What was the greatest experience for you as part of the Mini-Enterprises programme?

We have experienced a lot since September 2021, and gained a lot of practical knowledge, therefore it is not easy to decide which experience had the biggest impact on us.

The one thing we enjoyed the most was to develop, produce and sell our own product. Once we saw that shops were willing to sell our chewing gum, and to hear the positive feedback from our clients, we realised that we were doing a good job. This taught us that hard work pays off!

What have you learned so far? What advice would you give future Jonk Entrepreneurs?

We would recommend that they should not shy away from asking for help if they feel unsure about something or how to tackle a problem. There is an answer to every problem, just like there is a solution to every problem. The more people you ask for advice, the more knowledge, and perspectives you gain. This helps you further develop your skills and eventually become an expert yourself.

Tell us about a challenge and how you overcame it as a team.

The first challenge was to come up with the perfect idea. After long sessions of brainstorming, we finally decided to produce the first chewing gum made in Luxembourg. Additionally, we decided that the gum needed to be natural, biodegradable, vegan and plastic-free.

However, once we had the idea, the next challenge was to figure out how to produce it. After months of trying, we managed to produce our very first Citygum. But then we had the issue of packaging. Again, we had to do lots of research to find the right supplier.

All this taught us to never give up and to keep looking for solutions.

What are you looking forward to most about the Gen-E Festival in Tallinn? What are your expectations?

We are looking forward to getting to know the other teams, to share ideas and to make new friends. The cultural exchange and possibility to get to know people speaking different languages is also something that we highly anticipate. We will make the most out of this experience and implement those new ideas once we are back in Luxembourg.

The one thing we hope more than anything, is to bring back a couple of awards to Luxembourg. This would be the cherry on top for an already amazing year. We are ready to show our competition what we are made of and what Luxembourg has to offer.

What was the greatest experience for you as part of the Young Enterprise Project?

Prior to the Young Enterprise Project, we participated in the Mini-Entreprises program. From the beginning, our goal was to win the competition and to develop a viable business idea. That was again our goal at the Young Entreprise Project. We are both very determined and ambitious people who also never do anything half-hearted. After a whole year of working consistently on the project, winning an award is incredibly rewarding.

This is why we would say that, among other things, the most beautiful experience is to win first place. The emotions you feel are indescribable.

What have you learned so far? What advice would you give future Jonk Entrepreneurs?

To list everything we have learned in recent years is almost impossible because there is so much. But it is certain that the experiences we have gained thanks to the Mini-Entreprises program and the Young Enterprise Project have taught us a great deal. We learned a lot about the world of work as well as about ourselves and our competencies! We have learned that if you truly want and work for something, it is possible to achieve your goals and have fun along the way! We would therefore advise all future Jonk Entrepreneuren to use this opportunity to learn something new. No matter what you do, there is always the possibility to gain new knowledge, and if you approach things with an open mind, then there is always a positive outcome!

Tell us about a challenge and how you overcame it as a team.

Being an entrepreneur means overcoming new challenges over and over again. For us the last two years have been wonderful, because we were able to pursue our passion, first with FrëschKëscht and now with WeConnect. But the last two years have also often been very stressful, because we had our ‘Premières examen’ (high school finals) and this year, we both started university.

To run a business alongside our studies and other activities was not always easy. However, we would say that we always managed to overcome these challenges, especially since we enjoy what we do. In life, therefore, it is important to do things that make you happy and bring you joy, because then anything is possible!

What are you looking forward to most about the Gen-E Festival in Tallinn? What are your expectations?

The possibility to go to Tallinn and representing Luxembourg is truly an honor for us, and we are really looking forward to it! We are happy to introduce WeConnect, but we are also looking forward to seeing and getting to know the other teams. At such events you can always get to know so many people and it is really a great opportunity. There will be lots of people who share our passion, and it is of course always nice to have an exchange with like-minded people. Moreover, we are really excited about the competition and of course hope to win a prize!