Interview with the Romanian entrepreneur awarded at Brussels

The Romanian company builds timber frame houses, also known in Romania as American or Canadian houses, log homes, garden rooms, exhibition spaces, barn conversions, playground for children and others.

The design of the timber frame house is computer-assisted. The company lays down guidelines and grade value tables for structural elements and includes in the project calculation notes for timber structure beams, rafters, pillar, and walls in line with the Eurocod 5 standards.

Attending the event in Brussels, the Romanian entrepreneur spoke about his business and the current situation of small and medium enterprises in an interview to Wall-Street.

Wall-Street: What determined you to start a business in timber frame house building?

Eugeniu Lisnic: Well, I asked myself “What would be the best construction material in the future?” Since timber is a renewable, eco-friendly material, I thought this would be the construction material of choice in the future.

Wall-Street: When did you start your business?

Eugeniu Lisnic: The idea came up when I finished college. I was eager to create and develop the ecological concept of houses, find durable and renewable materials. I started the business two years ago.

Wall-Street: What obstacles did you come across with when getting your business off the ground?

Eugeniu Lisnic: Lack of expertise in accounting. Which is why I signed up for a master programme in European management.

Wall-Street: What was your start-up capital?

Eugeniu Lisnic: I started with €300 to open the business. I didn’t take any loan, I don’t think borrowing is the best solution to get finance. At first, I would meet customers at a restaurant, with a laptop I received from my friends.

Wall-Street: What was the turnover two years on? Who are JirmaN Engineering’s customers?

Eugeniu Lisnic: After two years, I was having a €20,000 profit per year. My customers are timber frame house producers with 40-50 employees.

Wall-Street: Do you have any plans to start another business?

Eugeniu Lisnic: Yes. I am considering starting another business, because in winter, the construction market is poor. I was thinking about a fast-food for students.

Wall-Street: What piece of advice would you give Romanians who want to start a business?

Eugeniu Lisnic: Team up with other entrepreneurs, make teams to overcome problems, because one cannot make it on his own.

Wall-Street: Which are the profit-making sectors?

Eugeniu Lisnic: I think that you can make money in any sector. You just have to give it a try.

Wall-Street: SMEs in Romania are the key drivers of the economy. Can they be the solution to emerge from crisis?

Eugeniu Lisnic: No. Because in Romania, small and medium enterprises are disadvantaged by the tight fiscal system. With a bit of help from the government, SMEs could grow up to a point where it could fire up the economy.

Wall-Street: How do you see the entrepreneurs market in Romania?

Eugeniu Lisnic: I haven’t seen a growth in the SME sector. I think the market is not encouraged enough.

Wall-Street: Is there a support for SMEs in Romania?

Eugeniu Lisnic: There are few centers in Romania dedicated to Small and Medium Enterprises, but indeed they do bring their contribution to the development of the sector. The center I have been working with is Pro-Energ, a business incubator based in Brasov.

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