Wednesday, 22 October 2008

Beautiful Business

Today I came a long to the Fair purely to listen to Sofia Bergenstjerna and Frida Haavisto tell their story. Despite having been a member of their www.driftig.nu for about a year I knew nothing of the story behind it.
After completing their university studies these girls did not follow the flock into well paid graduate positions but instead carved their way to a successful future, a future with a difference. These two southerners (based in Göteborg) started with nothing but energy and a desire to be entrepreneurs. A year later they had a very successful and very popular event with over 10,000 visitors (flea market) behind them and were ready for their next challenge.

The final result: Beautiful Business, with the founders being perfect role models for their company. Today their concept consists of :
➢ a book with inspirational stories about women in business
www.driftig.nu with 4,000 members they are Sweden’s largest network for women running their own business, or wanting to
➢ consulting
➢ inspirational seminars
➢ a speaker network Beautiful Business Inspiration brokering other inspirational female speakers
➢ A Foundation to support women setting up businesses in developing countries
Beautiful Business Awards sponsored by Örlings PricewaterhouseCoopers

Along the way they have broken laws, faked their identity, exaggerated the truth, gained publicity for their fair booths, resulted in the creation of a new law, bribed journalists with chocolate and paid their accounting fees with muffins!!

Driftig (www.driftig.nu) translates to enterprising and there is no doubt they describe themselves. According to Sofia and Frida, enterprising women have self-confidence, courage and the ability to turn adversity into prosperity. They are clever marketeers, sales-sassy and have a solid, potentially original business model. Do you know anyone who fits this description? Voting for the 2009 BB Award is open until November 10th :

Sofia and Frida are unconventional, inspirational and very much a source of Beautiful Business!

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