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M AG A Z I N E

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Index

Index Index Index

Introduction 3

Entrepreneurial Good practices around the world 4 •Eco-initiatives

Eco-BusinessinthetownofLefkada5

Entrepreneurs Voice 6 EntrepreneurshipandsustainabledevelopmentviaOrigami8 •Fromideatobusiness •Touristcluster/Fromideatobusinesscreation9

•Touristcluster/Touristcluster`sbasicideas10 •Linkingsustainabledevelopmentwiththetechnique10 oforigami

•Socialaspect:ChildrenandYouth10 •Ecologicalaspect11

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Introduction The Youth Entrepreneurs Club is a meeting point foryoung people who are interested in developing an entrepre-neurial project. Bymeansof this club,wewant to support the fu-ture young entrepreneurs by giving them useful information.

It started in Lefkada (Greece) in November 2012.Wemadethefirst stepbycreatinganetworkamong fourpartner countries,whichareGreece,Romania,ItalyandFrance.Wehadineachcoun-try a meeting between 16 people from these partner countries.During thesemeetings, theparticipants set up the content of theweb site and the forum.Both constitute the virtualmeetingpointfor the young entrepreneurs, in order to broaden the network al-ready created and to continue learning from new experiences ofyoung entrepreneurs across Europe.Wewould like to expand ournetwork day by day, month by month, across all Europe and wealso want to involve other youngsters and successful entrepre-neursfromallpartsofEuropeinordertomakealinkbetweenthem.

ThismagazineiseditedinLefkada,Greece,concentratedontop-icsrelatedtoyoungentrepreneursandfuturewouldbeentrepreneurs.Themagazine and the club will work as a link between them. Inthe club, the future young entrepreneurs have the possibility tomeettheirpeers,expertsanddecisionmakersfromdifferentcoun-tries, talk about ideas and opportunities and share experiences.Thisclubisexpectedtobeestablishedasaforumandanexuslink-ing the future young entrepreneurswith the politicians, entrepre-neurs and experts from all Europe and neighbor countries.This isthefifthjournal.Wetriedtofocusonpresentinglongtermwellrunbusinesses, some ideas for futureprojectsandpresentingsuccess-fulEntrepreneurs fromLefkada inorder tomotivate the interestedyoungsterstostarttheirbusiness.Sodon’thesitateandjointheclub!

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Entrepreneurial Good Practices AroundTheWorld

A first good example of a goodpracticeiseBay,acompanyfocusedon environmental sustainabilityThe online retail and auction sitemakeseasyforpeoplefromalloverthe world to exchange and to re-use goods rather than throwingthem away. The company includesan eBay Classifieds section, whereindividuals can buy and sell usedhouseholdappliances,furnitureandotherhard-toshipitemswithintheirlocal community, eliminating theneed for shipping and packaging,and keeping functional items outof landfills. Additionally, becausemost of the environmental impactof eBay business occurs when oneuser ships something to another,the company targeted the logisticsand delivery aspects of green sup-ply chainmanagementbypartner-ing with the United States PostalService (USPS). Together, eBay andtheUSPScreatedaco-brandedlineof environmentally friendly PriorityMailpackagingthathasearnedCra-dle-to-Cradle™certification.

Widely recognized as a businessinnovator. Google is also leadingthe way to a greener future withits environmental sustainabilityand green supply chain manage-ment practices. The company hasdemonstrated a commitment toexisting in concert with the envi-ronmentthroughsuchinitiativesaspowering its facilities with renew-able energy sources, bringing ingoatstotrimthegrass,andhostingfarmer’s markets and sustainable-cooking seminars. Google has es-tablishedanenvironmentallyawarecorporate culture and solidified its reputation as one of the world’smost forward-thinking companies.(http://www.usanfranonline.com/companies-thatpracticeenviron-mentalsustainability)Fairtrade is a trading partnershipthat focuses on sustainable devel-opment for poorer producers. Itdoes this by providing better trad-ing conditions, raising awarenessof their situationandcampaigning.

