It was December 2021 when ena Development Consultants launched the Business Stories column. Since then, we have listened to and shared with you 13 business experiences from people who, with their skills, talent, and determination, dared to turn their business vision into reality.
So, we have completed one year, and we hope you will continue to warmly embrace the Business Stories column in 2023 as well, as new business stories from every sector of the economy will come to enrich the ones already shared.
In our 13th story, you will read about 12+1 graduates who share their professional experiences with us, as well as their wishes for the new year
The program “Support for the Self-Employment of Higher Education Graduates” under the NSRF-EPAnEK 2014-2020 aimed to assist unemployed and self-employed higher education graduates in starting or supporting professional activities related to their field of expertise. Through this initiative, the beneficiary graduates received subsidies for the creation, organization, support, and operation of a new or existing independent professional workspace. Eligible expenses included the purchase of equipment, service provisions from third parties, and coverage of operating costs for a period of 2 years.
All applications submitted and investment projects implemented under the Graduates’ program were handled by the specialized staff of ena Development Consultants: Evi Voivatopoulou, Liana Kavoura, Valia Resta, and Anastasia Voulgaridou.
Evi Voivatopoulou, Development Coordinator for the Secondary & Tertiary Sector, has been a team member since 2014 and has managed numerous projects in NSRF and ROP funding programs.
Liana Kavoura, Development Consultant for the Secondary & Tertiary Sector, has participated in the submission and implementation of a large number of business plans in European Programs and ESIF funding actions since 2018, when she joined the ena team.
Valia Resta, Development Consultant for the Secondary & Tertiary Sector, has been trained in numerous areas in which ena operates. During her 2 years with the company, she has undertaken and successfully completed the submission and implementation of investment projects in ESIF, ROP, and OAED funding programs.
Anastasia Voulgaridou, Development Consultant for the Primary Sector, has been a permanent member of the team since 2019, when she successfully completed her internship at ena Development Consultants. Her work includes preparing cultivation declarations and submitting and implementing projects under the Rural Development Program, OAED, and NSRF funding actions.
At ena Development Consultants, we are proud to support the development of the private sector in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, and specifically to have contributed to the creation and upgrading of 73 businesses through this particular initiative.
The Marketing Department of ena visited the workplaces of some of the people who implemented their business plans through the “Graduates” initiative and had conversations with them. So, let’s see what they shared with us…
Kalli Amperiadou – Nutritionist
At 84 Venizelou Street is the dietetics office of Ms. Kalli Amperiadou.
Ms. Amperiadou welcomed us to her beautifully decorated office and answered the following questions.
Tell us a few words about your business.
The Kalli Amperiadou Dietitian Office is a space created with much love and dedication, aiming primarily to help people start taking care of themselves by eating healthily. Essentially, through my work at the office, I educate my clients to develop a healthier relationship with their food and their bodies, rather than simply losing or gaining weight. At the same time, the space offers body composition analysis and basal metabolic rate measurements, and organizes educational workshops aimed at fully informing new parents about the nutrition of their children aged 1 to 4 years.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
This subsidized program came at an ideal time as it helped me greatly to upgrade the office equipment and at the same time was a financial relief amid the difficulties faced by every young self-employed professional. My collaboration with ena Development Consultants was invaluable because the specifications and requirements of funding actions are such that, in order to be successfully implemented, you definitely need support from the right professionals who can guide you properly and help you achieve the desired outcome. Fortunately for me, I chose to work with the ena Development Consultants team.
What would you like to wish for the new year?
My wish for the new year is that we love and take better care of ourselves... To invest in our health, both physical and mental... To all become better individuals... so that together we create a healthy whole!
Eleni Andreanidou - Speech Therapist
At 1-3 Dangli Street, you will find the Speech Therapy Center of Ms. Eleni Andreanidou. Ms. Andreanidou welcomed us into her specially child-friendly decorated space and told us about her business.
Tell us a few words about your business.
The Speech Therapy Center “Logos & Omilia” provides services to children and adolescents with developmental language disorders, articulation and phonological disorders, as well as learning difficulties. Each child who comes to the center is evaluated according to their stage of language comprehension and speech, and based on this assessment, an individualized therapy program is created when deemed necessary.
