Success stories

My name is Martina Burtscher and I’m an impact branding consultant from Austria. After studying Corporate Communications and International Development, I’ve been working in the fields of branding impact, entrepreneurship, community management and social innovation. As I noticed that many purpose-driven businesses struggle to communicate their impact, I was driven to develop my own ‘Impact Branding Methodology’, finding an ‘easier’ way to measure manage and communicate impact. I decided to participate in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme to gain valuable experience and skills that would allow me to accelerate my entrepreneurial journey. 

In September 2023 I headed to Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, to collaborate with Carlos Jonay Suárez, who is an expert in digital strategy and co-founder of Pueblos Remotos, a social business dedicated to generating social impact in rural areas. The goal of my EYE exchange was to develop and test my ‘Impact Branding Methodology’ and to get ready to start my new business. Over  six months, I guided Pueblos Remotos through an impact branding process, refining their vision mission and purpose, developing a Theory of Change and setting up systems on how to measure their impact. Finally, the results were visualised in an extensive Impact Report, which I can also use as a reference for future clients.

I also had the opportunity to participate in the final edition of ‘The Break’, reporting about the programme through social media, blog articles, and videos and extending my network. Furthermore, Carlos gave me regular training sessions and insights into their business, sharing strategies and tools and supporting me to improve my visibility. Last but not least, I had the chance to improve my Spanish skills and extend my network in the social impact scene in the Canary Islands. Overall, the exchange was a great mutual learning experience and I now feel ready to offer my services in Impact Branding to new clients. Also, Carlos and I plan to collaborate in the future. I would definitely recommend the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme to anyone who wants to improve their business while gaining valuable learnings and establishing new contacts in another European country.