The secret of success 2012-13 : European SMEs as international champions.
Date: 2012-07-16
Institutions: Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry
Subjects: competitiveness, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, export, small and medium-sized enterprises

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The Secret of Success

2012-13

European SMEs  
as International  
Champions

http://ec.europa.eu/sme-week

Enterprise and 
Industry

Neither  the  European  Commission  nor  any  person  acting  on  its  behalf 
may  be  held  responsible  for  the  use  to  which  information  contained  in 
this publication may be put, nor for any errors which may appear despite 
careful  preparation  and  checking.  This  publication  does  not  necessarily 
reﬂect the view or the position of the European Commission. 

Luxembourg: Publications Oﬃce of the European Union, 2012

Front cover images: photo of Dutch entrepreneur with crane 
© Photographer Job Boersma

ISBN 978-92-79-24916-7
DOI 10.2769/36687

© European Union, 2012
Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged,
save where otherwise stated.
For use/reproduction of third-party copyright material speciﬁed as such
permission must be obtained from the copyright holder(s).

This publication is ﬁnanced under the Competitiveness and Innovation
Framework Programme which aims to encourage the competitiveness
of European enterprises.

 
Foreword to 2012-13  
Secret of Success 

Welcome to the 2012-13 edition of the ‘Secret of Success’! The inspirational 
entrepreneurs in this year’s Secret of Success brochure prove that you do not 
have to start big to have a big impact. They are all small and medium-sized 
enterprises (SMEs) who have made a ‘big splash’ in developing international 
business – they are truly our ‘international champions’!

International success is within the reach of SMEs and it is strategically more 
important than ever that even small businesses consider going international. 
Businesses  which  take  on  the  challenge  of  looking  beyond  the  immediate 
horizon  to  pursue  international  opportunities  are  more  competitive,  more 
innovative, and these qualities can become a virtuous circle, leading to ever 
greater success.

We are at a point in history when the pursuit of growth opportunities must lead 
us to look beyond our traditional markets and local areas for collaboration. The 
highest growth rates may be in areas we have not looked to before, but they 
are  not  beyond  our  reach.  Ever-advancing  and  more  aﬀordable  technology 
means  that  designers,  managers,  marketing  experts,  and  sales  people  can 
collaborate in new ways to develop business potential and to serve markets 
and customers around the world, even if they are distant from each other and 
may not even share a common home base.

These developments mean that internationalisation represents a great source 
of  untapped  potential  for  our  small  and  medium-sized  businesses.  So  far 
only one-quarter of European SMEs export beyond the borders of their home 
country and even fewer – some 13% – export outside Europe.

This  is  an  important  reminder  that,  at  the  end  of  this  year,  we  can  celebrate 
20 years of the Single Market. The li(cid:3)ing of physical border and customs controls 
between EU countries that occurred on 1 January 1993 has created the world’s 
largest  integrated  market,  with  more  opportunities  for  European  companies. 
It has contributed to up to 3 million additional jobs in Europe since 1993.

But fragmentation of national markets still 
exists;  here  too  there  is  a  lot  of  untapped 
growth  potential.  For  instance,  the  single 
market  is  not  yet  complete  for  on-line 
commerce  and  many  service  providers 
encounter obstacles and bureaucracy when 
trying to expand beyond their home country.

The  single  market  oﬀers  a  good  platform  for  European  companies  to 
internationalise.  Common  standards  across  Europe  create  opportunities  to 
enter other national markets and to become more global companies. 

I am also pleased and proud to note that this year’s edition of the ‘Secret of 
Success’  proﬁles  an  increasing  number  of  successful  women  entrepreneurs. 
The potential for women entrepreneurs in Europe and world-wide also remains 
to be fully realised and to be oﬀered the fullest chance at success. The women 
entrepreneurs proﬁle here show what can be done.

The twentieth anniversary of the single market is not just an occasion to look 
back at what we achieved. There remains a lot of work to be done – for men 
and women, young and old entrepreneurs, at home in Europe and further aﬁeld. 
I hope this brochure oﬀers you inspiration as we tackle these challenges together.

Antonio Tajani 
Vice-President of the European Commission, 
Responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship

 
 
Table of Contents

Majlinda Angoni 
Venice Art SH.P.K 

Eveline Pupeter-Fellner & Albert Fellner 
Emporia Telecom Produktions- 
und Vertriebs GesmbH & CoKG 

Thierry Vandererfven 
Belberry Preserves bvba 

Ivaylo Penkov 
Ikarov L.P. 

Dinos Antoniou 
Globalserve Consultants Ltd & 
Dinos Antoniou and Co. 

Karel Plotěný 
ASIO, Spol. s.r.o. 

Joachim Krüger 
Solarlite GmbH 

Anne-Mette Elsborg  
PJ Diesel Engineering A/S 

Tõnis Liivamägi 
LCDVF OÜ 

Juan Imedio 
Salto Systems 

Minna Parikka 
Minna Parikka Shoes 

Anne Midavaine 
Atelier Midavaine 

4

6

8

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20

22

24

26

Iskra Vetadzokoska-Mucunska 
Vitalia Nikola d.o.o 

Polymnia Alexiadou 
Paxil 

Vjekoslav Majetić 
DOK-ING Llc 

Tibor Balogh 
Holograﬁka K(cid:3). 

Liam Ryan 
BMS Ireland 

Dr. Sobhi Basheer 
TransBioDiesel Ltd. 

Vilborg Einarsdottir 
InfoMentor 

Caterina Lucchi 
Campomaggi & Caterina Lucchi s.r.l 

Reinhard Braun 
Pantec AG 

Andrius Rupšys 
Ruptela, UAB 

Michèle Detaille 
Codiprolux 

Juris Zariņš 
JZ Microphones 

Jovan Jovetić 
Montcarton d.o.o. Podgorica 

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42

44

46

48

50

52

Alex Scicluna 
Jubilee Group of Companies 

54

Thecla Bodewes 
Shipyards Bodewes & Shipyard De Kaap  56

Gry Cecilie Sydhagen 
Metizo(cid:3) AS 

Roman Martyna 
Laboratorium “LRM” 

Puriﬁcação Tavares 
CGC Genetics 

Ingrid Vlasov 
SC Ingrid Vlasov SRL 

Slobodan Raketić 
Elex Commerce 

Kersti Kempe 
Popomax AB 

Petra Marko 
ExtravaDansa 

Rok Uršič 
Instrumentation Technologies, d.d 

Dr. Mevlüt Büyükhelvacigil 
Helvacizade Food, Pharma  
and Chemistry Inc 

Rami Ranger 
Sun Mark Ltd. 

Develop Your Own Business Idea 

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79

4

Majlinda Angoni

Company name: Venice Art SH.P.K
Products/Services: Production and export of 
Venetian masks and handicra(cid:6)
Start-up year: 1997
Number of employees: 96
Key markets: Italy, USA, Australia, France, UAE

majlindangoni@yahoo.it
www.veniceartshkoder.com
Shkoder, Albania

“Work as hard as possible  
to ensure the quality”

When the Angoni family le(cid:3) Albania for Italy, they always had the 
intention  of  eventually  returning  home  to  start  a  business.  The 
seeds were sown when, while in Italy, they developed a passion for 
Venetian masks.

This inspired Majlinda Angoni to establish the Venice Art company 
in 1997. She initially faced obstacles including a lack of knowledge 
of the tools and processes needed to create the masks, as well as 
of the marketplace for such products. Once she had acquired this 
knowledge, Majlinda had to train the ﬁrm’s recruits herself.

Thanks to Majlinda’s hard work these barriers were overcome and 
Venice  Art,  which  started  with  just  four  employees,  now  has  96. 
It  manufactures  over  24,000  Venetian  masks  a  year,  as  well  as 
Venetian costumes. These are exported to 15 countries and sold 
in the six Venice Art shops, of which one is in Venice and another 
is in Las Vegas. The company organises balls at which its products 
are showcased and a claim to fame is that Venice Art masks were 
worn by Tom Cruise in the ﬁlm Eyes Wide Shut. Aside from passion 
and  dedication  Majlinda  puts  the  company’s  success  down  to 
keeping a close eye on the market and staying one step ahead of 
the competition.

My motto...

…is that, as Walt Disney said: “if you can dream it, you can do it”.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
considering international expansion?

If they want to compete, they must work as hard as possible 
to ensure the quality of their product, a wide variety of 
products and a product that the market will be interested in.

What is the speciﬁc quality that distinguishes 
your product from its competitors?

The entire product is handmade and of high quality. We oﬀer 
ﬂexibility, a variety of models, quick delivery and a wealth of 
experience within our company.

Your biggest achievement or something you are 
proud of...

…is our position as a leader in the mask production market in 
Venice itself, the birthplace of masks.

5

And you, how would you generate a 
business idea and start a new business?

6

Eveline Pupeter-Fellner  
& Albert Fellner

Name of company: Emporia Telecom Produktions- 
und Vertriebs GesmbH & CoKG
Products/Services: Easy-to-use mobile phone 
handsets
Start-up date: 1991
Number of employees: 130
Key markets: Austria, Germany, UK, Poland, Italy

oﬃce@emporia.at
www.emporia.eu
Industriezeile 36, 4020 Linz, Austria

“Everything starts  
with a good idea”

When Albert Fellner’s mother found it diﬃcult to make and receive 
calls on her mobile phone, her engineer son designed an easy-to-
use handset to meet the speciﬁc needs of senior citizens. It was 
emporia  Telecom’s  commercial  success  in  Austria  that  took  the 
family company onto an international level.

Albert  sought  the  very  best  business  partners  in  order  to  gain 
a  foothold  in  unfamiliar  overseas  markets.  For  example,  an 
agreement  drawn  up  with  the  mobile  phone  giant  T-Mobile  has 
minimised the risk of doing business in countries outside Austria. 
The company is now listed in T-Mobile’s portfolio as well as those 
of other global telecommunications operators such as Vodafone. 
In 2011, it also won a gold standard “iF” prize, an internationally-
renowned German award for innovative product design. 

Funding from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) has 
been  instrumental  in  the  company’s  development.  Support  from 
the Economic Chambers of Austria has also had a vital role to play. 

7

What were the biggest challenges you faced 
when doing business abroad? 

We had to understand what was important for each country 
and make sure products and services were relevant to local 
markets.

What would your advice be to entrepreneurs who 
have their sights set on international expansion?

Everything starts with a good product or an idea. A strong home 
base is vital, but you need to be bold. An understanding of the 
local consumer market is also essential, as is having the right 
structures and a growth-oriented planning schedule in place.  

What is the best thing about expanding overseas?

Your company assimilates fresh ideas and trends. It also 
makes it more receptive to new developments and prepares 
the ground for moving onwards and upwards. 

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

…they are the motors of innovation. Big companies are o(cid:3)en 
rather slow in taking decisions, whereas entrepreneurs act 
more quickly. 

What could one learn from 
this entrepreneur?

8

Thierry  
Vandererfven

Company name: Belberry Preserves bvba
Products/Services: Food processing
Start-up year: 2006
Number of employees: 4
Key markets: USA, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, 
Spain

info@belberry.com
www.belberry.com
Doenaertstraat 11, 8500 Kortrijk, Belgium

“With internet and online banking, there are  
no real obstacles to international business”

9

Thierry  Vandererfven  started  his  ﬁrst  business,  a  small  grocery 
store in Kortrijk, Belgium aged just 21 in 1990 and began producing 
jam  and  preserves  from  a  traditional  recipe  to  sell  in  the  store. 
The product was so popular that Thierry decided to sell it to other 
shops in the neighbourhood, and in 2005, he established Belberry 
Preserves. 

A  new  production  plant  was  built  and  national  and  international 
distribution  channels  were  established  with  wholesalers  and 
importers.  The  Belberry  range  also  expanded  to  include  such 
products as fruit syrups, sauces and vinegars.

The  company’s  international  expansion  has  proved  successful. 
Belberry  products  are  on  the  market  in  30  countries  and  half  of 
the company’s turnover comes from business outside of Belgium. 
It has been supported in this by the Flanders Investment and Trade 
agency which has enabled Belberry to participate in international 
food fairs and undertake business trips abroad, as well as providing 
information  on  target  markets.  Thierry  is  pleased  with  the  ﬁrm’s 
evolution and he cites the opening of a Belberry brand store in one 
of Tokyo’s most prestigious malls as a particular source of pride.

What were your biggest obstacles and challenges 
when doing business abroad?

With internet and online banking, there are no real obstacles 
to international business. My big challenge is to sell our 
products in the ﬁnest gourmet stores worldwide.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
considering international expansion?

