Between 14 and 20 November, millions of young people from some 123 different countries celebrated Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), an event that brought together innovators and job creators at networking gatherings and connected participants to potential collaborators. Now in its fourth year, the event gave some insight into the innovators ecosystem and took participants on a journey where inspiring entrepreneurs embraced originality and creativity through local and international activities. Bringing ideas to life, driving economic growth and expanding human welfare were the main targets.
With so many new jobs in entrepreneurial economies, it is hardly surprising that those who run the risk of being self-starters are seen as the way to reinvigorate economies by stimulating potential and new business formation. That is why GEW experience has grown exponentially since its initial start in 2008.
In Malta, The Edward de Bono Institute is the focal point for those who join this global celebration of enlightened initiatives. During one of the symposia – Entrepreneurship and Innovation – held at the University of Malta, a string of inspiring ideas just dropped into the lap of the local business community. The presentation featured six renowned speakers who shared their experiences of entrepreneurship and innovation with the audience.
Daniela Bagnaschi, Business Manager of Vodafone Malta, opened the evening with a talk on Strategic Innovation in the Telecommunications Industry. Through a visual-impacting presentation, Ms Bagnaschi made a case for discovering untapped markets and giving back to clients the good experiences that often had been disrupted by bad business models. With more than 11 years’ experience, this business manager attributed the key factor for Vodafone Malta’s success as being the strategy of supporting an innovative culture in a world where everything is changing very quickly. “Innovation for Vodafone is thinking differently every day to satisfy our customers.”
Of the same opinion was Malcolm J. Naudi, CEO of MJN Communications. Speaking on the subject Surviving and Growing Beyond Year 1, Mr Naudi enunciated the keynote requirements for success when running one’s own business. He encouraged the audience to look constantly for new businesses opportunities beyond our shores. “There is so much work overseas”, he pointed out. This tireless entrepreneur encouraged the audience to never give up. “Be passionate about what you do, reinvent your career and remain optimistic – even when the situation is not favourable”.
The strategist and academic Alex Grech presented We are everywhere, taking us on a personal journey to explore how we can rethink our relationship with social media, as technologies of life. Currently reading for a PhD focused on the disruptive potential of social media, Mr Grech emphasised the need for acquiring digital knowledge to use these free social media tools – which are available to anyone with access to the internet – correctly.
He concluded that an in-depth knowledge of IT can potentially empower us as citizens to take greater control over our lives, and participate in networks and communities of practice without geographic and political boundaries.
The creator of Smoochies Ltd, Sandra Zammit, brought a touch of colour to the hall, describing herself as a “crazy entrepreneur”. With a background in human resources management and public relations, both here and abroad, she decided to open Malta’s first and only fresh smoothie production and bottling business. The idea came to her suddenly in a very particular way: she had always been health conscious and after doing some research on the subject, she realised that Maltese people were among the most obese in the world: “Surprisingly, we are as fat as the Americans”, she said. So she took the decision to establish a fruit drink business to do her bit. Ms Zammit is totally engaged as the founder of Smoochies, and truly believes in the high quality of her products. This, together with a passion for developing new business, is the key factor behind her success. To cover Smoochies market, Ms Zammit spent time observing the exact habits of the Maltese and then produced the products that exactly fulfil these requirements.
Struggling with conformism, Ivan Bartolo founder and CEO of 6pm Holdings plc, took the stage to warn participants that Good is the enemy of Great. “Ninety per cent of people settle for good, not realising that what we have to do is become great”, he said. Mr Bartolo is of the opinion that training is the foremost way of achieving success because, in his opinion, “if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail”. He encouraged his listeners not to rely on luck or chance, but to rely on facts and work”.
The afternoon came to an end with a presentation by Leonie Baldacchino, lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation, who pointed out that the higher participation of Maltese entrepreneurs at this year’s conference was the way forward to give an insight into the support available and the skills required in today’s competitive world.
Nuria Garcia Reche is a Spanish journalist at the Foundation for Human Resources Development