HO – HOST ENTREPRENEUR

1. How did you discover EYE?

Originally I found out about the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program from one of the people in my team who knew about it from a previous organisation she worked at and had a good experience with it.

2. Why did you decide to participate?

I always wanted my company Parkbob to be a global company, ever since the early days. In order to get there I need various viewpoints and perspectives. I also realized it is important to question processes and the way we do things. As we were exploring potential new partners and ways to market our products, as well as revising our processes, I thought this would be a good moment to bring someone in who can have a new (and entrepreneurial) perspective and also support me in this process, thus creating a win-win situation.

3. Why did you choose to participate in this programme?

I was particularly impressed by Marija’s drive as an entrepreneur. She approached me for the exchange and I immediately knew we would be able to collaborate. I could tell she is very driven and really wants to learn, specifically when it comes to new technologies. This is something I appreciate about this European program - the participants are driven, entrepreneurial, and truly willing to learn and support at the same time.

4. When did you set up your company?

In 2015.

5. How many years of experience do you have?

I have more than 10 years of work experience, 4 of them as an entrepreneur.

6. What were your expectations before starting the programme?

My expectations were not too many at the start. I expected to meet a very self-driven entrepreneur-to-be who is excited about the company I am building and the products we are developing. Passionate individuals always find good ways to contribute and to learn so I was confident we would find a good match and align on activities that meet the needs of both sides.

7. Provide examples of activities carried out by the NE during the exchange (administrative activities, conferences, other)

The NE was involved as much as possible in my work and the daily activities of the company. She expressed a wish to really get to know the business and the operations from the inside so this is what we did. She supported with marketing activities, specifically with text and videos for social media, editing or contributing to blog articles, contributing to the monthly newsletter and revising the website content. She was also involved in the regular communication with the external marketing agency we work with. She supported me in the preparation of project proposals and investor presentations, and joined me for external events where I represented the start-up.

8. What did you learn from the exchange?

I learned that even if a process seems a bit challenging at first (we had some challenges with the initial setup of the exchange) it is worth waiting because passionate and entrepreneurial people need to be given opportunities to develop and they can always bring something very positive to an organisation. Marija certainly did. I also learned that you can never have too many ideas and input from people who are truly interested in what you are doing.

8.1. How did the NE help?

One of the initial goals was for the NE to support in upgrading our marketing activities relevant for attracting Parkbob’s target groups. This happened and was of great help. By being involved in various parts of the process involving partners and clients, the NE also gave me feedback on the business development processes and this was very valuable.

8.2. Are you going to incorporate new ideas and methods proposed by the NE?

Absolutely. Some of the improvements are process related. Particularly in the marketing processes, the NE contributed a lot, helped to set up templates, improved the flow of communication with the external marketing agency.

9. How will the exchange benefit the companies? New opportunities: Further partnerships? Cross-border trade?

The NE was of great support and also brought great energy to the team. This exchange was very valuable in bringing new perspective to my business and hopefully a new perspective on the NE’s business idea(s). We will certainly stay in touch regarding her entrepreneurial activities and I will absolutely be happy to support in the next steps, wherever she chooses to take her ideas. If any of the contacts I have in the mobility field can be of use to her, I’d be happy to make introductions.

HE Quotation

I would recommend the program to any seasoned entrepreneur who is willing to open up about their work and support an upcoming entrepreneurs to develop their skills and ideas, and who also wants to gain a new perspective on their business.

 

NE – NEW ENTREPRENEUR

1. Why did you choose to participate in the programme?

I was in a phase when I began to think about starting my own business. I wanted to get as many useful information and 1st hand advice from an experienced entrepreneur. Also, I found it very beneficial for professional growth to gain international business experience, improve my language skills, make contacts.

2. Did you and when did you set up your company (if relevant)?

I haven’t set up my own company yet.

3. What were your expectations before starting the programme?

I applied for this programme with the idea of learning about entrepreneurship and running a business from many angles – technical, managerial, human resources and marketing/business development side. I also wanted to understand the mobility sector landscape and make contacts with people from the company and from the field.

4. How does the HE run his business? How did you actively participate in the day-to-day activities?

HE is very organized and structured in running his business. There is a high level of care and respect for the employees, as well as professional, yet friendly attitude. I have participated in all relevant weekly meetings, was part of each team meeting, strategy update meeting, workshops organized inside and outside the company, even at some meetings with potential clients where I got an insight into how the presentation/selling the product process works. I was included in every relevant aspect of work and was treated as an equal team member.

5. Provide examples of activities carried out by you during the exchange (administrative activities? Conferences? Other?)

I have been responsible for supporting the HE in preparing the project proposal for the client and the presentation for the investors. I participated at the HE’s presentation at the Technical University of Vienna, where he presented the company’s development process to young future entrepreneurs. I was highly involved in marketing activities, in creating different types of content – texts and videos, posting on social media, took part in weekly meetings with the marketing agency to get to know their approach, was involved in regular communication with the marketing team in a slack channel, contributed to the blog articles and the monthly newsletter, analysed and revised the content on the web page and supported with other daily administrative activities on an ad-hoc basis.

6. What did you learn from the experience? Do you feel more confident about your business start-up? Would you encourage other would-be/new entrepreneurs to participate in the programme? What is your overall feeling about the programme?

I have learned that running a business is not easy, but it takes lots of persistence, planning, organizing and people managing. It gave me the real perspective, to see both the hard facts and the benefits and, in my opinion, that is the right starting point. I would definitely encourage everyone to apply for the programme because it offers so many opportunities – to double check your business idea and your plans regarding setting up a company, to see how the successful entrepreneur organizes his work in order to keep everything running as smoothly as possible, to be present when unexpected problems occur and to realize that with the good structured approach, you can get right back on track. I definitely feel more informed on running a business and more prepared for the challenge.

 

NE – NEW ENTREPRENEUR Quotation

I encourage everyone to apply for the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Programme because it offers priceless tools for your professional and personal growth. You will learn a lot about being a successful entrepreneur, gain international working experience, improve your language skills and meet incredible diverse people from around the world.