An Edge and Back interview with Petros Pandis

Who is Petros Pandis? Here is his own presentation:
“Hi my name is Petros and I am a motivated and versatile business consultant with a primary background in engineering, involved in a wide range of business and entrepreneurial interests ranging from strategy consulting and innovation to online start-ups. I graduated from my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as a civil and structural engineer, and went on to obtain a scholarship for, and complete my Ph.D. in bio-medical engineering from Imperial College London.”

His new project is Support Greece and he was kind to share with us what made him start this new endeavor.

1. What made you launch this project? What was the “push”?

For the last 12 years I have been living in the UK with the hope that someday Greece will be a place that young Greeks with dreams can call home again. I have been watching Greece through this entire crisis trip” and I have always wanted to help somehow. There are some that believe that Greeks living abroad have to move back to Greece in order to support the country. I strongly believe that by creating awareness around the Greek issue, as well as supporting the current capabilities that Greece has in any way, is another way of helping.

Having family and friends in many countries I have seen that they really love the country and they are willing to support Greece but unfortunately they have already “build” their life in different countries. By seeing these people worry and with the current financial problems that Greece is dealing with, I wanted to help Greece. Support Greece is not only about financial support through donations, but trying to increase the awareness and help to boost the country’s main industry (tourism) via innovative ideas and a new fresh approach.

1. What are the most difficult aspects in working on this project?

The most difficult part is to deliver an international and multicultural message that could appeal to any nationality in order to increase awareness and get the support that I need from the people around the world.

In addition, together with my team, we are building an innovative technology platform to investigate growth in the anti tourism sector.

1. Who is your target audience and what is your social media strategy for this campaign?

I need to deliver a global message both to Greek and no-Greek people via online social media and online crowd funding tools. After we have succeeded with the Support Greece brand, we are hoping to create other concrete initiatives in order to promote visiting Greece

1. What are your immediate goals and the long-run ones?

My long-term goal is to become a successful entrepreneur that I could offer my skills and experience to help my country to recover faster. In order to succeed on this, 3 steps are required:

– increasing awareness of the Greek issue and the current situation

– receive support in any way possible

– build a strong community as well as a robust online platform to help tourism industry in Greece.

1. If you’re a comics fan, what superhero would you call to help you with the project?

Achilles… I know, he is not a comic hero, although you can find him in a comic book. I chose Achilles as I believe Greece is an immortal country with only one weak point… us. We have one of the most beautiful countries with unlimited potential but people living there need to realize it and change. Achilles could help me with the project as he could convince Greeks and no Greeks for Greece potentials and then fight to achieve them- by thinking as mortal and fighting as immortal.

1. Please explain what the logo symbolizes.

The logo is a blue/white ribbon. Ribbons are primarily used in remembrance and support of an event. I choose the white/blue ribbon as the Support Greece logo because the situation in Greece for the last 4-5 years is a like a disease that needs to be remembered for ever in order to build a better future for ourselves and the future generations.

Crowdfunding link: https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/support-greece