Writing
Writing
Notes on the entrepreneurial pitfalls and building international ventures, written openly and realistically.
Third year of being the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry representative in the U.S. and UK
Honored to serve a third year as the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry representative in the U.S. and UK, supporting Latvia's businesses globally.
Post World Cup Bridgit's campaign recap
Bridgit wraps up its 2.5-month World Cup fan activation in San Francisco, pivoting to B2B engagement and event tech to enrich social lives. Now expanding in LA and SF, they're hiring and seeking new partners.
How the World Cup partnership between Bridgit and San Francisco Chamber of Commerce was formed
How a Latvian trade mission to San Francisco sparked a lasting connection, leading Bridgit to become the official AI partner for the city's World Cup campaign across 100+ local businesses.
Have you ever been homeless?
A personal account of hidden homelessness sparked by pride and poor decisions, revealing the harsh reality behind entrepreneurial struggles in Northern Europe.
Announcing a partnership between Bridgit and San Francisco Chamber of Commerce for the World Cup
Bridgit and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce partner to launch Goal Rush, a B2B and fan-matching platform connecting soccer fans with local businesses across 11 districts during the World Cup.
Two months in Bridgit launch - a recap
Two months after launch, Bridgit's team reflects on pivoting to B2B and B2B2C strategies, packed with events, partnerships, and key lessons in staying agile and true to core strengths.
Boston Tech Week kicked off with an event hosted by Y·US Ventures
Boston Tech Week launched with Y·US Ventures hosting a Kendall Square event exploring why consumer apps succeed through B2B strategies, featuring their new social platform Bridgit.
Ten traps in the entrepreneurial journey
From Forbes-featured founder to taking phone loans for concert security, I've hit all ten entrepreneurial traps—some twice. Here are the real stories behind the lessons.
Fresh from a top university and stressed about career
A reflective walk through Stanford’s campus during graduation week sparks thoughts on the pressures facing top graduates in a job market obsessed with experience and relentless technological races.
Y·US Ventures hosting events at Boston and New York Tech Week
Y·US Ventures hosts exclusive events at Boston and New York Tech Week, seeking speakers with B2B consumer app insights or stories of rebuilding social lives in NYC.
How LabelReader saves time to online grocery shoppers
LabelReader is a Chrome extension that instantly flags grocery products conflicting with your dietary needs, saving hours of label reading for those with allergies or restrictions.
How Bridgit founding and launch team was formed
Discover how the Bridgit launch team came together through shared experiences of loneliness and a vision to connect people. A story of finding cofounders who are also the target users.
Bridgit launching now in Los Angeles
Bridgit emerges from stealth to tackle loneliness with AI-powered social matching for real activities, launching now in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Introducing venture collective Y·US Ventures
Y·US Ventures emerges from a history of quirky names to focus on a single, powerful question for its portfolio: why us? A venture collective built on purpose and self-reflection.
Why and how I co-started Bridgit
After decades building ventures, a founder launches Bridgit to combat loneliness by intelligently matching people for real-world activities, starting in LA and SF.
Book release + meet in Los Angeles. The Backstage
The Backstage offers a raw, behind-the-scenes look at live entertainment and tech from a Soviet-born venturer. Now available worldwide, with a private LA launch event on Dec 10.
Co-creating Bridgit
Discover Bridgit, an AI assistant that helps you find local buddies for coffee, hikes, and events—like Tinder for your social life. Join us in combating loneliness.
SF & LA a16z Tech Week
From Riga to San Francisco and LA, I co-hosted events during a16z Tech Week, connecting with 1,500 gatherings of founders, investors, and future partners.
Being authentic vs using AI for efficiency in content creation
An experiment in optimizing LinkedIn posts reveals that authentic writing often outperforms formulaic, AI-style content, reminding us not to sacrifice genuine voice for engagement metrics.
20 years of my professional life
A candid 20-year career recap spanning freelancing, startups, failures, and reinvention across media, tech, and events, revealing how every setback paved the way forward.
Becoming a co-author of Business Academy
From a casual favor to co-creating a startup management degree, this journey highlights how hands-on mentorship and real-world insights helped shape a new generation of innovators in the Baltic region.
7 traits that define character for success
Discover how zest, grit, optimism, gratitude, social intelligence, curiosity, and self-control shape success and fulfillment, with personal stories of triumph and failure.
New York New York. Global innovation ecosystem and powerhouse.
