October 23, 2023, Manila, Philippines — UST Arlets Student Council has launched a new initiative called, “ABante Lokal: ABa Sulong Lokal”, highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit of several students enrolled in the Liberal Arts program. The goal of the initiative is to feature and promote small businesses started by enterprising Liberal Arts students and inspire others to pursue their dreams, even if they are somewhat different from their chosen college degree.

Getting to Know the Artlet Entrepreneurs: 

1. Stephanie Khiel M. Abarra – 4th Year Behavioral Science Student; Owner of BYKIEHL.

Stephanie launched BYKIEHL at the start of the pandemic as a way for her to express her creativity in new and fashionable ways. She first started with clay earrings and eventually branched out to resin pendants to now offering a wide range of beaded accessories, such as earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and face gem masks. 

In pursuit of her passion which revolved around the arts and crafts, the brand BYKIEHL was made. Now, it will be celebrating its 3rd year this upcoming January.

How to get my hands on these?

You can find these beaded goodies at shopee or by messaging Stephanie directly through her social media! 


2. Czarina Mari C. Agaton – 3rd Year Journalism Student & Justine Gonzales – 2nd Year Nursing Student at Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela; Owners of BITES MNL.

BITES MNL is a pastry shop that sells mini donuts. Aside from being easier to produce, the owners said that they preferred to make mini donuts because of how trendy it was compared to other baked products. They are best known for their Oreos and S’mores Premium Donut.

How to get my hands on these?

Send them a message through the following channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550783619811
Instagram: @bites_mnl

3. Jashley C. Laconico – 2nd Year Creative Writing Student ; Owner of Pitapitaya Beads

Pitapitaya Beads sells beaded bracelets and keychains. Heavily inspired by Sapphic characters throughout various media avenues, Pitapitaya Beads offers a wide and diverse range of products in its catalog. Jashley was inspired to start her business when she noticed a lack of Sapphic and queer representation in the jewelry industry. One of Jashley’s best sellers is based on a manga novel that she is a fan of!

 How to get my hands on these?

Pitapitaya Beads products are available through TikTok shops as well as shopee. Orders can also be made through their instagram account.

4. Justine Ramon M. Leofando – 3rd Year Legal Management Student; Owner of Not So Ordinary 

Not So Ordinary or NSO is a clothing brand that offers different types of graphic design shirts. This business is the fruit of Justine’s interest and passion for digital design and fashion, which began before the pandemic took place. After trying out some designs of his own, Not So Ordinary was born, and the rest, as they say, was history.

From simple designs of rap icons, Not So Ordinary has grown to become a brand that caters to various interests, such as fans of the Hallyu wave and Basketball icons. 

 

How to get my hands on these? 

You can find original Not So Ordinary designs through their shopee or through their social media accounts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notso.ordinaryyy
Instagram: @notso.ordinary

 

5. Althea Julianne B. Versoza – 1st Year Behavioral Science Student; Owner of Jeule Studio

As a small business that offers handmade, press-on nails, Jeule Studio brings convenience to its users because its products are simpler to apply and remove. Highlighting practicality, the press-on nails are reusable and can be swapped almost immediately. Press-on nails are also very desirable when colorful nails are not allowed.

 How to get my hands on these? 

You can find various creative press-on nail designs by looking up their instagram account: @jeule.studio

These stories prove that people are multi-faceted and that they cannot be confined in a box. The journeys of each of these Artlet entrepreneurs are nothing short of remarkable, and they show that anything is possible with hard-work, dedication, and patience.

To read more captivating stories, head over to the UST Artlet Student Council’s Official Facebook Page. Or simply click on this link to watch the video: https://www.facebook.com/ustabsc.official/videos/850218613207404/ 

And guess what? We’re not stopping here! Stay tuned for ABante Lokal: ABa Sulong Lokal Phase 2! There’s more excitement in store!

 #ArtletEntrepreneurs
 #InspirationUnleashed
#ABanteLokalPhase2