Online breakfast with BALAJCZA – “Switzerland – Cultural Differences in Business”

Tuesday, 17 May 2022

8 am-9 am

The Swiss Confederation is unusual in many ways. This small country with its ethnic, religious and cultural diversity is united by Willensnation – the desire to live together.

How is it possible to communicate effectively in a country with as many as four official languages? This and other questions will be answered on Tuesday, May 17, at 8 a.m. during our Online Breakfast “Switzerland – Cultural Differences in Business”.

We will cover topics such as:

  • dress code for a business meeting
  • taboo subjects
  • culinary boundaries dividing the Swiss
  • whether punctuality is important in the “land of watches”
  • what the president of Switzerland drives to meetings

The meeting will be held by Kamila Radzyńska – business coach, specialised in intercultural communication, member of SIETAR Polska, R&D Manager experienced in foreign trade, romanist, passionate about the Far East, and winner of the Knowledge about France Competition organised by PR III radio and France Inter.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

Polish as a foreign language – barrier-free communication at work

Today, learning a foreign language is a necessity. However, for many people it is not English but Polish that is now a priority.

Lately, we have been receiving numerous questions about a Polish language course, to which we reply: “Yes, by all means!” We have been successfully teaching Polish as a foreign language for several years now, also online.

Teaching Polish as a foreign language is completely different to teaching it to native speakers. A teacher who conducts this type of class must have an appropriate glottodidactic background.

Therefore, native speakers at Balajcza are also experienced language teachers. Thanks to this, they are able to adjust the level of classes to the needs of foreigners who are taking their first steps in Polish. The participants can start using their first phrases quickly and stress-free.

We offer individual and group classes, which we conduct at a location of your choice or completely online.

When conducting classes for companies, we adjust the course to specific positions so that the students can communicate freely and effectively in their everyday work.

If your organization is now facing a language challenge, contact us. We will give you all the information you need and, once the decision has been made, we will organize the course.

timea.balajcza@balajcza.pl
Tel.: 22 643 47 94, 98; Mobile phone: +48 601 913 446

www.balajcza.pl

Online breakfast with BALAJCZA – “North versus South Italy – one country, two worlds”

Thursday, 5 May 2022
8 am-9 am

Italians are most often seen as loud, energetic, tanned, with a fairly laid-back approach to life. Meanwhile, they themselves believe that the north and south of Italy are almost two different countries. The contrast between these regions is noticeable in almost every aspect.

Join us for our Thursday Breakfast and find out:

  • where the “real Italy” is located
  • who the “polentons” are
  • why in southern Italy you only cry twice
  • and whether the siesta applies nationwide

The meeting will be hosted in English by:

Cristiano Berta – a linguist, sommelier, ski instructor and mountain lover. An Italian from Piedmont with extensive international experience. He grew up in Germany, studied in Italy, and worked in Denmark, Norway, Canada, and Switzerland.

The meeting will be held in English.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

CRIDO advised on two transactions

CRIDO advised on the sale of 100 percent of Aura Medic Południe shares

CRIDO acted as Corporate Finance advisors to the Owners of Aura Medic Południe sp. z o.o., which owns two magnetic resonance diagnostic centres – in Stalowa Wola and Radomsko.

Two magnetic resonance diagnostic centres (in Stalowa Wola and Radomsko) have come under new ownership. The previous owners chose to sell 100 percent of their shares in the company to Bonus-Diagnosta sp. z o.o., a company controlled by PZU Zdrowia S.A., which operates in the medical services sector.

The sale was facilitated by CRIDO, which acted as the sole corporate finance advisor to the company’s owners. Transactional advice was rendered by: Artur Marszałkiewicz, managing partner at CRIDO leading the Corporate Finance team, Aleksandra Małolepsza, senior associate, and Monika Olak, senior financial analyst.

Artur Marszałkiewicz and his CRIDO team supported us throughout the transaction. Thanks to the team’s professional handling of the process and their unwavering commitment we were able to negotiate very favourable terms – says Damian Biedulski, (former) President of the Board of Directors and Aura Medic shareholder.

We are pleased to have played our part in PZU Zdrowie’s dynamic growth in the medical services sector while securing very favourable commercial terms for our client – adds Artur Marszałkiewicz, managing partner heading CRIDO’s Corporate Finance team.

CRIDO supports entrepreneurs, corporations and PE/VC funds in domestic and cross-border M&A transactions at every stage in the process. CRIDO’s package of advisory services includes due diligence, tax, financial, corporate finance and comprehensive legal support, including legal due diligence.

CRIDO’s Corporate Finance team provides comprehensive transaction advice in M&A processes. We also support clients in seeking financing for acquisitions, development, investment projects and project finance deals. This is made possible by our close cooperation with banks, PE funds and specialist funds.