Explore New York City as a global innovation powerhouse, from its massive VC funding and corporate HQs to its vibrant culture and unique challenges for dreamers.
San Francisco as a global innovation ecosystem hub. (Is) the spirit alive
Exploring whether San Francisco's collaborative, risk-taking innovative spirit endures amid post-pandemic challenges, and how its dense ecosystem of talent and capital might rebuild.
The Magic City. Miami as a global innovation ecosystem hub.
Exploring Miami's rise as a global innovation hub, from its crypto boom and financial center to its entertainment scene and active lifestyle, revealing a city still forging its collaborative culture.
Los Angeles as a global innovation ecosystem hub. Pt.2. Takeaways from a European's 5 year exploratory journey on both coasts of the U.S.
A European's deep dive into LA's exclusive entertainment-tech ecosystem reveals how to navigate its unique innovation scene, from VC funds to celebrity encounters and the realities of daily life.
Global innovation ecosystem hub. Takeaways from a European's 5 year exploratory journey on both coasts of the U.S. Pt.1. Generalization & biases.
A European entrepreneur reflects on five years exploring U.S. innovation hubs, challenging coastal biases and generalizations to help others navigate opportunities with clarity.
Innovation powerhouse: a start-up or a corporation
Start-ups and corporations each have unique strengths and weaknesses in innovation. Their collaboration can blend agility with resources to overcome inherent limitations.
Challenges of a fast-growing service company and how we overcame them
ForwardMedia's revenue quadrupled in a year, bringing growing pains from burnout to tool sprawl. Here are 10 key challenges they faced and the practical solutions that helped them scale sustainably.
How does valuable high-impact innovation take place [at universities]?
Europe's fastest-growing university spinouts are concentrated in the UK and Switzerland, not the EU. This analysis explores the founding principles, resource strategies, and IP policies that enable such high-impact innovation.
Why large corporates should consider working with startups
Large corporations often struggle to replicate the passion and flexibility of startups. Discover why strategic partnerships, investments, or joint ventures with young tech firms can be a more effective path to innovation than in-house attempts.
Pac-Man or iRobot?
Explore two startup operating styles: the aggressive, risk-taking Pac-Man versus the cautious, owner-dependent iRobot. Identify your firm's approach to navigate growth, competition, and strategy more effectively.
When does an underdog stop hustling?
Underdogs can disrupt the game by changing the rules, but they only get one shot to capitalize on the confusion before the competition adapts.
Country branding | flagging
A country needs more than its official flag—it needs a clear brand that resonates with target audiences. This piece explores how to strategically choose that identity by aligning perceived strengths with what truly matters to the people you want to attract.
Do NOT cancel. Act differently
Written as the pandemic grounded airlines and shook whole industries, this piece argues that struggling businesses should not be bailed out — they should be replaced by better ones built for the new reality.
End of capitalism
End of capitalism is an essay on what is going on in 2020. Has everything been invented? Are there hybrids to follow only?
How do you know if you are good at what you are doing?
Reflections on knowing whether you're good at what you do, drawing on teaching, mentoring, U Theory, and the Moneyball scene where doubt meets persistence.
Is there a life in the UK outside London? International R&D and scaling opportunities for overseas companies with/in/from the UK regions. Pt.I. Intro
A personal account of exploring the UK beyond London, from a chance meeting about Merseyside to unpacking England, Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and the Northern Powerhouse.
Nice to e-meet you
An essay on how not to stop doing business during a global lockdown — on remote work, digital meetings, and staying human when a handshake isn't an option.
Not my business
Brexit, Hong Kong versus China, Chile's inflation, Crimea, Hungary, Syria, global warming, plastic pollution — reflections on why none of it is really "not your business," through the lens of Theory U.
One country, two systems
A visit to Hong Kong and Shenzhen prompts reflections on freedom and independence, and on the 2019 Hong Kong Way demonstration echoing the Baltic Way three decades earlier.
What does crisis have to do with unexpected events?
Written as the 2020 crisis unfolded, this post asks why economists failed to predict it and turns to Nassim Taleb's black swan theory: unexpected, unstoppable events demand action, not denial.
When Europe and Asia collide
A personal reflection on international business travel — from Latvia and the UK to Kuwait, Central Asia, and China — on what people really want from foreigners beneath the talk of partnership.
International business expansion, tech innovation, international partnership, start-up mentorship, education, travel
A short introduction to the topics covered here: international entrepreneurship, business expansion, R&D partnerships, start-up mentorship, teaching, and travel.