Creative Entrepreneurship – Stories from Sweden and Singapore
Speakers: Jonas Ericsson and Kenny Leck
Date: Wednesday, 24 October
Time: 7 pm
Venue: F202 (Blk F, level 2) at LASALLE College of the Arts
Free Admission, please email: interactions@lasalle.edu.sg to reserve a seat
Refreshments served after the forum
Presented by the School of Arts Management, LASALLE College of the Arts, as part of the INTERACTIONS series
Can anyone be an entrepreneur? What does it take to get started and to sustain an enterprise in the creative sector? Hear the stories of creative enterprise from Jonas Ericsson, the Swedish entrepreneur who started Style:Nordic in Singapore, and Kenny Leck, co-founder of Books Actually.
Jonas was born in Sweden. Having worked for Giorgio Armani, he then enrolled in Stockholm University for a Master of Science in International Business Administration and Economics, then moved to Singapore to study a Masters at National University of Singapore majoring in marketing, brand management and consumer behaviour. His master thesis related the value of design and the results of design investment in business. While pursuing his studies in Singapore, Jonas realised an absence of Scandinavian brands or, rather, a non-appearance of an outlet to introduce/represent Scandinavian brands and lifestyle. Equipped with both the knowledge and experience, Jonas Ericsson was set to open a Scandinavian lifestyle concept company, STYLE:NORDIC Pte Ltd, which offers a range of contemporary furniture, home accessories and fashion labels.
Jonas is launching a book on entrepreneurship entitled ’Can!’, which is about how it all started for him, from idea to exit. The book aims to make people dare to start thinking about doing things on their own, and not be afraid of going further with their ideas and to think of new markets.
Kenny Leck started the independent bookstore Books Actually with Karen Wai in 2005. It specializes in Fiction and Literature. This includes Poetry, Essays, Literary Journals, alongside obscure, critical works and antique/rare editions. Books Actually also stocks titles from various subjects that they like: History, Biography, Current Affairs, Human Sciences, Math/Natural Sciences, Travel Narrative, Food Narrative, Aesthetics, Music and Film. Books Actually also houses the largest collection of Singapore literary publications including some out-of-print titles. They also have a publishing arm, Math Paper Press, which deals with short experimental novellas, poetry and essays.