New entrepreneur:
Isabel Álvarez Serón (Spain)
Age: 32
Company name: Puliendo el Talento https://www.puliendoeltalento.com/ (Start-up)
Sector of activity: Education and training services

Host entrepreneur:
Liam Horan (Ireland)
Age: 48
Company name: Sli Nua Careers www.slinuacareers.com (15 years of experience)
Sector of activity: Education and training services

Rethinking business strategy to move forward

Isabel Álvarez is one of the EYE Entrepreneur of 2016 Awards in the New Entrepreneurs category. She was selected among six finalists. A well deserved reward as Isabel contribute highly to the local community in Zaragoza, Spain where she offers training and coaching to youngsters. 

After two years of running her company "Puliendo el Talento”- a career company for youngsters- Isabel Álvarez Serón, was stuck with her business and needed a new strategy to move forward. She thus applied for Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, where she got in touch with Irish Host Entrepreneur Liam Horan, CEO ofSli Nua. From the very first contact, these two entrepreneurs discovered a great connection in sharing their passions as coaches and trainers. 

During the exchange, Isabel learnt enormously on new training courses, one-to-one sessions with clients, sale visits and fairs. Liam taught Isabel how to communicate with clients, including dealing with the most difficult ones; how to choose the right objectives in order to keep the motivation always high; how to develop her own brand and how to choose the right employees. 

Yet, Isabel not only improved her managerial skills, she also regained enthusiasm and motivation on her profession which she thought she had lost. 

Furthermore, this experience was not a one-way exchange in which Isabel was the main beneficiary. On the contrary, Liam had the chance to rethink differently the work processes in his company, thanks to the innovative ideas and proposals of Isabel. Isabel’s different background and experience helped Liam in this process. 

As a result of the exchange, the two entrepreneurs continued to cooperate and months later they proudly announced the creation of YOCA Test (Young Career Test), an online questionnaire based on modern educational theories. Isabel, thanks to her entrepreneurial exchange with Liam, restructured her strategy and business model, bringing her company to increase profits of almost 50% one year after the exchange.

For more information, please contact the local contact points involved in the exchange:

New entrepreneur's contact point:
FUNDACIÓN SIENEVA (Granada, Spain)

Host entrepreneur's contact point:
Limerick Chamber of Commerce (Limerick, Ireland)

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