Get well informed from your chamber of commerce, your 
national export department and your bank. They can give you 
information to avoid problems with administration and local 
laws. Don’t be afraid to ask other business people for advice.

What do you consider to be the best way to do 
business abroad?

Participate in major exhibitions and trade fairs. You can ﬁnd a lot 
of potential customers and see what your competitors are doing.

What is the speciﬁc quality that distinguishes 
your products from its competitors?

The quality of our range, the presentation and positioning of 
our products are very important. We have to be in the best 
gourmet stores and deli shops.

What has inspired you when reading 
this entrepreneur’s proﬁle?

10

Ivaylo Penkov

Company name: Ikarov L.P.
Products/Services: Cosmetics
Start-up year: 1993
Number of employees: 15
Key markets: Latvia, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Russia

oﬃce@ikarov.eu
www.ikarov.eu
Bratya Tarnevi Str. 29, 4003 Plovdiv, Bulgaria

“Give your customers more than they expect”

11

Ivaylo Penkov had a strong ambition to develop natural products for 
women with sensitive skin. This, allied to his expertise in adapting 
plant  products  for  human  use,  was  the  driving  force  behind  the 
creation of his cosmetics company, Ikarov, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

The company uses old-fashioned recipes to make cosmetics with 
skin-soothing  and  health-giving  properties  using  only  natural 
ingredients. 

What challenges did you face in doing business 
overseas?

As a small, unknown company in Eastern Europe, we had to 
gain the conﬁdence to develop and distribute products based 
on recipes retrieved from pharmacology books.

What is the secret to doing well overseas?

It strives to keep its prices low without compromising on quality. In 
developing his customer base, Ivaylo capitalised on the trend away 
from chemically-based products linked with allergies.

Oﬀer maximum quality at a minimum price, make sure your 
products stand out, be demanding and convey that in buying 
your product, consumers are oﬀering themselves a gi(cid:3).

In  the  early  stages  of  its  expansion,  Ikarov’s  sales  in  other  EU 
countries were facilitated by advice on European directives from the 
Bulgarian Cosmetic Association. Further assistance came through 
harmonisation of Bulgarian cosmetics legislation with that of the 
EU prior to the country’s entry into the Union in 2007. In Ivaylo’s 
view,  the  best  thing  about  being  an  entrepreneur  is  developing 
something from nothing and seeing the whole of society beneﬁt 
from one’s own ideas.

What advice would you give to other 
entrepreneurs seeking new markets?

Find a reliable and respected partner who is familiar with 
all aspects of local markets and who can sell your products 
conﬁdently.

Could you build a new business idea 
based on this entrepreneur’s enterprise?

What has been the best thing about expanding 
overseas?

Ikarov L.P. is the ﬁrst East European company to manufacture 
natural cosmetics. We have been able to oﬀer a new niche in 
the market to our business partners and consumers alike.

Why are entrepreneurs important to society as a 
whole?

They provide new opportunities and jobs whilst shouldering risks.

12

Dinos Antoniou

Company name: Globalserve Consultants Ltd & 
Dinos Antoniou and Co.
Products/Services: Corporate, ﬁduciary, accounting 
and auditing services
Start-up year: 1994
Number of employees: 45
Key markets: Russia, Israel, Ukraine, Romania, UK

dinosant@cytanet.com.cy
www.dinoscpa.com and www.globalserve.com.cy
Vasili Michaelides 9, 3026 Limassol, Cyprus

“A portfolio of clients helps to diversify risk”

13

Dinos  Antoniou  le(cid:3)  his  small  Cypriot  village  to  obtain  university 
degrees in Greece and the USA, working as a waiter and a butcher 
to help ﬁnance his studies. Returning to Cyprus, he worked in an 
international auditing ﬁrm and then a commercial bank, where a 
postponed promotion in 1994 gave him the impetus to start a ﬁrm 
under his own name oﬀering accounting and auditing services.

Coming  from  an  island,  Dinos  decided  he  had  to  look  abroad 
for  opportunities,  ﬁrst  establishing  an  oﬃce  in  Greece  and  then 
expanding  into  Eastern  Europe.  This  required  hard  work  and 
constant  travel,  while  at  the  same  time,  Dinos  had  to  come  up 
with new products and ways of promoting his business.

His  eﬀorts  paid  oﬀ  as  in  2004,  Dinos  expanded  into  the  area 
of  corporate  services,  founding  Globalserve  Consultants.  His 
companies now do business in 29 countries and their international 
activity  is  the  source  of  85%  of  their  turnover.  Both  companies 
continue to expand, even in the current ﬁnancial climate, breaking 
through in new markets and introducing new products and services. 

What were your biggest obstacles and challenges 
when doing business abroad?

Building trust is a challenge and the biggest obstacle 
is understanding cultural diﬀerences and establishing 
communication. By respecting clients and being sincere, 
accessible, friendly and professional you gain their trust.

What is the best way to do business abroad?

Communication has become faster with email but this has 
reduced personal contact with clients. The best way to engage 
is face to face.

What was the best thing about expanding 
abroad?

While the worldwide crisis has stricken speciﬁc markets, 
a portfolio of international clients helps to diversify risk. At the 
same time we must be alert and adjust our organisation, 
product mix and marketing methods to the changing needs 
of the market.

What speciﬁc quality distinguishes your services 
from its competitors?

We oﬀer value for money. We strive to provide fast and 
accurate service while monitoring market trends and oﬀering 
new products.

Why do you think this entrepreneur 
has been internationally successful?

14

Karel Plotěný

Company name: ASIO, Spol. s.r.o. 
Products/Services: Treatment of wastewater, 
water and air
Start-up year: 1993
Number of employees: 58
Key markets: Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, 
Romania 

ploteny@asio.cz
www.asio.cz
Spáčilka 83, 664 51, Jiříkovice, Czech Republic

“Have the desire to succeed  
and gain knowledge”

15

Set  up  by  a  civil  engineer,  Karel  Plotěný,  ASIO  produces 
technologies  for  waste  water  treatment  and  water  and  air 
treatment. Its customers in 32 countries range from households 
to large industries. Karel credits two people as being instrumental 
in setting up the company: his university professor, Mr Rozkydalek 
and Mr Kopčaj, author of a book on spiral management theory.

In order to expand abroad, language barriers had to be overcome 
and Karel is particularly proud of having held the company research 
and development department’s ﬁrst-ever meeting in English. Other 
hurdles included a generalised mistrust in Austria of competitors 
from  Eastern  Europe  and  strict  export  regulations.  For  exports 
of  certain  products  to  Germany  and  France,  special  licences  are 
required and exacting standards have to be met.

The  company  has  overcome  these  barriers  to  acquire  a  strong 
international  presence  with  subsidiary  companies  in  six  countries. 
However, ASIO’s biggest achievement to date has been the delivery 
of waste water treatment technologies to Germany, Romania and 
the  Baltic  states.  Karel  believes  that  constant  innovation  and  a 
customer-friendly attitude are important to any company’s success.

What were the biggest challenges and obstacles 
you faced in doing business overseas?

A big challenge was the need to overcome language barriers 
and to generally improve the standard of English throughout 
the company. Likewise, we also needed to demonstrate that 
we could do business in other countries and to see how we 
could get the most beneﬁt from opportunities for synergies. 

What would your advice be to fellow 
entrepreneurs who are seeking to expand 
overseas?

It’s important to have an interesting product, recruit motivated 
and loyal people and invest.

What is the best way to do business overseas?

Tailor your strategy to your products and to the individual 
customer. In some countries, we have set up manufacturing 
operations; in others we only have dealers.

And the best thing about moving into overseas 
markets…?

…the best thing about our international expansion has been the 
opportunity it has given me to recruit and motivate loyal people.

If you joined this entrepreneur, what 
could you contribute to his business?

16

Joachim Krüger

Company name: Solarlite GmbH
Products/Services: Renewable energy 
Start-up date: 2007 
Number of Employees: 180 in Germany and 
Thailand
Key markets: Thailand, China, Germany, Belgium, 
Spain

info@solarlite.de
www.solarlite.de
Schloss Duckwitz, 17179 Duckwitz, Germany

“Have empathy with foreign cultures and put time 
and eﬀort into understanding those diﬀerences”

17

Joachim Krüger’s inspiration to set up his Solarlite renewable energy 
company  came  at  Naresuan  University’s  School  of  Renewable 
Energy  and  Technology  in  Thailand.  It  was  there  that  he  worked 
out how a parabolic trough (a type of solar energy collector) from 
composite  materials  could  be  made  to  work.  Over  the  last  ﬁve 
years, Joachim has put his business know-how and the technical 
knowledge  acquired  from  his  PhD  on  parabolic  trough  plants  to 
good use in building up his company.

Southeast  Asia  is  a  key  market  for  Solarlite’s  solar  energy 
installations  but  adapting  the  technology  to  the  needs  of  that 
market  is  a  challenge.  To  this  end,  Joachim  has  increased  the 
locally-sourced  material  which  goes  into  the  ﬁnal  product  so  as 
to cut costs and make the devices more aﬀordable. Introduction 
of a feed-in tariﬀ for small energy producers in Thailand has also 
helped in this regard.

A  highly-motivated  international  team  has  played  a  big  part 
in  Solarlite’s  growth.  One  of  its  main  successes  to  date  is  the 
construction of solar thermal parabolic trough power plants based 
on  direct  steam  generation.  Solarlite  is  the  only  company  in  the 
world to have developed this method of power generation.

Do you have any advice for entrepreneurs who 
are considering overseas expansion?

Initially focus on one target market; try to thoroughly 
understand it and then replicate the concept in other parts of 
the world. Deﬁne your criteria when you’re deciding on where 
to expand and move forward carefully, but not at any cost.

What are your secrets for expanding overseas?

It is important to have empathy with foreign cultures and put 
time and eﬀort into understanding those diﬀerences. 

What has the best thing been about expanding 
overseas?

Constant and dynamic growth. It has resulted in the company 
gaining international recognition and winning several 
competitive awards. 

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is…

…to develop products and processes which provide answers to 
society’s greatest challenges such as climate change. 

And you, how would you generate a 
business idea and start a new business?

18

Anne-Mette Elsborg 

Company name: PJ Diesel Engineering A/S
Products/Services: Reconditioning and 
manufacturing of fuel equipment and 
turbocharger parts 
Start-up year: 1979
Number of employees: 45
Key markets: UK

ame@pjdiesel.dk 
www.pjdiesel.com
Skudehavnsvej 14, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

“Develop good co-operation  
with local businesses”

19

The  oil  crisis  of  the  1970s,  allied  to  a  prevailing  tendency  to 
simply  scrap  old  engines,  gave  Anne-Mette  Elsborg  the  idea  of 
reconditioning  and  recycling  used  engine  components  in  such 
a  way  as  to  increase  fuel  eﬃciency.  Building  on  her  passion  for 
marine  engineering  and  professional  experience  on  board  ships, 
she decided to set up PJ Diesel Engineering in 1979.

The  company  reconditions  and  manufactures  fuel  equipment 
and  turbocharger  parts  for  the  shipping  industry.  It  also  provides 
emission and performance monitoring systems and technical advice. 
Over  the  years,  PJ  Diesel  has  fostered  a  strong  relationship  with 
clients. This has led to the development of a coordinated equipment 
maintenance programme, which includes provision of training. 

Constant  innovation  and  creativity  has  been  a  key  part  of  PJ 
Diesel’s success. For example, the company has recently adapted 
its  electronic  indication  and  emission  monitoring  systems  to 
incorporate the very latest technology. Anne-Mette has also been 
recognised by her peers. She received the 2009 Danish network of 
female company owners’ Inspiration Award and the 2011 Danish 
Career Prize by WOW Exenet, a women’s professional forum.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
who are considering international expansion?

I would recommend becoming part of a global network. 

What is the best way of doing business overseas? 

I would say that the most important thing is to develop good 
co-operation with local businesses.

What has been the best thing about expanding 
your business overseas?

Through our global producer and service network, we are able 
to supply the maritime industry worldwide.

Your biggest achievement or something you are 
proud of

What could one learn from 
this entrepreneur?

Having helped to create a growing business which has not 
been negatively aﬀected by the global ﬁnancial crisis thanks 
to the importance we place on sustainability throughout the 
company.

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

They are passionate about innovation. Small companies 
develop niches in markets, especially during the start-up phase. 
At a later stage, larger companies can come in to either invest 
in a small company, or purchase a business concept.  

