An impact driven entrepreneur for an inclusive Helsinki
On this page, you’ll find a snapshot of what has shaped me and the values that drive my work. Supporting micro entrepreneurship, inclusive community, and education.
1
Support for Micro Entrepreneurs
I have diverse experience as an impact driven entrepreneur from the past decade.
I was first driven to make a change in the food industry for healthier food on-the-go. I developed a vegan, gluten free, cauliflower flour based dough and plant-based pasties for the bakery aisle. There was always great interest from big players but we didn’t end up being selected for the shelves. Throughout this journey, I learned how to raise investment and work with angel investors, how to pitch and apply for funding instruments, product development and testing, and much more.
My next business adventure was opening a workshop and meditation space in Ullanlinna, Breathe Helsinki. I wanted to share the tools and exercises that had allowed me to connect with inner peace, increase my inner awareness for emotional wellbeing, and improve my relationships. It was wonderful, and so rewarding, to hear and see the benefits my workshop participants experienced. However, the space suffered from lockdown restrictions so in the end it was not viable financially to keep it going.
Breathe Helsinki served as a community starting point for Conscious Entrepreneurs Community and is the inspiration behind a co-working, pop up and event space for micro entrepreneurs in Helsinki.
Since 2022, I’ve been one of the main trainers for The Shortcut’s Spark Academy and since 2024 for Helsinki Incubators Pathways programme. Through my own experiences in entrepreneurship, working with hundreds of early stage and micro entrepreneurs through various programmes as well as the Conscious Entrepreneurs Community and other entrepreneurial communities, I feel confident I can represent small business owners in Helsinki City Council and move forward initiatives that would enable a flourishing micro entrepreneurship landscape.
2
Inclusivity & Community
I’m a firm believer in the power and beauty of inclusion and multiculturalism as well as the importance of community for our wellbeing. Here is some of my past that has shaped me to celebrate diversity.
I was six years old when my family moved to Luxembourg and I enjoyed the first seven years of my education with students from all the EU countries. One of the highlights was always the festivals where each country would have their own stand and you could walk around tasting all the different cultural treats!
I then finished my lower and upper secondary education in Helsinki, in Kulosaari and Töölö, before moving to Lyon to study French before starting my university studies in the outskirts of London. I worked in London throughout my bachelors and for a year after and then briefly moved to Zurich. I met my business mentors and hopped at the opportunity to go live with them in San Francisco. Eventually, I moved back to London to start my own entrepreneurial adventures and quickly noticed that Helsinki actually offered a great place for a food innovation startup back in 2017! So I moved around a fair bit and have now happily settled in Helsinki 🙂
Most of my community here are from international backgrounds and building Helsinki as an inclusive, welcoming, international capital city is one of my passions.
I have been part of starting an nurturing inclusive communities in Helsinki such as FloweRescue and the Conscious Entrepreneurs Community. I believe that Helsinki needs to invest more in community wellbeing, support community organisers as well as create more opportunities for community building.
3
Education for a Thriving Society
Education has also played a crucial role in my development as an entrepreneur and I have always enjoyed passing on anything that I have learned. I’ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from some world-class coaches in San Francisco, London, and Zurich. I’ve attended a multitude of personal development trainings and been on the team of facilitating powerful transformational weekends. All of this has contributed to what I pour into my trainings for early stage entrepreneurship, personal development, and mediation workshops.
I believe Helsinki could develop an engaging educational hub for micro entrepreneurship and thus foster not only their growth but also the growth of our local economy and the vibrancy of our city.
Education has played a key role in my development, both formally and in entrepreneurship. I believe it is one the best and most important investments we can make in society and something everyone should have equal access to.
As the daughter of an educator, I started substitute teaching as soon as I was finished with my matriculation exams. Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I have continued substitute teaching to compensate financially for the valleys in entrepreneurship. This has allowed me to become educated in the realities, challenges, and opportunities of school life. I believe investing in primary schools, and the education system at large, is one of the best ways to support the healthy development of children and the future of our society.
For an Inclusive & Entrepreneurial Helsinki
If you would like to help me reach more voters to become a voice for micro entrepreneurship and internationals in Helsinki City Council, please donate below. Every little helps and is greatly appreciated!