Friday, 4 August 2017

Apply to the 'Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Exchange' for an Amazing Experience

If you are living within the European Union and are thinking of starting your own business, or have recently done so, then this could be the perfect solution for you. There is an excellent initiative run by the EU called 'Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs' aimed at facilitating and encouraging entrepreneurship.

This is done by connecting those either starting a new business or who have recently started one, with established owners in order to create a mutual benefit for both from working together. Not only this, but it allows those starting out to work with an experienced business owner in another country within the EU, thus also creating an excellent cross cultural exchange and opportunity to live and work abroad, with all the added benefits that this can bring.



In essence this is similar to the concept of an internship, however there is one vital difference which makes it so much more useful and accessible to many more new entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, with many internships that are advertised, the training and experience provided may be good on paper for the potential interns, but they unfortunately remain prohibitive.

This is due to them being either unpaid, or only offering a very basic allowance such as a small amount of money for meals and transport. Because of this only those who have a stable financial background, such as family that are willing to support them during their internship are able to take advantage of many typical internships.




The 'Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs' program is very different from this because for a set period of time, the new business founder is provided with a generous allowance each month which with sensible budgeting is easily enough to cover rent, transport, food and bills. In essence this means the time spent with the established business owner will be covered financially for a set period of time by the European Union.

The new entrepreneur can then concentrate on improving their skills, assisting the business owner they have been assigned to and building their own business. By contrast, during a regular internship, the intern may also need to work another job and cannot spend as much time developing their skills or building their business.



The established business owner will also benefit substantially from this program as the idea is for a mutual exchange of skills. Rather than paying the new entrepreneur who goes to work with them; instead the idea is for both parties to learn from each other.

The established business owner can offer expertise gained through years of experience and the new business owner can provide new ideas and energy. Because of the funding provided by the program, money doesn't become an issue.



I am currently taking part in the 'Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs' program in Tenerife with Tenerife Magazine and its owner John Beckley. My goal during this scheme has been to continue to build upon my previous experience of working as a copywriter and social media manager within the field of travel and tourism. 

During my time at Tenerife Magazine I am working as the writer and editor which has involved writing and editing articles, managing the TM social media accounts and publishing photos, videos and social updates. I have also been involved in networking and helping to expand the TM brand by connecting with new potential clients. TM is very much centred around fun, high energy and promoting all the amazing experiences that can be had within Tenerife.



Overall this has been an excellent experience so far that I would recommend to anyone who is looking to start their own business, or who has recently started one but is looking to gain new skills from someone with who has an established business and relevant skills.


The application process can take some time, however it is definitely worth it because if you can show how both you and your host can benefit from this process you will gain an incredible opportunity to expand your knowledge, skills and business potential. This experience has both inspired me and given me a huge amount of motivation for my future with Tenerife Magazine and with my own company! 

For more information about this program, take a look at the website: http://www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu/ and connect with them on social media:
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Monday, 15 May 2017

5 Photos That Will Make You Want to Head to Tenerife

If you've never visited Tenerife before, then you're definitely missing out! First of all, you might be wondering where Tenerife actually is which is a totally legitimate question. With over 40% of the total population of the Canary Islands, it is the largest and most populated of this incredible archipelago of islands. Considering the Canaries are an autonomous community of Spain, you can be forgiven for assuming though that they are close to Spain. In fact, while they are predominately Spanish in culture and language, they are actually much further South in the Atlantic Ocean and are one of the outermost regions of the European Union.

The island is dominated by Mount Teide in the centre which is the highest elevation of Spain and the third-largest volcano in the world from its base. This is surrounded by the incredible Teide national park, the most visited in Spain and Europe. On Tenerife you will find a stunning coastline, beautiful beaches, huge forests, amazing architecture and of course the incredible Mount Teide and national park!



While all of the islands are volcanic in nature and origin, because of their varying distance to the coast of Africa, size, altitude and age, they all have very distinct landscape features. While some such as Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are mainly arid and dry, others like La Palma and Tenerife have lush forests and an abundance of vegetation.


