Chiara's Cat Café | #4 Slow Summers

Chiara's Cat Café | #4 Slow Summers

Chiara Palmeri studies English Language & Culture at UU. She is currently trying to open a cat café in the USP. From the start, the UU Centre for Entrepreneurship has supported Chiara by 1-on-1 coaching. Here she is blogging about her entrepreneurial journey.

Summer has come and -almost- passed. Most of us travelled, went back home, went to find a new one, or simply rested. If you asked me on a general day, I would tell you that an entrepreneur does not stop being one just because the thermometer suddenly shows 25+ degrees Celsius; in reality, I will admit that focusing on serious stuff like that becomes a lot more difficult when the sun is shining.

99% of my team went back to their countries for the summer break, and I will admit, their absence inspired me to rest too. I had great plans for this summer, entrepreneurially speaking: I was going to renovate and prepare the Cat Café room; to prepare an entire new business plan… in reality, I underestimated bureaucracy. A room has not been confirmed yet, sadly. No room, no renovations. No room, no location.

Being an entrepreneur also means learning to deal with people, learning to read them, and learning to let go when necessary.

Something else that might have forced me to fly lower a bit was the first person ever who disagreed with my idea. I know, it is stupid, but I had just assumed everybody would have found my idea amazing, as nobody had ever been opposed to it during the first year of planning. Instead, a person whose support would have been greatly appreciated, openly shared their negative feelings about my idea. The truth is it devastated me. It definitely does not mean I will stop, or I will abandon my idea, but at the same time, this person raised some concerns which I had not considered in the past. Therefore, despite the feelings of negativity it instilled in me, I am grateful to this person for their opinion, as it allowed me to solve the small flaws I would not have been able to see otherwise. As I said a thousand times before, being an entrepreneur also means learning to deal with people, learning to read them, and learning to let go when necessary. The last one probably is the most difficult for most of us.

Now that September has come, watch me turn into Act II Alexander Hamilton, speaking and chatting about my idea until people yell at me to shut up, sharing it with everyone who is willing to listen. A new school year is starting, and a new year implies new students and people who might want to join my team or simply help spreading the word. Long story short, I will be unbearable, and I will love each second of it.

At the UU Centre for Entrepreneurship, we encourage students to try and be entrepreneurial. Being entrepreneurial is all about being creative and action-oriented, to create something new that has value for others. This blog is part of our news & events series 'For & By Students', where we give the floor to students that are part of our entrepreneurial community.