Never lose your sense of wonder! – Game of Tones at the JA Europe Company of the Year Competition

Having received the title Mini-company of the Year 2016 in Hungary, Game of Tones got the opportunity to represent our country at the JA Europe Competition in Lucerne, Switzerland between July 25 and 27, 2016.

The flagship programme of the organization Junior Achievement is the Company Programme, which offers high school students the opportunity to learn how to move a business idea from concept to reality. To their annual competition, the best mini-companies of the participating 36 countries are invited to introduce themselves and compete for the award JA Europe Company of the Year.

QUESTIONNAIRE about school companies by Ted Time from Portugal

1.     Are you satisfied with your cooperation between members of  your school company? Why?

We are all satisfied with our cooperation because as a team we work really well together, we develop our expert services, we outline strategic advantages and we implement important marketing decisions. As a result, we also won the logo contest and the video contest.

2.     Did you have any problems with running your school companies? How did you cope with them?

At the beginning we had to build our team, we had to think outside the box and learn how to build a small business, in fact it was our first time. Also, we were the only company selling a service, so our major struggle was: how to get profit out of this business.

QUESTIONNAIRE about school companies - SOIZ TIME from Poland

1.     Are you satisfied with your cooperation between members of  your school company? Why?

We are satisfied with the relations between workers in our company. They are based on partner relations and mutual respect. We cooperate with each other by planning and taking decisions together. We try to share the tasks fairly.

2.     Did you have any problems with running your school companies? How did you cope with them?

There were minor misunderstandings which we tried to solve together by talking to each other. Sometimes we couldn’t do some tasks in our company by ourselves so we had to ask vocational subject teachers to help us.

3.     To what extend did you manage to accomplish  all plans and activities which you had set  in your business plan?

We managed to organize a few interesting events:

·       a city rally for SOiZ students

·       a city rally for Erasmus + partners

·       class trips to Warsaw and Krakow

·       conducting a game ‘Communication in a team’ in other classes by using Lego blocks

·       St Valentine’s Day contest

·       we also run a FB profile

4.     To what extend did you accomplish your business plan?

We accomplished it successfully in all points.

5.     What was the strength of your school company?

Mutual respect, acceptance, friendly relations, tourism hobbies, eagerness to work and determination in doing the tasks are our strengths.

6.     What was the weakness of your company?

Low financial possibilities and no profit earned from the events were our weaknesses. Sometimes we also lacked enough time to work together.

7.     How successful was the school company and what are you proud of?

Our biggest success was preparing and realization of the school trips to Warsaw and Krakow. We prepared the itineraries, calculated the trips and booked the hotel, all tickets and admissions. We played the roles of tour guides by ourselves.

8.     What knowledge did you acquire while running the school company

Running our company we learned how to run business. All the vocational subject classes taught us a lot. Thanks to them nothing surprised us. We learned how to prepare itineraries, organize events and prepare calculations.

9.     What skills did you get while running the school company?

While running the school company we learned how to monitor organizing trips, how to run a travel agency and how to cooperate in a team which consisted  of students from our class- different personalities. We learned that in order to run a business we need to be determined and eager to do it.

10.  Can you see any opportunities for development of your company as ‘real’ entrepreneurs in the future?

There is a big opportunity for our company to become a big real company because the basis for success is our self-denial, creative people and integrated team. We believe that running the company as a big real one is a big challenge for us but also an adventure, because we all truly love tourism.

11.  What opportunities and threats can you see?

Our age, knowledge of tourism and the market, ability to speak three languages( English, German and Italian) are our big advantages. We are aware of the threats that are waiting for us in current world. Cieszyn is a small town with a lot of travel agencies competing with each other. However,  self-discipline is most important, which we know we can make it!!!

Forget the Meir, Convoi is where it’s at in Antwerp

Tucked neatly behind Waagnatie, on the banks of the Scheldt, you’ll find Antwerp’s newest and hippest shopping centre. Convoi has been created from over 50 shipping containers, which provide retail space to 40 businesses selling fashion, food, and design items for you and your home.

But there are no chains here. At Convoi, the tenants are mostly young and local entrepreneurs looking to try out an idea or product. “I wanted to make it as simple as possible,” says Kim Soeffers, the driving force behind the project. “Convoi gives them a space to test and evolve. Each container comes ready to use with lighting, wi-fi and a selection of fittings. All they have to do is bring their products.”