A post shared by Simon Emilio Turkas ✈️ (@simonturkas) on

Being one of the central islands of the Archipelago, the island of Tenerife has a combination of landscape features, with a drier climatic area in the South, contrasted strongly with the North which has a greater abundance of vegetation, such as this beautiful park in the gorgeous capital, Santa Cruz.


Discovered this amazing oasis of a park a week ago in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife! It was quite an unplanned day trip with my brother and @jamesshillinglaw16 but it turned into one of the best days of their holiday here. Life so often proves to be a lot better when you go not knowing what to expect and not knowing a great deal about the place. In other words, I love unplanned adventures, because life is always better with a bit more mystery! Which place has very pleasantly surprised you lately? ~ Shot on @oneplustech 3T 📍 Santa Cruz de Tenerife ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ #wanderlustwednesday #visitspain #Tenerife #CanaryIslands #latitudeoflife #latituddevida #FlowersInSpain #Spain #Travel #inspravel #parksandrec #WhatsSimonSaying #ladtravellers #tenerifetag #totaltenerife #thetravellersedition #guardiantravelsnaps #bbctravel #shotononeplus #NGTUK #shotononeplus #santacruztenerife #guysdotravel #beautifuldestinations #travellingthroughtheworld #loves_spain #ok_canarias #canariaslifestyle #ig_spain #TraveltoTenerife #TravelGram
A post shared by Simon Emilio Turkas ✈️ (@simonturkas) on

Sunset in Tenerife


It's those fleeting moments in life that are so often the most beautiful. It's when we feel the most alive. They burn the brightest and leave the strongest memories. ~ Without a doubt one of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen!! It's at these kind of moments that I feel blessed to be able to see sights such as these 😇 Where have you seen an amazing sunset? ~ ~ ————————————————————–———— Shot on @oneplustech 3T. ————————————————————–———— ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ #sunset #flashbackfriday #Tenerife #CanaryIslands #islascanarias #latitudeoflife #latituddevida #worldshotz #beautifuldestination #nature #totaltenerife #tenerifetag #ladtravellers #guysdotravel #GuysAbroad #natgeo #shotononeplus #visittenerife #Teide #traveldeeper #travel #wanderlust #Sibo2Tenerife #guardiantravelsnaps #natgeoit #thetravellersedition #beautifuldestinations #travelcontest2017 #visitspain #TravelGram
A post shared by Simon Emilio Turkas ✈️ (@simonturkas) on

As you can see from these photos, Tenerife should definitely be on your agenda as one of your next places to visit! This is only a tiny collection of some of the incredible places to visit and sights to see on the island, so hopefully this has inspired you to head over here and experience it for yourself. If you need more evidence here is a vlog from my YouTube channel of another great spot to see in Tenerife:


If you enjoyed this post then please leave a comment below and share on social media. You can also find me over on my social media channels:
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Friday, 30 December 2016

Why Magic Café Lounge Bar in Tenerife is Really Amazing

When travelling it can sometimes be difficult to find delicious, healthy food, especially if you are unfamiliar with the best local restaurants, cafes and bars to visit. Often the places with the tastiest food are not the most expensive or the most heavily advertised, instead they can be well kept secrets that only the local population like to head to, or places that have only recently opened up.

Another difficulty can be if you have certain dietary requirements such as being vegetarian or vegan, or having intolerance to certain foods like gluten or lactose. While the world is certainly becoming easier for vegans such as myself, when abroad it certainly can still be a challenge!



I recently spent a week staying at Pearly Grey Ocean Club Resort in the South West of Tenerife, the largest and most populated of the seven Canary Islands. With a population of very close to 900,000 people it is also the most populated island of Spain and an extremely important global tourist destination with about five million visitors each year! As you can imagine, there is a massive choice of different places to eat including a number of top quality restaurants.