Because speech therapy services address the most sensitive and important group—children and adolescents—the entire philosophy of the therapies, including the space itself, is designed around their needs. The therapeutic materials are abundant and constantly updated to adapt to each child’s needs and skills, helping them progress through learning.
It is of utmost importance to me to build relationships of trust and understanding with each child I work with. I want to ensure that the child feels comfortable and happy when coming for a session and always finds ways to have fun while learning. I believe this is the most productive way to achieve our therapeutic goals.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
After working for four years, the vision I had for providing the best possible speech therapy services and establishing myself in a proper space was finally realized in 2018 through the use of the Graduates’ Support program and the decisive contribution of ena Development Consultants.
Their impeccable and well-organized team, their consulting proposals, and the continuous support I received resulted in the opening of the Logos & Omilia speech therapy center in September of that year, in the city of Xanthi. Logos & Omilia, in Xanthi, στην πόλη της Ξάνθης.
What would you like to wish for the new year?
For the coming new year, I would like to wholeheartedly wish health, love, peace, and serenity to all people.
I know that inside all of us hides a child, and I hope that this childlike nature can bring joy and magic through the simplest things. Let us take inspiration from these wonderful beings who rejoice, love, and dream every day, and let us build for them a better world—a brighter future filled with equality and respect.
Afroditi Argiriou-Lawyer
At 9 Mesolongiou Street is the law office of Ms. Afroditi Argyriou. Ms. Argyriou welcomed us into her office and spoke to us about her professional career.
Tell us a few words about your business.
What I want to believe makes my business stand out is the professionalism with which I provide my services, regardless of their nature, combined with the effort I make to remain approachable and as available as possible to those who trust me. My business is a law office based in a central location in Xanthi and, despite its individual character, it is part of a network of lawyers with offices throughout Greece. As a result, it is able to effectively handle cases of legal interest without geographical boundaries or specialization restrictions.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
My collaboration with ena Development Consultants was flawless. All ena team members I worked with on this program were always punctual, precise, discreet, and very efficient. Without the encouragement, support, and guidance of the ena team, neither the submission of the proposal nor my inclusion in the program would have been realized.
What would you like to wish for the new year?
Health, strength, and unwavering hope for everyone!
Alexandros Voulgaridis- Fitness Trainer
In Amygdaleonas, Kavala, you will find the Exis Gym, created through the Graduates’ Support program by Mr. Alexandros Voulgaridis. Mr. Voulgaridis and his brother happily answered our questions so we could get to know them better.
Tell us a few words about your business:
Our business is a new space with elements from the past, made for real training. We are located in the center of Amygdaleonas, in an old stone-built building that seems to come from another era. Since 2018, this building has housed our passion for fitness. Exis Gym offers alternative fitness that breaks away from usual standards, providing many benefits for both physical and mental health. At our gym, we all become one group. With respect for the needs of each trainee, continuous supervision, positive energy, and above all love for fitness, we manage together with the trainee to achieve their goal of a healthy body from the inside out.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
Since the establishment of our business, we have collaborated with the ena Development Consultants team. Our collaboration was amazing. With the positive spirit of the entire team, their passion, dedication, and of course their excellent service and support, we managed through the Graduates’ Support program to equip our gym and set more immediate and achievable goals, always aiming for the best possible service and training for our clients.
What would you like to wish for the new year?
We wish everyone prosperity, mental and physical health, many smiles, and positive energy. May we have kindness within us and radiate it, always striving to become better than before
Dsepoina Theodoridou- Fitness Trainer
At 32 Kapnergaton Street is the gym Lady’s Move, owned by Ms. Despina Theodoridou. Ms. Theodoridou gave us a tour of the beautifully designed spaces of her business and shared her own Business Story!
Tell us a few words about your business.
My business is a gym exclusively for women! Lady’s Move started operating in 2012 and was the first gym with this unique feature! The training methods we offer are many, ranging from Pilates to Crossfit. Another reason I believe makes my gym special is that we have programs and activities specifically designed for children, so that mothers can combine their own workouts with their children’s training and entertainment.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
The Graduates’ program helped me upgrade my business by purchasing many new machines and repairing things that needed fixing in the space.
