In Europe, youth entrepreneurship remains a paradox: high aspiration, low activation.
In 2022, just 7% of Europeans aged 20–29 were self-employed, half the rate of the working-age population as a whole. Though 39% of youth (15–30) say they prefer self-employment to traditional work, only about 5% are actively working on a start-up, (nascent entrepreneurship), and 4% run a business under 42 months old, bringing the EU’s total early-stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA) for 18–30-year-olds to 9% (GEM 2018–2022). Nearly three in four young would-be founders, 73%, identify access to finance as their primary obstacle to getting their business idea off the ground, while fewer than half feel they have the practical skills to navigate even the earliest stages of startup life. Another factor, that is the fear of failure, is also on the rise, affecting 49% of potential entrepreneurs globally (GEM 2024), slamming the brake on potential.
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The Cyprus story is a little more nuanced, though. The island’s youth early-stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA) for ages 18–30 stands at 9%, above the EU average of 7%—but hides the divergence among 18–44-year-olds, where TEA reaches 12.4%, suggesting a concentrated burst of early initiative. More significantly, Cypriot youth report markedly higher confidence: 22% expect to start a business in the next three years (versus the EU’s 12–12%), and over 50% believe they have the skills to do so (compared with 40–42% across the bloc). Notably, only 7% of young entrepreneurs building on the island are driven by necessity. Less than half the EU average of 18%, suggesting instead an uptick of opportunity-led, ambition-driven ventures.
Aspiration alone won’t scale, unfortunately. With an estimated 1,000–2,000 young self-employed individuals across a 1.2-million population, structural gaps continue to limit both appetite and opportunity for scaling. Funding, while available through schemes like MECI’s Youth and Women Entrepreneurship (up to €120,000 for under-30s) and RIF’s Future Founders Academy, funds are unevenly distributed. Mentorship is few and far between. Culturally, entrepreneurship is still often read as deviation, not direction, and not encouraged.
Which is why what’s unfolding at ground level demands attention.
Across the island, a new generation of founders is stepping forward. They are not waiting for perfect conditions and are not relying on safety nets. They are bootstrapping in a high-cost, low-subsidy environment. They are building across the full spectrum of the island’s commercial fabric, from agile marketing studios and reimagining food and beverage for local and global palates, to opening unique retail concepts, and developing tech tools.
This Future Media Young Entrepreneurs Take The Spotlight series turns the lens toward those who are rewriting the script, not with venture capital backing or inherited advantage, but with inspiring determination, iterative creativity, and the kind of relentless hard work that transforms side hustles into scalable businesses.
Because the question isn’t whether youth entrepreneurship in Cyprus can scale.
But what happens when the ecosystem finally meets them where they stand?
This interview features Chrystallena Poulli, founder and CEO of CP Herbalist, a Cyprus-based natural cosmetics brand with its own cosmetic production facility. From their production facility in Limassol, they develop and manufacture plant-based skincare, haircare, and body care products in-house, ensuring full control over quality and formulation. CP Herbalist operates two physical stores in Limassol and one in Nicosia, alongside a growing online presence.
1. What made you decide to start a business in Cyprus?
Cyprus was the natural starting point because it’s where I’m from, but it was also a conscious decision. I founded the business in 2018 and built it from the ground up, staying closely involved in every part of the operation from the beginning.
Starting in Cyprus allowed me to learn fast, adapt quickly, and grow step by step, before evolving the business further, including building our own production facility as the company matured.
2. What have been the toughest parts of building and running your business here, and how have you dealt with those challenges so far?
One of the toughest parts of building and running a business in Cyprus was learning how to lead people in a very close-knit environment, while still growing myself.
I started the business at 21, and in the early years, I took everything very personally — decisions, mistakes, and pressure.
In a small market, where teams work closely and relationships are personal, I realised that emotional discipline and clear leadership were essential. As the company grew and the team expanded to around 30 people, learning how to manage my own reactions became just as important as managing the business itself.
3. On the days when it feels hard to keep going, what keeps you moving, what really fuels your hustle?
On the difficult days, what keeps me going is responsibility.
I feel a strong sense of responsibility toward my team and their families, as well as toward our customers who trust our products. I’m naturally persistent, and over time I’ve learned to treat challenges as feedback rather than setbacks.
Ultimately, what fuels me is the ambition to take the brand beyond Cyprus, because I genuinely believe in the quality and effectiveness of what we create.
4. No one builds alone. Who or what has been part of your support system?
I’ve been fortunate to have strong support, particularly from my family, especially in the early stages of the business. I started very practically. The first physical shop was set up in my parents’ garage, and an additional space behind my mother’s house was later converted into the company’s first offices.
My father, a mechanical engineer, made the decision to leave his job and join me full-time. His technical expertise has been instrumental in setting up and building our production facility, and he has been by my side throughout that process.
My husband supports the business as our IT lead, ensuring that the company’s digital infrastructure evolves as we grow.
Beyond family, my team has been a crucial pillar. Their dedication, flexibility, and passion for their work, as well as the culture of mutual support and growth within the company, have played a major role in shaping the business into what it is today.
5. What advice would you give to another young entrepreneur in Cyprus who wants to start something of their own but is hesitating?
If someone truly wants to start their own business in Cyprus, I would tell them to start immediately, without overthinking it. Waiting to feel “ready” usually means waiting forever. There will always be something you could organise better or improve before starting. Clarity comes through action, not planning.
I would also say not to get discouraged easily. You will fall more than once, and resilience is built by getting back up repeatedly.
Having your own business means being the first to start work and the last to stop – and often never fully switching off. It requires constant awareness and responsibility.
At the same time, generosity matters. Not keeping everything to yourself, but giving back to your team and to your customers, is what creates longevity.
For me, the hardest part has been work-life balance. You sacrifice time and relationships along the way. What you gain, however, is seeing your vision turn into reality.
Anyone starting should be prepared for the difficult days ⎯ they are part of the process.