Having visited the island back in April 2016, I already knew there were some great places to eat. On the other hand there are a large number of places to avoid full of unhealthy junk food. If you are travelling from the UK for example you could literally eat British food everyday if you really wanted to (why would you?!) with restaurants, bars and pubs serving traditional British fare such as fish and chips, roast dinners and that kind of thing.

You can also find literally any other type of food you want on the island including Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese, Italian and of course Canarian and Spanish. With such a huge choice, where should you eat? Well for delicious and healthy food I would definitely recommend the amazing Magic Café Lounge Bar in Playa de Las Américas, Tenerife!


During my stay in Tenerife, I went to Magic Café with my friend John Beckley, the marketing manager at Pearly Grey Resort and Rena Valatka who is currently working as a marketing assistant at the resort. We arrived at around 2pm on a Thursday and were warmly welcomed by the staff there, who showed us to our table which was outside at the front, where we felt right in the centre of the holiday vibe of Tenerife!

Magic Team #tenerife @magictenerife @visit_tenerife @venturetenerife #healthyEating #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA


The location of Magic is amazing as it is right in the centre of the main shopping strip of Playa de Las Americas, one of the most popular areas of Tenerife. Despite it being the middle of winter, it was a lovely warm temperature with a bright blue sky. The street is lined with palm trees, fountains and a variety of excellent shops, bars and restaurants which really gives it that holiday vibe as you sit sipping your drink and eating.


Just had a fabulous lunch at the Magic Lounge Club in Playa de Las Americas with my good friends @renavalatka @simonturkas @magictenerife #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA


Magic has a great selection of drinks, including some amazing juices and smoothies which are both delicious and nutritious. As it was the middle of the day we all opted for non-alcoholic drinks, although you can find an excellent variety of beers, wines and cocktails. I decided to try out the 'Heart-Beet' juice, and wow, it was so good!

For just 5 euros you get this super healthy juice which also tastes amazing. It is a mixture of beetroot, apple juice and spinach, with a hint of fresh ginger for that extra kick. Beetroot stimulates blood flow to the heart and cleanses the blood so you will feel great afterwards. There are a number of other different juices to try with cool names like 'Feel good flush', 'Delicious detox' and 'Glowing green' plus smoothies like 'Strawberry Seduction' if you are looking for something sweeter.
The drinks were served quickly and with a smile by the Magic team who were friendly, knowledgeable and professional. Unlike some restaurants you might have been to, they were able to answer any questions we had about the food on the menu, make recommendations and accommodate our tastes. They also speak a number of languages fluently such as English, Spanish and Italian.

While John is a meat eater, Rena is a vegetarian and I'm a vegan so we cover the whole spectrum of food tastes. This is no problem though if you visit  Magic Café Lounge Bar as they have something for everyone and are very happy to add or take away ingredients from any meal on the menu. Our meal had already started off very well with the delicious drinks. Could the food top it?

For a very reasonable price I have to say the food was absolutely delicious! While John opted for a meat dish and Rena had a salad with wrap, I decided to try out one of the salads as they sounded great. I often enjoy eating salads at lunch time and these didn't sound like any ordinary salad. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was definitely one of the best salads I've ever had and it certainly lived up to it's name! I present to you 'The Magic Salad!'



As it is described on the menu the salad has the best of everything with a number of different ingredients. While some people equate salad with boring (and sometimes it can be), when prepared properly, salads can be some of the best foods on the menu. They are often also an excellent selection for vegans!

The Magic Salad has Quinoa (great source of protein), avocado (rich in omega 3), chia seeds (amazing 0% cholesterol health boost), chopped 3 colour pepper and onion mix, refreshing cucumber and mixed greens. It was presented beautifully and even had a little flower on top!

For 8,50 this was amazing value, especially as it was generous quantity of food. After the salad and my healthy juice I felt satisfyingly full. This was also the case for John and Rena and we all agreed the food was amazing! You can find a great selection of different cuisine styles at Magic including Mediterranean, Mexican, Vietnamese and Japanese.

