Discovering creativity and entrepreneurial mindset

As they say, we live in this rapidly changing world which demands even more diverse skills every day. An entrepreneurial mindset is an asset that benefits not only the individual, but the society as a whole, too. Nevertheless, a question remains – what does an entrepreneurial mindset even mean?

At the beginning of my studies in Entrepreneurship & Team Leadership in 2021, as a part of my curriculum, I was participating in the Sprint Innovation Festival. However, I got a very unexpected opportunity to be a part of this week-long challenge in the role of a coach assistant. I suppose, that’s where my HUBS story and journey to discover a new part of myself begin… So, let’s take a look at what entrepreneurship and with it related qualities mean from the perspective of the Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, HUBS, and my experience, too.

Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp) is a tool developed by the European Commission. In order for one to create social, financial or cultural value, this concept offers a set of 15 interdisciplinary competences to develop. As the name of it might suggest, these 15 qualities and skills are separated into 3 key areas of entrepreneurship- ideas & opportunities, resources, and into action (see Image 1). These guidelines can be used as a navigation tool on both individual and organisational level to evolve the entrepreneurial mindset and support life-long learning (European Commission 2017).

Coaching at Sprint

My experience with the “competence flower” started in HUBS long before I even realized it. I had the chance to be a coach assistant in the SPRINT festival (see Image 2), where I first experienced the uplifting and inspiring community of HUBS. The experience of online hosting, managing schedules for a large group of people, diving into the world of innovation, and, for the most part, being surrounded by supportive and growth-oriented people all inspired me to apply for the Growth Hacker position for year 2022. 

I have learned that to be creative, one does not necessarily need to be artistic or crafty. Creativity, in my experience, also means having and creating more opportunities to innovate and trying new tools to do so. In the position of an event assistant, I am always looking for ways to bring something new to the table. Learning how to be okay with “bad” ideas and just being open to opportunities, as well as being patient with myself have been a new realization. Innovation can be fun, and most importantly – everyone can do it. It’s just a matter of time, consistency and attitude.