"EMPAG", Network of business firms as door opener towards the world. Experiences from Swedish participants

Moderator:	Arne Ullman, Regional evaluator, County council, Jönköping
Participants:	Paula Cremonini, Partnership for Growth, Italy Ulla Lindén, EMPAG, Sweden Eva Grune, EMPAG, Sweden Dagmar Bergmann, Empowerment, Germany Elisabeth Carlsson, EMPAG, Sweden (occasion I) Mats Helge, EMPAG, Sweden (occasion II) Carita Iversen, EMPAG, Sweden (occasion III)
Documentation:	Lena Wahlgren
Hostesses:	Birgitta Hörndahl Maj-Britt Magnusson
Program:	Presentation of the participants Why participate in the project? Empowerment - discussion

Presentation of the participants

Ulla Lindén, Sweden

Medical law consulting in county councils, attorney – malpractice and compensation for people that are dissatisfied with their treatment. Works even as a teacher.

Dagmar Bergman, Germany

Works with opportunities for women, education, working with networking to get contact with smaller companies. Dagmar is involved both in an Adapt project and in the Empowerment female entrepreneurs as a project leader. Eastern Germany faces the problems of going from one system to another. That involves a lot of new knowledge.

Participates also in another project NOW, with partners in England and Spain. Wants to support small enterprises, and develop a female entrepreneurs centre in a building up process.

Eva Grune, Sweden

Works with economics in a family company, 15 employees, producing ventilation products that are marketed all over Sweden as well as in Denmark and Norway.

Elisabeth Carlsson, Sweden (occ. I)

Has a family company, C:son AB, producing hangers and importing/exporting ties and scarves.

Paula Cremonini, Libra entrepreneurs

Works as a brooking consultant, representing micro enterprises, contact and network with other business associations, access to founds, partnership. Starting to communicated with other countries.

Works with Libra, which works with micro companies and creates an European network, and with political institutions.

Mats Helge, Sweden (occ. II)

Mats on the Hill, uses his farm’s advantages such as the houses, quietness, forest. He is developing the farm to a visiting centre, with safari tours in the forest. The guests can sleep in the hay, hire canoes and fish. Ecological breakfast. Mats want to develop his business by getting in contact with people in Sweden and abroad – network.

Carita Iversen, Sweden (occ. III)

Has hostel for recreation in the country, has also a fitness studio.

Why participate in the project?

• Paula C: To establish and get a new network business ideas. Don’t make mistakes twice. Can start a process. Possibility of sharing information of training possibilities.
• Libra supports micro enterprises’ business ideas, start-up, gives space for office, free access to web-site as well as free e-mail for all citizens (no-profit organisations).
• Ulla L: Wants to be a better entrepreneur, have better self-confidence, train English.
• Elisabeth C: Network communication with other countries, language training. Feedback and support from the group.
• Eva G: To get network of female entrepreneurs in Jönköping.
• To get in contact with companies abroad using e-mail.
• Dagmar B: Important to get contacts and support small enterprises. Information. Start new business and create new ideas.
• Carita I: To study IT and languages.

What is Empowerment?

• Working with yourself and the colleagues.
• Supporting each other.
• Understanding other partners’ need and wishes.
• Local network: Same references, without having to explain everything from the beginning.
• New opportunities for Women NOW.
• Important: Information, efficient meetings, priority of meetings, network.
• Trust each other, otherwise it won’t work.
• Try to reflect on the situation from the economic point of view.
• It took some time before understanding what empowerment is.