 

CRIDO advised PortfoLion fund on investment in Mindgram

CRIDO’s support involved comprehensive legal advice in negotiating and signing transaction documents at PortfoLion level – one of the investors in the seed round. CRIDO was represented by Przemysław Furmaga, partner heading the CRIDO Legal M&A and PE/VC team, Andrzej Dunikowski, senior associate, Filip Sobociński, junior associate.

Through the Mindgram platform, company employees and their families can access psychological counseling and consult preventative medicine specialists and personal development coaches. The start-up was launched in 2021. The financing which we have helped to arrange is intended to spur growth and international expansion.

Alongside Credo Ventures (lead investor), Nuntak Capital, Market One Capital and Pamoja Capital, PortfoLion was one of the Midgram investors in the seed round. The seed round was for EUR 7 million and was one of the biggest seed rounds in Poland to date.

The Mindgram transaction is another VC type of project we have been involved in in the last few months, this time acting for the investor. Mindgram is an excellent example of a company which provides services in what is a growing well-being and mental health sector. Limited access to psychological counselling, pandemic-induced anxiety, and the current volatile political situation make for ideal growth opportunities for companies such as Mindgram. Mindgram’s impressive start and promising international expansion have drawn the attention of VC investors, which is attested to by the successful seed round where we had the opportunity to support PortfoLion – says Przemysław Furmaga, partner leading CRIDO Legal’s M&A PE/VC team.

CRIDO supports companies, company founders and investors in Private Equity and Venture Capital type of transactions. We provide a full range of services including transaction structuring, due diligence studies (for legal, tax and financial purposes) and preparing and negotiating transaction documentation.

On-line workshop with BALAJCZA: “How to take care of yourself and your team in a crisis”

Wednesday, 27 April 2022

11 am-12 pm

In the last two years, many people have been asking themselves “when will it end?” We have experienced a pandemic, war and many challenges that directly impact our mental health. That’s why it is so important to take care of our mental strength and resilience, as well as our relationships with others.

During our workshop, you will learn:

  • What is mental resilience? Why should it be addressed?
  • How to build habits that support mental resilience
  • How to take care of yourself while respecting your own and others’ needs

The workshop will be hosted by:

Monika Guzek – crisis consultant and intercultural trainer working in the spirit of Nonviolent Communication. Project manager and university lecturer. President of SIETAR Polska. She supports organizations in building mental resilience and shaping an empathetic workplace.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl

SWISS operates twice a week between Gdansk and Zurich

Discover Switzerland and the world with the new direct SWISS flight from Gdansk. From 3 April 2022, SWISS operates twice a week between Gdansk and Zurich.

It is worth mentioning the newly introduced SWISS Premium Economy seats on long-haul destinations available also from Gdansk via Zurich: Miami, San Francisco and Sao Paulo. Further SWISS destinations served with Boeing 777-300ER will then gradually be added.

Online breakfast with BALAJCZA: Ukraine: people, culture and traditions

Friday, 22 April 2022

9 am-10 am

Ukraine is one of the largest countries in Europe, currently fighting for its independence and democracy in a conflict of a scale that no one expected in the 21st century. Since the beginning of this war, interest in Ukraine itself, as well as the Ukrainian language, has grown tremendously – since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, the popularity of the language on the Duolingo app has increased by almost 500%.

The purpose of our meeting is to get to know Ukraine better, its culture, history, traditions, people, diversity, and to discover interesting facts about the everyday lives of Ukrainians.

At Friday’s Breakfast we are going to cover the following topics, among others.

  • Culture and Ukrainian traditions: what shouldn’t you do when baking Easter pound cake?
  • What does the letter “Y” on cars mean?
  • The education system: why does one become a master’s degree holder at the age 21?
  • Linguistic curiosities: how much does Ukrainian differ from Polish?

The meeting will be hosted by:

Kateryna Chwiszczuk – intercultural and multilingual soft skills coach (languages: Ukrainian, Polish, English, French), as well as internal coach supporting development of employees in a multinational corporation. She has over 10 years of experience working in multinational corporations with clients mainly from the French and Swiss markets in the areas of: finance, human resources and payroll, and customer service. Her passion is supporting employees and customers by providing smart solutions. She believes that challenges are also opportunities. Born in Lviv, raised in Algeria, she has lived in Poland for 13 years.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl

Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

Online breakfast with BALAJCZA: China – Yesterday and Today, part 3

Thursday, 21 April 2022

8 am-9 am

A history of over 4,000 years is not a thing of the past in the Middle Kingdom. Quite the contrary, surprisingly many elements of modern Chinese life are closely tied to its long tradition.