A photo posted by Tenerife Magazine (@tenerifemagazine) on


As well as the excellent location, gorgeous t-shirt weather, friendly staff and delicious food and drink, there was also a very cool atmosphere with a live guitarist playing acoustic Spanish music and singing. He was very talented and added that extra touch of class which really completed a perfect dining experience.

I would definitely recommend Magic Café Lounge Bar to anyone living or holidaying in Tenerife looking for somewhere with delicious, healthy food and drink, a great atmosphere, reasonable prices and friendly staff.

After our quick meal we were off but agreed we would all return to Magic. In fact I went there again the following week for some drinks the evening before I left Tenerife and there was a very lively atmosphere, showing that Magic is popular at all times of the day!

To find out more about Magic Café Lounge Bar then take a look at their website for offers, news and their menu: http://magicbartenerife.com/ You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Magic Café Lounge Bar is part of the Venture Restaurants group which owns a number of other quality restaurants in Tenerife. You can find out more about Venture Restaurants by taking a look at their website: http://www.venturerestaurantstenerife.com/ and connecting with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Monday, 5 December 2016

6 Reasons Why You Need to Start Using Shopify Today

So you want to start an online store but you're just not sure of the best way to get started? Maybe you've tried eBay or other online marketplaces but feel they are just not the right fit for you. If you've got a great product, you're going to be looking for the most effective way to advertise and sell it, while also building long term valuable relationships with your customers. On the other hand you don't want to waste time setting up a website and dealing with the more technical aspects of ecommerce. It's your product and how to get it out to your customers that is where your focus lies. Well I have the perfect solution for you: Shopify. 


1. Get straight down to growing your business and leave the rest to Shopify

The team behind Shopify understand that starting an ecommerce business can be very daunting. So many people have thought about it and would like to do it, but are put off by how complicated it can all seem. They may have an amazing idea and awesome product, but they just don't know where to begin. Well don't worry because by using Shopify you can get straight down to growing your business!


Starting a business has never been easier when you decide to use Shopify to set up yours. In fact Shopify handles everything from marketing and payments, to secure checkout and shipping. Leave all of this to Shopify and concentrate on the things you love. Create your online store in just 60 seconds!

2. It's Your Brand, So Do Things Your Way

There are so many different options online to sell your product which is one of the reasons it's so daunting for people to start. They want to get going but just don't know which option to choose. Well ideally you want to remain in control, because it is your brand after all. Unlike other online options, with Shopify you remain in complete control of the direction your ecommerce experience takes.


When you sign up and start using Shopify you have complete control over the look and feel of your online store and will gain instant access to hundreds of the best looking themes that the industry has to offer. These include stunning professional themes from created by world-renowned designers like Happy Cog, Clearleft, and Pixel Union! This is completely different to using other alternatives which are far more restrictive. Instead you can create a gorgeous online store front which reflects the unique personality of your brand.

3. Track Everything Through In-depth Online Analytics

When you are running your own business, it is imperative to be able to see what is working and what isn't. To do this you need to be able to access fully comprehensive online data for your store. With Shopify you will have access to an analytics dashboard which will show you everything you need to know. This includes a breakdown of sales, orders and traffic to your store.


This isn't just basic data but an in-depth look at what is happening in terms of which products are selling and which aren't, where your visitors are coming from and how they found your site. With this information easily at your finger tips you can make constant improvements to your store and your sales strategy. These are just some of the amazing features of the comprehensive Shopify analytics system.

4. Use the Shopify App to Manage Your Store on the Go


Shopify has a multitude of wonderful tools that you can use to manage your online store whether you are working from home, in your office or on the go. With the Shopify App on your phone you can easily manage all aspects of your store directly from your phone or tablet.