20

Tõnis Liivamägi

Company name: LCDVF OÜ
Products/Services: Production of audiovisual 
accessories
Start-up date: 2009
Number of employees: 7
Key markets: USA, UK, Germany, France, Norway

tonis@kinotehnik.com
www.kinotehnik.com
Narva mnt. 101-210, Tartu 51008, Estonia

“Generate global interest on the internet”

21

For as long as he can remember, Tõnis Liivamägi has been making 
and repairing objects. This led him to design, develop and market 
a  simple  camera  viewing  aid  to  improve  use  of  video  functions. 
Known as the LCDVF, the device is now sold in 41 countries.

Awards for the LCDVF and positive press coverage generated a lot 
of interest in the product. The company Tõnis established, LCDVF 
OÜ,  has  received  support  for  future  product  development  from 
the European Social Fund and the “Enterprise Estonia” scheme. “At 
LCDVF OÜ, we design and manufacture products ourselves. I want 
them  to  be  of  highest    quality  and  last  for  a  long  time.  I  don’t 
believe in marketing that covers up ﬂaws and sells features that 
don’t really work properly,” says Tõnis. 

The LCDVF turns a video-enabled digital single-lens reﬂex into a 
hand-held  camera.  “For  photographers,  it’s  like  seeing  a  42  inch 
screen from 140 cm,” explains Tõnis. The product has caught on 
to such an extent that LCDVF has now become an acronym in the 
English language. 

What were your biggest challenges you faced in 
doing business overseas?

We had to overcome payment processing diﬃculties with our 
online sales. A reliable international payment provider for 
Estonian companies doesn’t really exist.

What is your advice to those seeking to expand 
sales overseas?

Try to make a 50% proﬁt on your prices and ﬁnd distributors 
who can sell your products. Also sell directly through your 
website as receiving international payments will keep prices at 
the same level around the world.  

What is the best way of doing business overseas?

Generate global interest on the internet. Locate trend-setters 
and opinion-formers in the countries where you want to 
develop markets and let them review your product on the 
internet in their native languages. This brings down language 
barriers and buyers will come knocking at your door.

What has inspired you when reading 
this entrepreneur’s proﬁle?

22

Juan Imedio

Company name: Salto Systems
Products/Services: Electronic locking systems
Start-up year: 2000
Number of employees: 200
Key markets: UK, Austria, USA, The Netherlands, 
Denmark

info@saltosystems.com
www.saltosystems.com
C/Arkotz 9 Pol. Lanbarren, 20180 Oiartzun, Spain

“Nurture your company’s development”

23

In  2000,  telecommunications  engineer  Juan  Imedio  formed  Salto 
Systems with four other entrepreneurs to develop a new electronic 
locking system. His company’s product stands out from those of its 
competitors as thanks to its state-of-the-art technology, lock user 
information can be updated throughout any building without having 
to visit the premises. This is done by means of a user card which 
automatically updates the data of every lock in a given building.

The Basque regional government gave Salto Systems an interest-
free  long-term  loan  to  assist  its  start-up,  allowing  the  company 
to  invest  in  new  equipment.  A  further  interest-free  loan  from  the 
Spanish Centre for Development of Industrial Technology helped the 
company with research and development and related expenses.

To  date,  Salto  Systems  has  created  200  jobs  and  has  stimulated 
indirect employment on an equal scale. Over one million locks have 
been manufactured thus far. As a measure of the company’s success, 
its systems are used in universities including Oxford and Cambridge, 
and at such buildings as the T-mobile headquarters in Austria, RTL 
Television in the Netherlands and the French Parliament.

What were the biggest obstacles encountered 
in doing business overseas?

Complying with local product standards and regulations as 
well as stimulating customer interest in a new product. 

What is your advice to companies who are 
seeking to expand overseas?

Think globally but act locally! Employ local sales staﬀ, listen 
to them and trust them. Show commitment to your foreign 
customers and demonstrate that they can trust you as a  
long-term partner.

What is the best way of doing business overseas?

Act very much as a local company would. Set up local 
structures and decentralise sales and marketing activities.

What was the best thing about your overseas 
expansion?

Getting a step ahead of the competition. In order to meet our 
customers’ demands and expectations, we continually develop 
new products and revise our range. 

Could you build a new business idea 
based on this entrepreneur’s enterprise?

24

Minna Parikka

Company name: Minna Parikka Shoes
Products/Services: Shoe designer
Start-up year: 2008 (brand since 2005)
Number of employees: 4 full-time, 3 part-time
Key markets: Europe, USA, Japan, China

minna@minnaparikka.com
www.minnaparikka.com
Bulevardi 24, 00120 Helsinki, Finland

“Create a unique product  
that competes with the very best”

25

As a teenager, Minna Parikka dreamed of becoming a shoe designer. 
She decided to pursue it professionally a(cid:3)er reading an article on 
Italian  shoe  designer  Andrea  Pﬁster,  written  by  her  sister  for  a 
women’s  magazine.  She  got  a  degree  in  footwear  design  at  De 
Montfort University in the UK and worked abroad before returning 
to her native Finland to create her own brand and company at the 
age of just 25.

A lack of ﬁnancial backing did not dampen her ambition and the 
Minna Parikka label has become a leading home-grown shoe brand 
in Finland. She has also gained a ﬁrm foothold in overseas markets, 
with her shoes now stocked by retail outlets in 18 countries and 
featuring in publications such as Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire. 

Her  winning  formula  has  been  to  combine  global  trends  with  her 
own style. In 2011, the company’s turnover grew by 40%, which led 
to Minna winning a young entrepreneur award in Finland. Another 
highpoint  in  her  career  was  being  chosen  to  design  the  oﬃcial 
double platinum disc for international pop superstar Lady Gaga.

What diﬃculties did you face in doing business 
overseas?

It’s important to understand the work ethics of diﬀerent 
nationalities. The production of high-quality shoes is a 
tricky process since one shoe can have up to 40 diﬀerent 
components and requires dozens of hand-ﬁnishing phases. 

What has been the best thing about expanding 
overseas?

From the outset, my aim was to establish an internationally-
renowned brand. My ﬁrst trade show was during Paris Fashion 
Week and my ﬁrst order was dispatched to Tokyo. The brand 
has also featured in numerous international publications.

What would your advice be to budding 
international entrepreneurs?

Why do you think this entrepreneur 
has been internationally successful?

Firstly, get a good understanding of your sector and of the 
global demand for your product. Once outside your own 
country, you are competing with both the big and small boys. 
Beware of blindly following what a rival brand is doing, but do 
take account of what is happening everywhere and create a 
unique product that competes with the very best.

26

Anne Midavaine

Company name: Atelier Midavaine
Products/Services: Lacquer art 
Start-up year: 1994
Number of employees: 7
Key markets: Russia, USA, Switzerland

m2paris@orange.fr
www.ateliermidavaine.com
54 rue des Acacias, 75017 Paris, France

“Never underestimate your business partners”

27

In  1994,  Anne  Midavaine  took  over  Atelier  Midavaine,  which  had 
been  set  up  by  her  grandfather  as  a  cottage  industry  in  1919.  It 
has grown by pioneering new lacquering techniques and innovative 
designs to respond to changing trends in furnishing and decoration.

Anne’s  father,  Jacques,  initially  sought  international  markets  for 
the  company’s  range  of  tables,  cabinets  and  lacquered  wood 
ﬁnishes and his daughter has followed in his footsteps. 

She  has  received  support  from  UbiFrance,  the  French  agency 
for  promotion  of  exports,  which  has  invited  Atelier  Midavaine  to 
participate in numerous overseas trade events aimed at promoting 
French products in locations such as Moscow and Dubai.

One of the company’s biggest achievements to date is a lacquered 
wall in a Moscow dining room which was done in collaboration with 
famous French decorator, Juan Pablo Molyneux. Atelier Midavaine 
has also teamed up with another celebrated French designer, P.Y. 
Rochon, to create TV furniture and tables in the Peninsula Hotel 
in Shanghai. According to Anne, the high quality of the company’s 
products reﬂects the exchange of knowledge on lacquering which 
has ﬂowed between Asia and Europe since the 17th Century.

What obstacles have you encountered in doing 
business overseas? 

They include establishing distribution networks, complying 
with customs regulations and ﬁnding local representatives to 
sell your products. 

What is your advice to entrepreneurs who are 
considering international expansion?

Travel and learn about people from diﬀerent countries 
and never underestimate your business partners. Also, pay 
attention so as to avoid misunderstandings which can result 
from cultural diﬀerences. 

What is the best thing about gaining markets 
overseas?

Finding a partner in each country who likes your products and 
who wants to promote them.

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

…small businesses bring people - men, women, creative 
people, artists and designers - together with the desire to 
achieve the same goal.  

And you, how would you generate a 
business idea and start a new business?

28

Iskra Vetadzokoska-
Mucunska

Name of company: Vitalia Nikola d.o.o
Products/Services: Health foods
Start-up date: 1993
Number of employees: 100
Key markets: Serbia, Cyprus, Portugal, 
Montenegro, Romania

contact@vitalia.com.mk
www.vitalia.com.mk
Street 516, No. 10, 1000 Skopje, The Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia

29

“Live your brand’s values” 

“Health  food  for  healthy  generations,”  was  Iskra  Vetadzokoska-
Mucunska’s father’s aim in setting up the Vitalia Nikola health food 
company in 1993. The ﬁrm supplies nutritional products prepared 
from traditional recipes both domestically and internationally. 

Increasing  global  demand  for  health  food  in  recent  years  has 
made Iskra’s father’s vision a reality. The company has responded 
to customer demand and developed its own unique products. “In 
a  market  oriented  towards  food  with  low  nutritional  value,  we 
have raised awareness among consumers about the importance 
of health foods,” says Iskra. Vitalia products are now part of the 
diet of many citizens but foreign sales are also healthy, with the 
products sold in 24 countries worldwide. Moreover, the company 
has been awarded the ‘Super Brand’ status.  

In its attempts to access the global market, Vitalia has received 
ﬁnancing  for  marketing  and  promotion  from  the  government 
support fund for export-oriented companies. It has also beneﬁted 
from the fact that the government’s economic attachés throughout 
the world are constantly looking for reliable business partners for 
local companies. 

What were your biggest challenges in doing 
business overseas?

Gaining customer recognition for “Vitalia” and “Made in 
Macedonia” as quality brands.

What is the best way to expand overseas?

Develop your exports step-by-step, starting with neighbouring 
countries. Form partnerships with reliable and experienced 
companies which share your vision and business development 
strategy. A key part of any company’s strategy has to be 
promotion of its products through attendance at the world’s 
leading trade fairs.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
who are considering international expansion?

What could one learn from 
this entrepreneur?

Believe in your own capabilities and ideas. Work hard to 
develop unique products and services that make you stand 
out from your competitors.

What has been the best thing to come with 
international expansion?

Finding new sales outlets has given us even greater 
motivation to go on and produce competitive products 
for the world market. This has helped to secure increased 
international recognition for our brand.

30

Polymnia Alexiadou

Company name: Paxil
Products/Services: Manufacturer of woodworking 
machines
Start-up year: 1990
Number of employees: 2
Key markets: Italy, Argentina, UAE

polymnia@hol.gr
www.paxil.gr
Trikoupi 15, P.O. Box 461, 57008 Ionia, Thessaloniki, 
Greece

“Business is not just an occupation  
but a way of life”

31

Parental support helped Polymnia Alexiadou to start in business. 
In 1990, while studying economics at the University of Macedonia 
in Thessaloniki, Polymnia’s father asked her to help him establish 
Paxil, a manufacturer of woodworking machines.

Heading  up  a  business  at  a  young  age,  Polymnia  encountered 
reticence  on  the  part  of  male  clients,  suppliers  and  colleagues. 
As a woman in a male-dominated ﬁeld, she also had to overcome 
stereotypes  in  order  to  gain  professional  recognition.  Moreover, 
the long hours involved in running a business made her husband’s 
support indispensable.

Today, Polymnia has no doubt that the work has been worth it. Paxil 
produces quality products at competitive prices and does business 
in  ﬁve  countries  including  Italy,  Argentina  and  the  United  Arab 
Emirates.  Polymnia  has  been  recognised  as  a  pioneer  in  female 
entrepreneurship and in 2005 was chosen by Eurochambres as one 
of 39 businesswomen who have overcome gender stereotypes. She 
has held positions in chambers of commerce and entrepreneurial 
associations and sees hard work, a sense of responsibility and the 
ability to identify opportunities and challenges at an early stage 
as the keys to success.

What were the biggest obstacles and challenges 
to doing business abroad?

Most people working in my sector are men, not only in Greece 
but also in other industrialised countries. It is really hard to 
work in such a sector as women are quite an exception in this 
business.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
considering international expansion?

It is very diﬃcult to start and develop your own business and 
make it grow so you must be courageous and prepared to 
take risks.

What do you consider to be the best way to do 
business abroad?