Eco-Initiatives Google’sEnvironmentalInnovations

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Eco-BusinessInTheTownOfLefkadaLefkadaisaGreekislandintheIon-ianSeaonthewestcoastofGreece,connected to the mainland by afloating bridge. Centuries ago, ag-riculture was a priority numberoneinthebusinessofLefkada.Themost profitable businesses werecultivation of olives, production ofOlive oil (nowadays already knownand famous all around the world),cheeseand salami factories,pasteliand Honey. Citizens were commit-tedtoagriculturewhich,asitturnedout,gavenotonlyabetter life,butalso a survival on the island. Oneof themost profitable and sustain-ablebusinessesinLefkadaisviticul-ture. Nowadayswine ranks are themost important products amongthe other traditional products ofGreece. Lefkada has many winer-ies, but themost successful one isT.A.O.Lwinefactory,whichisagoodexample forslowfood inasustain-ablewayofproduction.Itisalsorec-ognized as one of the oldest winefactories inGreece.Thewinerywaslaunched in 1949 in a building atKastroarea(entranceoftheisland).Thewineryreceivesthegrapesandproducesbulkwineandwineinbot-tlesonbehalfoftheproducers.Ac-cording to the local consumption,

this wine is available in all Super-markets in Lefkada. The supermar-ket exists since 1968 and it’s locat-edonthegroundfloorofaprivatebuildingoftheUnionatStreetGol-emis5.7Lefkada.Thereyoualsocanfindmanyother supplies like: ferti-lizers, feeds, pesticides, veterinarydrugs, machinery, tools and manyother typesof rural andwiderpro-fessionaluse.Theservicesprovidedby the association offices on the road Golemis 5.7 Lefkada include:• Implementation of project OSDE forapproximately3,000beneficiaries•Implementationoftheproject“Reim-bursementofVATofthefarmers”•InsuranceservicesasrepresentativeofCOOPERATIVEINSURANCE•Accounting informationofour coop-erativemembers

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EntrepreneursvoiceWewouldliketosharetheexperienceofyoungandsuccessfulentrepreneursfromLefkada.

OurfirstentrepreneurIoannisAnifantis,was born 32 yearsago in Lefkada. He gradu-ated at the University of Io-annina inthedepartmentofeconomyandalsotheschoolof journalism and mass-media in Athens. In 1999,together with his sister, heopened a shop in the center of Lefkada offering internetservices, Satellite and Forth-nettechnology.So,during20years for now, the companyhas been developed stepby stepand, littleby little, itgainedmanystablecustom-ers and became a success-ful long lasting business.

GiorgiosVayenas is theownerof“Vayenasfurniture shop” in Lefkada. He started hisbusinessattheageof20.Hewasyoungandinexperienced but a very motivated boywhowaseagertocontinuehisfather’sbusi-ness andat the same time tobring someinnovations into the town of Lefkas. Hestartedhisownbusinessin1993.Sustaina-bleandmodernproductsarethetwomainthingsthatmakeshisbusinessunique.Af-termanyyearsofsearching,looking,devel-oping andgainingexperience in thefieldhefoundthewaytofulfilltheneedsofhiscustomers.He is importingproducts fromEuropean countries like Germany, AustriaandItaly.Fromtherehegetsthebestqual-ity forareasonableprice.All theproductsare based on sustainability and a goodquality.Theyarebasedonmodern stand-ards and available for every class of peo-ple.It’sbeentenyearssincetheopeningoftheshop,tenyearsofexperienceandhardworkwhichbroughtGiorgios toone con-clusion:“Satisfiedclientbringsnewclient”.

