My name is Virpi Pakarinen, previously multi-tasking entrepreneur, recently graduated as a master of Social Sciences, specializing in environmental policy. On this site, I will present some things I've been doing for past two decades, as a hobby, but also to earn my living.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND GARDEN DESIGNING, CONSULTINGNeed assistance to create or maintain a lovely garden, a park or other spaces?
I've graduated as a horticulturist from Lepaa polytechnic in 1995. Since then, I have been designing and constructing gardens with a 'turn key'- concept both for private people, and also companies/ public areas. In cooperation with different stakeholders, I've taken part in several projects to create evaluations for environmental planning and protection needs. Together with different experts of construction, I've been as a project leader in several cases, building vacation homes to natural surroundings. I have not been active as a designer in urban areas during past ten years, otherwise than designing and building gardens for private people. For educational purposes, I've been lecturing about sustainable garden construction, recycling possibilities of constructing materials, basics for garden design and also easier ways of garden maintaining. |
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, CONSULTING, PROJECT MANAGEMENTNeed help to set up a small business, or help with networking?
I've had a small business of my own since 2002, originally Virena Tmi, and since 2008 transformed to Virena Ky. Main business has been landscape designing and constuction, during 2007-2014 also including importing business from Indonesia, plant production and sales + showroom facility in Savitaipale. Since 2014, the garden shop has not been active, Ainolan pihamaa facility is only rented for special occations. I've been working part-time as a project manager in Leader- funded networking development projects during 2004-2006 and 2010-2014 in South Karelia area, including village development- and business network development actions. I've also worked (volunteer work) since 2010 as a participating project leader in Bali, Indonesia to build up a 'Green village' -eco-travelling concept with accommodation and local services together with investors and villagers. See more at www.westbalivillas.com |
Arts, crafts and other miscellaneous skills
Need personal touch for marketing, or just something to decorate your home?
Simple websites, videos, brochures and other marketing tools. Paintings, drawings, graphic designs, handicrafts Finnish- English translation services for marketing needs and project proposals |
FROM A DREAM TO REALITY
In following, samples of some projects as a designer, project leader and as a developer during the past decade.
environmental planning and constructing
Leader- project blue saimaa 2010-2014
west bali villas- team effort in bali
who am i as a person?
To define myself as a person is not such an easy task. I have learned to survive in many different situations, by listening and adapting skills where ever and with whom I've been dealing with. I have a lot of energy, but it's always focused to gain the best result of project in hand, therefore I'm at my best in goal- oriented work. I'm also very well organized, I like clear timetables, budgets and contracts to follow. As a leader, my personality has been analyzed to be ENTJ.
I 'm enormously lucky to have three children, who already are old enough not to seek for my lap (every day) anymore, but quite on the contrary: The oldest one lives on his own already, and the younger ones stay with their father in Savitaipale until graduating high school in couple of years.
At this point of my life, I had to stop and have myself fixed and maintained to get going for next two decades. Hard physical work had made it's marks to my hands and backbone, so I had couple of surgeries during autumn 2016. I decided not to spend my sick leave staying in bed, but to study further. As a result, master's studies are now completed, a plan for PhD in progress. My motto is : 'No matter what, stay Enthusiastic, Interested, Positive and Motivated'. |
The best of me?Creativity
Goal orientation Efficiency Ability to apply new information into existing knowledge Listening skills Negotiation skills Punctuality Good stress handling skills Lots of experience, also from other cultures Best working independently or with small teams |
The worst of me?Sometimes too bossy attitude
Goal orientation (sometimes not good) Insecurity if not clear boundaries for tasks (budgets etc.) Not best working in big groups Don't like industrial- style repetitive work (forever) I hate face to face- or phone sales with 'must buy'- attitude |