Every market is diﬀerent, with new challenges and 
opportunities. You must set yourself a target and concentrate 
on reaching it. You must have faith in your ability, work 
doggedly, always believe in what you are doing, be passionate, 
take responsibility for your actions and trust yourself.

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

...business is not just an occupation but a way of life which 
adds value to society and keeps the economy moving.

What has inspired you when reading 
this entrepreneur’s proﬁle?

32

Vjekoslav Majetić

Company name: DOK-ING Llc
Products/Services: Remote controlled robotic 
systems
Start-up year: 1992
Number of employees: 150
Key markets: Sweden, USA, Ireland, Australia, 
Sri Lanka

majetic@dok-ing.hr
www.dok-ing.hr
Kanalski put 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

“Talk to as many people as you can” 

33

Conﬂict in his native Croatia in the early 1990s and the resulting 
destruction 
inspired  Vjekoslav  Majetić  to  help  reduce  the 
devastation  caused  by  war.  With  his  background  in  engineering, 
he identiﬁed production of mine clearance systems as a way to do 
this and so set up his own company, DOK-ING.

Vjekoslav  has  created  the  MV-4  and  the  MV-10  mine  clearance 
systems.  The  MV-4  is  a  transportable  system  for  anti  personnel 
mines and unexploded ordnance, while the MV-10 can resist anti-
tank mines. DOK-ING have also developed a range of other products 
including  a  robotic  ﬁre-ﬁghting  system  and  electric  vehicles. 
Furthermore,  the  company  has  produced  remote-controlled 
machinery  for  use  in  underground  mining  and  construction  to 
respond to the needs of the South African mining industry.

More  than  100  DOK-ING  mine  clearance  systems  are  now  in 
operation  around  the  world.  They  have  been  clearing  mines  for 
over 10 years with no reported injuries to operators. The company 
does  business  in  13  countries  including  the  USA,  Australia  and 
Sri  Lanka,  with  around  80%  of  turnover  generated  from  its 
international interests.

What were your biggest obstacles and challenges 
when doing business abroad?

We were a company with no background or state support and 
I had to convey my vision of humanitarian mine clearance in 
which you do not send a man to do a machine’s job.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
considering international expansion?

Do not give up. There are always people ready to help you – 
you just have to ﬁnd them. Talk to as many people as you can. 
One will know somebody else and your circle of contacts will 
expand beyond your expectations.

What speciﬁc quality distinguishes your product 
from its competitors?

The never ending story of innovation. All of our products are 
constantly undergoing tests, reviews and changes to improve 
performance, increase protection and provide additional services.

Your biggest achievement or something you are 
proud of...

The mine clearance in Croatia and a number of other 
countries achieved with our machines and the number of lives 
saved by these machines.

Could you build a new business idea 
based on this entrepreneur’s enterprise?

34

Tibor Balogh

Company name: Holograﬁka K(cid:6).
Products/Services: Holographic display technology
Start-up year: 1996
Number of employees: 20
Key markets: EU, USA, India, South Korea, Japan

t.balogh@holograﬁka.com
www.holograﬁka.com
Baross u. 3., 1192 Budapest, Hungary

“Properly explain and demonstrate 
your products”

35

With a background in electrical engineering, Tibor Balogh set up his 
ﬁrst company, producing embossed security holograms, in Hungary 
in  1989.  He  then  established  Holograﬁka  in  1996,  developing 
optoelectronic technology and prototypes for laser-based 3D and 
true-colour holographic displays.

Holograﬁka holds several 3D-related patents and has developed 
3D  visualisation  technology,  including  display  devices,  so(cid:3)ware 
applications,  and  data  compression  solutions  used  in  medicine, 
security  and  gaming.  In  2004,  the  company  launched  26”  and 
32” displays using its award-winning HoloVizio technology which 
allows viewers to see 3D images with the naked eye. Larger-scale 
projection systems for use in oil and gas exploration, simulation 
and  entertainment  are  under  development,  along  with  a  3D 
camera system and so(cid:3)ware environment.

The  company  is  involved  in  R&D  projects  funded  by  Hungarian 
support  programmes  and  the  6th  and  7th  EU  Framework 
Programmes.  These  focus  on  developing  next-generation 
3D  holographic  applications.  Holograﬁka  has  established 
partnerships  with  prominent  global  companies  and  institutes, 
and is now active in 10 countries with 70% of its turnover coming 
from international business.

The person or event that inspired me to start 
my own business

The idea of building on the work of Dennis Gábor, a 
Hungarian Nobel prize winner, was inspiring. On seeing 
the ﬁrst holovideo set ups in the early 90’s, it was clear 
that we could do much better.

What were your biggest challenges when doing 
business abroad?

Along with developing a strong R&D programme, it was a 
challenge to ﬁnance marketing, take part in exhibitions and 
build up a brand remotely.

What do you consider to be the best way to do 
business abroad?

It depends on the sector but it is very important to properly 
explain and demonstrate your products, virtually or in person, 
through conferences, exhibitions and local partners and 
presence.

What is the speciﬁc quality that distinguishes 
your product from its competitors?

Our high-end solution provides a real 3D experience that you 
don’t get from mainstream 3D display systems. Our HoloVizio 
system displays provide about 60-80 times more information 
than other systems.

Why do you think this entrepreneur 
has been internationally successful?

36

Liam Ryan

Company name: BMS Ireland
Products/Services: Production of technological 
industrial products
Start-up year: 1980
Number of employees: 18
Key markets: USA, Australia, China

liamryan@bmsireland.com
www.bmsireland.com
Technology Centre, Annacotty, Limerick, Ireland

“Do as much research as you can” 

37

The  creative  spirit  of  his  parents  inspired  Liam  Ryan  to  set  up 
BMS  Ireland  in  1980.  The  company  started  out  distributing 
engineering products before moving into design and manufacture 
of technological products for industry.

From  visits  to  trade  shows,  Liam  got  the  idea  for  an  electronic 
torque  wrench  for  tightening  industrial  bolts  with  technology 
enabling  it  to  function  in  diﬀerent  languages  and  measurement 
systems. Language and cultural barriers, as well as diﬃculties in 
identifying  distribution  channels  presented  challenges  to  BMS’s 
attempts  to  move  into  new  markets.  Fortunately,  Enterprise 
Ireland provided support in the countries they were targeting and 
enabled them to participate in exhibitions as far aﬁeld as China, 
while awarding R&D grants. 

BMS  is  active  in  14  countries  and  recently  opened  an  oﬃce  in 
Shanghai.  In  all,  90%  of  its  turnover  comes  from  international 
business  and  it  has  a  strong  presence  in  the  aerospace  and 
automobile markets. As regards R&D, BMS has forged strong links 
with the University of Limerick and Limerick Institute of Technology. 
Liam is particularly proud of BMS’ victory in the 2011 Irish Small 
Firms Association National Small Business Award.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
considering international expansion?

Do as much research as you can on the country you are 
targeting, their suitability for your product, the competition’s 
approach and the local culture.

What do you consider to be the best way to do 
business abroad?

Place one of your own staﬀ in the market who speaks the 
language and understands the business environment.

What was the best thing about expanding your 
business abroad?

We are no longer dependent on the domestic market and 
are able to get more feedback on new products. We have 
expanded our knowledge and I get satisfaction from seeing 
BMS products in other countries.

What is the speciﬁc quality that distinguishes 
your products from its competitors?

We welcome requests for customised products and can oﬀer 
them at short notice. Our products are constantly being 
improved and the latest technology and international languages 
are integrated into all our tools. This is unique to BMS.

If you joined this entrepreneur, what 
could you contribute to his business?

38

Dr. Sobhi Basheer

Company name: TransBioDiesel Ltd.
Products/Services: Biofuels 
Start-up year: 2007
Number of employees: 7
Key markets: Europe, USA, Australia, Singapore, 
China

sbsheer@transbiodiesel.com
www.transbiodiesel.com
The R & D Centre, POB 437, Shefaram 20200, Israel

“Convince users to experiment with new 
technology and use new products”

39

A  global  expert  in  enzymes,  Dr.  Sobhi  Basheer  le(cid:3)  his  research 
job  to  set  up  his  own  company  and  turned  his  research  and 
development dreams into reality. His company, TransBioDiesel Ltd., 
performs trailblazing research into “green” technologies which can 
potentially beneﬁt society as a whole.   

The  company  is  pioneering  the  use  of  enzyme-based  catalysts 
- known as bio-catalysts - in the production of bio-fuels which 
are  seen  as  a  cleaner  and  more  sustainable  alternative  to 
petroleum-based  fuels.  Bio-fuels  are  currently  produced  with 
chemical catalysts but bio-catalysts, in comparison, are cleaner, 
less costly to produce and require less energy to be used during 
the production process.  

To expand overseas, TransBioDiesel received grants and funding 
for  research  and  development  under  a  technology  incubator 
programme  of  the  Israeli  government’s  Chief  Scientist  Oﬃce. 
“These funds have provided much needed oxygen and have made 
a signiﬁcant diﬀerence to my company and its on-going success,” 
says Sobhi.

Especially  rewarding,  says  Sobhi,  has  been  to  see  his  product’s 
evolution from its research stage to approval by the US Food and 
Drug Administration . 

What were the biggest challenges you faced in 
doing business overseas?

The introduction of game-changing green technology is 
always challenging. Industry and people are inclined to stick to 
traditional ways of thinking. The challenge is to convince users 
to experiment with new technology and use new products.

Do you have any advice for young entrepreneurs 
who are considering international expansion?

I would encourage them to seek markets overseas and be 
ready to stand up for what they believe in, while respecting 
diﬀerent business cultures.

What is the best way of doing business overseas?

The most rewarding aspect is the international marketing of 
the product. The company puts strong emphasis on production 
of high-level, top-notch technologies that can compete in the 
global marketplace.

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

...they contribute to the sustainability of society and mankind. 
Without entrepreneurs society would stall and be unable to 
keep evolving. 

And you, how would you generate a 
business idea and start a new business?

40

Vilborg Einarsdottir

Company name: InfoMentor
Products/Services: Online education so(cid:6)ware
Start-up year: 2000
Number of employees: 65
Key markets: Sweden, UK

vilborg@infomentor.is
www.infomentor.is
Ofanleiti 2, 103 Reykjavik, Iceland

“Reach out to local professionals  
in each market”

41

Vilborg  Einarsdottir  crossed  cultural  divides  in  setting  up  her 
education  so(cid:3)ware  business.  The  company  has  developed  an 
online  learning  and  assessment  system  which  is  beneﬁcial  to 
pupils,  teachers  and  parents  alike  and  can  be  adapted  to  any 
number of countries. 

A  thorough  understanding  of  diverse  ways  of  working  -  and 
particularly  the  diﬀerent  educational  curricula  in  respective 
European countries - has played a big part in its growth. Having a 
clear vision from the outset has played an important part in the 
company’s  successful  expansion  to  other  parts  of  Europe.  “A(cid:3)er 
that,  it’s  all  about  sharing  your  vision.  Vision  gives  energy  and 
inspiration,” says Vilborg. Finding the right people to work with in 
local markets has also been vital: the company’s motto is “trust 
and empower people”.

Its  start-up  was  assisted  by  Iceland’s  UH17  project  whose  aim 
is  the  country’s  overseas  promotion.  Grants  from  the  Icelandic 
Technology  Fund  and  other  backing  from  the  Icelandic  New 
Venture Fund have also contributed to its development. InfoMentor 
has also been partnered by Frumtak, an Icelandic investment fund 
that helps promising companies. 

How do you go about doing business overseas?

In InfoMentor, we work with schools. It’s essential to reach 
out to local professionals in each market. Having an in-depth 
knowledge of the local culture, of individual curricula and 
ﬁnding out about how things are organised, all lead to 
solutions that add value to the school.

What distinguishes your product from others on 
the market?

The InfoMentor solution combines a local knowledge of 
curricula with the best practices in individual learning and 
student development.

What is the highpoint in your company’s growth 
so far?

What could one learn from 
this entrepreneur?

Helping teachers to improve education in Europe and to see 
pupils achieve their goals.

Entrepreneurs have an important role to play 
in society because…

…they drive innovation, incite creativity and bring about 
changes to cultures. They lay the building blocks for the future.