This includes capturing payments and fulfilling orders, and sending shipping notifications from the post office. From the App dashboard you can quickly see items that need your attention, and track trends in your business. Your inventory can be managed right from within the app including adding products, taking a product photo, or changing a price. You can also instantly look up customers and reach out to them via email or phone. All data is synced between your Shopify store and the App.

5. You Can Count on 24/7 Support With Shopify

When you use Shopify for your online business, you can be guaranteed of 24/7 support. The Shopify support team are available to help with any queries you may have big or small 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by email, live chat, and phone. Not only that but there are a variety of other tools and features that Shopify provides to help make your Shopify store as successful as possible!


There is a comprehensive Shopify Help Centre where you can find help with commonly asked questions, user guides and tutorials. You can also work with a Shopify approved ecommerce designer, developer, or marketer who will help you make your store a big success. There are discussion forums to get involved in to discuss the best tactics for making your business grow, and even an Ecommerce University with everything you need to know about selling online.

6. Using Shopify Leads to Success

Shopify started a whole decade ago which in the digital age is a long time. It is an established online brand which has seen tremendous growth year on year, as more and more people start using the Shopify system to set up their online business. If you decide to try Shopify you will be joining over 325,000 other merchants across 150 countries. Between them they have had $24 Billion of sales!



As you can see Shopify is an amazing option if you have been dreaming of setting up your own online business, but have been put off by other options or have worried about not having the skills or time to dedicate. With Shopify you have all the tools at your disposal to create an online business that is going to shine. It is so quick and easy to set-up and you can even sell on Pinterest or Facebook.

Start using Shopify for free today and start your journey to online success!




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Tuesday, 22 November 2016

Why You Need to Stop Procrastinating and Start Prioritising

Don't worry, this isn't some dubious blog post where I'm going to tell you that you can be anything you want to be, if you just work hard enough. If it sounds too good to be true, then more than likely it is, so don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise. There are certainly legitimate reasons why some people literally cannot accomplish certain dreams that they have; sadly not everyone is going to be a premiership footballer or an astronaut. It doesn't matter how hard you work, it is simply not possible for everyone to do or have everything they want in life.  

Stop Wasting Opportunities


Certainly not everyone starts life with the same life opportunities and not everyone is physically or mentally capable of doing certain things. On the other hand though, there are many of us wasting opportunities with the lies that we tell ourselves. In the Western world, there are millions of people with better opportunities than the rest of humanity has had throughout human history. In many ways there has never been a better period of time to be alive!



There are countless examples of people that have been able to overcome all kinds of adversity throughout their lives to achieve what they wanted and lead the lives that they dreamt of. Here are just a couple of examples of amazing individuals who have overcome significant barriers to lead incredible lives.

Erik Weihenmayer:


Erik is a blind adventurer who has climbed Mount Everest and kayaked the Grand Canyon! By the age of 13 Erik was robbed of his sight by a degenerative disease called Retinoschisis. He refused to allow blindness to sweep his life to the side-lines though and set out to lead an extraordinary life.

During his teenage years he became passionate about rock-climbing after discovering a natural ability at it. Later on he graduated with a double major at Boston College and became a middle-school teacher and wrestling coach at Phoenix Country Day School. After climbing the highest point in North America though, his true life vision began to take shape. He decided to start a movement called No Barriers in which to inspire all of us to face and overcome life's challenges. The motto is "what's within you is stronger than what's in your way."



Nick Vujicic:

Nick is a man from Australia who was born without fully formed legs and without arms completely due to a disease called phocomelia. At the beginning of his life, his mother refused to even see or hold him, but over time his mother and father accepted their son for who he was.

With the use of his two, small deformed feet, Nick was able to use his toes like fingers to turn pages of a book, operate a wheelchair, computer, mobile phone and other functions. Despite severe bullying at school, Nick was able to thrive in his teenage and early-adult years and graduated from university with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He has since dedicated his life to helping people, particularly children to overcome life's many adversities, such as bullying which unfortunately seems to affect increasing numbers of people. He now travels the world as a motivational speaker and has written several books which are all linked to his non-profit organisation: Life Without Limbs.