Join us for part 3 of our “China – Yesterday and Today” series on Thursday, April 21 at 8:00 a.m. on “Breakfast Online.”

We’ll talk about:

  • What does the flag of the PRC symbolize?
  • What is Chinese water torture?
  • Is it possible to cheat in the ‘Gaokao’ Chinese baccalaureate exam?
  • What is the game “Uncorruptible Warrior” about?
  • Who are the fabulously rich Chinese?
  • Is the mandarin era over?

The meeting will be held by Kamila Radzyńska – business coach, specialised in intercultural communication, member of SIETAR Polska, R&D Manager experienced in foreign trade, romanist, passionate about the Far East, and winner of the Knowledge about France Competition organised by PR III radio and France Inter.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl

Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights

On-line workshop with BALAJCZA – “Different cultural approaches to the concept of time”

Tuesday, 12 April 2022
11 am-12 pm

People’s perception of time is culturally determined. Time is incredibly important in business relations, so lack of knowledge how different cultures approach time can cause many misunderstandings. It can even lead to the breakdown of negotiation talks.

How different cultures perceive time and how to cooperate effectively with people who have different approaches to this dimension? Cultural differences related to the perception of time will be the topic of our next meeting.

During the meeting you will find out:

  • What is “time”?
  • What are the tools for managing yourself in time?
  • How to prioritize activities
  • The 2-Minute Rule – what does it point to?
  • The 4Ds method – where is it worth using?
  • What is the difference between monochronic and polychronic culture?
  • What does the saying ‘time is money’ mean?
  • ASAP’ – which is when?
  • Which cultures take a flexible approach to scheduling?
  • In contrast, which cultures perceive time linearly?
  • How to work effectively with people from these cultures
  • Where are relationships more important than schedules?
  • Where does sequential versus synchronous organization of people’s activities occur?

The topic will be discussed by:

Magdalena Żymełka – coach and advisor. She has been involved in soft HR, in particular its key processes such as: onboarding, job descriptions, employee assessment, appraisal interviews for managers, goal setting, talent management, and employee engagement surveys.

She has international experiences:

14 years in the design, implementation and evaluation of global onboarding programs, product training, e‑learning programs, as well as in Talent Management projects in an international organization.

She has worked with people from the areas of: EMEA, APAC and AMER (Poland, the UK, Estonia, India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, the USA). She worked and lived in the USA and the UK.

She managed the Learning & Development team in an international company employing over 2,000 employees. Together with her team, she supported the development of employees by helping them discover their talents and develop their skills. Currently, she shares her managerial experience with managers in a training room and remotely, conducting training for business on topics such as: improving managerial skills, First Time Manager, team management, including dispersed teams, managing generations in the organization, conducting effective meetings, building effective teams, change management, the culture of management by values in the organization, the culture of feedback, effective team communication and intercultural communication.

She has completed a total of 6,000 hours of training, both in the classroom and remotely. She conducts training sessions in Polish and in English.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.

Online breakfast with BALAJCZA – “Lebanon – The Middle East is even closer than you think”

Thursday, 7 April 2022
8 am-9 am

Lebanon is the land of vineyards, orange orchards, green meadows and pine forests. This is where Arab culture meets Mediterranean culture. A country full of ancient monuments, wonderful landscapes, excellent cuisine and smiling, hospitable people.  Many of us associate Lebanon only with war, while its real image turns out to be completely different from that known from the media.

Attend our Thursday Breakfast and find out:

  • why Lebanon is called the Switzerland of the Middle East,
  • what delicacies of Lebanese cuisine are the national pride of the Lebanese people,
  • why your legs hurt more than your head after a Lebanese wedding,
  • why a Lebanese bachelor wears a ring on his finger,
  • what attracts Polish pilgrimages to Lebanon.

The meeting will be hosted by:

Maria Błoch – globetrotter and recruiter for an international e-commerce company. She studied in Croatia, lived in Beirut and worked for a Lebanese-Nigerian company. Thanks to this experience she discovered all there is to know about Lebanese culture. After years of travelling, she returned to Poland and is now looking for talents on the UK, Czech and Polish markets.

The meeting will be held in Polish.

To confirm your participation, please contact:

Timea Balajcza, spotkania@balajcza.pl
tel.: +48 601 913 446

  • By signing up for the webinar, you consent to receiving marketing information from BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. and the processing of personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Policy published on the website balajcza.pl
  • Please be informed that the participation in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” is tantamount to consenting to the use and dissemination by the organizer, i.e. BALAJCZA sp. z o.o. (KRS 0000659805), of the image of the persons participating in the “Online Breakfast with BALAJCZA” and “Online Workshops with BALAJCZA” provided for in Article 81 of the Act of February 4, 1994 on Copyright and Related Rights.