Every entrepreneurial journey begins with a first step.

Every entrepreneurial journey begins long before a business is launched.

It begins with a question, an idea, a challenge worth solving, or a dream that feels just out of reach. Yet for many young people, the biggest obstacle isn’t a lack of ideas, it’s a lack of confidence. Confidence to take the first step, trust their abilities, and believe they can create something meaningful.

For countless JA alumni around the world, that confidence began with a classroom experience, a mentor’s encouragement, a student company, or a moment that changed how they saw themselves and their potential.

Today, we’re highlighting three entrepreneurs from Brazil, Slovakia, and Lebanon whose journeys demonstrate the power of believing in an idea, and, in yourself. From expanding educational opportunities and driving digital transformation to building a homegrown consumer brand now reaching markets across the Middle East, their stories remind us that every venture starts with the courage to begin.

Maria Clara Marques Almeida (Brazil) 🇧🇷

For Maria, entrepreneurship wasn’t originally part of the plan.

Growing up in the Brazilian countryside, she saw entrepreneurship as something reserved for a certain type of person, often someone with a technology background, extensive resources, or a traditional business education. When she joined NEXA, she wasn’t thinking about launching a venture. She simply wanted to meet new people, expand her network, and explore opportunities beyond her immediate surroundings.

What she discovered changed the course of her future.

Through NEXA and the broader JA community, Maria found herself surrounded by young people who were building projects, solving problems, and creating impact in ways she had never imagined. Those experiences helped her realize that entrepreneurship wasn’t about fitting a particular mold—it was about identifying a need and having the courage to address it.

“I discovered I could be an entrepreneur and build something meaningful.”

That realization led her to create ClaCast Squad, a growing educational community designed to help students improve their English communication skills while building confidence and meaningful connections. What started as a small initiative has grown into a platform that brings together young people from across Brazil and Latin America, helping them access opportunities that once felt out of reach.

For Maria, the venture is about much more than language learning. It is about creating the type of supportive community she wished existed for students like her.

JA also transformed her understanding of leadership. Before, she believed leaders were people who had all the answers. Through her experiences, she learned that true leadership is about listening, empowering others, and creating spaces where people can grow.

Today, Maria envisions ClaCast Squad reaching thousands of students across Brazil while expanding partnerships with universities around the world. Long term, she hopes to transition into public service and education policy, using the lessons she learned as a founder to create systemic change for future generations.

As she reflects on her journey, Maria credits JA with helping her connect entrepreneurship, leadership, and impact into a single vision for her future.

“Because of JA, I’m a 19-year-old founder changing people’s lives, one conversation at a time.”

Adam Drdoš (Slovakia) 🇸🇰

For Adam, entrepreneurship was familiar from an early age.

Having grown up helping his father in business and gaining exposure to companies at a young age, he was already interested in management and entrepreneurship before joining Junior Achievement Slovakia. What he hoped to gain from JA was practical knowledge—an understanding of how to build and establish a business of his own.

What he gained was something much more valuable.

Through the JA Company Program, Adam discovered the difference between managing people and leading them.

“Before JA, I thought I was a leader—turns out I was a manager.”

That shift in perspective fundamentally changed how he approached entrepreneurship, teamwork, and business.

One of the most defining moments of his JA journey came when he represented Slovakia at the Gen-E Expo in Istanbul. Standing alongside young entrepreneurs from across Europe, Adam realized the scale of what was possible when young people are given the opportunity to innovate and lead.

Today, Adam serves as Director and Owner of Sodehal, an IT company helping public institutions across Slovakia digitize their services and systems. His mission is rooted in improving his country’s digital future and making public services more efficient and accessible.

Among his proudest achievements is successfully delivering a public procurement project that developed an information system designed to help procurement centers prepare digital contracts. Equally important to him is the culture he has built within his company.

“I’ve built a strong, collaborative, and genuinely enjoyable work environment.”

Throughout his journey, Adam has remained guided by one of the most important lessons he learned through JA:

“Because of JA, I came to understand the power each of us holds as individuals.”

Whether through entrepreneurship, startups, or even his growing involvement in Slovak politics, Adam continues to demonstrate how individual initiative can create lasting change.

Daniel El Kadi (Lebanon) 🇱🇧

For Daniel El Kadi, entrepreneurship was never just about creating a product—it was about proving what was possible.

As the co-founder and CEO of TChips, Daniel set out to challenge a common assumption: that the best consumer products had to come from somewhere else.

He saw a gap in the market for a locally manufactured snack brand that could compete with international products not because it was Lebanese, but because it was innovative, high-quality, and genuinely exciting for consumers.

“I wanted to create a brand that people would choose not because it is local, but because it is innovative, high quality, and genuinely better.”

That vision became TChips.

Known for its bold flavors and signature sauce sachet included inside every pack, the company has transformed a simple snack into a differentiated consumer experience. What started as an idea has grown into a recognized brand available in more than 1,000 points of sale across Lebanon, with exports already reaching Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.

Building a manufacturing company in Lebanon has not been easy. Daniel has had to navigate economic uncertainty, supply chain challenges, rising costs, and competition from multinational brands with significantly greater resources.

Rather than seeing these obstacles as barriers, he learned to view them as opportunities to innovate.

“Entrepreneurship is a constant process of facing unexpected challenges and finding creative ways to overcome them.”

Through JA, Daniel gained exposure to mentors, entrepreneurs, and a community that encouraged him to think bigger about what his business could become. He credits the program with reinforcing his belief that young entrepreneurs can build meaningful companies capable of creating real impact.

Today, Daniel’s vision extends far beyond potato chips. He hopes to establish TChips as one of the Middle East’s leading snack brands while continuing to create jobs, invest in local manufacturing, and demonstrate that Lebanese entrepreneurs can successfully compete on a regional and international stage.

For Daniel, entrepreneurship is ultimately about possibility—the possibility of building something from scratch, solving challenges creatively, and proving that world-class ideas can come from anywhere.

Having the Courage to Start

Maria, Adam, and Daniel work in different industries, serve different communities, and live thousands of kilometers apart. Yet their journeys share a common starting point.

Each of them encountered a moment when they had to decide whether to stay comfortable or take a chance on an idea they believed in.

For Maria, that meant turning a passion for education into a platform that empowers young people. For Adam, it meant realizing that leadership begins with individual action and responsibility. For Daniel, it meant building a brand capable of competing in challenging markets and proving that innovation can thrive close to home.

Their stories remind us that entrepreneurship rarely begins with certainty. It begins with curiosity, resilience, and the willingness to move forward despite not knowing exactly what comes next.

Because of JA . . . they gained more than business knowledge. They gained the confidence to believe in their ideas, pursue opportunities, and take the first step toward creating impact.

And every entrepreneurial journey starts with that first step.