Internationalise and Grow!
Seminar for Northern Karelian Businesses

The registrationfor the seminar has ended on November 23, 2023, at 6:00 PM.
 

Date:Tuesday, November 23, 2023, from 8:30 to 12:15
Location: Joensuu Science Park, Louhela Auditorium, Building 1., 1st floor. Länsikatu 15, 80100 Joensuu.
Who Should Attend: Entrepreneurs and businesses in North Karelia seeking international growth

This event is free but requires advance registration by November 23, 2023, by filling out the registration form below.

Are you ready to take the next step in your company's growth and international expansion into new markets? Join to get inspired, with valuable information and networking with international growth experts. 

Sweden offers numerous new business opportunities just a stone's throw away from Finland. Highly educated workforce and an innovative atmosphere are enticing factors for businesses in our region. But what is the current and future market situation in Sweden, and what does it take to expand into the Swedish market? Jonas Granqvist, Senior Advisor at Business Finland's Stockholm office, will provide insights into the Swedish market and the industries currently in demand. Additionally, Jonas will offer guidance on Business Finland's services to support your company's internationalisation and export promotion in the Swedish market.
 

But that's not all! During the seminar, you'll hear the dynamic growth and internationalization journey of the M Room franchise barber chain directly from the owner, Markku Kosonen. Expanding your business abroad can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can succeed in new markets. Markku will share practical experiences and insights on what to consider when expanding into new markets and what lessons can be learned from both successes and challenges.

Speakers:

Markku Kosonen
Markku Kosonen is the Chairman of the Board and one of the owners of the M Room barber chain. In addition to M Room, Markku serves as the CEO of Sisters Inc. event agency and is an investor, board member, and advisor in various companies. He is an experienced entrepreneur and leader in the service, retail, and franchise business sectors. His entrepreneurial journey is unique. He started as an M Room franchisee in 2010 with no prior experience in the industry. Rapid growth led to his ownership of a significant portion of the company's branches, and in 2017, he became the CEO. In 2018, M Room was recognized as the Franchise Chain of the Year in Finland. As M Room expanded internationally, Markku and M Room faced both successes and challenges. This growth-oriented and forward-thinking chain has operated in eight different countries across two continents. Markku encourages everyone to continuously improve their business, invest in people, and foster an encouraging corporate culture. He believes that mistakes are part of growth and encourages learning from them.

Jonas Granqvist
Jonas Granqvist is the Senior Advisor for Business Finland at their Stockholm office in Sweden. He is responsible for promoting Finnish businesses' exports to the Swedish market and supporting companies in expanding their business opportunities in Sweden. With over 20 years of experience in international marketing and sales, Jonas has been providing internationalisation advice and promoting Finnish exports to the Swedish market since joining Business Finland in Stockholm in 2012. Between 2019 and 2023, Jonas worked at Business Finland's Toronto office, where he played a key role in establishing Business Finland's operations. Jonas holds a master's degree in Marketing Management from Hanken, the Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration in Finland.
 

SEMINAR PROGRAM:

8:30 Morning Coffee

9:00 - 9:15 Welcome!
Opening remarks and introduction to international business growth
Mika Pyykkö, Business Coach, Business Joensuu

9:15 - 11:15 Growth and Internationalization Through Learning from Mistakes
Markku Kosonen, Chairman of the M Room barber chain board and CEO of Sisters Inc., will share his experiences from the international growth journey of the M Room franchise. Internationalisation has not been without its challenges, but these difficulties have provided valuable lessons. Markku will provide practical insights into what to consider when expanding your business into new markets, lessons learned the hard way, best practices, and what not to do.

11:15 - 11:25 Break

11:25 - 12:00: The Swedish Market
Jonas Granqvist, Senior Advisor at Business Finland's Stockholm office, will provide insights into the Swedish market, the opportunities it offers, and the requirements for establishing a presence in Sweden. Additionally, he will offer key guidance on Business Finland's role and services in supporting your company's internationalisation planning and export promotion in the Swedish market.

12:00 - 12:15 Discussion and Morning Session Summary
Mika Pyykkö, Markku Kosonen, and Jonas Granqvist

12:15 Closing Remarks
 

You are warmly welcome!

For more information, please contact:

Mika Pyykkö
Business Coach
Development and growth of companies' international business
mika.pyykko@businessjoensuu.fi
+358 40 674 9546