My collaboration with ena was really great! I didn’t have to do much myself — Valia and Liana did everything for me!
What would you like to wish for the new year?
I wish everyone happy holidays, a joyful new year, many happy returns, and above all, good health! And for next year, I hope fitness becomes a bigger part of our lives because it only brings benefits!
George Iliadis & Manolis Blantzas – Civil Engineers
Tell us a few words about your business.
We are a technical design office based in Xanthi, primarily operating in the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, where we undertake studies for private and public projects. Our design team has significant expertise in Environmental, Hydraulic, and Architectural Studies. The scope of services our office provides includes all civil and architectural engineering services, both for the private and public sectors. What is particularly important in our field, and something we believe we have achieved, is maintaining a specific, close, stable, and cohesive network of collaborating engineers of all specialties, so that each project can be addressed as a whole, with its particularities and complexities, with responsibility for the process, and avoiding fragmented results that confuse the client. Our key characteristics are in-depth focus on each technical/design subject and continuous study of the legal and regulatory framework. For every study assigned to us, we prioritize quality work with a secure outcome over “quick” and “cheap” work, which in reality is fragmented and (in the -immediate or not- future) destructive for the client.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
Our collaboration with ena Development Consultants was smooth. The people we worked with were supportive at every step, gave the right direction—as it turned out—and responded to our questions and concerns whenever they arose. Our in-person visits to ena’s offices were kept to the minimum required according to our preference, which was very important to us, as most issues were resolved via electronic communication. Nevertheless, during every visit to ena’s offices, we felt especially welcomed. Through the program in which we participated, a significant boost was given to the start of our office’s operation. We started with an important asset that ensured our ability to equip the office with the necessary tools for our work.
What would you like to wish for the new year?
For the new year, we wish physical and mental health, more free time, and peace of mind.
Technical Office Iliadis G. – Blantzas M.
Coign of Vantage
20 Makedonias Street, Xanthi
2541301359
Feizoula Dachil – Pediatrician
At 10 Thiras Street, you will find the practice of Mr. Feizoula Dachil, a graduate doctor specialized in pediatrics. Mr. Dachil welcomed us to his clinic and answered the questions we asked him.
Tell us a few words about your business.
I have been running a pediatric practice in Xanthi since 2016. My goal is to treat children, help them feel relief, and consequently reassure the mothers who worry so much about their children.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
Ena Development Consultants helped me open the practice I had always wanted! My collaboration with the company was very good and I am very satisfied! I speak very highly of the ena team and recommend the company unreservedly to my colleagues!
What would you like to wish for the new year?
As a doctor, the only thing I want to wish for is health! I thank the parents very much for the trust they show me! Happy New Year to all!
Feizoula Dachil – Pediatrician
10 Thiras Street
2541065742
Stergios Papadopoulos – ENT Specialist
At Tsimiski Ioanni 5 & Dangkli street, you will find the clinic of Mr. Stergios Papadopoulos, a certified ENT specialist. Mr. Papadopoulos warmly welcomed us to his clinic and gladly answered our questions.
Tell us a few words about your business.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
What would you like to wish for the new year?
A happy and creative new year, above all with health, because everything starts with health!
Stergios Papadopoulos – ENT Specialist
Tsimiski Ioanni 5 & Dangkli, 4th Floor, Xanthi
2541070002
Natassa Petridou – English Language Teacher, Owner of an English Language Learning Center
Hasan Tsariktsi – Accountant
At 36 Zografas Street, you will find the accounting office of Mr. Hasan Tsariktsi. Mr. Tsariktsi welcomed us with a smile to his office, where we discussed the start and progress of his business.
Tell us a few words about your business.
We are an accounting firm providing services to both businesses and individuals. We specialize in the accounting management of legal entities, particularly Private Company Limited by Shares (IKE), and we are continuously growing in this area. Our client portfolio includes many companies from abroad, mainly from Turkey, likely because we speak Turkish and can therefore understand their needs and help them complete their tasks efficiently. Ρώτα το ChatGPT
The business was established on June 1st, 2016, about six years ago. Today, there are three of us working in the office: myself, my wife, and a colleague. My relationship with clients is becoming increasingly “close,” especially after COVID, as many new needs have arisen that require private individuals and businesses to collaborate closely with their accountant. This has brought significant activity to the business.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
I have the best relationship with Stavros and Dimitris, and I must admit that what I have right now—this business—I owe entirely to ena Development Consultants.
