Becoming an entrepreneur

Good morning and all the best for the National Holiday that we have today.

I`m glad to announce that one more AIESEC member has become an entrepreneur. And even more - together with 2 alumni of AIESEC Estonia. You see - AIESEC still helps you to become a businessman, because me with my business-partners owe a lot to our AIESEC experience and especially contacts for sure.

Me (currently in MC), Deniss (MCP 06/07) and Viljo (TRT LCP 05/06) established an eco-tourism company that takes you to the places that are simple and untouched - this is the magic of our trips. You can be a part of the culture, nature and daily life of local people of Kazakstan and Croatia.

Check out more from Reisid Vabadusse

If you know somebody who could know somebody who could be interested in this kind of summer trips - spread the word. Do you enjoy Estonian summer with bad skiing weather or take a unique adventure in Kazakstan/Croatia? It`s up to you, as they used to say in AIESEC.

Marko

MC 09/10 selection results announcement

Eesti Noorte Foorum 2009

What does it mean for us being in MC?

”MC Estonia is like a professional playground. You are put in the middle of highly talented people, you are given resources to make change and all the rest is up to you!  If you are looking for a 5 years of professional and personal development speeded up and packed into one year, then MC experience is the ONE for you.

Being 25 I feel I have the experience of a CEO, CFO, organizational strategy, team development and the networks to take it all forward - and I still have the whole life ahead!

Why say no to such an experience? “

Kristina

“When I applied for MC position last year my main argument for it was that I want some link between my student life and adulthood. Right now I can truly say that working in MC has fulfilled this need. As I am not anymore a student, nor I don’t think that I am an adult also, MC gives a nice opportunity to combine those areas. So fun combined with work, I would say!

Though MC life is going extremely fast, there is a lot to do; I have learnt to plan my life and time (thanks to many trainings, people around me) in a better way. Although I’m working full time in MC, I still find time for choir twice a week, sports 2 or 3 times per week, for my personal life and also for some extra work beside MC. I do not think that I would have the same level of energy or the experience while working in some company as there you will be stuck in the routine quite easily.

For three summers I worked in big companies being the small nut in this machine work and I was never happy or satisfied. MC work is the first job I feel happy to go in the mornings as it develops me personally as well as professionally. Also I can really do something important for the community. Being in the MC you are a big and important nut! ”

Maarja

 

“To be honest - leading an organization with 150 members is just something really great! Some time ago I compared it to managing a company with 150 employees - in Estonia only small % of all companies are larger than that. Now I consider it even more challenging. Leading 150 people who work on voluntary bases - if I would be an employer in the future, I would consider 1 year of this experience fu**ing relevant and valuable.

Still, at the same time it’s like a hobby. Coming to the office every day and knowing that you can do the things which you like and want to do. Pure fun! Doing something for a purpose, e.g making world a better place to live, is the thing that gives meaning. MC experience gives a right attitude to a young person, no matter if you continue in business, governmental on NGO sector in the future

 Being 23 and being fully responsible for the partnership-based income of the largest student organization in Estonia - when entering to the university I couldn’t even think about this kind of possibility. Today I cannot imagine myself without that journey... ”

Marko

“While thinking of applying for MC abroad, I was sure that it will be a small AIESEC country, which is ambitious enough for achieving growth year by year and from where I can be developed personally, being in intense working and cultural environment! And I took the right step and enough courage for applying to AIESEC Estonia MC! Being an international MC in Estonia is very unique, as you are always being challenged by the situations and intense team work you have with people. One of the most amazing things I’m admiring in this country also is innovative approach to everything you do, no matter what! This proves also, that Estonia is one of the most IT developed countries in Europe and this has been also positively shocked me… Working as MC member in small AIESEC countries like Estonia is also valuable, as you are interacting very close with members and see how striving they are for new knowledge and development…”

Aika

„ Being part of the MC of AIESEC Estonia has given me many different skills and knowledge and I still keep learning.  I have had the chance to meet with a lot of interesting people from the new members of AIESEC Estonia to the CEOs of companies. I have grown as a person and I think that I really start to understand the influence this year has had on my life in the years to come.  Every day I’m happily walking to the office by the streets of Tallinn Old Town, because I simply like, what I do! If you find the thing for yourself that you like to do in MC Estonia then I wish you grab the opportunity! So you could also walk those cobble stoned streets of Tallinn Old Town next year enjoying the tourists and sunshine in the summer, nice breeze and falling leaves in autumn,  snow and a nice Christmas tree at winter and the fresh air in spring on your way to the work you like!"

