I’m Marwan Zaher, founder of a developing business in education services. While I already had a clear product vision, I joined the EYE programme to gain practical experience in how to effectively market and promote educational solutions. My Host, Maria Koimisoglou, is an experienced entrepreneur at Akadimos in Greece, working in the training and consultancy sector. I discovered the EYE programme through a friend of mine and saw it as the ideal opportunity to learn from a real business environment. My main goal was to understand how to reach the right audience, build client relationships, and position my brand strategically. After 5 months, I’ve gained valuable insights into digital marketing, project planning, and client engagement that are directly shaping my entrepreneurial journey.
During my EYE stay, I collaborated closely with my Host on activities focused on project management, client communication, and marketing. We began by analyzing and redesigning project planning templates to improve workflow efficiency. I participated in internal and external client meetings, which helped me understand professional communication dynamics and contribute to refining client interaction protocols. Most importantly, I’ve been involved in developing digital marketing strategies, including brainstorming campaigns and testing social media tools to increase business visibility. The relationship with my Host has been collaborative and supportive. I’ve had the space to contribute ideas, receive feedback, and actively shape the work. This hands-on learning has been essential for building my entrepreneurial skills.
This experience has significantly strengthened my entrepreneurial skills. I’ve developed practical expertise in project planning, digital marketing, and client communication.. skills that are directly applicable to my education business. I now feel more confident in designing and promoting services to reach the right audience. The exchange has also expanded my professional mindset; I’ve learned how to adapt ideas to different markets and respond to client feedback more strategically. My Host and I are actually collaborating now on a european project as a partner. I’ve also built a network of contacts in Greece that could support international growth. Overall, the programme gave me not only technical knowledge but also the confidence to move forward with a clearer vision.
This experience transformed the way I think about entrepreneurship. I came with a product, now I have the skills and confidence to bring it to market.