Yeoh Hui Wen Vivienne

Why did you choose to come to SMU?

I choose SMU primarily because it was the only university (out of those I was considering) that had a School of Accountancy that was separate from the School of Business. I felt that that was unique and meant that the school had more specialised professors and targeted curriculum. I struggled with wanting to experience hall life but ultimately chose SMU for a more complete learning experience in the Accounting field.
 

Please share some key highlights of your student life in SMU 

I joined SMU Start Up Society (SSUS) as an Events Director in 2024. Before joining SSUS, I had little knowledge and interest in the entrepreneurial space. Being a part of the club exposed me to entrepreneurship and created opportunities and the network for me to start my own business. During my tenure with SSUS, I spearheaded Entrepreneur’s Summit, the biggest event SSUS has ever hosted. The event was a platform for small businesses to showcase thier products and share their brand with participants through booths around SOA Level 2 and 3. We also invited a panel consisting of Kelvin (Mayiduo), Tommy Wong, Jane Tan, Joanne Seah, Zen Chin, a mix of entrepreneurs from interior design, media, F&B, furniture and tech. Leading the various aspects of marketing, liaising with panelists, logistics, operations, manpower and many more solidified my foundation to manage my startup.

I started ‘tatothoughts’ in November 2024 with 2 other friends from SSUS, starting from loaded jacket potatoes that has since expanded to many more varieties of potatoes. My friends did not have the time to commit to the business as they were going on exchange the following semester, so I persevered on my own. tatothoughts does pop-up events such as Artbox, GastroBeats and even SMU Arts Fest and SMU Waikiki! We started as home-based from January to May and we’re currently running 2 outlets (one permanent and one short-term collaboration) now! It’s insane to imagine that I would not have both the amazing and tough experiences I’ve experienced through tatothoughts if I didn’t join SSUS last year. I applied for SMU Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (IIE) Student Entrepreneur Internship (SEI) and IIE’s managers encouraged me to also apply for the Andy Chua and Family Undergraduate Summer Venture Award that gives me and my startup additional funding. I’m grateful to be able to receive so much support and break the stereotype that only tech/AI startups are able to receive grants and funding. tatothoughts has also just been accepted into IIE’s Business Innovation Generator (BIG) programme, Aug’25 batch. Through the network and mentorship from BIG, tatothoughts will be able to go even further! 

What is your favourite food to get on campus?

Supergreen at Connexion