I have an excellent relationship with Stavros and Dimitris, and I must admit that what I have now — this business — I owe exclusively to ena Development Consultants. Especially for us, who started in a very difficult period, during the tax declaration season, the beginning was tough. In our line of work, when someone works with an accounting firm and is satisfied, they don’t easily or quickly change accountants. People need time to get to know you and trust you. It took us at least two years to reach a relatively desirable outcome, but through our collaboration with ena, the work done, the support, and the quick receipt of the program funds, we managed to stay afloat and continue strongly.
In fact, I often recommend ena to my clients whenever possible because I consider you very reliable.
What would you like to wish for the new year?
What I wish for the new year is that it will be a better year compared to 2022, mainly in terms of health. I hope that we will get past the pandemic, have prosperity and peace among us. Finally, I wish for good business transactions in all sectors, as we are going through difficult times.
Accounting Office Tsariktsi Hasan
Zoagoras 36, Xanthi
2541 400833
Anna Tserpistali – Teacher, Owner of a Foreign Language Learning Center
At 24 Kapnergaton Street, you will find the foreign language school My School, passionately established by Ms. Anna Tserpistali. The school is staffed by 8 professionals and educates 180 children and adults in 6 European languages. Ms. Tserpistali welcomed us warmly to the beautiful and cozy space of her school, where we discussed her business.
Tell us a few words about your business.
My School was my vision after fifteen years of experience in teaching. It started seven years ago, driven by my love for learning and the need to offer something different to prospective students of all ages in our city. At our center, we teach English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Russian. Always keeping in mind the needs of our students and modern teaching methods, we managed to stand out in a short time. This success is largely due to our highly qualified staff, ongoing training, and continuous communication with students and their parents.
After all, the people who trust us are more than just clients; they allow us to be actively involved in the learning process and education of their children, which is something we deeply respect.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
Through collaboration with ena Development Consultants, our school was able to acquire the essential technical equipment to remain competitive and offer its services to our community in the best possible way, even during the pandemic.
What would you like to wish for the new year?
For the new year, I wish that innovative ideas and excellent cooperation will be the tools for new beginnings and progress in all fields.
Foreign Language Learning Center – My School
Kapnergaton 24, Xanthi
2541084055
Mary Tsiftelidou-Engineer
I am a Civil Engineer and have operated a technical office since 2007. Together with my collaborators, we provide engineering services related to the building sector for both private clients and professionals. Examples of our services include Project Design & Supervision, Issuance of Building Permits, Energy Inspection & Building Upgrades, Electronic Building Identity, Renovations, and more.
Tell us a few words about your business.
I am a Civil Engineer and have operated a technical office since 2007. Together with my collaborators, we provide engineering services related to the building sector for both private clients and professionals. Examples of our services include Project Design & Supervision, Issuance of Building Permits, Energy Inspection & Building Upgrades, Electronic Building Identity, Renovations, and more.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
What would you like to wish for the new year?
First and foremost, I wish everyone good health! I hope we manage to overcome the difficulties we face and continually grow by becoming the best versions of ourselves!
Technical office-Mary Tsiftelidou-Engineer
Ανδριανουπόλεως 3-5
2541062292
Ioanna Chaita-Psycologist
Tell us a few words about your business.
My business is a practice that offers individual, group, and family counseling and psychotherapy services, as well as couples therapy. I love what I do, and I genuinely care about the people who come to the office. I listen to their stories with respect, and through meaningful collaboration, we explore what they might need in order to live a life closer to the one they desire.
How was your collaboration with ena Development Consultants, and how did your business benefit from utilizing the Graduates’ Support program?
My collaboration with ena Development Consultants has lasted for years and has always been excellent. The Graduates’ Support program initially motivated me to open in the private sector, while over time it gave me the necessary time to establish the office and build a healthy business.
What would you like to wish for the new year?
I would like to wish for health, both physical and mental.
Ioanna Chaita-Psycologist
Dagkli & Elpidos
2541076509
