When I started my Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs journey, my main goal was to understand what it really takes to run a small design-driven business focused on bags. I wanted to see not only how products are designed, but also what happens behind the scenes: how work is organised, how responsibilities are divided, how decisions are made and how a product moves from the first idea to the customer.
So far, my experience has followed the plan we established at the beginning of my stay. I have been involved in a variety of tasks, both creative and organisational. Apart from working on design-related activities, I have learned how to organise photoshoots, prepare events and support different aspects of the company’s daily work. I have also had the opportunity to observe the company’s strategy and understand how different activities connect to create a functioning business. My communication with my host has been very positive, and I have been able to ask questions and discuss things whenever I needed additional guidance.
One of the most valuable experiences was also learning how to react when things do not go according to plan. As often happens in the creative industry, production can depend on external suppliers, and during my stay there was a delay and some materials arrived incorrectly. This meant that we had to react quickly and adjust the workflow to meet the planned launch date of a new bag collection. It taught me that running a creative business requires not only good planning, but also the ability to change your approach quickly when circumstances change. I learned how to deal with stressful situations, find practical solutions and adapt both the product development process and the way a product is presented and sold.
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Having contact with customers has also helped me understand the complete journey of a product, from its development to its final sale. This has given me a much broader perspective on design and showed me how closely creativity, production, communication and business are connected.
I feel that the programme is meeting my expectations. I have gained practical knowledge about the tools and processes needed to run a business, but perhaps most importantly, I have gained more confidence in my own plan to start a company in the future. The experience has also allowed me to build new international contacts and strengthen my English and Spanish through everyday professional communication.
During the second half of my stay, I would like to explore the business side even further, particularly areas such as finding distributors, building professional contacts, managing finances and deciding where to invest in marketing and promotion. I hope to continue learning from my host’s experience and take as much practical knowledge as possible back with me when I start developing my own business.