Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011: Practical Advice from Successful Romanian Entrepreneurs

On November 29, 2011, CIPE Regional Office Romania and the National School for Political and Administrative Studies (NSPAS) organized the seminar “Today’s Entrepreneurs for Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs. Practical Advice from Successful Romanian Entrepreneurs”.  The seminar was held at the NSPAS and welcomed undergraduate students who might be interested in becoming entrepreneurs at some point.

Around forty undergraduate students heard the stories of two very successful Romanian entrepreneurs, Ms. Diana Blinda (founder of Hansen Office Design, a luxury office furniture distribution chain) and Mr. Antonio Eram (founder of online payment service MobilPay.com and Netopia System, the leading SMS platform provider in Romania, that is currently also operating a branch in Silicon Valley). The guests offered their insights on entrepreneurship and the challenges of starting a business in Romania from a very matter-of-fact perspective. Also, each guest shared their views on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

Based on his own experience, Antonio Eram argued that one cannot be a successful entrepreneur without any basic knowledge of accounting, PR, HR, etc. Once unfamiliar with either of these subjects, he needed to absorb as much information as possible about all of these in a very short time in order to be able to handle to complex challenges of owning a business. He also emphasized the importance of being original, passionate about one’s idea, and eager to communicate and network with as many people as possible, even in apparently unpromising circumstances. To support his advice, Eram remembered how he managed to finally land a contract he had been pursuing for six months by accidentally networking with a sales assistant in a Silicon Valley coffee shop. 

Eram also mentioned some limiting beliefs that Romanians of all ages often hold: that it was easier to open a business some years ago than it is nowadays, that one needs money, connections and luck in order to succeed, etc. Eram dismissed all of these, arguing that the only thing one needs is abnegation and a strong passion that one should follow no matter what. He exemplified the extent to which passion can lead one to success by referring to the evolution of electronic games from a mere hobby to an actual sport and, subsequently, to one of the most productive types of business in countries such as South Korea, where revenues from electronic games currently account for 2% of the country’s GDP.

Diana Blînda also highlighted the importance of being passionate about one’s idea, as her successful office furniture business emerged from a passion that she and her husband discovered in the process of exploring various business ideas.  She also dismissed the idea of needing a lot of money in order to open a business, recalling how, back in 2004, at the age of 37, she borrowed money from her parents in order to set up her own business. As a former top executive recruitment consultant, Blînda emphasized the crucial importance of building a strong network – in fact, she credits Linkedin with her success at saving her business some years ago, when prospects for survival were very dim. She also mentioned that experience in management and a keen survival instinct are needed and, contrary to Mr. Eram, she also included luck on the list of attributes needed to succeed in business.

Interestingly enough, both speakers argued that business plans are overrated and that aspiring entrepreneurs waste too much time working on plans that most often prove too inflexible and unrealistic when set against the ever-changing and unpredictable trajectory of day to day businesses. Both also emphasized the need for a strong belief in one’s idea and the importance of passionately pursuing one’s goals.  Finally, both speakers expressed their willingness to further respond to inquiries, even after the end of the session. The stories were so captivating that some students even approached the two speakers not only with additional questions and requests for advice, but also with job inquiries.

With an audience so enthusiastic about the event, one can only conclude that such events should become a routine in the academic years of tomorrow’s potential entrepreneurs. As Mr. Eram pointed out, it is a shame that previous generations never had the chance of getting advice and guidance from experienced entrepreneurs, therefore, today’s youth should be given this opportunity whenever possible.

The event ended with a most interesting and encouraging conclusion, based on the two speakers’ experience and advice: if there is one thing that should make aspiring entrepreneurs more confident in their prospects for success it should be the belief that one can succeed in business, irrespective of any apparent obstacles, as long as one is driven by passion and ambition.

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