42

Caterina Lucchi

Company name: Campomaggi & Caterina 
Lucchi s.r.l
Products/Services: Handbag designer
Start-up year: 1983
Number of employees: 110
Key markets: USA, the Benelux, Russia, Japan, 
Middle East

info@emergentitaliani.it
www.emergentitaliani.it 
Via S. Carlo 2707/2709, 47522 S.Carlo Di Cesena (FC), 
Italy

“Never give up”

At  the  beginning  of  the  80’s,  Caterina  Lucchi  and  her  husband 
Marco  Campomaggi,  both  fascinated  with  beauty  and  creativity, 
began  to  design  together  their  ﬁrst  handbags  and  accessories 
a(cid:3)er  admiring  the  quality  of  a  friend’s  handmade  leather  bag. 
Soon  they  discovered  how  their  products  are  appreciated,  and 
consequently  they  decided  to  start  their  own  business  in  1983. 
Thanks to their strong commitment, they today own an important 
production centre in Italy, in a region where leather-making is not 
very widespread.

Starting from scratch, Caterina has realised the dream of having her 
own company. She focuses on making bags that are unique. “They 
have a soul. It’s not about look or logo. Each bag has a personality,” 
she says. She describes her bags as “dedicated to a woman with a 
marked personality and who stands out from the crowd.” 

The  company’s  biggest  obstacles  to  selling  overseas  have  been 
language  barriers  and  limited  knowledge  of  export  and  import 
regulations, but such problems have not stopped Caterina’s “Made 
in Italy” handbags from being sold all over the world. A “can do” 
attitude has taken her far and she believes in continually setting 
herself new and higher goals.

Italy’s  Instituto  Nazionale  per  il  Commercio  Estero  (National 
Institute for External Trade), provided ﬁnancial support in the early 
stages  of  the  company’s  development.  Caterina  says  this  has 
enabled her to exhibit her products at trade fairs overseas.

What is your advice to those seeking to do 
business overseas?

Do not pay any attention to those who say that it’s diﬃcult to 
sell overseas.

Do you have any tips for the best way of doing 
business in other countries?

To succeed in your target markets, make good quality 
products at reasonable prices.

What has been the best thing about expanding 
overseas?

Increasing our customer base, widening our markets and 
cultural understanding and taking on new challenges.

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

…they promote innovation, create jobs and give employees the 
possibility of becoming ﬁnancially independent.

43

What has inspired you when reading 
this entrepreneur’s proﬁle?

44

Reinhard Braun

Company name: Pantec AG
Products/Services: Technology for industrial and 
medical applications
Start-up year: 1990
Number of employees: 95
Key markets: Switzerland, China, India 

reinhard.braun@pantec.com
www.pantec.com
Industriering 21, 9491 Ruggell, Liechtenstein

“Take things step by step” 

Inspired  by  his  father,  Reinhard  Braun  founded  Pantec  AG  to 
provide  engineered  solutions  and  products  for  the  industry 
in  1990.  From  the  outset,  Reinhard  knew  that,  owing  to  the 
small  size  of  the  domestic  market  in  Switzerland,  international 
expansion would be vital. 

He  thus  set  about  developing  a  range  of  creative  concepts  and 
ensuring  that  Pantec  worked  to  the  highest  possible  standards 
so  as  to  penetrate  the  company’s  target  sectors  of  automation, 
printing, industrial measurement technology, textiles and medical 
and  industrial  laser  applications.  Support  was  forthcoming 
from  chambers  of  commerce  in  Liechtenstein  and  Switzerland, 
particularly when Pantec started operations in China in 2004.

Today, 95% of Pantec’s turnover comes from international business. 
The ﬁrm’s expansion has been such that three companies now operate 
under the Pantec umbrella: Pantec Engineering with subsidiaries in 
India and China, Pantec GS System, based in Switzerland, and Pantec 
Biosolutions which makes intra-epidermal medical applications. The 
company employs 40 development and application engineers and 
35 production and quality control personnel.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
considering international expansion?

Don’t try to do everything at once because the world is too big 
for that. Take things step by step.

What do you consider to be the best way to do 
business abroad?

Set up your own companies in the big countries such as 
China or the USA. In other countries you can work through 
distributors and agents.

What was the best thing about expanding your 
business abroad?

Establishing ourselves in China. We started in 2004 with 
purchasing and ensuring our prices were competitive. In 2005, 
we started the sales and service oﬃce. Today we make 25% 
of our turnover in China.

For me, the best thing about being an 
entrepreneur is…

...being able to overcome big challenges with a great team of 
employees.

45

Could you build a new business idea 
based on this entrepreneur’s enterprise?

46

Andrius Rupšys

Company name: Ruptela, UAB
Products/Services: Communication technologies, 
electronic and so(cid:6)ware systems
Start-up year: 2007
Number of employees: 40
Key markets: EU, Russia, USA, Africa 

info@ruptela.lt
www.ruptela.lt
Žalgirio g. 92, 09303 Vilnius, Lithuania

“What one market needs today could be something 
that another market will need tomorrow” 

47

When  Andrius  Rupšys’  was  still  a  child,  his  father  launched  his 
own business and Andrius had nurtured an ambition to follow in 
his  footsteps  ever  since.  The  loss  of  someone  very  close  to  him 
dispelled any fears Andrius had about taking such a step and in 
2007, he put his studies in electrical engineering to good use by 
founding Ruptela.

Ruptela designs and manufactures information and communication 
technology  and  electronic  and  so(cid:3)ware  systems.  Aside  from 
his  electronics  background,  Andrius  had  a  good  knowledge  of 
languages  and  this,  allied  to  local  government  grants,  was 
instrumental in helping the company to move into foreign markets 
and set up a sales oﬃce outside of Lithuania. 

The company is now active in some 50 countries worldwide and 
generates around 70% of its turnover internationally. The team’s 
expertise  has  led  to  the  development  of  web-based  vehicle 
monitoring  and  tracking  platforms  providing  information  on 
aspects  such  as  vehicle  position  and  fuel  consumption.  Ruptela 
was named the most successful IT company in Lithuania in 2011 
on the basis of growth, introduction of new products and exports, 
and received an award from President Dalia Grybauskaitė.

What were your biggest obstacles and challenges 
when doing business abroad?

I don’t see any obstacles. It is always a pleasure to learn 
about new cultures, new countries, new people and to ﬁnd new 
business opportunities. It all depends on the way you look at it.

What do you consider to be the best way to do 
business abroad?

There is no universal model but I think it is essential to test 
the market, to ﬁnd out what potential customers think about 
your ideas and what the competition is doing. 

What was the best thing about expanding your 
business abroad?

I love new things and each expansion brings something new. 
It is always challenging but always interesting. Maybe the 
biggest thing is ﬁnding that what one market needs today 
could be something that another market will need tomorrow.

For me, the best thing about being an 
entrepreneur is…

...having the feeling that you can really change something in 
the world, and having the power to do it.

Why do you think this entrepreneur 
has been internationally successful?

48

Michèle Detaille

Company name: Codiprolux
Products/Services: Li(cid:6)ing equipment
Start-up year: 2004
Number of employees: 15
Key markets: France, Germany, Italy

info@codipro.net
www.codipro.net
Salzbach 9502, Luxembourg

“You are free to create anything you like” 

49

Having spent 18 years as mayor of a small commune in Belgium, 
Michèle  Detaille  set  up  Codipro  in  Luxembourg  in  2004.  The 
company designs and manufactures security swivel rings used in 
li(cid:3)ing equipment and aims to give customers the very best advice 
on li(cid:3)ing mechanisms.

Early  in  its  international  expansion,  Codipro  had  problems  with 
customs  duties  and  complicated  local  standards.  It  was  also 
hard  to  ﬁnd  useful  information  on  target  markets  and  reliable 
contacts. However, punctual delivery of quality products enabled 
the company to develop. It now exports to 32 countries and 99% 
of  its  sales  are  to  customers  outside  Luxembourg  and  11%  to 
clients outside Europe. This was recognised in January 2012 when 
the company won the 2011 Luxembourg export award for small 
and  medium-sized  businesses,  attributed  by  the  Grand  Duchy’s 
Chamber  of  Commerce  and  the  Luxembourg  branch  of  export 
credit agency, Oﬃce du Ducroire.

Michèle  advises  all  budding  global  entrepreneurs  to  check  the 
demand for their products or services on domestic markets before 
expanding abroad. Another of her tips is to ensure that products 
are adapted to the market where they are to be sold in terms of 
quality and price. 

What challenges and obstacles did you face in 
expanding overseas?

One obstacle was adapting to and managing very diﬀerent 
cultures. Also, the long distances between our base and the 
places where we were doing business presented a challenge.

What do you consider to be the best way to do 
business abroad?

You have to make sure that your products are well adapted as 
possible to the markets on which you want to do business, in 
terms of quality, price and general characteristics.

What was the best thing about expanding your 
business overseas?

I would say that the best thing has been the opportunity to 
manufacture good products and to ﬁnd good salesmen and 
customers.

What has been your biggest achievement in 
business?

My biggest achievement has been the continual improvement 
of our team at Codiprolux.

What is the best thing about being an 
entrepreneur?

The best thing is the feeling, which entrepreneurship can give 
you, that you are free to create anything you like.

If you joined this entrepreneur, what 
could you contribute to his business?

50

Juris Zariņš

Company name: JZ Microphones
Products/Services: Studio microphones and 
accessories
Start-up year: 2007
Number of employees: 40
Key markets: Germany, USA

info@jzmic.com
www.jzmic.com
Gaujas 30, 2167 Marupe, Latvia

“Be creative, dedicated and ready to invest” 

51

With  a  background  covering  such  diverse  ﬁelds  as  jewellery  and 
engineering, Juris Zariņš took on board his father’s advice to work 
with  dedication  and  passion  when  he  set  up  JZ  Microphones  in 
Latvia  in  2007.  Juris  saw  clearly  that  such  attitudes  bring  their 
own rewards and the rise of his company, which produces studio 
microphones and other accessories, is testament to this.

Juris  assembled  a  small  but  talented,  hardworking  and  creative 
team.  At  ﬁrst,  they  struggled  to  gain  recognition  from  larger 
competitors and also from their potential client base, which did not 
always see the need for another microphone brand. However, with 
backing  from  the  Latvian  Investment  and  Development  Agency, 
their high-quality, handcra(cid:3)ed products began to win people over.

Today, JZ Microphones generates almost all of its turnover from 
international  trade  and  does  business  in  around  40  countries. 
Their products have become the tools of choice for several well-
known studios and musicians. Along with their unique designs and 
technical innovations, JZ have developed the Golden Drop process 
for microphone capsules which helps to improve sound quality.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
considering international expansion?

Be creative, dedicated and ready to invest. Marketing is 
one part but demand in a local market does not mean that 
there will be demand abroad. You must be ready to adjust 
to the market and customer needs. If your products have a 
competitive advantage you will expand faster.

What do you consider to be the best way to do 
business abroad?

Research your competitors’ work and work out how you can 
improve on it. If you do this in the right way then the product 
will sell itself.

What is the speciﬁc quality that distinguishes 
your products from its competitors?

The most important component of every microphone is the 
capsule which hasn’t changed in over half a century. We have 
found a way of improving it with our patented Golden Drop 
technique.

Your biggest achievement or something you are 
proud of...

Throughout my time in business, I have kept my word. This 
means that my word carries a signiﬁcant weight.

And you, how would you generate a 
business idea and start a new business?

52

Jovan Jovetić

Company name: Montcarton d.o.o. Podgorica
Products/Services: Manufacturer of commercial 
cardboard boxes
Start-up year: 1996
Number of employees: 20
Key markets: EU

montcarton@t-com.me
www.montcarton.com
Žarka Zrenjanina br.14, Podgorica 81 000, Montenegro

“Prove yourself abroad to be accepted at home” 

53

Jovan Jovetić was inspired to set up his company by a former fellow 
university  student  who  had  diﬃculties  in  getting  hold  of  quality 
cardboard boxes for his business. Using the best raw materials of 
EU  origin  and  a  skilled  and  educated  workforce,  Montcarton  has 
quickly developed a reputation for manufacturing quality boxes.

Increased  sales  in  the  domestic  market  have  resulted  in  the 
company’s  reputation  spreading  to  other  countries.  What  sets 
Montcarton apart from its competitors is the fact that: “customers 
are informed at all phases of production,” says Jovan, adding that 
“we consider the wishes of customers, and the functionality and 
quality of the product.”

Montcarton’s  development  has  been  assisted  by  Montenegro’s 
Investment  and  Development  Fund  which  has  supported  the 
company  in  strategic  investment  in  production  of  boxes  for 
foreign  and  domestic  markets.  From  being  a  small  family 
business, Montcarton now has modern printing and box production 
equipment.  According  to  Jovan,  the  company  has  gone  from 
strength-to-strength despite the political and economic crises over 
the past two decades in Montenegro.

What were the biggest obstacles to doing 
business overseas? 

Convincing foreign customers that there are manufacturers in 
Montenegro who are professional, competitive and implement 
EU standards of production.