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KristinaPejcicisayoungentrepreneurgirlwiththeageof23.Aftermov-ingfromSerbiatoLefkada,togetherwithherhusband,theymanagedtoopen their own tourist office inNidriwhich theynamed“Love Lefkada”.During the last twoyears theyhavebeenactivelypromoting the Islandthrough theagencywebsite.Thewebsite is created inSerbianandspe-ciallydedicated for Serbian tourists. Only the last year thewebsitehad51.000visitorsafterfromwhich16.000touristsactuallyhadbeenhostedby“LoveLefkada”agency.OntheirwebsitepotentialtouristscanfindallinterestingandneededinformationaboutLefkadasuchas:accommoda-tionbooking,ticketsforcrusesandcarrenting.Soontheywillbehavinganewwebsite“www.lovelefkada.com”whichwillbeworldwildpromot-edsothatmorevisitorswillbeabletousetheservicesof“LoveLefkada”.Kristina statement was“We don`t have any special slogan, it’s just thatworkingwith people is beautiful, and if you canmake someone`s holi-dayseasier,whynottodoit.Ireallyenjoyit,andlastsummerwasamaz-ing,wemeetmanynewpeopleandmade friends fromalloverSerbia!”

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EntrepreneurshipAndSustainableDevelopmentViaOrigamiFromIdeaToBusiness

It is very important for our futuresocietythatthepresentyounggen-eration to be conscious and aware aboutsustainabledevelopmentandsustainable entrepreneurship. Webelieve that the best way to raiseawareness about these topics is to do it through different non-formaleducation methods. One of thesemethodscanbetheuseoftheOri-gami technique in educational ac-tivities that promote the sustain-able entrepreneurship spirit. At the endofOctober2013, itwasorgan-ized a Training Course based on

sustainabledevelopmentviaoriga-mi in Lefkada. During this TrainingCoursetheparticipant’staskwastocollectnewentrepreneurialideasforfuture sustainablebusinesses.Aftertheyhadtheideatheyhadtorealizeit by technique origami technique,buildasceneforvisibleresultsandexhibit for the local community.Two participants from Romania,Czier Adam and Pap Eva madean origami scene about a Tour-ism Cluster of Lefkada. Their pro-ject idea is waiting to be realized.

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TouristClusterFromIdeaToBusinessCreation

A business cluster is a geographicconcentration of interconnectedbusinesses, suppliers, and asso-ciated institutions in a particular field, giving a decisive sustainablecompetitive advantage over otherplaces.Clustersareconsideredtoin-crease the productivity withwhichcompaniescancompete,nationallyand globally.Michael Porter claimsthat clusters have the potential toaffect competition in three ways:by increasing the productivity ofthe companies in the cluster, bydriving innovation in the field, andby stimulating new businesses inthe field. Inmodern economy, it isimportant for companies to makeproductive use of inputs, requiringcontinual innovation. The natureof a tourism cluster –comprised ofcultural and environmental attrac-tiveness of a place, its brand, ho-tel services and access to qualified

guides – help entrepreneurs to acttogether.Commonactioncanresultinenhancingtourists’enjoymentofstaying in a given area by offeringthemacomprehensivetouristoffer.[Source:Wikipedia] Their (business idea) pro-jectproposesthathotelsofLefkadashould form a Tourism cluster inorder so they can cooperate with eachotherinaninnovative,sustain-ableway.Theiraimistoencouragethe hotels of Lefkada to work to-gether. In thatway they could buyrawmaterials fromlocalbusinessesand farmers, thus supporting thelocal economy of Lefkada. Theycould also procure primarymateri-alsmuchcheaperbecausetheyareforming a larger entity (the largeris the request, the lower is price).Theycouldoffercheaperandaddi-tionalextraservicesforthetourists.