Once again I'm not suggesting you follow dreams that are physically impossible. Nick could not have become a world class football player for example, even if he had dreamt to be one. He and Erik though are perfect examples of people who have set out to lead incredible lives. Even better, they have also dedicated their time and energy to helping others to live the best lives they can lead. As Erik suggests with his Breaking Barriers organisation, the idea is not to say that everyone has to go and climb Everest or kayak down the Grand Canyon. It is about achieving even small goals that you have set yourself such as living a healthier life.

Excuses, Excuses


For many of us it is so easy to continually think about what we want out of life and imagine how it could be better. Because everyone is unique there is a huge range of hopes and desires that people have for how their lives could be improved. Some of these are material such as a new car or a bigger house. For other people they would really love to see a spiritual or emotional change in their life like a more fulfilling relationship, better friendships or a closer relationship with their family.

Many think or talk about a better career that is more in line with what they are really passionate about, or that offers a better salary, or often both. Some people have always dreamt of travelling and spend their spare time searching on social media for all the amazing places they could travel to in the world, if only they had the time or the money. There are those that want to take better photos, or to start a YouTube vlog or even get going on that blog that they know will be amazing if only they weren't always busy.

You Are Stopping You


The excuses are often the same: I don't have time, I don't have the skill, I don't have the money. We've all heard these and probably even thought them at some point in time. Most though, that's all they are, excuses rather than reality. What is really stopping you is you. That's the harsh truth, but deep down you probably already knew that. If you really want to do something then you can and will put your mind to it and do it.

Time to Make the Change

In life you can only rely on others so much and eventually you are going to have start taking responsibility for what you want out of life. If you want to start that YouTube video series then there is not much that you need. If you are reading this blog post then you probably already have the tools. In fact you can record, edit and upload a video onto YouTube all from a basic smart phone. If you want to start a blog, then you can for free. You just need a basic computer and access to the Internet. You don't even need to buy a computer you could use a computer at your local library for free.

The Internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities, much of which is completely free. You can learn how to cook, learn a new language, do university courses, edit and upload photos and videos, start a blog. These are all tools that are available to millions of people which a couple of decades ago would have seemed impossible.

This isn't just about the Internet though, there are simple changes that you can make in your life to make big improvements. If you want to become fitter then start walking more, join a local gym (some for as little as £10/ month) or even do some basic exercises at home such as sit ups and press ups. Start eating healthier foods like less processed rubbish and more fruit and vegetables. One thing I would definitely recommend is becoming vegan, but that's totally up to you.

Stop Thinking, Start Doing. Take Action!


If you really want to achieve something such as a healthier body, better relationships with family and friends, a more fulfilling job, more travel or anything else you can think of (well maybe not heading to Mars), then you need a plan of action. What you need to realise though, is that you probably do have time you just need to readjust your priorities.


One of THE biggest time wasters in my opinion is TV. It literally sucks the life away from people. Millions of people get home from a day at the office where they have been sat in front of a screen, then slump in front of the TV for the next three to four hours. Just think of how much time that adds up to each week, month and year and what better uses you could be putting all that time to.

When you think about it you really do have time. You have time to contact your family and friends, time to start a course, time to write that blog post, time to go for a run and time to look for that dream job. It can be tough but what you need to do is take action and stop being stupefied by TV (and other complete mind numbing activities like scrolling through Facebook, celebrity magazines or excessive shopping.

While you can't be anything you want to be in life, you can certainly take positive and immediate action to create a significant and lasting change to how you live. You will become more fulfilled, inspired and motivated. Rather than the vicious cycle that many find themselves in you can create a positive cycle for you and those around you. There's no time like the present!

If you want to connect with me on social media then add me and please share this post if you enjoyed it. If you've got any comments then be sure to leave them below or send me a message on social media:


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