Europe - Slovenia
info@optimod.net
+386 (0)30 646 013

IMPROVING ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY INITIATIVE (IEJI)

Bridging the gap between theory and practice in entrepreneurship

The Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative (IEJI) is a global knowledge hub that helps entrepreneurs learn directly from real experience. Created by Sara Kremsar, the initiative gathers insights, lessons, and advice from founders, CEOs, and industry experts worldwide to make entrepreneurship more practical, relatable, and easier to navigate.

Each participant answers one simple yet powerful question:
“What advice would you give yourself if you were starting your entrepreneurial journey all over again, with the knowledge and experience you have today?”

Donate to Support

4

Annual Editions

641

Participants

70

Countries

Explore Past Editions

Each edition showcases insights, lessons, and advice from founders and experts around the world, revealing what it truly takes to build, grow, and sustain a business.

2025
4th Edition
Brochure - Vol. 4 (2025)
186 participants

Building Entrepreneurial Systems That Last

View Brochure Details Download Brochure
2024
3rd Edition
Brochure - Vol. 3 (2024)
149 participants

Empowering the Future of Entrepreneurship

View Brochure Details Download Brochure
2023
2nd Edition
Brochure - Vol. 2 (2023)
179 participants

Elevating Entrepreneurial Potential

View Brochure Details Download Brochure
2022
1st Edition
Brochure - Vol. 1 (2022)
127 participants

Embarking on the Entrepreneurial Journey

View Brochure Details Download Brochure
Learn from those who know the entrepreneurial journey firsthand and explore global advice shared by IEJI participants.
EXPLORE THE IEJI KNOWLEDGE HUB

About the Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative (IEJI)

IEJI is a global knowledge hub that transforms real entrepreneurial experience into practical guidance. At Optimod, we believe the most valuable knowledge comes directly from experience, which is why we learn from those who have lived the entrepreneurial journey themselves.

Through its annual brochures, IEJI shares real stories and lessons from more than 100 participants each year. By collaborating with universities, business incubators, and business accelerators, these real-world experiences are transformed into practical tools for entrepreneurship, education, learning, and growth.

IEJI brings together founders, CEOs, and experts who share what they have learned about building, growing, and sustaining successful businesses. It fosters a global community built on the belief that entrepreneurship is rarely a solo pursuit, that every journey is unique, and that success looks different for everyone.

IEJI Purpose

IEJI exists to make entrepreneurship more human, practical, and accessible by turning real experiences into shared knowledge. Its purpose is to help entrepreneurs feel understood, connected, and confident in making informed decisions based on lessons learned through lived experience, not theory.

IEJI Mission

With IEJI, we aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice in entrepreneurship by developing resources and partnerships that connect founders, educators, and organizations. Through these efforts, IEJI helps make entrepreneurship more practical, connected, and impactful worldwide.

How it works

Each year, IEJI follows a structured process to create its annual entrepreneurship brochure, combining in-depth articles with practical advice from founders, CEOs, and industry experts worldwide.

Our Dual Approach

Each IEJI edition combines two complementary parts that connect real entrepreneurial experience with practical, actionable knowledge.

1

In-Depth Article

Each edition opens with a research-based article on a key entrepreneurship theme, a timely topic that changes each year to reflect emerging trends, presented in three practical chapters.

Research-based insights →
2

Collected Advice

The second part collects insights from more than 100 participants worldwide, turning real entrepreneurial experiences into practical lessons that help others build, grow, and sustain their businesses.

100+ global voices →

Together, these two parts form the foundation of every IEJI brochure, combining research, storytelling, and real experience.
This structure keeps each edition practical, relevant, and grounded in today's entrepreneurial realities.

Results and Impact

Since its creation, the IEJI has grown from a small project into an international network of entrepreneurs and leaders. The annual brochures have become a trusted resource for anyone seeking practical, experience-based guidance.

4
Annual Editions
641
Participants
70
Countries
40%
Growth in Participation
12
Themes
36
Topics

Resources Created from the Annual IEJI Brochures

The insights gathered each year form the foundation for new educational materials developed in collaboration with universities, startup incubators, accelerators, and other educational institutions, as well as individual contributors who use this content to strengthen entrepreneurship education and practical learning.

Leadership blueprints
Startup guides
Entrepreneurship frameworks
Whitepapers
Research reports
Online courses
Case studies and success stories
Practical toolkits
Conference presentations & Talks

Founders' Off-The-Grid Retreat

The first in-person entrepreneurship retreat emerged naturally from the Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative after participants expressed the need to connect beyond the digital space.
It brings the IEJI community together in an off-the-grid setting where attendees learn from one another as both teachers and students through shared experience.

Learn More About Founders' Off-The-Grid Retreat

Frequently Asked Questions about IEJI

Find answers to the most common questions about the Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative, including participation, content usage, partnerships, and more.

The Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative (IEJI) is a global knowledge hub that collects real-world advice, lessons, and stories from founders, CEOs, and industry experts. Its purpose is to make entrepreneurship more practical, relatable, and easier to navigate by sharing what entrepreneurs wish they had known when they started.

IEJI is for anyone involved in entrepreneurship or entrepreneurial education. This includes new founders, experienced entrepreneurs, CEOs, universities, business schools, incubators, accelerators, policymakers, researchers, and ecosystem builders.

