Creative Bloom

The first mentor club of the project “Creative Bloom” has taken place in Vidzeme

At Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences in Valmiera, as part of the project “Creative Bloom: Empowering female creative entrepreneurs,” 16 creative female entrepreneurs over the age of 40 gathered for the first time along with their mentors to gain knowledge on the topic of “Starting and Developing a Business for New Entrepreneurs.” This is the first of six mentor clubs that will take place over the next ten months as part of the project.

The meeting began with participants and mentors introducing themselves. Many participants emphasized that they see similarities in the stories of others, hearing a part of themselves in each story. “I am in this project because I lack courage and knowledge about sales. I am here to become more knowledgeable and gain new collaborations,” said one participant.

The products being developed by the women in the project include personalized appliqués hand-stitched onto clothing, linen and cotton clothing for children made only from natural materials, soft toys, bags for children and adults, and all things related to gift wrapping.

Also invited to the first of the mentor clubs was Aleksandrs Ļubinskis, Deputy Director of the Cēsis Digital Centre, to talk about starting and developing a business for new entrepreneurs. “Creative businesses can often quickly adapt to changing market trends and customer demands by utilizing their creativity and flexible structures,” noted the expert. A. Ļubinskis introduced various creative thinking tools used for idea generation and problem-solving.

The expert also touched upon the business risks in creative industries­­ – volatile demand, intellectual property protection, insufficient funding, high competition, rapid technological development, and the balance between creativity and entrepreneurship, among others. It was emphasized that creative products and services often create a deeper emotional connection with customers, fostering trust and loyalty.

 The activities of the mentor program will take place from September 2024 to June 2025. It is expected that group participants will receive support from mentors throughout the mentoring program, with mentors sharing various tips and recommendations.

Mentors committed to strengthening women’s entrepreneurship skills will provide support and knowledge in business, marketing and communications, product and service development, as well as design issues. Additionally, mentoring support will also be offered for consultations on product or service cost structure and pricing, as well as regarding the implementation of circular economy principles in business.

Mentors of the project “Creative Bloom”:

  • Designer and artist Agnese Pudiņa Frīdenberga,
  • Chairperson of SIA “Omnia Pro” Ginta Zariņa,
  • Producer and coach in the creative industries Inese Stade,
  • Executive Director of “Kalnciema Quarter,” head of the strategic development team at Āgenskalns Market Una Meiberga.

The activities are organized by Vidzeme Planning Region’s Entrepreneurship Centre in the project “Creative Bloom: Empowering female creative entrepreneurs,” in collaboration with Ida-Viru Ettevõtluskeskus Entrepreneurship Centre in Estonia, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

For more information:

Arta Indriksone, Training Program Coordinator at Vidzeme Planning Region, arta.indriksone@vidzeme.lv