Aristolog – Erdem Genç

This week I'll be sharing with you an enjoyable conversation I had with a very important figure. Erdem Genç is a serial entrepreneur, widely known to the public, who embarked on his entrepreneurial journey at a very early age and has been highly successful. Without further ado, I'll leave you alone with this fun and equally worthwhile conversation.

You're followed and recognized by a great many people. How would you describe yourself to someone who has never heard of you?

I'm a graduate of Yıldız Technical University's Mechanical Engineering department. On top of that, I hold degrees in Public Relations and Business Administration from Anadolu University. I'm also doing a master's in Entrepreneurship at Özyeğin University, and I've started a Marketing Management program at Boğaziçi University. That's my academic side. My real focus, though, is entrepreneurship — I even wrote a book about it called "Boss at 20." I have my own companies too; M3 Works is our flagship. We put on fun corporate events for companies, and bringing fun into the mix is what sets us apart. Our most frequent offering is the rhythm workshop.

You've given us a glimpse of M3 Works. Could you tell us the story behind M3?

Of course. M3 was founded in 2005. At the time, there were already plenty of event companies out there. We entered the sector as a new company with a different claim to make. The difference we brought was putting fun at the very center of the work. Beyond that, we focused on teamwork and motivation. Our main goal in doing this was to help people get to know each other better and improve communication within their organizations.

You clearly analyzed the gap in the market well and went after it.

Exactly as you say. Company meetings used to be very boring, and so were the PowerPoint presentations. We try to get rid of those PowerPoints entirely and convey everything through more entertaining activities instead. We call this learning by experience.

Let's talk a bit about your books. Is there a new one coming?

We'll be publishing "Küba Günlüğü" (Cuba Diary), a travel book entirely about Cuba based on my own experiences there, in early 2014. It will read almost like a novel, capturing the spirit of Cuba and covering everything about the country. QR codes inside will let you go beyond the book itself. My first book consists of 13 stories.

Let's turn to entrepreneurship. You're a highly successful entrepreneur — what are your methods?