Hi, I'm Inkeri Glova
From Finland, based near Munich, Germany
For the last ten years I’ve run my own business – from finding suppliers and planning production to building the brand, the online shop and lasting customer relationships.
Now I want to work on what makes businesses run better and last longer, either inside one company or on the conditions that many companies depend on.
-
I see how things connect
I keep the big picture in view while I work on the details, and I notice early when one decision affects something else.
-
I think long-term and adapt quickly
As an entrepreneur, I learned to look for solutions that still work in a few years, and to adjust quickly when people or circumstances shift.
-
I combine structure and creativity
A master’s degree in administrative science and years of brand design, web design and photography taught me to organise complex things and make them easy to understand.
My experience covers:
-
I wanted to build Arctic Flamingo as a brand that was as responsible as possible, so I started to study circularity, especially in textiles. I’m interested in material flows, fibre-to-fibre recycling, design for circularity, and how to communicate sustainability honestly. I’ve followed trade fairs and industry news, and visited local recycling centres to see how textile waste is actually handled.
I’ve tested a take-back programme and second-hand sales alongside the regular online shop. Because I’ve worked with a product’s whole life cycle, from design to end of life, I understand what circularity in textiles can mean in practice.
-
I studied public law (Master of Administrative Science) because I was drawn to justice and to protecting the rights of people in a vulnerable position. When I worked as a Visa Officer at the Finnish Embassy in St. Petersburg, Russia, I had to apply the law accurately while treating every applicant fairly and with respect.
As an entrepreneur I’ve seen regulation from the other side: consumer protection, product labelling and rules for sustainability claims. I know what rules look like when a small business has to follow them in practice.
-
I set up and ran the day-to-day operations of the business myself:
- sourcing materials and suppliers
- working with sewing workshops and freelancers
- managing inventory and pricing
- organising shipping and returns
- handling customer service
I also built and maintained the online shop, first on WooCommerce and later on Shopify, along with the tools and processes that kept it all running. -
- I built Arctic Flamingo from scratch in 2016 and grew it to more than 10,000 customers.
- Alongside it, I started a second business in 2025 that helps local companies with websites and photography.
- Through the EU programme Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, I’m hosting an aspiring entrepreneur and sharing what I’ve learned as an entrepreneur.
- I’m currently helping a deep-tech start-up with its communication as it raises venture capital.
-
I built the Arctic Flamingo brand and all its communication myself: website, photography, copywriting, social media and email.
It grew without any paid advertising and reached a 97% five-star review rate, shaped by direct feedback from customers.
Today I use the same skills to help other companies explain clearly what they do.
Education and Skills
-
Master of Administrative Sciences
Major: Public Law
Minor: Business Law
University of Vaasa, Finland, 2002-2008 -
Recent Online Studies:
Basics of Service Design
3 ECTS
June 2025, Aalto University, FinlandIntroduction to Responsible Business
4 ECTS
June 2024, University of Jyväskylä, FinlandGreen Marketing
5 ECTS
October 2024, Turku University of Applied Sciences, FinlandSustainable Packaging and Textiles
26 ECTS
May 2025, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, FinlandUPCOMING:
International Strategy
3 ECTS
Aalto University, Finland
IP rights in business
2 ECTS
Aalto University, Finland -
Language skills
Finnish — native
German — fluent (C1)
English — fluent (C1)
Spanish, Russian, French, Italian — reading level
-
Tools
E-commerce & web: Shopify, WordPress/WooCommerce, Klaviyo, search engine optimisation, basic HTML/CSS
Operations: Billbee (order and inventory management)Design & visuals: Photoshop, Lightroom, photography
AI tools: research and content creation
How I solve problems
-
Situation: Manufacturing in Germany was what made the brand different, but it’s expensive, and every extra seam adds to the cost.
What I did: I designed products to be simple to sew and let the print carry the design. With manufacturers, we cut costs wherever we could without lowering quality.
