Speciality Highlight March: Small Business Owners Inga and Evija
Last semester, Ki Lesley reached out to invite small businesses to speak with the Sixth and Seventh Grade classes. Ki Ieva graciously helped organize the visit of fellow Latvians, Inga and Evija, who shared their inspiring entrepreneurial journey.
Inga and Evija run a business focused on sustainability, creating custom tote bags, wallets, handbags, and more from donated clothing and fabric otherwise destined for landfills. Some of their most popular products include eco-friendly bags, wallets, and upcycled crossbody bags. The students were excited to hear how their business began as a small idea and grew into a full-time venture. (Due to the word usage on some items, please preview the links yourself).
Throughout the visit, we learned about their creative process, the inspiration behind their designs, and their experiences traveling to vendor markets to sell their products. The students were eager to ask questions and had the opportunity to see a variety of their products (they brought examples with no branding or text on display).
One of the highlights was learning about their new product line, Mākslas Connection, which focuses on bringing communities together through art. The students were thrilled to participate in the creative process by painting a canvas, which will later be transformed into a unique bag. They can’t wait to see the final product!
A big thank you to Ki Ieva for organizing this wonderful experience and to Inga and Evija for sharing their story and inspiring our students.
Below is a video of the visit. Enjoy!
