The study investigates the entrepreneurial journey of 23 college entrepreneurship students in
Nueva Ecija, Philippines, who established small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic,
employing a descriptive research method utilizing a questionnaire and semi-structured
interviews. It was revealed that the students embarked on a variety of businesses,
predominantly in food manufacturing, with many commencing operations with less than Php
10,000 in investment. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the students
demonstrated high levels of preparedness, fueled by financial incentives, self-confidence
aspirations, and personal passion. Their journey demonstrates highly developed entrepreneurial
competencies, filled with opportunities like webinars and mentoring, while also managing
challenges like adhering to health protocols, managing time, and financial limitations. The
results of the study suggest that in order to foster students' emerging entrepreneurial mindset,
academic institutions and policymakers should work together to provide persistent
entrepreneurship education, peer-mentorship efforts, and government financial help.