Result: Production stayed in Germany and remained a key selling point, with prices customers could afford and margins that still worked. -
Situation: A deep-tech start-up I work with develops AI-driven software that is full of jargon for anyone who isn’t an engineer.
What I do: I first make sure I understand the technology as well as I can. Then the founders and I decide how much detail each reader needs, whether it’s a LinkedIn post, an email to an investor, the website or a story pitch for a trade magazine
Result: Our messages get responses. We track which kind of message works best for each audience and build on what works. -
Situation: My WooCommerce shop needed a developer for every change and update, which meant delays and rising running costs.
What I did: Despite what I had already invested in WooCommerce, I rebuilt the shop on Shopify, a platform I could run myself.
Result: I could make changes whenever they were needed, without waiting for anyone else’s schedule, and with no ongoing developer costs. -
Situation: An unexpected production mistake left me with a whole batch of trousers with one leg noticeably shorter than the other.
What I did: Instead of writing the batch off, I turned it into a playful campaign. I also updated our instructions with the sewing workshop so the same mistake wouldn’t cost us again.
Result: I didn’t lose any money on the batch, some customers who couldn’t otherwise afford our products got a pair at a reduced price, and being open about the mistake brought us extra attention. -
Situation: Professional photoshoots were too expensive for my budget.
What I did: I taught myself photography and worked with local yoga teachers as models. They got content for their own business, and I got my product photos.
Result: Significant savings, and a network of teachers who also recommended my products.
-
Situation: Many people I photograph have never been in front of a camera and find it unnatural.
What I did: I keep things relaxed, take time to talk first and use humour. During the shoot I give clear directions and show the results as we go.
Result: People see it’s working and gain confidence while we’re still shooting, and the photos show them at their best. -
Situation: Much of what I do today I never studied formally, including photography, web design and the circular economy.
What I do: When a topic interests me or my work needs it, I invest time and money in learning it: online courses, books, newsletters, trade fairs, and trying out new tools and methods, including AI.
Result: These self-taught skills have become part of my work, and I keep up with what’s changing in the fields I care about.
Joining your team
I’m looking to join a team, as an employee or on a contract basis, whichever suits the organisation best.
I’ve lived and worked in Germany since 2012, and I’ve also lived in Russia and Mexico. I’m used to working with people whose languages, habits and expectations differ from mine.
I’m at my best in one-to-one work, where trust can grow over time.
Where my experience fits
I’m most useful where a company or project needs someone to make things work better: improving processes and services, connecting Finland and Germany, or bringing new solutions into practice. I’m especially drawn to businesses that do good for people, society and the environment, and to public-sector work that makes this easier for companies.
Selected work
-
Arctic Flamingo Brand 2016 - 2026
An online clothing brand I built from scratch and ran for ten years, with production in Germany. It reached more than 10,000 customers and 97% five-star reviews without paid advertising, and tested circular models such as take-back and second-hand sales.
-
Websites & photography, 2025 -
Since 2025 I’ve run a small business offering websites and on-site photography for local companies around Weilheim-Schongau. Each project starts with understanding how the business works and what its customers need, and ends with a website the owners can run themselves.
-
Host Entrepreneur, Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, 2026 -
Hosting an aspiring entrepreneur from another country during the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey, and passing on what I've learned to someone just starting out.
-
Vibecoding side project, 2026
Building an app where local yoga teachers can add their classes to a shared calendar. The goal is that customers (yoga practitioners) can easily find local offerings in one place, rather than having the information scattered across different websites and social media. Tools: Lovable + Claude
-
Photography & Visual Content, 2018 -
Besides lifestyle, product and content photography for Arctic Flamingo and other brands, I also photograph local events on an irregular basis. I love seeing my photos convey the feeling and the true essence of the person or product they show.
-
Studying circularity and circular business models, 2024 - 2026
Being aware that the future is uncertain due to disruption from AI and climate change, I believe thinking circular is a question of efficiency for every business, no matter the domain.
What people say about my work and products:
Visiting industry events out of curiosity and relationship-building 2025-2026:
