Jakarta, 24 February, 2026 — Deputy Minister of Creative Economy / Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency (Creative Economy Agency) Irene Umar delivered business coaching training for entrepreneurs as part of the National Chinese New Year Festival 2026 at Lapangan Banteng, Jakarta. The activity served as a capacity-building platform for business players to enhance product competitiveness through packaging, storytelling, branding, and business management.
The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, served as a speaker at the Business Coaching session during the National Chinese New Year Festival 2026 at Lapangan Banteng, Jakarta, Monday (02/23/2026).
In her remarks, Irene emphasized that Indonesia possesses immense cultural wealth and creativity as a strong foundation for business development.
“Indonesia has an immense wealth of culture. The ideas are endless. The key is how we package them properly and give meaning to every product,” she said, Tuesday (2/24).
She also reminded that running a business requires mental readiness and long-term commitment. According to her, unlike being an employee with a steady income, entrepreneurs must ensure that all operational needs are met before enjoying the results.
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“In business, owners are often the last to enjoy the results after all operational obligations are fulfilled. So before starting, ask yourself: are you ready for the ups and downs?” she emphasized.
Furthermore, Irene highlighted that business success is not solely measured by financial profit, but also by the alignment between the business and the owner’s life mission.
During the discussion session, one F&B entrepreneur who opened a booth at the festival asked about product promotion strategies. Irene emphasized the importance of transparency in information, as well as a creative approach based on intellectual property (IP) and storytelling.
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“Since we are in a public space such as this festival, and the products offered are indeed 100 percent halal, this should be clearly communicated as a form of mutual respect. Products such as whole wheat bapau can be further developed through an intellectual property (IP) approach by creating characters and narratives. Do not simply sell the product—build its story. People are more likely to remember storytelling than specifications,” she said.
She also emphasized the importance of strategic booth arrangement so that flagship products are immediately visible to visitors, as well as communicative interaction to build perceived value and enhance the overall consumer experience.
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From a management perspective, Irene reminded business players to understand the overall cost structure, including production costs, working hours, and cash flow management.
“Many business owners have not calculated their own working time as part of capital. In fact, this is essential for determining pricing and calculating profits in a sustainable manner,” she said.
In addition, she encouraged entrepreneurs to actively leverage digital platforms, expand networks, and explore cross-brand collaborations to create joint products with the potential to penetrate international markets.
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Through this business coaching initiative, the Ministry of Creative Economy reaffirmed its commitment to building an adaptive and sustainable business ecosystem, while strengthening the position of the creative economy as the new engine of growth amid global economic dynamics.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