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“We present only a few ideas ofadditional services which shouldbe analyzed and extended basedon the clients’ needs, supportinglocal agricultures and wineries.Our ideas for a sustainable lo-cal tourism industry are to:- Establish a cooperative organi-zation, a cluster, where each ofthe entrepreneurs can only win. - Unite the hotels of Lefkada andmake them more competitive- Make “wine routes” and pro-mote them among tourists (vis-iting local wineries and organ-izing local wine tasting events)- Support local bio farms by buy-ing rawproducts from them;makeexcursionstolocalfarms,tastinglo-cal food, experience rural lifestyle- Organize bird and animal ob-serving days with environmen-tal protection experts and guides- Promote mind and body careservices (massage, yoga, medita-tion, Thai chi, acupuncture, etc.)- Offer boat rental with profes-sional guidance, having thepossibility for visiting the re-gion and sleeping on the boat”

Important point of view regardedtosustainabledevelopmentviaOri-gamiPossibilitiesofusingorigamiineverydaylifeinlinewiththesustain-able development’s principles, wewouldliketomakeaconnectionbe-tweentheideaofsustainableentre-preneurshipandorigamitechnique,whichismorethanjustpaperfolding.

TouristClusterFromIdeaToBusinessCreationTouristCluster`sbasicideas:

Linking Sustainable DevelopmentWithTheTechniqueOfOrigami

Social aspect: Children and YouthFromtheearlyfragileyearstheoriga-mishouldbetaughttochildren.Theorigamiteachesthemeye-handco-ordinationandhelpsthemdevelopahigherlevelofconcentration,tobeperseverant and creative. Ideas ap-pearfirstas thoughts, and throughthe colored papers these ideas can be materialized. Group work helpstothesocializationprocess,improv-ing thepersonalityandfinding theidentity of the person. Economicalaspect: Possibilities of the OrigamiArt in Businesses. Through the so-cial aspects presented above, theusefulness of this technique in theeconomicalfieldcouldalsobeiden-

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Ecologicalaspect:

tified.Thetechniqueofmakingori-gamiscenescouldbeveryusefultorecruitment companies. This couldbe an additional personality identi-fyingmethodand it couldbe inte-grated intotheirservices.Allof thepsychological aspects of a personcouldbeshownduringcreatinganorigami scene (especially in team-work).Thismethodcouldbeacom-pletion of the psychological testsand could be used as a final leveloffiltering.Thismethodcouldhelptoanalyze thecandidates’behaviorlike patience, cooperation, creativ-ity, communication, problem solv-ing and decision-making abilities.The team-work and individualwork’s inventiveness could also bemeasured. Inside companies theorigami technique could be usedinorder to shake together theem-ployees by team-buildings. Doingspecified origami scenes, the em-ployees can learn how to cooperate with each other and how to worktogether as a team. This shouldlead to widen their views. Therewillnotbe“I” intheteam,but“we”.Thus they could understand whyteamsareimportant,thebenefitsofteamwork andhow tobe an effec-tive and successful team. Workingin teams could enhance problemsolving abilities and creativity, also

http://www.everydaywisdom.com/origamiteaches-children.htmlTheEducationalBenefitsofOrigami,byGeorgeLevenson;http://home.earthlink.net/~robertcubie/origami/edu.html

Origamicouldmakeus“ThinkGreen”Themostimportantquestionalongthe social and economic aspect is“How to remain sustainable by be-ingecological?”Theanswerissimpleandyetitisdifficulttotheevery-dayconsuming people to learn not tousealloftherawmaterialsandnottowastesomuch.Whenpeopleuseorigami,ormakeanorigamiscene,their behavior while working on itreflectshowtheyare in real,every-daylife.Afterfinishingascenetheycan look back and be easily con-fronted with the quantity of thewaste(smallorlarge)thattheydid.This could be a good way to helpthemrealizehowecologictheythink,and by this their eco-friendly viewcould be widened and improved.

could help to learn responsibility.Origami could be a non-formaleducation that should contrib-ute to the companies’ efficien-cy and productivity, in this waythey could become sustainable.

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ThesustainableEntrepreneurshipisarelative-lynewphenomenon inour life.According totheprinciplesofsustainabilitythatwecansaythe creation of new projects/activities basedon the cohabitation of the social, ecologi-cal and economical growing and protection.