Business brief – coverage of the MARR lesson

Lesson 1. Business brief. 

The first open lesson in entrepreneurship in Małopolska organised by MARR, Małopolska Regional Development Agency has come to an end. It was conducted by Artur Dziurman, actor and chairman of the Moliere Stage Association. The guests were welcomed by a representative of the Małopolska Region Authorities.

Lesson 1: point 1: PLN 20,000 for business plan.

Prizes were awarded in the MARR’s “From plan to business” competition, and a cheque for PLN 20,000 for the best business plan went to Patryk Trzópek, author of the Wyjadacze.pl innovative geo-location portal.

Wyjadacze.pl offers a windfall to the gourmet as it is Poland’s first portal that enables the users to upload photos of meals from their favourite restaurants.

The second prize, a package of MARR training sessions, was granted to Wojciech Jamroży for the “Project online - become an architect” business plan.

Lesson 1: point 2: “The money is in the City: one only has to look for it,” said Mr. Patryk Trzópek, laureate of the 1st prize in the MARR competition. The question of where to look for the money was discussed by Rafał Solecki, Director of MCP, Małopolskie Centre of Entrepreneurship. He presented the possibilities of financing companies in Małopolska with EU funds and discussed the scholarships that can be applied for at the Małopolskie Centre of Entrepreneurship.

Krzysztof Krzysztofiak, President of MARR, started his speech with a question to the participants: “Who wants to run their own company?” Practically all present in the room raised their hands. “We are here to help you,” said the President.

Then he a few practical tips as to how, when and for what one can start the business. “One can acquire resources: there are hundreds of entrepreneurs who benefitted from the MARR’s financial offer in the course of the last dozen or so months.”

Additionally, about 800 young people received and will receive a grant amounting up to PLN 40,000 for the start-up of their companies from MARR. At the end the President pointed to the possibilities of creating innovative enterprises in the Małopolska Region.

“Innovativeness means not only I-Phones and Facebook,” said Krzysztof Krzysztofiak. “In order to create innovative companies one has to find a niche and come up with an idea. But in order to run a business one has to consider what one wants to do, how to do it, how to gain the market and where to look for money. So remember  ulica Kordylewskiego 11, that is MARR.”

Lesson 1: point 3: “They managed to receive grants” – the following people talked about their adventures with business and MARR support:

Anna Zasada (CzerwonaMaszyna.pl): “I have to confess something. I started my own business because … I was dreadfully bored. I had a full-time job …,” said Ms. Zasada about her adventure with business and about a loan from MARR thanks to which her portal became one of the largest services of this kind in Poland.

And … everything happened absolutely normally … until Black Mamba, a Labrador brought by Ms. Monika Kuc (Cynotherapy and Dog Therapy Centre) jumped from behind the table at which the businessmen were sitting.

Ms. Kuc received a grant from MARR under the Programme for Human Capital to finance a company that helps autistic and disabled children with the use of animals.

Tobiasz Strzelecki (Vitroform) talked about his company manufacturing laminated glass. His glass panes were installed, for example, at the Cloth Hall and the National Museum. Thanks to the MARR grant he could develop his business.

Marta Skrocka (Hurra Studio) – her company runs frame-by-frame animation workshops for children. “It is very easy for me to tell children how to make an animated movie,” said Ms. Skrocka. She then presented some of the short animated movies prepared by the children.

Mr. Witold Maraszewski of DynaLabs talked about his company offering design, counselling and engineer analysis services. Thanks to the MARR grant he purchased specialist software for his company. Now he can conduct advanced simulations of physical phenomena and increase his profits.

Lesson 1: point 4: questions and answers:

In the end the entrepreneurs who succeeded in business answered the questions of pupils and students:

To the question about the motivation for starting their own business they answered: “I don’t like jobs where I have to be from one time … to another time of day,” “I can work when I want and how I want,” “Working on my own account: it is I who creates the image of my company.”

The entrepreneurs were also asked about things that need to be consider while starting a business and that posed the greatest problems, how they promoted their companies, how ... they perceive their retirement pensions and how much profit their companies bring.

The lesson organised by MARR ended the Global Entrepreneurship Week. It was attended by over 130 pupils, students and graduates.