Anca Simola had been working for a Romanian bank for seven years when she had the idea for starting her own company – Business Anatomy – offering fiscal, legal and operative consultancy to foreign companies that were expanding their activities in Romania. She already had a sound financial and fiscal experience, knowing everything from starting up a company to insolvency, and she spotted the key problems that foreign investors were encountering while doing business in Romania. But how to get off to a flying start for her company?

Anca’s journey as an entrepreneur started in 2013, in Milan, with the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme. The exchange gave her the courage and motivation to resign from the job at the bank and to start her own business. With the help of her host entrepreneur, she gained insights into the Italian taxation and fiscal regulations and she received professional guidance and valuable experience in the European management methods, in particular regarding organizational planning and financial planning. The access to new markets, international cooperation and collaboration with business partners abroad – all gained by Anca during the EYE experience – were the bricks for building the bridge between her business idea and a real, viable and innovative company.

“Two months of Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs experience were more valuable to my professional and entrepreneurship development than seven years working in a bank. The general information about the international markets and the lessons on how to take the risks of going internationally, gathered through the programme, influenced my decision of expanding my own business. The exchange experience was the key element for creating new contacts, networks and new business opportunities – the perfect ingredients for the anatomy of a successful business.” (Anca Simola, Business Anatomy)

Right after the exchange, Business Anatomy’s revenue stream was made up of income coming from Italian clients and through strategic alliances developed during the months spent in Italy. After seven years, Business Anatomy has more than €300.000 revenue per year, with a project-based workflow and longstanding clients. The array of services is much enriched, from financial management to market entry business development, human resources management and IT consulting services.