Servus, as they say here in Austria.
I’m Kaya, a linguist, a dancer and now, with the beginning of this programme, an entrepreneur. Yes, I have only just started working with Marko and his team, but already I’m beginning to feel and think like an entrepreneur. This company is just buzzing with creativity, innovation and moonshot thinking – it is impossible not to be swept away.
To give you some details on the what, why and how of my participation in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme, let’s start with some context. I’m a bilingual girl from Denmark (from the German minority in Denmark), studying German and English at University and in training to become a 5Rhythms Teacher (a moving meditation practice). What brought me to the programme was the wish to start my own dancing programme for young people to help them reduce their stress and anxiety. Youngsters and adolescents are in such a complicated phase of their life which produces lots of stress and anxiety but also where working with that stress and anxiety is quickly perceived as stressful and anxiety-provoking and motivating them to do it anyway is tough business.
Thus, what I was looking for when I applied for the programme, was a company with experience in inspiring, engaging and creating an impact, and lucky me, I found one: KOPFKINO Productions. A company with the goal to “engage, inspire and have an impact that will allow us to collectively shape our world.” – before I met them I was hopeful that they were what I was looking for, but now that I’ve become part of their team, I am certain.
So now for the next six months (15/01-14/07) I am collaborating Marko Haschej owner of KOPFKINO Productions to “do epic shit” (one of the company’s mottos) and will thereby be learning how to develop an inspiring business with real impact. I hope to learn a lot about PR, concept development, branding and global expansion. To be honest, I have already learned quite a bit, especially about concept and business development, as we spent one of my first days updating the company’s vision statement and goals for 2020 which was very insightful. During my first week, we also went for a team trip to Kärten (see picture) to work on the company’s next big thing (which actually focuses on young people) and I got a cool job-title and was added as a full team member to the website of their new project. They have made me feel so welcome.
On a more personal note, I admit it has been strange to start a new life in a different country with a different culture. There has been (and still is) a lot to get used to, but I have been received so well by the team and by the people I’ve been in contact with that I’m quite confident that I’ll manage. But experiencing another culture is also teaching me so much about my own because I get another perspective on how to structure life and society. This is the first time that I’m living abroad despite my German roots, and I have a feeling that this experience will not only teach me lots about entrepreneurship but also about myself. I hadn’t expected that, but I’m very fascinated and look forward to learning more.
In summary: so far life is good – different than I had expected, but also better and very exciting. Let’s see what happens in the next couple of months.
Until then: Baba (another strange Austrian expression).
