Success stories

Visar Kukaqi always thought of turning his passion for photography and creativity into a business idea. He was always in a dilemma when it came to choosing gifts for his family members or friends, so he started thinking about how he could turn his photos into postcards, as capturing these moments would make people happy. Visar is from Gjakova, a town in Kosovo known for its long tradition in many areas of culture such as music, visual arts, literature, etc. It was the right time when he heard about the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs (EYE) programme to realise his idea. He discovered EYE and thought it was another interesting programme on his journey to becoming an entrepreneur. He was very motivated to meet a host in Europe and gain experience. He was also very interested in meeting new people and discovering new cultures. He was matched with a host entrepreneur in Greece, Mrs Evelina Bakinta, founder of Chic Greek Gifts in Crete.

During the exchange, Visar was welcomed by his host and introduced to the surroundings and the new country. He had the opportunity to interact and familiarise himself with everyday business tasks. He and his host carried out various activities such as designing and making handmade products, improving the business model and finding ways to respond to customers and their needs.

The programme offered Visar many opportunities, the most important being how to take the first steps towards running a business. Ms Bakinta's knowledge and years of experience further helped Visar in developing his business plan. Visar was also able to improve his new skills in arts and crafts. "I had the opportunity to learn more about art and crafts, which is my business idea. I was directly exposed to the work it takes to make handmade products and also graphic design, which helped me develop my design skills," says Visar. Most importantly, he has learnt about online marketing, which is very important for him as the first year of his business will focus on online sales. He recommends this programme to all his peers and interested entrepreneurs.