What is the best way of doing business overseas?

Direct communication is the best, but not the only way to 
achieve cooperation with foreign customers. There are other 
methods such as presentations at trade fairs, cooperation 
with chambers of commerce, developing contacts through 
representative oﬃces and agencies, as well as good marketing 
campaigns. 

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
who are seeking international expansion?

What could one learn from 
this entrepreneur?

It is essential to have a good strategy and vision and you 
must produce high-quality products. 

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is…

…having a job I know and like which allows me to be both 
independent and creative.

54

Alex Scicluna

Company name: Jubilee Group of Companies 
Products/Services: Mediterranean café/restaurant 
chain  
Start-up year: 1995
Number of employees: 120
Key markets: Hungary, UK, Germany

alex@cafejubilee.com
www.cafejubilee.com  www.jubileefoods.net
6 Library Street, Victoria, Gozo VCT-1174, Malta

“Developing your business is exciting  
and fulﬁlls a dream” 

55

As  a  young  man,  Alex  Scicluna  worked  in  the  catering  trade  to 
make  ends  meet  and  also  obtained  a  diploma  in  hospitality 
management. It was thus a natural next step to strike out on his 
own in the catering industry. In 1998 he established Café Jubilee 
in Gozo and opened further outlets in Malta in 2000 and 2005.

Government funding enabled Jubilee to participate in international 
exhibitions  and  Alex  began  to  expand  abroad  from  2005.  He  is 
particularly proud of having opened two new Jubilee outlets within 
the space of four months in 2010: in Budapest in February and at 
the Shanghai World Expo in May.

Jubilee  sell  fresh  Mediterranean  specialities:  salads,  soups, 
sandwiches,  pastas  (including  ﬁsh  ravioli  made  from  freshly-
caught  denci,  a  Mediterranean  ﬁsh)  and  desserts.  The  company 
also produces specialities from Malta and Gozo under the Jubilee 
Foods’ label. The range includes olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes 
and ﬁg conserves, which are on sale in supermarkets in Malta and 
abroad.  Jubilee  products  are  marketed  as  appealing  to  all  ﬁve 
senses, which is a very appetising selling point. 

What obstacles did you encounter in doing 
business overseas?

The most diﬃcult thing has been moving out of one’s comfort 
zone. Language and cultural diﬀerences created some 
headaches as regards adapting what the company could oﬀer.

What would be your advice to entrepreneurs who 
want to work in other countries?

Developing your business is exciting and fulﬁlls a dream. 
However, one has to be patient and ready to take knocks. You 
need to have a long-term perspective and plan for the fact 
that you’re talking about returns in the long-term. 

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

…they create opportunities for themselves and others and 
o(cid:3)en respond to needs that no one knew were there in the 
ﬁrst place.

And what is the best thing about being an 
entrepreneur?

Being in a position to turn a vision into something tangible.

What has inspired you when reading 
this entrepreneur’s proﬁle?

56

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©

Thecla Bodewes

Company name: Shipyards Bodewes & Shipyard 
De Kaap
Products/Services: Shipbuilding  
Start-up year:  Shipyards Bodewes 1998  

Shipyard De Kaap 2003

Number of employees: 60
Key markets: Europe, Australia

info@scheepswerfdekaap.nl
www.scheepswerfdekaap.nl
Kaapweg 4, 7944 HV Meppel, The Netherlands

 
 
 
“Do not give up at the ﬁrst hurdle… 
see it as a learning opportunity” 

57

Coming  from  a  family  with  a  long  tradition  in  international 
shipbuilding,  Thecla  Bodewes  was  always  drawn  towards  the 
maritime world. Her father encouraged her to work in international 
shipbuilding without insisting on her joining the family business. 
She  gained  a  bachelor’s  degree  in  shipbuilding  engineering  and 
subsequently became a member of an international classiﬁcation 
society  –  a  non-governmental  organisation  that  establishes  and 
maintains technical standards for the construction and operation 
of ships and oﬀshore structures. 

The  family  company  Thecla  took  over  was  founded  in  1813. 
Shipyards  Bodewes  and  Shipyard  De  Kaap  provide  a  full-range 
of  shipbuilding  activities:  ship  construction,  repairs,  conversions 
and  renewals.  Thecla  says  that  her  company’s  ships  stand  out 
from those of competitors. Technical, human, and environmental 
considerations are all taken on board in the innovative design and 
construction of her company’s ships whilst every eﬀort is made to 
minimise costs. 

In seeking overseas markets, Thecla says it is important to follow 
one’s  intuition  and  focus  on  countries  with  stable  or  booming 
economies. Her company prepares detailed studies on the potential 
of  a  market  before  taking  the  plunge  of  establishing  business 
contacts. 

What is your advice to entrepreneurs who want 
to enter overseas markets?

Do not give up at the ﬁrst hurdle… see it as a learning 
opportunity.

What is the best way of doing business overseas?

Work together with local people; having a mix of cultures on 
board in a project is frequently the perfect way forward.

What has your company got most out of working 
in overseas markets?

New markets and fresh ideas.

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is…

Could you build a new business idea 
based on this entrepreneur’s enterprise?

…to be able to build a company in your own vision and 
according to your own aims and ethics. The talented 
individuals who make up our team also give me a lot of 
positive energy.

58

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Gry Cecilie Sydhagen

Company name: Metizo(cid:6) AS
Products/Services: Consulting services for “Green 
Passport” solutions for the shipping/maritime 
industry
Start-up date: 2006
Number of employees: 20
Key markets: Canada, Brazil, Singapore, 
Indonesia, India

gry@metizo(cid:3).com
www.metizo(cid:3).com
Eggesbøvegen 40, 6092 Fosnavåg, Norway

 
 
“Make some of those personal moon landings!” 

59

When Gry Cecilie Sydhagen returned to her home village in western 
Norway, owing to a lack of jobs linked to her IT background, she 
decided to start her own business. The area has a strong maritime 
tradition and in 2006 she founded Metizo(cid:3) which provides “green 
proﬁles” for the shipping industry.

What was the biggest obstacle to doing business 
overseas?

Starting up in a new market is always more expensive than 
you anticipate at ﬁrst.

The  2009  Inventory  on  Hazardous  Materials  (IHM)  –  formerly 
known as the “Green Passport” – is a compulsory registration of 
all  potentially  hazardous  components  and  materials  in  a  ship’s 
construction.  The  document  accompanies  a  ship  throughout 
its  life  and  enables  safer  and  more  environmentally-friendly 
decommissioning at the end of its sailing days.

Metizo(cid:3) has acquired a good reputation in the sector which has 
enabled it to attract an increasing number of international clients. 
Gry  Cecilie  says  that  having  clients  outside  Norway  improves 
the  company’s  prospects,  particularly  given  the  ﬂuctuations  in 
international trade. She also gets a lot of satisfaction from Metizo(cid:3)’s 
global potential. The company’s international expansion has been 
supported  by  advice  from  Innovation  Norway,  the  Norwegian 
government instrument for innovation and development.

Do you have any tips for doing business 
overseas?

Don’t “travel” alone. If you can establish a business with other 
companies in the same sector, you can share tasks such as 
market research, making local contacts, booking meetings and 
travel arrangements. It also means that you’ll have someone 
to spar with!

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
who are thinking about overseas expansion?

Why do you think this entrepreneur 
has been internationally successful?

Gain an in-depth knowledge of the country you want to do 
business in and draw up a good strategy. Talk to those in your 
business network – they’ve normally made mistakes along the 
way but you don’t have to copy all of them!

For me, the best thing about being an 
entrepreneur is…

…to be in a position where it’s legal to have a vision and think 
big and at the same time, to make some of those personal 
moon landings!

60

Roman Martyna

Company name: Laboratorium “LRM”
Products/Services: Civil engineering
Start-up year: 1991
Number of employees: 4
Key markets: Southeast Asia, Turkey, Chile

lrm@lrm-nde.com
www.lrm-nde.com
ul. Bazancia 28, 32-083 Szczyglice, Poland

“Technology and innovation that drives entrepreneurs 
shouldn’t just stay in laboratories” 

61

Although  Roman  Martyna  launched  his  LRM  laboratory  in  1991, 
the foundations were laid over a decade earlier with his doctoral 
thesis on magnetic rope testing. He maintained his interest in the 
subject  during  the  following  years,  working  on  a  new  magnetic 
testing system for wire rope and tubing.

This resulted in the creation of the LRM XXI Diagnostic System and 
its supporting technology. The system is acknowledged by experts 
as a world leader in use of the magnetic ﬂux leakage (MFL) testing 
method for steel wire and rubber ropes, conveyor belts and steel 
tubes.  LRM  also  provides  training  and  certiﬁcation  in  practical 
application of the method.

Roman’s technology has been used on bridges, chairli(cid:3)s, ﬂoating 
cranes and shipping platforms in 15 countries in Europe and across 
the globe. Over 80% of LRM’s turnover comes from international 
business, with key international markets including Southeast Asia, 
Turkey  and  Chile.  Along  with  his  many  patents,  recognition  of 
Roman’s  work  has  come  through  the  award  of  a  gold  medal  in 
the Eureka competition in Brussels and a distinction in the 2007 
Innovator Malopolski contest.

What is the speciﬁc quality that distinguishes 
your product or service from its competitors?

My clients say that the LRM XXI Diagnostic System uses the 
most advanced and most innovative technology in the world 
for the testing of wire rope. 

Your biggest achievement or something you are 
proud of?

That my son Maciej has followed in my footsteps and joined 
me in the business of wire rope testing to pass his knowledge 
on to younger generations. 

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

... the technology and innovation that drives entrepreneurs 
shouldn’t just stay in laboratories and universities. It should 
be made available to the public.

For me, the best thing about being an 
entrepreneur is…

...having the freedom to do what I want and getting the 
chance to meet people from all over the world who share my 
interests.

If you joined this entrepreneur, what 
could you contribute to his business?

62

Puriﬁcação Tavares

Company name: CGC Genetics (Centro Genética 
Clinica e Patologia SA)
Products/Services: Genetic testing services 
Start-up year: 1992
Number of employees: 58
Key markets: Europe, Middle East, North America, 
South America

mptavares@cgcgenetics.com
www.cgcgenetics.com
Rue Sá da Bandeira 706 -1º, 4000-432 Porto, 
Portugal

“Every achievement was  
once considered impossible” 

63

As  a  professor  of  genetics,  Puriﬁcação  Tavares  decided  to  use 
her expertise to start up CGC Genetics, a genetic testing services 
business. She has subsequently worked to convince international 
clients  that  early  disease  detection  and  prevention  through 
molecular genetic testing can reduce healthcare costs.

Diﬃculty in establishing relationships with physicians and hospitals 
abroad  and  convincing  them  to  use  a  Portuguese  genetics 
laboratory  initially  presented  barriers  to  CGC’s  international 
expansion.  However,  the  company  maintained  its  focus  on  the 
quality  of  its  services  and  its  pricing  and  oﬀered  long-term 
technical and scientiﬁc support to clients. As a result CGC now has 
customers in Asia, the Middle East and the United States, including 
some of the most prestigious health institutions in the world.

Assistance from a number of Portuguese government bodies helped 
Puriﬁcação to develop her business. AICEP (which provides support 
to Portuguese companies abroad), AEP (the Chamber of Commerce 
and  Industry),  IAPMEI  (which  assists  SMEs  with  their  growth 
strategies),  and  COTEC  (which  promotes  the  competitiveness  of 
companies established in Portugal) have all supported CGC.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
who are seeking to expand overseas?

It’s not been easy, but it can be done. We have continuously 
invested our turnover in research and development. You must 
be prepared for hurdles and unexpected surprises. Plan well 
and don’t forget to make the most of the learning process 
throughout the journey.

What is the best way to go about doing business 
overseas?

Develop genetic tests that are valuable to clinicians and can 
be useful to us all. Provide the best service and exceed clients’ 
expectations. Focus on stipulating turn-around times for 
testing samples and oﬀering client support.

What has been the best thing about expanding 
overseas? 

Getting to know the amazing people with whom we work 
across the globe. I have also learnt about other cultures and 
traditions and how these inﬂuence applied medicine and 
management decisions. 

And you, how would you generate a 
business idea and start a new business?

64

Ingrid Vlasov

Company name: SC Ingrid Vlasov SRL
Products/Services: Contemporary luxury fashion
Start-up year: 1997
Number of employees: 20
Key markets: France, Italy, USA, Saudi Arabia, 
South Korea

oﬃce@ingridvlasov.com
www.ingridvlasov.com
Sos.Pacurari nr.88, 700514 Iaşi, Romania

“You must be confident in your own abilities” 

65

The  political  and  social  changes  in  Romania  in  December  1989 
created  new  opportunities  for  entrepreneurs  and  Ingrid  Vlasov 
made  the  most  of  this.  A(cid:3)er  studying  fashion  design  at  the 
European Institute of Design in Rome, Ingrid established her own 
label  in  1997  and  subsequently  become  one  of  the  best-known 
names in Romanian fashion. 

