This is a re-post of my recent Armenian trip - a youth training on entrepreneurship and creativity, "Dreamdoland".
Despite the unpredictable March weather, a group of young people
gathered to explore Yerevan and learn some more about entrepreneurship
and creativity. We have come from Norway, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria,
Russia, Spain and Georgia, and settled in the famous Chess Academy for a week of adventure. Let the fun begin!
Here
we are - three days in Yerevan, and already learned quite a bit about
each other, about the local people and the way they see entrepreneurship
(and almost learned how to spell this word, too!). Goal of the week
almost reached, some would say - but lets see what is coming next, cause
who knows, maybe it is just like with the Caucasian table, which gets
better and better with each course?
On the first day of the program we had a chance to see the city and interact with people. Divided into groups, we got a list of tasks for the day: to interview a business owner, to talk to people on the street, to exchange a pen to something more valuable (this one sounded crazy in the beginning!). Wet snow decided to fall exactly that afternoon - but it appears it can be possible to have a good time out even in this weather! No news for the northerners, but quite unusual in the South.
On the first day of the program we had a chance to see the city and interact with people. Divided into groups, we got a list of tasks for the day: to interview a business owner, to talk to people on the street, to exchange a pen to something more valuable (this one sounded crazy in the beginning!). Wet snow decided to fall exactly that afternoon - but it appears it can be possible to have a good time out even in this weather! No news for the northerners, but quite unusual in the South.
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Lady working in the metro was not pleased to see a camera
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The
first surprise came in metro - after being helped to orient on a
platform by a kind lady, we later saw her running towards the wagon
waving her hands - "No photo! No photo!" It appears, taking photos is
not allowed in metro, near police or politicians. Also, some
supermarkets will ask you to delete any photos you've taken there, and
it seems that many business people we interviewed also didn't want their
photos to be put online.
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Getting inspiration at a children store
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Once
we got to the center, each group got one street to explore and to make
interviews. We visited many small shops, but it wasn't always easy to
find the owner himself there. However, most of the groups were kindly
surprised, when business owners and managers willingly shared their time
with us. One of them even left a meeting to give us interview! It
seems, people like to talk about their experience and communicate with
foreigners. But we noticed some 'taboo' topics as well - some of them
didn't want to talk about how much taxes they have to pay, or to mention
anything connected to their boss. Just like one of the groups said
during their presentation - it seems that people wanted to tell even
more than they did. Even so, from these conversations we could learn
quite much about daily life of a business person in Armenia.
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Making friends with a bull in front of the cinema
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One
of the most interesting questions of these interviews was to learn what
somebody needs to start a business in Armenia. And even though we had
five groups, who interviewed completely different people, the result was
so similar! It seems, to put your ideas into action and get profit from
it in Armenia, you need to have some $$$$ (that won't disturb starting
business anywhere!..). But also you need support from the government -
or at least to have somebody (uncle, cousin, friend...) who has good
relationship with the authorities. It is interesting that many people
rely on it a lot - on personal relations, good contacts, networks...
Just like a lonely wolf dies without a pack, you cannot make a business
in Armenia alone.
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Over-excited at a fancy Arabic restaurant!
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And
finally, we all managed to exchange the pens! I honestly don't know,
how much of it was our negotiation skills, and how much - simply kind
heart and hospitality of Armenians. We easily convinced to trade those
small plastic sticks to things like strawberry tea, memory sticks,
souvenir cup and plate, traditional necklace and other warm reminders
from this day. Just like Kyle MacDonald, a Canadian blogger who traded his way from a single red paperclip to a house in one year,
we managed to achieve something that seemed absolutely crazy and
impossible in the beginning, and try one step of actually making
business.