Marian

I believe that the goodness of a working environment can be seen by how creative you become while working there. During the last six months in MC I have discovered that more often I leave the office in the evening with an idea banging in my head and shouting: "Lauri, that's fun, you have to make it a reality!". And by those ideas I mean both AIESEC-related thoughts but also ideas that will change my own future like business ideas, social campaigns, trainings and even one book idea.

Of course it's not just about ideas, but also learning to believe in them and making it all happen. MC work is full of small successes that in the build up a stronger, faster, funnier and of course sexier you

Lauri

How is it to be an AIESEC intern?

Whole AIESEC Estonia, but especially OGX people, are in one of the HOTTEST and EXTREMELY EXCITING time now, which is called “AUTUMN EP RECRUITMENT”!!!

Our team has an ambitious plan to drive the best ever EP recruitment for the recent years! And sure one of the key tools for that is the PROMOTION CAMPAIGN, which we are using this year - “I’m an AIESEC intern”. 

As you may guess it’s based on “I’m an AIESECer!” campaign launched for member’s recruitment this year. Our returnees (mostly AIESEC alumnus) or people, who are currently abroad on internships, share their stories being an AIESEC intern at the promotion materials and web-page – www.aiesec.ee. Check their stories as well!

Wishing all of us to have the best ever recruitment and expand one of the uniquest opportunity AIESEC gives to young people – experience other countries professionally and culturally!

Stay tuned,

Aika

  

 

 

   

What does it take to make the MC happy?

When did you last see so satisfied people?

I would especially like to draw your attention to Maarja´s face...she is so satisfied. Marko is having the day of his life. Aika wants to jump up and down. Marian goes wuuuhuuu. Lauri is trying to stay cool.

But what happened?

We got something for free! Yay - free nightclub tickets!

So what does it take to make us happy - free stuff!

So remember:
-if you come to the office bring us something to eat and will be happy
- if you see us in the bar buy us a drink and we will be happy
- if we come for a meeting with you, pay our bill and we will be happy
- if your mom bakes a cake - save a slaice for us and we will be happy
- ........

You may continue the list!

FREE = HAPPY

“Ready for Anything – 52 Principles for an Increased Productivity” by David Allen

Hey AIESEC Estonia!

I’m Philippe, LCP from Belgium, and I would like to tell you about a book that helped me a lot in this crazy-busy AIESEC life…

Surely you know a lot more about your own life than I do… but if there’s one thing that I might know about it, it’s this: busy as all AIESECers, you are often spend the whole day running around and doing things you needed to do for this or that person, buying things you need for meetings or maybe filling out applications for Belgian conferences (Hint: we have great TtT’s!). Then, at night, you come home and say “aah damn, I forgot to send that mail!” and you absolutely needed to do that, so you need to open your laptop and start… again!

Having a short-term memory, it happened to me all the time, UNTIL I read this book called “Ready for Anything – 52 Principles for an Increased Productivity” by David Allen, who also wrote “Getting Things Done”. 

Honestly, I never read ALL 52 principles, because I wouldn’t remember them anyways, but it did teach me a few things that have been very useful up till now: 

• Keep a list of everything: write down all of the things that are in your mind, doesn’t matter if you need to do it now, later, maybe someday or yesterday! 
• The author himself had a list of 137 things to do… impossible it may seem, but at least he KNEW what he had to do, because it was written and he could always remind himself. In the same time, this list gives your mind a great freedom of thought and creativity: instead of constantly trying to remember what you had to do, you can use your mind now freely to think about how to change, create, design, do… which is far more productive! Plus, it allows you to make up more free time to relax your mind, go for a walk in the parc… don’t worry, everything is written down…
• Keep this list in an easily accessible, preferably digital way, always within your reach. Use a gadget, palmtop, cell phone, or just a small book in your pocket, but make sure you can reach it whenever you need it!
• Don’t fool yourself: if you think of something now, you probably won’t remember it in 1 hour… write it down immediately or you will lose it.

 All of this, and much more, allows you to understand how to design a working style that enables you to use your mind in a much more productive and effective way!

It helps you to become better, at (almost) everything you do. I sincerely hope your LC invests in this, and other books, for its members to read about this type of topics, so that in term, you and your LC can benefit from increased productivity.

 AIESECly yours,

Philippe Verschorren
President
Local Committee of AIESEC VUB

Brussels, Belgium
www.aiesecvub.be