The B2BLiST and its project manager Henrik Mjoman attended an event on September 21, run by the Finnish Chamber of Commerce this afternoon on the outskirts of Riga. SILJA is owned and family-run by founder Silva Jeromane-Maura(with now passed husband Jan Maura fr Finland), whom originally set out to be a Latvian language teacher for Russians.
Finding that vocation slightly boring and needing to bring up her son she broadened her views and ventured into an array of activities over the years to today’s garden center, farming equipment, real estate management running a very elaborate conference center providing smaller or large facilities renting by the time unit requested.
With decent parking, a car wash, a spa and dentistry next to it you would find the experience with SILJA very complete!
Her bakery, or cofeerie is also a coffee shop and as a very skeptical consumer of pastries – I found my dream biscuit-like one and ate all they put forward. I also got a trial run on their large farming tractor, a DEUTZ from Italy and it reminded me of sitting in a fighter cockpit – but of course with take-off speed 10 km and less, I stayed on the ground. We were not many there, but it is those that are that count and I met one large shipping company that I hope we will see more of in the future – time will tell!
Many thanks to former board member Lasse Henritius who took me there in his Swedish-registered Volvo, Inta Krasovska Director of the FCCL who put it all together, Silva and the FCCL Board of Directors.
Last but not least, the lady manager is most resourceful and Latvia needs a bunch of those too – people who do not give up no-matter-what!
Pictures below in the tractor show Hannu Parviainen Board Member FCCL and partner in Inesta, a serial entrepreneur and innovator the world should have more of!
Henrik Mjoman 21,09,2023
