All images by Xue Qi Ow Yeong for RICE Media.
“If I said I don’t experience any struggles as an educator, it’s far from the truth,” Dr Melissa Liow laughs.
Her hands are full. She juggles her managerial duties as the Assistant Director, Academic Office (Business) with University Partnership with Coventry University at PSB Academy while teaching business and management classes from degree to postgraduate levels.
When she finally steps away from her day job, she unwinds with movies and quality time with her 15-year-old son at home. Yet, the lecturer still finds herself replying to emails after hours, helping students struggling with assignments or panicking during coursework submission periods.
But she emphasises that she’s “not on around-the-clock standby”.
“I’ve been a student before, and these are the things I’d want my teacher to support me with, so why not?”
Now in her 40s, Dr Liow’s teaching journey began in 2012, when she initially focused on hospitality courses at PSB Academy. Since the partnership between PSB Academy and Coventry University kicked off in 2014, she has expanded her educational expertise to include business courses.
But long before she stepped into the classroom, she was honing her skills as a front office manager in the hospitality industry, a background that continues to inform her approach to teaching.
For a decade, she worked at multiple four- to five-star hotels in Malaysia and Singapore, tending to guests from around the world. During her time in the F&B and hospitality industries, Dr Liow gained valuable experience in human resource management, marketing planning, and customer account service management.
She had the skills, the entrepreneurial ambition, and a vision—maybe an F&B venture, maybe something in accommodations. With her extensive market knowledge, she could have built a business empire of her own.
Instead, Dr Liow chose a different path, leaving the service industry behind to serve a different community: students.
“If I were to go down the route of entrepreneurship, I can only run one business. But by mentoring the next generation and allowing them to realise their own business ventures, I can make a bigger impact.”
The Educator’s Expertise
Dr Liow’s confident air and bright smile are a welcome sight for her students. Behind that is a strong desire and passion to see her students achieve success.
She teaches around 100 students per lecture, laying the groundwork before they break off into smaller tutorials, where lessons become more interactive, discussions more focused, and learning more personal.
Sitting in a classroom with a mountain of theories to memorise can be a drag for any student. But surprisingly, watching Dr Liow break down marketing strategies never felt intimidating. Her motherly nature shines through in the way she patiently answers questions between lessons, always taking the time to listen to her students and give them her full attention.
But she knows that passion isn’t enough to make a positive impact on her students. It’s also about making sure she has sufficient resources and knowledge to do so.
“It’s key as an educator to have some level of knowledge in this,” she says, as she buries herself in more research—the impact of external factors on the business environment.
She also breaks down how Coventry University and PSB Academy’s education principles of ‘responsible education’ have helped guide the way she prepares her curriculum.
“We’re encouraged to work on marrying business theory and practice. It’s not just full lectures; it’s about mentorship and a sharing-based learning experience. We’re also qualified in corporate experiences so we can channel our industry insights to our students,” she explains.
Coventry University’s strong bonds with its alumni, industry and professional bodies also mean that students can connect easily with industry practitioners—hotel partners and other diverse fields from media, hospitality and human resources. The first-hand experience allows students to learn valuable insights on competencies and potential career paths while they network with key professionals.
Ultimately, student success isn’t just about good educators—it also hinges on the flexibility and comprehensive resources Coventry University offers to nurture their growth and potential.
“We’ve widened our initiatives—summer camps in the Coventry University home campus in the UK, opening our doors to other colleges, inviting their students over to PSB Academy, and even study tours in Korea,” Dr Liow says.
Beyond the Books
With a repertoire in education spanning 15 years, Dr Liow has no intentions of stopping. Theories might be at the centre of her curriculum—but her passion for education goes beyond the books.
The students who come and go from her classes vary, and so do their struggles. For part-time students, balancing their studies with demanding day jobs takes a toll. International students fight to combat homesickness. Others share personal challenges they face at home.
And yet, even with the workload she bears, she always makes time for them.
