The AUA Entrepreneurs Series aims to highlight innovative and creative startups created by AUA students and alumni. It also showcases the University’s impact as an academic institution that empowers and supports students and alumni throughout their professional journeys.
YEREVAN, Armenia — Haykuhi Hovakimyan (BAB ’23), and Simona Mkhitaryan (BAB ’23), are the co-founders of Art n’ Joy, a company that organizes team building and corporate events by incorporating art inspired activities. The idea of starting the company stemmed from the co-founders feeling the lack of spaces that offer community and connection. “We had this issue that we don’t have any places to go with our friends, and the options were very few, so that’s why we decided to open a space where people can go, where they can spend their time,” says Haykuhi. The events also intend to foster connections and create networking opportunities for the participants, and contribute to increasing their motivation.
The co-founders also aim to challenge the mentality of one time experiences and make the events part of people’s hobbies and lifestyle. They recently organized an event for the Central Bank of Armenia, and while taking on the project they recognized the scale of it, but they note that the more challenging projects they work on the more their inspiration and drive grows.
Along with their mutual interest in building connections and a community, AUA supported them in bringing their vision to life with the skills they learned during their studies. Simona emphasized the opportunities beyond knowledge and what she gained from the University. “The network, the leadership skills, and the confidence to build something,” she remarked.
They are no strangers to challenges when it comes to their business, but they believe consistency and not giving up are part of reaching success. “I think that failure is part of the journey. It’s not the end, and whenever you fail, you need to just keep harder, push harder, and not wait. If you want to do something, you do it until it’s done,” Simona said.
Launching a business can be intimidating and full of obstacles, but Haykuhi says not getting discouraged is essential “Never give up. Even in failures, it is not the end of the world. You need to get out of it, and after you get out from it, you get one step ahead,” she highlighted.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.