New Entrepreneur (NE)
Name & surname: Isabel Muñoz Arcos
Country: Spain
Age: 25
Sector of activity: Tourism
Did you already start your business? No.
What is your future business? My project is to create a company of tour guides using high technology.
Host Entrepreneur (HE)
Name & surname: Valerio Deidda
Country: Italy
Sector of activity: Tourism
Experience in running a business: 6 years
Name of business/website: Sardinia To Do / sardiniatodo.com
What is your business? Sardinia To Do is a company of tour services and experiences such as daily cultural and natural tours, wine & food tours (tours in wineries and cheese factories), as well as cooking classes.
Period of exchange: 01/07/2019 – 31/10/2019
Duration of exchange: 4 months
How did Isabel establish important contacts for her future business in the tourism sector?
Isabel Muñoz (NE) is a future businesswoman who has always dreamed of being a tour guide and founding her own tourism company in her city. Though lacking experience, Isabel decided to apply for the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program. She was looking for a host company which did similar work to what she wanted to do in the future.
Thus, she contacted Valerio Deidda (HE), owner of the company Sardinia To Do, who accepted her application. Regarding the exchange, he saw an opportunity to learn about another culture and about tourism from a different point of view, as well as to help and advise a young entrepreneur on her path as a future entrepreneur.
Eager to learn, Isabel moved to the island of Sardinia in July 2019, to conduct a four-month business exchange.
During the exchange, the two entrepreneurs worked closely together and took many decisions together. They started working with Spanish intermediaries, Isabel conducted searches and researches which were suitable for the business and she worked on the marketing of the company.
Public relations were also very important during the business exchange. Isabel had the opportunity to work with people from all over the world, which has helped her improve her communication techniques, her language skills and to narrow down the focus of her future business.
The best experience for Isabel was to learn from a professional like Valerio, who had the desire and patience to help her and to teach her both during the four months at her host company, and also after the exchange had ended. Sardinia To Do allowed her to get in-depth knowledge on how a company is managed in the world of tourism and how to get started in the business world.
Isabel is very happy about her experience, as she has met many people with whom she can work in the future and as the friendship with Valerio will be forever.
Concluding Remarks
Isabel Muñoz (NE): ‘’Erasmus for young entrepreneurs has allowed me to be closer to my dream. I have learned, worked, and enjoyed. Thanks to Valerio for his dedication and for sharing with me the passion for his daily work. Without any doubt, it has been one of the best experiences of my life.’’
Valerio Deidda (HE): ‘’Being a Sardinian entrepreneur means having many opportunities, thanks to the island and to the people you meet along the way. We like to meet people and share opinions about our work, our life, and our philosophy. Meeting Isabel was the same: a moment of sharing and a moment of professional and human growth. I hope it was the same to her, as a person as well as a future entrepreneur.’’
