Success stories

New entrepreneur:
Lidio Mykaj (Albania)
Age: 29
Company name: N/A (Start-up)
Sector of activity: Health, beauty and social services

Host entrepreneur:
Carlo Pizzarelli (Italy)
Age: 38
Company name: Dimensione Uomo (10 years of experience)
Sector of activity: Health, beauty and social services

As participants in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme we came together with shared goals but from different stages in our entrepreneurial journeys. Lidio, the New Entrepreneur (NE), aimed to develop a business focused on hair gel combining product development with a strong e-commerce and branding strategy. Carlo, the Host Entrepreneur, already active in the wellness sector saw this as an opportunity to refresh his brand and connect with a younger more international audience. This collaboration allowed us to merge creativity and experience: the NE brought new branding perspectives and technical skills the HE offered mentorship strategic guidance and industry insight. Together we created more than just a product, we built a partnership that sparked personal and professional growth.

We started by testing and refining hair gel prototypes based on customer feedback. The NE focused on developing the brand identity, designing the logo packaging and storytelling strategy, while also building a working prototype of an e-commerce platform tailored to the product. The HE provided continuous guidance to ensure market alignment and coached the NE on pricing product placement and customer targeting. The prototype platform now reflects a fully designed brand experience ready for market validation. This structured yet creative process helped transform an early-stage idea into a concrete professional business model.

The NE gained practical skills in digital branding customer engagement and e-commerce development culminating in a prototype ready for testing and launch. For the HE the experience was equally enriching: acting as a mentor enhanced his leadership and introduced him to new branding and storytelling techniques. Most importantly the collaboration helped the HE attract a younger international audience - an achievement that would have been difficult without the NE’s input. Personally we both experienced a renewed sense of motivation and direction. The EYE programme enabled us to go beyond our comfort zones and build something impactful together.

For more information, please contact the local contact points involved in the exchange:

New entrepreneur's contact point:
Noa Sh.A (Tiranë, Albania)

Host entrepreneur's contact point:
UNISCO Network per lo Sviluppo Locale (Bari, Italy)

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