Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Entrepreneurship Café



Long-awaited event, Entrepreneurship Café had taken place at 14:00 in one cozy room, predavalna 10 at the faculty of Economics. Since the meeting with YES Foundation (http://www.yesincubator.org.mk/EN/index.php) on 15th, everything had started moving energetically: promotion toward students, contacting brilliant businesswoman like Ana, creating workshops, etc. Every action I had taken would never ever be wasted, moreover, it seemed that those actions had contributed to running this café.

Here is the content of this Café:

1. Opening

2. Share Experience

3. Red & Black

4. Closing

1. Opening

This Café had started with brief introduction of five young businesswomen who had shared their precious time to attend this café, Balkan Entrepreneurship Initiative, and myself to set everyone’s background information at equal level.

2. Share Experience

Here comes the main theme for this café! As a normal university student, getting contact with entrepreneurs is way too difficult. Therefore, this ‘Sharing Experience’ provides those motivated students to be in close touch with businessman. I should say this idea was great. However, the only problem I faced was too short time for the students who were willing to absorb and express as many things as possible from the young businesswomen: they were fixed at their seat and entrepreneurs spending their only break for this café.

3. Red & Black

After interactive sharing, it was time for some activity. This business game called ‘Red & Black’ enables participants to reflect how important it is to cooperate to create win-win partnership. We met result that only one team has won, tricking others at the last moment, which contributed to developing the discussion taken afterwards.

4. Closing

I would like to appreciate once again to Ana, who have been supportive as to gather other business women and Jyldyz, who always encourages me to step forward.

Most of all, I thank participants who had went through this and hope they had grabbed some hints toward their success in their future.


Thursday, March 18, 2010

BEI Promotion

Balkan Entrepreneurship Initiative
Take a tour of our new blog: http://www.balcanentrepreneurshipinitative.com

Join our Facebook group:
Balcan Entrepreneurship Initiative-BEI

~Maiko Kojima
077-621-641
Post it on FB pages and blogs

Special Thanks to Jyldyz;D

Saturday, March 13, 2010

After my first workshop


Session 11.03.2010

Weather changes dramatically in Macedonia in March. It is a big surprise for me to see snow in middle of March… March is supposed to be spring! lol

Snow remaining in Skopje city, BEI had its first workshop done by its intern, which was me.

Workshop had started from setting expectations. Although they had no information about the project, each other, and me, they seemed to get the point and started working.

There were many expectations that I had not expected, such as encountering different opinions in the subject, to know Japanese mind-set on the topic, think outside of box and books (this is my favorite one!), etc.

As I read the individual expectations written by the students who had participated, I noticed that many of them are interested in starting business and moreover Japanese culture and business styles in Japan which I find it pleasure to share them!

The thing I was concerned most was ignorance, where nobody will be interested in the session or Japan. However, students who had participated were over my expectation: they showed favorable interest when I talk about entrepreneurs I had met in Japan before. These attitudes of participants’ made me relieved and motivated, as I had it in my mind that the impact I try to make on this project would be something that can be delivered only by me. In other words, I wanted to take part in this project in a way that can be influenced only by me. Therefore, the fact that the economic style and popular market in Macedonia and Japan are not so similar encouraged me to regain reason for taking this internship: we have lots of things we have to share that are not common to either of us.

However, I’m not satisfied at this workshop due to the feeling of lack: I couldn’t finish presentation and skipped some videos and slides for time was running out.

By next workshop, I would practice more and strive for better learning opportunity for those who are attending and myself.

13.03.2010

Saturday, March 6, 2010

What is BEI?

As I had talked in the previous post, I am now here in Skopje.

Why? ... To take INTERSHIP in Balcan Entrepreneurship Initiative!

Balcan Entrepreneurship Initiative, in short BEI, encourages young and ambitious students to capture the spirit of entrepreneurship. Through interesting sessions done by Macedonian companies they will obtain knowledge and skills of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. They will learn how to start their business and all the way to creating unique brands.

While basic knowledge will be provided by the company, workshops and simulations held by students in AIESEC and intern from other country - in this case, me!- who are studying entrepreneurship will sure to make participants well prepared to start their real business mentally and practically with some networks.

Indeed, it is not easy, motivating students in couple months.

However, after the session held today, I gained hope and confidence to achieve this goal.

Today, 06. 03, we had session delivered by Filip, the person who is in charge of BEI, which made us grab a tip of “entrepreneurship” through his workshop.

The most impressing thing about the session was that there are so many students who are skilled, motivated, and willing to start own business in their life.

With them, I am now convinced of accomplishing successful workshops thorough my internship and polishing each other – participating students, AIESEC members, and me – for more development.

I’m looking forward to the next session and meeting the students.

Special thanks to the students who participated, and Filip, our trustworthy leader.


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Who am I?



Hi, Zdravo, こんにちは

This is Maiko Kojima, a student who is taking internship in Skopje, Macedonia right now for BEI (Balcan Entrepreneurship Initiative).

Guess where I come from:D
Hints:
1. located in Asia
2. 10th largest population in the world
3. most popular transportation for commuting is by trains
4. famous for cartoons and animes
5. sushi

...yes, Japan!
i'm from Japan (exactly speaking, Saitama Prefecture which is the neighbor of Tokyo.)
I belong to Waseda Univesrity(http://www.waseda.jp/top/index-e.html) in Tokyo
and study political science and economics.

My country, Japan has one of the dense population, concentrated mostly in cities in Tokyo.
We usually commute to schools and workplaces by trains, which is why this strange and funny situation happens.
take a look at rush hour in Japan(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i97dPSFLHZo)

One of the most recognizable thing of Japan is its cartoons!!
Pokemons, NARUTO, Dragon Ball, ...etc.
Cartoons are sooo popular that there are over 50 magazines that are only composed of cartoons.

how many of you have tried sushi before?
sushi is Japanese traditional food which we shape rice in bite size and out cut raw fish on it.

anyways, Japan and Macedonia is quite apart from each other:
8 hour difference, over 24 hours via flight...
Well then, what am I doing here in Macedonia?
find out in the next post!