the courage out of her to open a shop at Pusat Grosir Surabaya (PGS) and sell souvenirs. Thanks to her willingness to survive and stay creative, she was capable of opening another branch of her business at Royal and the Indonesian Hajj Travel Shop (PHI). Once, she also opened a shop at the San Antonio and the Majapahit Hotel.

The products sold, Ria explained, are made by female local artisans. Selling products that are made by them is an act of supporting MSMEs (UMKM) and women themselves as the main distributors of the products. "The existence of Anaria is not only beneficial for itself but also for women and UMKM," she explained. She believed that when starting a business, it is not only the profits that matter. Instead, the capability of the company itself to offer job opportunities to others also counts.

During this visit, Ria also shared the knowledge that she gained from her experience as an entrepreneur. She mentioned the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset with three golden circles of questions: “What”, “How”, and “Why.”  Of all three, the question that must be prioritized is, “Why?” She further stated, “When the situation is below, WHY must be a motivator to rise up,” she explained. “Most people get stuck on what to sell, not why,” she continued. Therefore, knowing the value of “Why?” in establishing a business becomes the key factor to business success.  

Ria advised students who want to become entrepreneurs in the future that they have to gain work experience before finally starting a business. In other words, by having work experience, they will develop a strong mentality that motivates them to be a better employer once they have decided to start a business.

Not only that, according to Ria, being an entrepreneur requires perseverance to keep learning. One way for entrepreneurs to learn is by obtaining certifications. Certifications can become strong portfolios that prove our skills. In addition to obtaining certifications, business-related workshops can also be attended to increase business knowledge. Obtaining certifications and attending seminars are what Ria often does to upgrade her knowledge and to keep engaging in the effort of continuous learning.

Ria added that another thing that entrepreneurs must not be tired of finding is which way works best in selling their products. There have been a lot of similar products sold in the market. Thus, uniqueness and authenticity in the products must be shown. “So, friends, if you have a business, how can you make it stand out in a crowded market?” she said. Ria revealed that Anaria Souvenir has something that differentiates them from other souvenir shops. “One of the things that differentiates us is that we have unique and luxurious items,” she explained. Anaria Souvenir itself has the values of luxury, elegance, memorability, and meaningfulness in the products that it offers.

Behind her success in establishing this souvenir shop, her experiences and lessons that she learned during college also had an influence on her current career. Ria said that college was the place to learn critical thinking, discipline, and mental toughness. Presentation techniques, mastery of material, and training to take initiative were all acquired during her studies. “College is for building initiative, discipline, speaking fluently, and so on,” she explained.

Up to now, Anaria Souvenir has been trusted by well-known figures from various fields, such as celebrities, politicians, and companies. These notable figures include Krisdayanti, Atta Halilintar, Aurel Hermansyah, Chelsea Islan, and Rob Clinton Kardinal. Ria's career journey proves that an educational background does not have anything to do with success, but it is, indeed, helpful in shaping our mentality. She has demonstrated that with perseverance to continue learning, accompanied by a strong foundation, anything is possible. Of course, this is also supported by her commitment to providing high-quality souvenirs, ensuring customer satisfaction with what they have purchased at Anaria Souvenir.

Journalist: Muhammad Nasrullah Assidiqi

Editor: Nazwa Marisa Putri Baskoro