The  showing  of  Ingrid’s  spring/summer  collection  on  the  Paris 
catwalk in 2009 marked the brand’s launch on the international 
ready-to-wear fashion scene and led to a stream of orders. It is 
the ﬁrst Romanian fashion brand to have won over international 
markets and Ingrid’s garments have featured widely in publications 
such  as  Vogue,  Elle  and  L’Oﬃciel.  They  have  also  been  worn  to 
events by trend-setters such as pop star Lady Gaga.  

What were the biggest obstacles and challenges 
you faced in doing business overseas?

The principal challenges I faced concerned the need to adapt 
quickly and make changes at critical moments.

What is your advice to entrepreneurs considering 
overseas expansion?

You must be conﬁdent in your own abilities but at the same 
time very careful. It is vital to evaluate all the risks before 
starting out.

What is the best way of doing business overseas?

Ingrid’s  creations  are  an  interpretation  of  the  “contemporary 
luxury”  style,  combining  femininity  and  modernity,  along  with 
considerable attention to detail. She says that her brand’s success 
lies in its uniqueness which has emerged from “the intertwining of 
tradition with a passion for design”. Online sales of her collections 
have led to further expansion of the label’s customer base.

In my case, the best way was to identify the most suitable 
markets for my collections. 

What has been the best thing about expanding 
overseas?

What could one learn from 
this entrepreneur?

The brand’s increased international visibility has led to 
constant growth and business development. 

Your biggest achievement or something you are 
proud of...

The fact that we are the ﬁrst ever Romanian fashion brand 
to have successfully accessed the international market, not 
only from a commercial point of view but also as regards the 
recognition we have received from the press and customers.

66

Slobodan Raketić

Company name: Elex Commerce
Products/Services: Development, design and 
production of machines for production of 
radioisotopes
Start-up year: 2001
Number of employees: 8
Key markets: Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, 
Turkey, Australia

elexcomm@eunet.rs
www.elexcomm.com
Hilandarska 28, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

“Expanding business abroad is sometimes  
the only way of doing business” 

67

Having worked for a long time as a technical manager with a big 
state-owned  company,  Slobodan  Raketić  decided  to  start  up  the 
Elex Commerce company in pursuit of personal career satisfaction. 
Overcoming  prejudice  against  Serbian  technology  has  been  a 
vital part of the company’s development and its radionuclide and 
radiopharmaceutical production equipment is now sold worldwide. 

Collaboration  with  the  physics  laboratory  at  the  Vinča  Institute 
of  Nuclear  Science  in  Belgrade  has  made  a  real  diﬀerence  to 
Elex’s  growth.  Slobodan  also  cites  the  outstanding  role  played 
by Dr. Jožef Čomor, in charge of development and production, in 
expanding the company. 

Slobodan  believes  that  the  best  way  of  entering  international 
markets is to pinpoint a product for which demand is high and ﬁnd a 
reliable local partner to help sales in the target market. The company 
currently depends on its overseas customers as its devices have not 
yet been sold in Serbia. Gaining a foothold in his home country will 
make Slobodan especially proud as it will be a further aﬃrmation of 
Serbia’s progress in providing healthcare for its citizens.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
who are seeking international expansion?

I would advise them to be persistent, to pursue excellence and 
not be afraid of making mistakes, as you learn from them!

What is your biggest achievement so far?

I am proud of cooperating successfully with clever and 
capable people. While we are a small company, we have 
become highly reputable. 

Do you have a motto?

Neither state, nor political party, nor religion can bring 
happiness to man. Man alone can bring happiness to himself. 

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

…the more successful entrepreneurs there are in a society, the 
more successful a society becomes! 

What has inspired you when reading 
this entrepreneur’s proﬁle?

68

Kersti Kempe

Company name: Popomax AB
Products/Services: Reﬂective accessories 
Start-up year: 2002
Number of employees: 10
Key markets: Japan, Norway, Finland

kersti@popomax.se
www.popomax.com www.glimmis.com
Höglidsvägen 36, 182 47 Enebyberg, Sweden

“Don’t be afraid of taking chances, but keep the 
risks low so that you don’t jeopardise your company” 

69

With little winter daylight, Nordic countries have always encouraged 
their  citizens  to  wear  personal  reﬂectors  so  they  can  be  seen  in 
the  dark.  The  range  of  so(cid:3),  easy-to-wear  products  designed  by 
Popomax  is  now  setting  markets  around  the  world  alight.  Kersti 
Kempe  le(cid:3)  her  job  with  a  big  company  10  years  ago  to  start 
the  company  with  co-founder,  Ewa  Romö.  She  followed  her  own 
intuition  in  taking  the  plunge  to  launch  a  business,  driven  by  a 
desire to work the hours she wished and make her own decisions. 

The  Glimmis®  reﬂector,  Popomax’s  bestselling  product,  is  the 
market  leader  in  Sweden  and  can  be  found  in  retail  outlets 
worldwide.  Many  other  manufacturers  have  tried  to  copy  it,  but 
have not succeeded in matching its quality, says Kersti. The trendy 
reﬂectors have also won over the Japanese market. “Our presence 
in Japan has opened up new business opportunities in other parts 
of the world,” says the entrepreneur. 

A  six-month  start-up  grant  was  provided  by  the  Swedish  Public 
Employment Service to the company. Further support came from 
Swedish  enterprise  agencies  to  develop  strategies  and  draw  up 
marketing plans. 

What have been the biggest obstacles to doing 
business overseas?

Handling the credit risks and agreeing on payment terms in 
unfamiliar countries. An awareness of cultural diﬀerences has 
facilitated communication and business agreements.

Do you have any advice for entrepreneurs who 
are seeking to expand overseas?

Start with a market similar to your domestic market. 
Acknowledge the diﬀerences in each market and tailor your 
products to it. Don’t be afraid of taking chances, but keep the 
risks low so that you don’t jeopardise your company.

What is the best way of doing business overseas?

For a small company, I think it’s best to go through a 
distributor rather than set up a subsidiary. Knowledge of both 
the market and trends in individual countries is vital. Another 
factor contributing to success is hands-on involvement in the 
day-to-day running of a company.

Could you build a new business idea 
based on this entrepreneur’s enterprise?

70

Petra Marko

Company name: ExtravaDansa
Products/Services: Creative arts/entertainment 
Start-up year: 2002
Number of employees: 6 and 34 full-time dancers, 
choreographers, designers and tailors 
Key markets: Italy, Austria, UAE

petra.marko@extravadansa.net
www.extravadansa.net
Košická 46, 821 08 Bratislava, Slovakia

“Study legislation in any given market” 

71

“I  wanted  to  be  amongst  those  entrepreneurs  who  build  their 
enterprise on their own without any external support,” says Petra 
Marko. ExtravaDansa, the company she set up 10 years ago, hires 
out dancers for every occasion as well as specialising in costume 
rental and design. 

As a ﬁrst year economics student, Petra had business acumen to 
start up on her own. “If you are open-minded, there are plenty of 
opportunities everywhere. The most important thing is to be active,” 
she says. “With an executive team and skilful local managers, I am 
ready  to  take  on  any  market.”  In  creative  arts,  there  are  fewer 
language barriers to overcome in doing business overseas.

ExtravaDansa’s  success  is  based  on  employing  the  very  best, 
most talented and beautiful people. Its services are reliable and 
reasonably  priced,  explains  Petra.  She  is  especially  proud  of 
being in a position to give her team of dancers, choreographers, 
designers and tailors their dream jobs.

What is your advice to entrepreneurs seeking 
expansion?

Study legislation in any given market: a mistake could be 
costly, not only in monetary terms but also through loss of 
reputation.

What is the best way of doing business overseas? 

Whether at home or abroad, the same principles apply: listen 
to your critics, always strive to do better, work hard and take 
responsibility for your own decisions and the consequences 
of those decisions. You must watch, listen and try, but never 
give up!

What was the best thing about expanding 
overseas?

Without the international side of our business, we wouldn’t 
be able to oﬀer the same quality and range of services. Our 
company has only grown to its present size because we are 
active in several markets. 

The best thing about being an entrepreneur is…

…to be able to create and realise all my crazy ideas without 
needing permission from anyone above me. I love what I do!

Why do you think this entrepreneur 
has been internationally successful?

72

Rok Uršič

Company name: Instrumentation Technologies, d.d
Products/Services: Supplier of beam stabilisation 
processors for particle accelerators
Start-up year: 1998
Number of employees: 43
Key markets: EU, Australia, China, Japan, 
South Korea

info@i-tech.si
www.i-tech.si
Velika pot 22, 5250 Solkan, Slovenia

“Identify where you have  
a competitive advantage” 

Following  almost  a  decade  as  an  engineer  working  on  particle 
accelerators in Europe and the USA, Rok Uršič felt ready to launch 
his own company. He thus set up Instrumentation Technologies in 
Solkan, Slovenia in 1998 to develop beam stabilisation processors 
for particle accelerators using state-of-the-art technology.

Over  the  years,  Rok’s  team  have  strengthened  their  knowledge 
of speciﬁcation dra(cid:3)ing, project management, industrialisation of 
prototypes, series manufacturing and quality control, among other 
things  and  their  products  are  now  used  by  scientists  worldwide. 
The product range has also expanded, with many Instrumentation 
Technologies  processors  developed  in  collaboration  with  the 
laboratories  of  prominent  scientiﬁc  institutions.  In  addition,  the 
company’s  portfolio  of  Libera  processors  is  used  in  some  of  the 
world’s most advanced accelerators.

Instrumentation  Technologies  is  part  of  the  oPAC  (Optimisation 
of  Particle  Accelerators)  network  supported  by  the  7th  EU 
Framework Programme. The company has also received R&D and 
marketing support from local funding sources, as well as national 
and  EU  funding  aimed  at  boosting  development  and  supporting 
recruitment of talented young engineers.

What is your advice to entrepreneurs who are 
considering international expansion?

Decide on your target market and identify where you have a 
competitive advantage. If that advantage is on a global scale, 
think big. Find out how to get noticed, work on your brand and 
contact prospective customers, either directly or through a 
trusted partner.

What is the best way of doing business overseas?

I think it depends on the type of market that the company 
is in. In my experience, you have to establish relationships 
with customers based on trust and then prove that you are 
committed to doing business abroad in the long term.

What has been the best thing about expanding 
your business overseas?

Our overseas expansion has substantially increased the 
company’s revenue and at the same time, it has diversiﬁed 
risk by minimising the eﬀects of local macro-economic 
ﬂuctuations.

Entrepreneurs are important to society because…

…they constantly challenge the status quo, inspire others and 
create many new jobs.

73

If you joined this entrepreneur, what 
could you contribute to his business?

74

Dr. Mevlüt 
Büyükhelvacigil

Company name: Helvacizade Food, Pharma and 
Chemistry Inc.
Products/Services: Food, pharmaceutical and 
chemical production
Start-up year: 1888
Number of employees: 220
Key markets: USA, Japan, Norway, Australia, 
Sweden

mevlut@zade.com.tr
www.zade.com.tr and www.zadevital.com.tr
Zade Vegetable Oil Reﬁneries Plant, Organize Sanayi 
Bölgesi, Güzel Konak Sok. No: 8-10, 42300 Konya, 
Turkey

“Always focus on the consumer and develop 
products and services by identifying consumer needs” 

75

Dr. Mevlüt Büyükhelvacigil began his career with the Helvacizade 
food company, the business set up by his grandfather in 1888. In 
1988, the family decided to begin producing edible oils and Mevlüt 
oversaw the building of the Zade reﬁnery which opened in 1991.

From  the  outset,  Mevlüt  stressed  quality  control  and  the 
plant  included  a  laboratory  which  has  conducted  research  in 
collaboration  with  universities  and  developed  new  products. 
Zade  uses  ecologically  sound  material  for  production,  fuel  and 
packaging.  It  has  also  been  recognised  for  its  high  food  safety 
standards and corporate social responsibility. Mevlüt extended the 
plant in 2005 with the construction of a second reﬁnery.

