Hi there! I am Julija, one of several people who are standing behind Ilma pood.
Here is my little story.. I come from Riga, and I am an environmental engineer. For 8+ years I worked in EU projects for energy efficiency and sustainability. With experts from all over Europe we were moving our countries to more reasonable consumption and energy production. Afterwards I spent a couple of years working for a Ministry of Transportation, dedicating my attention to an important project aiming to clean Riga air (fulfilled!).
Few years later, I ended up in Estonia, and as you might guess, this is a love story 🙂 I’m not only a hard working and dedicated professional, I’m a mom of two brilliant ladies, an owner of two cats and a dog 🙂
And then I thought. I worked hard, I’ve learned a lot, and the environment is something that I really do care about. Estonia is an amazing, caring, and conscious country, and I kept asking myself: what can I do that is good both for my new homeland and for me? Where can I be useful with all my knowledge, experience, and energy?
One night my friend and I were walking from a bar in Vanalinn and were talking about our dreams. I confessed about dreaming to open a zero waste shop to promote green and conscious lifestyle. This is how the idea about Ilma Pood was born.
One year later, I joined Töötukassa enterprise courses, developed a business plan, and received financing for my business idea.
And here I am. I am excited and can’t wait to spread this love all around you.