By: Brenda Calista Haryanto | NIM 2702217554

Lecturer : Irene Teresa Rebecca Hutabarat, S.MB., M.M.

Working on the Muscle Moo project this semester honestly taught me more than I ever expected. At the beginning, I didn’t really know what to expect. The idea of starting a “business” for a class project sounded serious and honestly a bit intimidating. We had to create a real product, do research, plan everything, and actually sell it. At first, it felt overwhelming. But as we slowly went through each step, I realized that once things are broken down and discussed together as a team, everything becomes much more manageable. What felt scary at first slowly became something exciting.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the process was easy. We faced many small challenges that kept piling up. Ingredients arrived late, tools didn’t come on time, and our plans had to change more than once. Researching ingredients alone took longer than I expected—we had to think about taste, texture, nutrition, and pricing all at once. Even something as simple as sticker printing turned into a challenge because the colors weren’t right or the size didn’t fit. Then there was the recipe itself: sometimes it was too sweet, sometimes the texture was off, and sometimes it melted too quickly. Each time, we had to listen to feedback, even when it wasn’t what we wanted to hear, and improve it again.

Looking back, those challenges were actually the most meaningful part of the experience. Every time something went wrong, we sat down together and figured out a solution. When the ice cream melted, we added more ice. When the design didn’t work, we reprinted it. When people gave honest feedback, we adjusted the recipe again. It was tiring at times, but also satisfying to see how each small improvement made the product better. That’s when I realized that building something real is rarely perfect on the first try—it’s about trying, failing, fixing, and trying again.

The most enjoyable part for me was selling the product and interacting directly with customers. That experience pushed me far out of my comfort zone because I’m not usually someone who approaches people easily. But once I started talking to customers, hearing their reactions, and seeing them enjoy the product, it became genuinely fun. It made all the effort feel worth it. I learned that business isn’t just about planning and numbers—it’s also about connection, communication, and being proud of what you create.

Overall, this semester taught me that building a business isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being willing to learn, adapt, and keep going even when things feel messy. I learned so much about teamwork, patience, and problem-solving, and I gained a much deeper appreciation for the process behind creating something from scratch. It was challenging, tiring, and sometimes stressful—but it was also meaningful, memorable, and something I’m truly grateful to have experienced.