Saying "Tere" to a new year. In Estonian. In Norway.

2015 on olnud keerukas aasta, aga põnev. Kui minult keegi praegu küsiks, kas ma julgeks Norras oma ettevõttega alustada, siis ma tegelikult ei julgeks kohe "jah, kindlasti" öelda. Mul on hea meel, et mul oli 2014. aasta lõpus piisavalt hulljulgust, et sellise projektiga tegutsema hakata. Praegu ma vist ei julgeks. 

Ma olen tööalaselt Norra turuga väga pikalt seotud olnud, teadsin enda arvates kõiki eripärasid ja vimkasid, kuid tegelikkus on ikkagi hoopis midagi muud - üllatusi ja eripärasid tuleb ühele alustavale ettevõttele uksest ja aknast. AGA minu õnneks on mul suurepärane raamatupidaja (mina ja numbrid ei ole sõbrad), mul on fantastilised partnerid, imelised naabrid ning uskumatult palju toetajaid. Ma olen neile kõigile rohkem tänulik kui oskan sõnadesse panna. Ilma teieta ma hakkama ei oleks saanud. AITÄH teile huvitava aasta eest!

Kõige rohkem on mul aga hea meel selle üle, et kliendid on poe üles leidnud ning poeuks avaneb aina rohkem ja rohkem. Aina rohkem lahkub poest rahulolevaid kliente, kaasas kotike Eesti käsitööga. Teate kui uhke tunne see on, mul on au ja rõõm seda poodi siin pidada. Kas kõigi takistuste kiuste või takistustest hoolimata, ma ei tea, aga see polegi oluline. 

"See on tore pood, sa ei müü siin ainult toodet, vaid lugu ning kogemust!" ütles täna selle aasta viimane klient. Kes astus poodi sisse poekese eestikeelsed sildi tõttu. Ta oli väga suur Eesti ning Eesti käsitöö austaja (ise vahva lõngapoe omanik). Ma tahan tänada iga klienti, kes 2015.aastal on poekest külastanud. Aitäh, et olete mulle andnud (enese)kindlust jätkata!

2016. aasta Sulle ütlen ma täna optimistlikult "Tere!" Eesti keeles. Norras.

(Kui kellelgi on nESTi kohta küsimusi, siis kirjutage mulle. Ükskõik, milliseid:))

2015 has been a year on a roller coaster. Challenging, but interesting. Different. Unexpected. If you'd ask me today if I would dare to open a shop in Norway, I would hesitate a bit. I am glad I was crazy enough to start working on this project in autumn 2014 and made the thought come true in 2015. Who would have believed. 

I have worked with export to Norway for 10 years and I thought I knew enough. The reality was totally different from my earlier experience. It seemed like I knew nothing, everything was new. To start your own business abroad is not as easy as I thought. BUT luckily I have wonderful accountant in Norway (if you need help with book keeping in Norway I truly recommend her. She's  great with this stuff I am so bad with), I have amazing partners and neighbours and so many people supporting me. I am so thankful to them. More than I can show in words. Without them I would not have managed. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!

And of course the most thankful I am to my customers. It is such a joy to see more and more customers coming in through the door and leaving satisfied, with a smile on their faces and a bag with Estonian design in their hand. I am thankful for having this oppertunity to introduce Estonian design to Norwegians. And not only. Dukiboo skirts and Ukauka dresses have travelled to USA, Nora's sweater to France...
It's challenging to have a little shop (you cannot compete with shopping malls and prices from China), but this year's last customer said golden words to me. "You are not selling only the product, you are selling the story, you are selling an experience!"  It came out that she is a big fan of Estonia and she stepped in here today because she saw the sign outside the store. It says "Tere".

I want to thank each and every customer who has given me the confidence to continue. Today I say "TERE" (Hello) to a new year. In Estonian. In Norway.