From Romania to Italy: A journey of mutual learning and business success
Adriana Marina Coroian, an aspiring entrepreneur from Bistrița, Romania, and Leonardo Carpinteri, an experienced entrepreneur from Trapani, Italy, joined forces under the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program, creating a compelling story of learning, collaboration, and growth.

The New Entrepreneur: Marina’s Journey

Marina had always aspired to be part of this impactful exchange project as a prospective key associate for her family business. Through this experience, her primary objective was to significantly boost her company. She also recognized the need to take her business to the next level, as its development had been slow in recent years.

The exchange program provided Marina with a unique opportunity to test her management theories and strategies in a new environment. Approaches such as delivering excellent customer service, focusing on target audiences, and enhancing the company’s online presence proved to be both effective and successful. Marina also gained valuable insights into the common pitfalls to avoid when running a business.

These experiences have equipped Marina with instrumental models and strategies she plans to implement in her family business. Metronom-Sig, her company, employs 31 people and specializes in manufacturing plastic products. Established 24 years ago, it is well-known in Romania as a leading producer of components for electrical installations.

The Host Entrepreneur: Leonardo’s Expertise

Leonardo is an experienced entrepreneur with 26 years of experience in the consultancy field. Over the years, he has mentored and introduced several young entrepreneurs to this profession, establishing himself as an excellent teacher and manager.

While Leonardo had prior experience with similar projects, this was Marina’s first time participating in such an initiative. She discovered Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs through social media and was guided by Cordelia Bădescu from Fundația Danis pentru Dezvoltare Managerială. The decision to take part came after several discussions between Marina and Leonardo via video calls, during which they discovered their companies shared common goals.

The anticipated benefits of this collaboration included expanding the value chain, gaining valuable experience, and exchanging insights and strategies from each other’s areas of expertise.

Key activities and learning experiences

Over the course of four and a half months, Marina and Leonardo explored each other’s business structures and discovered how well they complemented each other’s approaches. Reflecting the EU motto, „Unity in Diversity,” Marina learned to think outside the box and adapt her business approach to different negotiation styles. Leonardo, in turn, gained theoretical knowledge from Marina’s academic background.

Marina made every effort to share what she had learned during her bachelor’s degree in Management, as well as practical insights from her business experience in Romania. The most significant moments included their visits to Eu.In’s clients in Trapani and Santa Ninfa. They were fascinated to discover how communication and client service varied so significantly between the two business cultures.

The final activity, the Customer Service questionnaire, was particularly noteworthy. This project aimed to evaluate Eu.In’s performance in terms of service to consumers. The questionnaire was distributed to 30 clients across Italy, providing valuable data that helped draw important conclusions.

Marina developed specific questions to identify client preferences, satisfaction levels, perceptions of company efficiency, and desired features. Both Leonardo and Marina were pleased to find that clients not only provided feedback but also offered helpful advice and new ideas.

The data collected was compiled into charts and thoroughly analyzed. The conclusions and future strategies were discussed in a brainstorming session with the entire team.

This project fostered a strong business relationship and a meaningful friendship between two entrepreneurs who share common goals.

Achieved benefits and future prospects

Through continuous collaboration and the exchange of information, Marina and Leonardo successfully enhanced each other’s businesses. Marina gained the opportunity to work on-site, meet Eu.In’s clients, collaborate with Leonardo’s team in Trapani, and acquire new knowledge that will be particularly beneficial when working with her suppliers in Italy.

Leonardo introduced Marina to a distributor who could assist with expanding her business in northern Italy and a supplier of high-quality raw materials. Future cooperation plans include Leonardo’s visit to Romania in the spring of 2025, where he intends to visit Marina’s factory and engage with potential clients interested in consulting services.

The network they are building is designed to support medium- and long-term collaboration.

Entrepreneurs’ Reflections

„Too much is never enough! This experience has whetted my appetite to learn more and expand my business abroad. We are so different, and every business has its own unique characteristics. Although I had nearly five amazing months, I still feel I want to be part of this type of project!”
— Adriana Marina Coroian, New Entrepreneur, Romania

„Marina has taught me that there is always something to learn! Although I have more extensive experience, she showed me new strategies that can help a business grow faster. Now, I believe it is important to listen to the newer generation and stay updated.”
— Leonardo Carpinteri, Host Entrepreneur, Italy