Zade launched its Naturel range of organic cold-pressed oils and 
ﬂavoured  extra  virgin  oil  in  2008.  In  2009,  Mevlüt  transformed 
the  Helvacizade  food  company  into  Helvacizade  Food  Pharma 
Chemicals, beginning production of Zade Vital herbal supplements 
and  medicines.  Today,  the  ﬁrm’s  products  are  exported  to 
70 countries and international business accounts for some 40% 
of  turnover.  Over  the  last  three  years,  the  volume  of  exports 
has  increased  by  83%  and  foreign  trade  revenue  has  reached 
60 million dollars. 

What were your biggest challenges when doing 
business abroad?

Our products are nutraceutical and the main obstacle was 
ﬁnding the right partner. Getting the right partner brings 
sustainability and helps our products to be successful.

Were there any national, regional, or local 
support services, programmes or funding that 
made a diﬀerence?

Zade Vital is an example of co-operation between industry 
and academia. It was developed in cooperation with the 
Aegean University Drug Development and Pharmacokinetics 
Research and Application Centre.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
considering international expansion?

Aim to manufacture in accordance with globally accepted 
standards. Always focus on the consumer and develop 
products and services by identifying consumer needs in 
diﬀerent markets.

Your biggest achievement or something you are 
proud of...

We are most proud of our Zade Vital range as with this 
we have introduced a strong Turkish brand to the dietary 
supplements market.

And you, how would you generate a 
business idea and start a new business?

76

Rami Ranger

Company name: Sun Mark Ltd.
Products/Services: Food production, product 
marketing and distribution 
Start-up year: 1995
Number of employees: 80
Key markets: Africa 53%, Asia 14%, 
Americas 3%, Middle East 4%, Europe 24% 

rami@sunmark.co.uk
www.sunmark.co.uk
Sun House, 428 Long Drive, Greenford, Middlesex 
UB6 8UH, United Kingdom

“We only succeed when our customers succeed”

77

In setting up a food product marketing and distribution company, 
Rami Ranger took inspiration from Colonel Sanders, founder of the 
US fast-food chain, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) who was over the 
age of 60 when he started out in business. 

Without any help from government bodies or any other organisation, 
Rami began his business from a rented shed with capital of just 
two pounds sterling (€2.40) and a £40 (€48) typewriter. Seventeen 
years on, the key to its global success is the excellent quality of 
its services and products, coupled with competitive prices. “Those 
who cannot compete in terms of quality, service and price cannot 
expect to remain in business for long,” he says. 

Sun  Mark  runs  a  global  distribution  network  for  some  of  the 
United  Kingdom’s  famous  food  brands.  It  also  manufactures 
its  own  range  of  quality  value-for-money  products.  In  carving 
out  overseas  markets,  the  company  has  overcome  rules  and 
regulations governing customs clearance, particularly in emerging 
nations  where  red  tape  is  common,  says  Rami.  Knowledge  of 
local  customs  and  tastes  in  individual  markets  has  also  played 
a part in the company’s growth in other countries. Rami advises 
budding  entrepreneurs  with  foreign  ambitions  to  avoid  currency 
ﬂuctuations and shy away from political instability.  

A mark of Sun Mark’s success is that it is the only British company 
to have gained three consecutive Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in 
International Trade. 

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs 
who are considering expanding overseas?

It is important to merge and acquire, or build a strategic 
alliance with local companies. To save time and costs, local 
knowledge of the market is important. Remember that in 
sharing proﬁt with others, you share work and double your 
strength.

What is the best way of expanding a business 
overseas?

Hidden talent is no talent, so exhibit at trade shows in other 
countries. You have to sell more and to more people in 
countries where you want to do business, assisted by local 
partners. Face-to-face meetings with potential customers are 
also an important part of building trust and creating lasting 
business relationships.

What has been the best thing about expanding 
overseas? 

It is always wise not to put all your eggs in one basket; 
similarly, it is also wise to do business in as many countries 
as possible in order to insulate oneself from the economic 
turmoil and political unrest of a particular country.

What could one learn from 
this entrepreneur?

78

79

Develop Your Own 
Business Idea

80

Becoming an entrepreneur:  
are you ready to take on the challenge ?

(cid:88) YOU

Are you dreaming of becoming 
an entrepreneur?

List  5  reasons  why  you  want  to  become  an 
entrepreneur. Then, ask yourself:

(cid:97)(cid:2) What do I want from my company?
(cid:97)(cid:2) What do I want to achieve?
(cid:97)(cid:2) What changes will I need to make in my  
life-style to become an entrepreneur?

Do you have what it takes to be 
an entrepreneur? What do you still have 
to learn? 

Ask yourself the following:

(cid:97)(cid:2) Can I successfully manage my time and work 

on a daily basis?

(cid:97)(cid:2) What business knowledge do I have? 
(cid:97)(cid:2) Am I a good negotiator?
(cid:97)(cid:2) Do I have good people skills?
(cid:97)(cid:2) Am I prepared to work hard and put long 

hours into building my enterprise?

(cid:97)(cid:2) Can I assess and manage risk?
(cid:97)(cid:2) Do I have the drive to get things done?

(cid:89) YOUR IDEA

What is your business idea about?  
What makes it unique?  
What do you need to make it work?

Some key questions you should ask yourself:

(cid:97)(cid:2) What product/service do I want to sell?
(cid:97)(cid:2) How is it diﬀerent from or better than 

products/services currently on the market?

(cid:97)(cid:2) What needs does my product/service fulﬁl and/

or what problems does it solve?

(cid:97)(cid:2) How much would customers be willing 

to pay? 

(cid:97)(cid:2) Who are my competitors, how many are there 
and what are their strengths and weaknesses?

(cid:97)(cid:2) Is my business idea sustainable in the 

long term?

(cid:97)(cid:2) Could my product/service be replaced or made 

obsolete by another product/service?
(cid:97)(cid:2) Why am I the right person to oﬀer this 

product/service?

(cid:97)(cid:2) What information or skills do I still need to 

complete or ﬁne-tune my business idea? 

81

(cid:90) YOUR BUSINESS

Test your business idea and develop 
a sustainable business model. 

Before you start writing your business plan, think 
hard about what your business should look like.

Take  the  business  model  canvas  in  this  brochure 
and write down your aspirations and ideas. Maybe 
you have friends or potential business partners you 
want  to  consult?  As  soon  the  ﬁrst  ideas  come  to 
mind, write them down, sketching or synthesizing 
your ideas using board markers or sticky notes. 

Once  you  have  noted  all  your  ideas  on  paper, 
test  them  for  feasibility.  Research  your  market 
thoroughly  and  consult  as  many  stakeholders 
as  possible.  For  example:  talk  to  businesspeople, 
potential  customers,  shop  owners,  providers  of 
raw  materials,  technicians,  researchers,  lawyers, 
ﬁnancial  advisers  and  local  or  regional  business 
support networks. Finding yourself a mentor is also 
a good idea. 

To further test the viability of your business idea, 
perform  a  SWOT  analysis:  make  a  list  identifying 
the  Strengths  and  Weaknesses  of  your  business 
and consider any Opportunities and Threats in the 
market  that  could  support  or  limit  your  growth 
potential and/or proﬁtability. 

82

What support can you get 
from Europe?

Are you looking for help to set up or expand your enterprise? The European Commission assists small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) 
through networks and business support measures, such as:

The Enterprise Europe Network
The Enterprise Europe Network oﬀers support and advice to European SMEs. The Network is made up of around 600 partner organisations in 50 countries. 
It is Europe’s largest business and technology network. Partners include chambers of commerce, enterprise agencies, regional development organisations, 
research institutes, universities, technology centres and innovation centres. Strongly rooted in local communities and regions across Europe, the Network 
provides information on EU legislation and funding, helps companies ﬁnd business partners, especially in other countries, and oﬀers advice on how to develop 
an innovative idea. 

To ﬁnd out more, visit http://www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a cross-border exchange programme which gives new or aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to learn from experienced 
entrepreneurs running small businesses in other European Union countries. The exchange of experience takes place during a stay with the experienced 
entrepreneur, which helps the new entrepreneur acquire the skills needed to run a small ﬁrm and get to know the market of another European country. 
The host beneﬁts from fresh perspectives on his/her business and gets the opportunities to cooperate with foreign partners or learn about new markets. 
The stay is partially funded by the European Union. 

To ﬁnd out more, visit: http://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu

Access to Finance
The Commission is helping small businesses to overcome ﬁnancial market weaknesses, mostly by working together with various ﬁnancial institutions to 
provide them with funding. The goal is to increase the opportunities for small businesses to obtain ﬁnance from banks, guarantee providers and venture 
capital funds.

To ﬁnd out more, visit: http://www.access2ﬁnance.eu

The European Progress Microﬁnance Facility (EPMF)
The EPMF provides microcredit to small and micro-enterprises, and to people who have lost their jobs and want to start their own small businesses

To ﬁnd out more, visit: http://bit.ly/progressmicroﬁnance

83

European Small Business Portal
Do you want to ﬁnd out what the EU does to boost small businesses in Europe and on the global market, and what it can do for your business? This portal 
gathers together all the information provided by the EU on and for SMEs, ranging from practical advice to policy issues, from local contact points to 
networking links.

To ﬁnd out more, visit: http://ec.europa.eu/small-business

Your Europe Business
Your Europe Business portal gives individuals and businesses practical information on their rights and opportunities in the EU as a whole and in the individual 
Member States, including information on national funding opportunities.

To ﬁnd out more, visit: http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/business

Women Entrepreneurship Portal
The Commission has set up this portal speciﬁcally devoted to the promotion of women’s entrepreneurship. This women’s entrepreneurship portal aims at 
providing links to the websites of women entrepreneurs’ representative organisations, networks, projects and events that relate to the promotion of female 
entrepreneurship.

To ﬁnd out more, visit: http://j.mp/womenentrepreneurship

Network of Mentors for Women Entrepreneurs
The Mentors Network provides advice and support to women entrepreneurs on the start-up, running and growth of their enterprises in the early phase of their 
life. The network covers 17 European countries.

To ﬁnd out more, visit: http://j.mp/enmwe-contact

What value will you deliver to your customers? What needs will you satisfy or what problems will you solve? What will you do better than your competitors? 

How will you reach your customers, e.g. via supermarkets, department stores,  
specialised retailers, the internet, sales representatives….?

What are your core operations or tasks? How do you have to run them to make your business successful? 

Products, Services 
and the Market

YOUR

Distribution   
Channels

Core Business 
Operations

What physical, human and financial resources do you need? Where will you get them? At what prices / conditions?

Resources

Who are your customers? Can you categorise them into segments? What type of relationship do you want to establish with them? 

Customers

BUSINESS  
MODEL

Promotion

How will you promote your products/services? How will you communicate with your customers?  
What will be your key messages? 

What knowledge / skills / experience will your staff / partners need to have?

Team / Partners

Financial Plan

What are the most important costs to operate your business?  
What are customers willing to pay? How soon will you make a profit? How much cash flow do you need?

86

ENTERPRISE & INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

The Enterprise & Industry online magazine (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/magazine) 
– covers issues related to SMEs, innovation, entrepreneurship, the single market for goods, 
competitiveness and environmental protection, industrial policies across a wide range of 
sectors, and more.

The printed edition of the magazine is published three times a year.  
You can subscribe online (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/magazine/print-edition/subscription) – 
to receive it – in English, French, German or Italian - free of charge by post.

European SME Week 2012: 
http://ec.europa.eu/sme-week

Erasmus for Entrepreneurs: 
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/promoting-entrepreneurship/erasmus-entrepreneurs

Enterprise Europe Network: 
http://www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu

European Small Business Portal: 
http://ec.europa.eu/small-business

Your Europe Portal: 
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope

Funding for SMEs: 
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/ﬁnance

Second Chance Portal: 
http://ec.europa.eu/sme2chance

Transfer of Businesses: 
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/business-environment/smooth-transfer

87

Europe Direct is a service to help you ﬁnd answers 
to your questions about the European Union

Freephone number (*):
00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11

(*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 
00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed.

88

HOW TO OBTAIN EU PUBLICATIONS

Free publications:
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  (http://bookshop.europa.eu);
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You can obtain their contact details on the Internet 
(http://ec.europa.eu) 
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Neither  the  European  Commission  nor  any  person  acting  on  its  behalf 

may  be  held  responsible  for  the  use  to  which  information  contained  in 

this publication may be put, nor for any errors which may appear despite 

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Luxembourg: Publications Oﬃce of the European Union, 2012

Front cover images: photo of Dutch entrepreneur with crane 

© Photographer Job Boersma

ISBN 978-92-79-24916-7

DOI 10.2769/36687

© European Union, 2012

Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged,

save where otherwise stated.

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This publication is ﬁnanced under the Competitiveness and Innovation

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The Secret of Success

2012-13

European SMEs  

as International  

Champions

http://ec.europa.eu/sme-week

Enterprise and 

Industry