Success stories

New entrepreneur:
Katarzyna Szatańska (Poland)
Age: 30
Company name: (Start-up)
Sector of activity: Hotel, restaurant, tourism, travel services and wellness

Host entrepreneur:
Francesco Sanapo (Italy)
Age: 51
Company website (12 years of experience)
Sector of activity: Hotel, restaurant, tourism, travel services and wellness

This New entrepreneur is passionate about coffee. Katarzyna Szatańska graduated in Business and Management from the University of Warsaw where she learnt about opportunities and threats to entrepreneurs. For a long time she was thinking about running a small business to combine her work andinterests. Setting up a café seemed like the perfect solution for someone who did not enjoy working in corporations. So when she applied to the programme she expected to learn about the café and contribute to Poland’s dynamic and changing market thanks to the experience she would get.

Florence-based Francesco Sanapo, the self-declared "biggest coffee lover”, owner of "Ditta Artigianale” since 2013, was inspired by the third wave coffee movement to display coffee as an example of exquisite Italian craftsmanship. Francesco introduced the NE to the secrets of quality coffee, the aspects of stock and space management and marketing. Katarzyna worked with the HE to find new ways of promoting coffee on social media.

 

Katarzyna got to know the world of specialty coffee. The baristas taught her both the customer service and explained the basic principles of the cafes operation. After a few weeks she could share her impressions and what she would like to learn next. Baristas taught her how to brew coffee with alternative methods. She also started latte art training. She discovered the details of the work of a barista and learned how to organize work in a cafe.

 

For Katarzyna participating in the programme was a valuable lesson on how to deal with running a business in times as difficult as the global pandemic. The programme was a comprehensive course in running a business, building relationships with team members and learning about different roles in the organization. Starting with the basic tasks each month she was entrusted with more and more responsible roles. The program made it possible to establish many contacts. Above all a strong relationship was established with "Ditta Artigianale” and both sides see opportunities for future cooperation .The exchange with Francesco was a great adventure for Katarzyna.

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

New entrepreneur's contact point:
Polish Agency for Enterpise Development (Warsaw, Poland)

Host entrepreneur's contact point:
DARE FUTURO SOC COOP (Firenze, Italy)

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