“I allow–even encourage–them to open up, and I actively listen and empathise with them. When necessary, I refer them to school counselling or mental health resources. I even suggest outlets like international student clubs so they can find their own community and feel more at home,” she smiles.
It’s a stark contrast from her days as a high-performing executive, and even more so if she had gone on to build her own venture. How does she feel now about leaving behind the dream of being a successful entrepreneur?
Dr Liow grins. She has no regrets.
“Sure, I would have dived into a bakery business that focused on grab-and-go options for city folks or something fun, like glamping or boutique agritourism,” she says, smiling.
“But I realised the challenges of raising funds. Besides, I hope I stay on this path for a long time. I can’t envision myself doing anything other than being an educator now!”
These days, she knows her version of success lies in something greater. What she looks forward to most isn’t profit margins—it’s watching her students cross the convocation stage, knowing she’s played a part in shaping the next wave of entrepreneurs, professionals, and market disruptors.
“When they return to visit, and they’ve not only secured good jobs but found meaning and purpose in their roles, it’s incredibly rewarding,” Dr Liow says proudly.
“They’ve turned the skills and values I’ve taught them and paid it forward to society through their work. That’s when I know they’ve grown and are ready to take on the corporate world.”
The Courage to Fail
Sure, the lure of autonomy and a chance to build something that’s all your own is appealing. Pair that with the grants and funding offered by the government, and being your own boss doesn’t sound half bad.
But there’s more to being an entrepreneur than a business degree, a large capital, and the title of ‘CEO’.
How do you decide between standing up for your team as opposed to serving the interests of management? Or worse, how do you explain yourselves to friends and family if the venture doesn’t immediately succeed?
The entrepreneurship journey isn’t a smooth ride. It’s filled with hidden battles—and not everything can be neatly mapped out in a textbook.
While Coventry University has courses like its Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Global Business with modules such as Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship designed to give students the knowledge and skills to become well-rounded entrepreneurs, Dr Liow encourages them to think beyond the theory.
“I push them to empathise and humanise with real-life businesses, because one day, that person going through the motions might be them.”
As Dr Liow says, “A successful marketing plan or business proposal can only take an entrepreneur a certain part of the way. It’s the heart and human nature that builds businesses with a lasting positive impact.”
She speaks from experience as she recounts her time in the hospitality industry when she was thrown into the role of manager, having to lead a team of 20 out of the blue. So, what exactly is a true business mindset?
“It isn’t all about profit. It’s understanding that what you do has a larger impact on the world and the people around you. It’s genuine relationships and acknowledging weakness, asking for help when needed, and taking calculated risks,” Dr Liow explains.
“I faced my fair share of hard knocks,” she says, recalling her struggles to be a good boss. “Just because you’re a manager doesn’t mean you know it all. You have to talk to staff on the ground and be humble enough to accept that maybe they know better.”
In retrospect, learning the hard way was the best way. It taught her the importance of accepting failure as part of her growth and trajectory to success—a lesson that she weaves into her teachings at Coventry University.
Books can only teach students a portion of what makes them future business leaders and entrepreneurs because, as Dr Liow says, “It’s their resilience, drive, and confidence to venture out of their comfort zone that make them truly successful.”
The Gift of Guiding
Dr Liow proudly reminisces about the students under her tutelage who have come and gone.
“I’ve seen my fair share of students returning to pursue their master’s degree and others who’ve formed their own businesses after graduating and spending time in the workforce,” she shares.
She’s proud to say they’ve done well. Not just by earning their qualifications but by confidently stepping into the personas she’s helped them shape.
Her only hope is that they never stop improving because “innovation distinguishes between a leader [in the industry] and a follower,” she laughs, quoting Steve Jobs.
As she leans back and reflects on her personal growth as an educator, she realises that she’s unknowingly learnt a great deal from her students too.
“All this while, I was the mentor helping them to realise their dreams. But in reality, they’ve validated my time as an educator by reminding me it’s never too late to start something new, even if it is a risk.”
