Reetta Vahanen, an entrepreneur and graduate of the Service Design and Management Master’s Degree at Turku University of Applied Sciences (Turku UAS), says the programme provided her with the tools to grow her business and refine her professional skills.
With a background in beauty and cosmetics, Vahanen initially worked in a digital agency, where she realised she was doing service design without formal training. After enrolling in the Service Design Master’s pathway, she gained a structured understanding of customer-oriented business development.
“The studies gave me a clear framework for decision-making and helped me tackle even bigger challenges without fear,” Vahanen said. She now applies these skills to her company, Rohkea Creative, which offers marketing and communications services. By redesigning her service portfolio and marketing strategy using insights from the programme, she quickly saw a rise in client enquiries.
Vahanen highlighted the value of a course on self-management and resilience, which provided practical techniques—such as yoga, gratitude journaling, and stress recovery—to sustain entrepreneurial wellbeing.
Studying in a multicultural environment also enhanced her confidence. “The programme matched my skills and interests perfectly and gave me concrete tools for developing my business,” she noted.
Source: Turku University of Applied Sciences
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