Netmentora + CREC: Working together to help entrepreneurs with their projects and promote employment creation in Catalonia

Updated on 19/08/2020

When a project comes to CREC with people in the middle of their philosophy, it’s so easy to have a good understanding. And a clear example of that is Netmentora Catalunya (Reseau Entreprendre in France). They are the biggest association of entrepreneurs, and they work trying to help other entrepreneurs when they start with their projects. And they do it without profits. Netmentora started in the coworking environment focused on creating new connections, but they have gone a step further with a new deal: CREC offers a 50% discount on coworking taxes to every entrepreneur mentored by Netmentora. And now, we also offer the same discount to every mentor of the net.

To talk about this nice collaboration, we have talked with Beatriz de Vicente, Director of Netmentora Catalunya, and Carles López, Director of CREC Coworking. This is one of the more than 850 connections that, up until now, we have been created from CREC Connect since 2018 (in our website, you can see the map with all the connections between coworkers).

 

Video and pictures of Vera García

 

Why you decided in Netmentora to come to CREC?

 

Beatriz: We came to CREC because we share the same philosophy. We searched a coworking space focused on people, connections… Because that’s what we do in Netmentora. And we found a great space in Eixample where you value the same aspects than us. It was the perfect pack. We were working in a business center before, where one of our partners shared his space with us. But we wanted to work with people who is who is developing their new projects and live our working routine in the same way. And when a partner come here for a meeting, we love to show him how is the life of an entrepreneur and how are their feelings at the start.

 

Which expectations did you have? Have you been surprised for something?

 

B: Our experience is so positive. We came to CREC searching for a private office, but community builders gave me a great advice: Bet for the open space. That I did, and it has been a very good decision. It’s wonderful to interact with other coworkers and teammates, create new connections… And we also love the environment of the space. Before starting, we thought that it would be noisy. But people are so respectful, we can work in a serious and calm space.

 

“We always want to create synergies with coworkers because this is coworking. It would be a big error to look outside of our community”

 

Apart from your common project, which connections have you created in CREC?

 

C: We are the company which manages the coworking spaces, but we also participate actively in CREC Connect. We are like one more coworker, we are part of this environment. 080Webs manages our website, Partner Adventure works our web positioning, Bracap Global Tours organizes our CREC Experiences, Javi Díaz created the Workshops pages, every coworker imparts this mentioned formations, Nicola Mesken makes a professional photo as a gift, Isidre Turull helps us with our commercial area… We always say the same: It would be a big error to look outside of our community. We defend this idea, and we are coherent by participating in it. It’s really nice working with people in whom we trust. It’s the most positive point of coworking.

 

B: We feel very lucky in Netmentora. We have met Onlimitec people, who work on a big project and are being mentored by our association. We are working with him to enforce their company. We have also worked with Xavier Bosch, Excel consultant. As Carles, we have also connected with Partner Adventure, with Alan Cuadras, Director of Ecomobi, with Alison Geldart, who gives us a valuable help with English questions… It’s so good for every coworker to create this kind of links. In fact, any of our partners wanted to be coworker of CREC thanks to our meetings in Eixample. It’s the case of Jean-Paul Devai, Contry Manager of EuroPass, who fell in love with the space and his philosophy and wanted to join.

 

Netmentora team expected to also connect with CREC?

 

B: I have to be honest: we came to CREC just with the objective to have a deal with them! We were searching for coworking spaces, and we wanted the one which could take advantage of our services. We offer a free mentoring for entrepreneurs, and we also wanted to give them a space with the same way to work. CREC also works trying to help new entrepreneurs, and that’s a great starting point. But we didn’t expect their collaboration with our entrepreneurs, and this is so powerful.

 

“We came to CREC with the objective to have a deal with them. We both work by helping entrepreneurs with their projects”

 

Which social return do you think can your deal have?

 

C: So, so big. For that reason, from CREC our only option was to support this spectacular initiative. We have a big admiration for their idea: a non profit association where big entrepreneurs give a free mentoring without the possibility to invest in a project. This way, they delete the suspect of a hidden intention to make benefits. In fact, every partner pays a quote just for being part of Netmentora. The organization also has two nice objectives: create new companies born in Catalonia and generate new jobs just to fight the unemployment in our society. In front of this amazing project, CREC only can offer all the help possible and be part of their movement.

 

B: I can’t add something to Carles answer. We know Netmentora better than me! -jokes. As we work in Catalonia, is so interesting for us the new CREC Sabadell, because we will have near new professionals to connect. Our differential feature is to share our experience to help people in their business. And doing that, you are also growing as a person. When you give, you always receive. So, we love to offer a free mentoring and give access to a big networking without an initial cost to every new entrepreneur who want it that way.

 

“With our deal, we want to create new companies emerged in Catalonia and generate new jobs to fight the unemployment in our society”

 

What do you think about working together?

 

B: It’s simply amazing. A big joy. I feel really comfortable with Carles and share the same values about people and their needs makes our work so easy and rewarding.

 

C: I would say it like her: it’s so easy to work together. Our way to understand the job is create relationships with people. I have always been working by coordinating teams, and now I enjoy it with coworkers. We share our vocation, our way to work and understand everything… And this makes our project easier.

 

Do you have any funny story to tell by working together?

 

C: Let’s see… I remember my first Selection Committee, because I felt overwhelmed. I thought: “What can I do here with some of the biggest entrepreneurs in the country?”. They were spectacular in economics, financial issues… And I have a different job. I asked to Bea: “Do you really think I can help these people?” And the truth is that we can help a lot in the human relationships. We all share a cooperative vocation, so we work together easily.

 

B: This experience that you tell is the magic of Netmentora: people who, due to their responsibilities, has a full agenda but tries to give a helping hand. Every entrepreneur contributes with their added values. And Carles, with his vocation in Human Resources, offers a big collaboration for us.

 

C: It’s nice to know that. But I have another funny story to tell, and people will understand me if they watch the video. Bea is the person who speaks quickly among all I know. She has the record of words per minute. It doesn’t exist a person who could give more information and in a clearer way in Netmentora assemblies…

 

B: My challenge is to finish every assembly in half an hour… That’s a huge record!