Renee Meriste
MBACalifornia State University of Northridge Faculty
President
Estonian American Business Alliance
President
Estonian Society of Los Angeles
USA
In these challenging times, with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine spanning over 1.5 years, the repercussions have reverberated across Europe, particularly affecting the Baltic States, Finland, and the United States. By now we have accepted that this war will go on probably for a long time. The economy is shaken because of this war and it is more important than ever to work together and save humanity from this current insanity.
Over 16 years of building business and community transatlantic relationships has shown me more than ever before that it is all about personal relationships. This is very hard for many European business people to understand, especially in small countries like Estonia. There is a famous old saying: “It is nothing personal, it is just business!” and this is a motto of convenience in a business world not to follow good things but to excuse morally bad actions to others because of greed and financial gain.
However, this mentality is ill-suited for transatlantic commerce. American society thrives on communal bonds, relationships, and mutual support. NBA Hall of Fame Class 2023 inductee, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said in his acceptance speech “All of those Os and Xs, everybody knows them, be yourself, wins and loses, highs and lows, they fade away, it’s all about relationships you take with you”.
Baltic and Nordic businesses need to support and understand - relationships are the key, not only in business but via business. It is often said when you know someone better, you treat them better. This is the power of relationship building.
Good relationships unlock not only business success but also freedom and the safeguarding of liberty as we get to know each other better. Instead of a self-centered focus, the emphasis should shift towards contributions to others and the appeal of collaborating with and doing business together. While Estonia, the Baltic States, and Finland possess much to offer the United States, the potential often remains untapped due to a lack of nurturing relationships and a reluctance to learn. We must express gratitude to those who aid us and recruit individuals capable of cultivating connections, aligned with true moral values.
Here is a true story, a distinguished Estonian business person called me and said "all I need is a phone number"....they wanted me to provide just a phone number, a person's name at a company and they then would make a cold call, selling their services. It is naive to think any company in the United States will just take on a new idea from an unknown Estonian company. This works in Estonia, as we all know each other or a family friend that can help us meet the right people. This is the luxury of a country with 1.3 million people. There are 335 million people in the United States. It takes more than a phone call to get the respect and trust needed to get real business done. Relationships.
Part of the reason is in our past we had "Mother" Russia take care of us, this allowed for a society that waits for the dinner to be served. In the 90's we broke out of this rule and started real progress towards our independence. Then the EU came and we chose to join and support this good union with a goal to learn to make and serve dinner ourselves, to encourage free thought and young people with ideas.
Sometimes it seems we still wait for the "Mother", who now is the EU taking care of us. Our new businesses are groomed and ready to take EU money, grants and support before we even start the process of our own idea in business. Those that build businesses know that the idea has to come first, not trying to fit an idea into where the government money is. We have learned it is more important to work on how you can get a grant over how a business becomes successful.
There is an amazing opportunity for businesses and relationships to grow, starting with exchange students between the USA and our nations. There is a true need in the United States for collaboration we have skill in. A true need for Russian language knowledge, technology, E-society, cyber security and more. Our unique position in the world gives us an opportunity which needs to be supported through relationship building.
The problem has been through the years since restoration “I want it all and I want it now” as Freddie Mercury sang. Estonia tends to go the easy way, taking in widely available European support money, easy Russian money, but also Asian money instead of building relationships with the most competitive market, America. Yes, other money and income is easier but don’t we want to build long relationships and do our best to help Estonia to be free? With a country that has shown unwavering support for centuries, not decades. California alone will pass Germany and will become the fourth largest economy in the world. Do our nation´s invest as much in California as they do in Germany?
Enhanced communication, shared insights, and mutual support are imperative. Embracing open-mindedness and promoting young innovators to realize their visions demand our commitment. Striking a balance between venerating traditional values and embracing new narratives is vital for our country's future. We need to teach our youth that it is critical to see a profit in a business plan, not just a profit in how they write a grant.
As Estonians, we've maintained vigilance, prioritizing safety and protection. Yet, this disposition paints us as guarded and challenging to approach in the global arena. This portrayal falls short of presenting our culture's broader scope and capacity for global impact through collaboration. Together we are strong, divided we falter.
Transatlantic achievements stem from robust personal relationships, while the strength of freedom is intrinsically tied to our alliances.