BUSINESS-PARTNER WITH JCI EUROPE:
“An opportunity to grow”
Value for both parts are key to a good partnership. That is the message from the CEO of EasySingup Thomas Kjærgaard who has had a long connection with JCI Europe.
By Katre Laan
Making sure that the registration process of an event is user-friendly is a crucial element of any successful event organizer. One organization known globally for organizing dozens of events, from local events to large-scale international conferences is JCI. And since 2013, JCI Europe has had a partnership with Thomas Kjærgaard, the CEO of EasySignup, a digital system for handling event registration. Thomas Kjærgaard is a bright guy in his late thirties. Since the beginning of his career, Thomas has been a serial entrepreneur. In 2012, when he joined JCI Aalborg in Denmark, he had three epiphanies during his onboarding. “The first meeting was at a theatre, where we had a workshop with an actor, there we played with body language and intonation. That convinced me that JCI was something I could use.” Secondly, the initial JCI training courses followed by the Insights Discovery profile, widely used in communication, “laid the foundation for the leadership skills I have used in my company since then.”
A partnership in the making Thomas had built a steady ground for his online business, EasySignup, when a suggestion from a fellow local member came to pitch for a partnership with JCI Europe.
“In the National Congress in 2013, I was presenting the partnership at the general assembly in front of (approximately) 300 persons. I remember it as frightening, but also a good chance to get experience on how to speak in front of a big audience,” he recalled.
EasySignup aims to make event registrations hassle-free. It “saves you time, because the registration, confirmation and handling of payments are automated”.
“Our company and the JCI Europe team, thought the idea was good, and the system would be useful.”
The partnership has gained new users from JCI Belgium in addition to the active user base in JCI Denmark. It's an opportunity for growth on both sides, as some crucial features in the system, “originate from ideas from JCI,” he says. Connecting the dots For anyone thinking how to connect the dots with JCI, Thomas suggested “when you have something new, start low in the organization. If you can get traction there, then you might be able to get the whole organization on board.” After that Thomas encourages you to make a simple message and “decide what you want from it yourself. Then find a bigger reason for the other party to be interested in the partnership.” For years JCI has attracted entrepreneurs, trainers and active citizens from all areas of society. It is a good playground for your personal development, says Thomas. While the organization provides a safe network for members to train, test and gain new skills, the real magic happens at events where members get together.