Again the Mentorship Café proved its success in evoking open and dynamic discussions between mentors and participants. Six round tables, plenty of questions, ideas, experiences to share over the 6 different topics:

• Launching an internet-based business
• Developing a winning business plan
• Entrepreneurial marketing & challenges of high-tech start-up
• Finance, legal & taxes, accounting and admin ropes
• Social entrepreneurship – creating sustainable business models
• The journey to a social business project

The event started with a visual presentation about the technology used in the elaboration of high-quality hand-made guitars by the company JMC Lutherie. Music, quality, style - a perfect tonus to welcome all participants and to mark the beginning of the inspiring group discussions.
 
Our mentors were ladies with outstanding experience in managing own businesses and helping other’s businesses. There were also real examples of how to be a good manager combining mothers and family duties. Especially in hard time, the support of the closest ones is fundamental. Their presence brings later the complete satisfaction from achieving the business goals.
 
The participants found many answers in building-up the big and complex picture of how to become a successful entrepreneur. Many noted the extremely positive effect of exchanging knowledge. Apparently, sometimes the inner criticism and desire to be perfect, prevents from seeing that the preparation is completed and the launch should be done.
 
The confidence was a feeling, which reigned over the hall. The motivation multiplied and it turned into inspiration of seeing the business plans becoming a reality. To believe in the own idea and to know how successfully to move resources between the different milestones of the projects, are the main flavors of one great realization.
 
Here came the positive energy of breaking the limitations of the unknown and the questionable and opening the mind for being creative and move to action.
 
A passionate discussion followed in the after event cocktail. We left with a good reserve of courage, knowing better how to prioritize, organize, build models, delegate and express ourselves in the challenging role of being a successful entrepreneur.
 
by Nasya Dimitrova