Each year, IEJI selects a central theme and follows a two-part structure. The first part is a research-based article written in three practical chapters. The second part collects short contributions from participants who share the advice they would give themselves if they were starting their entrepreneurial journey again. These elements form the annual IEJI brochure.

Each brochure includes a thematic article and a curated selection of contributions from founders, CEOs, and experts. The content reflects real entrepreneurial experience and provides practical lessons that support decision-making, growth, leadership, and resilience.

Yes. You can download all IEJI brochures for free on the IEJI webpage.

You can share your advice by submitting your contribution through the official participation form. You will receive instructions and confirmation once your contribution is accepted for the edition.

Participants are selected based on experience, perspective, and willingness to share practical, honest insights. IEJI aims for diversity in geography, industry, background, and entrepreneurial stage.

IEJI insights are transformed into a variety of educational materials such as toolkits, guides, frameworks, case studies, online courses, conference presentations, and research outputs. These materials are developed in collaboration with universities, incubators, accelerators, and other educational institutions.

IEJI was created by Sara Kremsar, founder of Optimod, as a personal contribution to the entrepreneurial community. Although she leads Optimod full-time, she develops the initiative in her spare time to stay connected with founders and give back through shared experience. IEJI is led by Optimod, which manages the curation, design, editorial work, and transformation of insights into educational resources. Many of these materials are available through the Optimod Education Center.

Yes. IEJI collaborates with institutions that want to bring real founder experience into entrepreneurship education. Partnership opportunities include curriculum integration, workshops, research projects, and co-created educational materials.

Yes, in many cases. IEJI content is designed for educational use and can be integrated into your programs independently or with support from Optimod. Organizations can choose to use the materials on their own, or request assistance from Optimod to design custom workshops, programs, training sessions, or additional resources tailored to their needs. For usage rights, formats, and collaboration options, organizations can contact Optimod directly.

After gathering insights from hundreds of entrepreneurs over several years, it became clear that many IEJI participants were seeking a more personal and experiential way to connect. In response, IEJI inspired the first Founders' Off-the-Grid Retreat in 2025, an in-person entrepreneurship retreat in Slovenia that brought together contributors who had shared their insights in the annual IEJI brochures. The Founders' Off-The-Grid Retreat is a natural extension of the IEJI community. It unites IEJI participants in an off-the-grid setting where founders learn directly from one another through shared stories, practical discussions, and real entrepreneurial experience.

You can subscribe to the IEJI or Optimod newsletter to receive updates about new editions, events, calls for contributions, and newly released educational resources.

Yes. IEJI is highly valuable for early-stage founders. The content reflects real founder mistakes, lessons, and insights that can help you navigate uncertainty and build confidence in your decisions.

Yes. You may cite IEJI content in your presentations, academic papers, publications, or entrepreneurship research as long as proper attribution is included. Citations should reference the brochure edition, year, IEJI and Optimod as the source, and Sara Kremsar as the author and creator of the initiative. Generic APA 7 Template: Kremsar, S. (Year). IEJI Brochure: [Edition Title] (Vol. X). Optimod, Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative (IEJI).

Yes. You may reuse quotes and insights from IEJI brochure participants for educational, academic, or other non-commercial purposes as long as proper attribution is included. When reusing quotes, please reference the participant name (when applicable), the IEJI brochure edition, the year, IEJI and Optimod as the source, and note that the initiative was created by Sara Kremsar.

IEJI is currently available only in English, as it is a global initiative intended for international audiences.

Contributions must be submitted in English. You may send your text in another language, but it will be translated into English for publication. Please note that translations may not fully preserve the original tone, style, or meaning of your text.

Your contribution and contact information are stored securely and used solely for managing your participation in the IEJI edition and for activities related to promoting IEJI, as each participant agrees when submitting their contribution. Personal information is not shared with third parties without your consent and is handled in accordance with data protection standards. Only the final approved text, with minor editorial changes if needed, is published in the brochure.

No. Once your contribution is confirmed, it cannot be withdrawn or revised. After confirmation, the text enters proofreading, editing, design, and layout phases and is prepared for publication.

Yes. The limit is measured in characters, not words. Your contribution must contain a minimum of 1000 characters and a maximum of 2000 characters. Submissions outside this character range cannot be accepted.

Either format is acceptable as long as the content is written by you. AI-generated text is not allowed. AI writing is usually detectable through specific stylistic patterns and punctuation choices, including the use of em dashes.

Yes. All contributions undergo proofreading and minor editing. Adjustments may be made for clarity, readability, consistency, or layout purposes. Edits are minimal and do not change the core message.

Yes. Each participant receives a preview of their contribution during the participation confirmation process. This preview allows you to see your text, but it is not the final version of the IEJI brochure. After confirmation, your contribution goes through proofreading, minor editing, and the design and layout phase before publication.

Each edition is published in the first week of December.

Submissions are accepted until October 31 of each year. Since the publication timeline is fixed, contributions received after this date are included in the following edition.

Participating Organizations

Each year, the Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative welcomes over 100 participants from various organizations.
They represent a diverse range of roles within their companies, including founders, owners, CEOs, and industry experts.

Reading About Entrepreneurship Is One Thing. LIVING IT IS ANOTHER.

Every entrepreneurial journey is unique, but no one should have to walk it alone. The Improving Entrepreneurial Journey Initiative grows through shared experiences, collaboration, and community support. If you would like to contribute or explore partnership opportunities, you can do so below.

Or contact us at info@optimod.net