Imagine Your Business: From Concept to Canvas

On June 10, the participants of the project’s second cycle gathered once again—this time for a seminar entitled “Imagine Your Business!” held in the heart of Riga.

The keynote speaker was Michelle Shehurina, the driving force behind several successful online-education and AI-driven startups, a leading expert in neural networks, and a specialist in launching digital products and social‑media marketing. In her presentation, “From Napkin Sketch to International Projects,” this well‑known Latvian entrepreneur traced her journey from selling vintage clothing to founding AI‑driven ventures.

Michelle’s first major success was the footwear brand TOOCHE, and she spoke with great passion about how that shoe label was born, grew, and captured the market’s imagination. But her innovations didn’t stop there: together with her partners, she went on to develop vegan leather from potato leaves, paper made from algae, and ultimately an AI platform for generating social‑media content—alongside an e‑learning platform for launching online schools and courses. Michelle dove deeper into two of her most exciting projects: her online math academy and her AI school for women, making these business adventures the inspirational highlight of the seminar.

After a coffee break, Michelle introduced the Business Model Canvas, unpacking its nine building blocks and illustrating each one with examples from global giants like Uber and Netflix. Then it was the participants’ turn: each team rolled up its sleeves and began sketching its own canvas model—ideas flew fast, and the room buzzed with creativity.

In the closing session, Natalja Sterhova, the project coordinator, invited the teams to select their strongest canvas and deliver a captivating pitch. Teams then presented their ideas using mind maps under the theme “Beauty 2.0 for Business!”, showcasing a fascinating array of approaches and insights.

Finally, the seminar wrapped up with a discussion on business forecasting—its types, methods, scenarios, and common pitfalls. It was a rich, productive, and vibrant day, perfectly timed just before the summer break.