Alumnus of the Year 2024, Mikko Länsiluoto: As a business owner, you can be both the CEO and a plumber in the same day
Published: 30.10.2024 / Alumni
There were really no other options. A burning passion for grocery stores runs in the family—his grandfather was a shopkeeper, and later, so was his father. Alumnus of the Year Mikko Länsiluoto, Bachelor of Business Administration, is the third generation to follow the same path and considers entrepreneurship to be his greatest strength.
The well-planned and welcoming grocery store is like a second home to Mikko Länsiluoto. He is the shopkeeper at K-Supermarket Postitalo and moves confidently between shelves, customers, and tasks.
“As a business owner, no day is ever the same. You end up doing almost anything, from plumbing to being the CEO. That’s one of the things that makes it so interesting—you constantly encounter situations you can’t prepare for, and you just have to adapt.”
The family has been running stores since 1952, and at the age of 11, Länsiluoto started working for his father. His career continued with a business degree at Arcada and later a master’s at the University of Jyväskylä, as he has always believed in the importance of developing both himself and his business.
“Now I’m facing new challenges again, as I’m planning an entirely new store in Porvoo. This is a dream come true! I feel that my greatest strength is being an entrepreneur, and in that role, my key qualities are managing stress and pressure, being creative, and leading and completing projects.”
Like winning the jackpot
Mikko Länsiluoto has collaborated with Arcada since his student days, boasting a long list of various roles: interview subject, guest lecturer, judge, mentor, and keynote at the annual ball. The latest addition is his involvement in research with social robots. He describes being named Alumnus of the Year as winning the jackpot in a lottery you didn’t even know you were part of.
“Arcada has given me so much, so I’ve always felt that I want to give something back. That’s just how I live and how I see the world. At the same time, it’s been a great honour to be an active alumnus and now receive this recognition.”
He credits Arcada for his studies, which gave him a solid foundation and reference points for his profession. Student life also provided him with valuable skills, such as the ability to collaborate.
“My greeting to all students is to spend time with your fellow students and get involved in whatever you have the opportunity and resources for. And most importantly, enjoy your time as a student, and remember that life itself is a great teacher!”
Remote video URL
See the video with Mikko here!
Mikko’s engagement with Arcada began during his business studies and has only grown. When he gets involved, he does so wholeheartedly, and you can always count on honest feedback and a strong desire to develop. Mikko embodies how a degree from Arcada provides a solid foundation, and from there, the only limit is your imagination if you're willing to learn and take on challenges. This open-minded attitude also characterizes his involvement with Arcada.
With a twinkle in his eye, he has taken on many different roles over the years as an alumnus, including interview subject, guest lecturer, pitching judge, mentor, and internship supervisor, to name just a few. The latest addition to his list of contributions is his involvement in Arcada’s research on social robots.
The Alum of the Year award goes to a person who is a source of inspiration for today's students and shows broad commitment to Arcada. The person also serves as an ambassador for Arcada and actively participates in the UAS’s activities.
