Akateeminen x Crush Event

Thank you so much for everyone who joined us for the Akateeminen x Crush event at the Akateeminen bookstore last week - despite the April snow storm weather. 

We hosted two panel discussions, moderated by Crush founders Anna Pyykkö and Katja Presnal. Crush is an equality-promoting movement that breaks patriarchal norms in the corporate world, and our goal is to make Finland the first country where the gender gap has closed. 

Our panel discussions at Akateeminen focused on two topics: importance of networking and how to make big goals a reality. 

Co-founder of Crush, and the owner of the Female Founders Suomi, Anna Pyykkö, spoke with Maija Ilmoniemi and Laura Lindsberg in panel focusing on concrete tips how to network better, and why networking is essential especially for women. 

Co-founder of Crush, and the owner of the Female Founders Suomi, Anna Pyykkö, talked together with Maija Ilmoniemi and Laura Lindsberg in panel focusing on concrete tips how to network better, and why networking is essential especially for women. 

Journalist and radio host Maija Ilmoniemi has written books about entrepreneurship, and her latest book Yksinäisyys (Otava, 2020) is about loneliness. 

The marketing expert Laura Lindsberg's first book Verkostoitumisen taito (Alma, 2024) about the art of networking has just been published.

Some of the tips included that think of professional networking more as "business friendships" instead of just how you can benefit from people. Even when you network with people with the purpose to be more successful in business, be authentic and think of it as relationship building instead of business transactions. 

While perfecting your elevator pitch is always a good skill to have in networking, then remember to also listen to people, and genuinely be interested in them. It goes much further than just trying to see to everyone. 

Networks are also important for mental well-being, so don't underestimate the value of having business friends. 

Next, the co-founder of Crush, marketing strategist and author of the Big Rich Money books, Katja Presnal talked together with startup investor and mountain climber Janiina Lammi and Riina Laaksonen, founder of Nordic Fit Mama.

Janiina Lammi's book Suuri huiputus (Gummerus, 2024) based on Janiina's true story will be published this summer, and Riina Laaksonen's book Äidin hyvinvointi: Nordic Fit Mama (ReadMe, 2023) offers support for mothers.

The panelist discussed how to boldly make dreams come true, and to conquer real mountain peaks and the peaks of business life.

Janiina told us how she always reminds herself on the first morning of each mountain climb that just being there and taking the first step on the mountain is an accomplishment already. 

Join us for Crush event at the Helsinki Stock Exchange Building on May 8, 2024. At Crush, you can also find Akateeminen Kirjakauppa's Pop Up Book Shop, highlighting rebel authors of today.