Tell us a bit about your "vibrant gardens" venture? How did you come up with the idea and what response have you received to your concept?
Livfulla trädgårdar sells customized perennial discounts online. The customer orders the beds via a digital gardening service where you fill in the conditions for your bed yourself, e.g. location, sun hours, and size. The customer also enters the color scales they want and the style they want on the bed, for example, natural, romantic, modern, etc. After that, the customer is presented with a number of bed designs that suit the location of the garden and the customer's unique style. After ordering, all plants are sent home together with a planting map and care instructions. The twist is that all our flower beds are composed to promote biodiversity with plants bursting with pollen and nectar that also bloom from spring to fall.

The idea of selling flower beds that promote biodiversity was born in the spring of 2018 after we read several reports that warned that biodiversity was disappearing. At the same time, we read other reports showing that flowers in gardens are of great benefit to bees, bumblebees and other vital insects. Developing a digital gardening service that makes it easy for everyone to benefit from biodiversity became our way of helping to improve the situation for insects. We launched in earnest this spring and interest has been high. Interest in gardening is growing, and so is the desire to do something good for the environment. And that's exactly what our service is about, making the garden really beautiful and at the same time doing a real environmental service.

You have previously worked with organizations that support "human rights" and now you are advocating for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Why are they so important?
Bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects are the hub of our entire ecological system. Without insects, we cannot live a good life here on Earth. We have no way of doing the work that pollinators do, for example. Every third bite we eat is a direct result of pollinators' work. This year was a blueberry year, each blueberry needs to be pollinated several times to become something. The same goes for almost all berries and fruits. If you think about it for a while, you become humble. Insects are also food for birds, fish and reptiles, without which they would starve to death. Insects also pollinate forests and meadows so there are plants and e.g. nuts for larger mammals to eat etc. Everything is connected and everything starts with the insects.

You are a great role model for many with your entrepreneurial drive, digital presence and desire to contribute to something bigger. What advice would you give to others who are about to start their own business for a "better world"?
I have always had jobs that contribute to more than money in the account. It is what gives my working day meaning and what drives me forward. My interest in the environment and climate has grown stronger in recent years and when I realized that there was an opportunity to combine my great interest in gardening with benefiting biodiversity, it was finally just to quit my job and jump. To those who are just starting out, I say go for it! No matter how much you prepare beforehand, you will encounter difficult challenges, have to re-evaluate decisions and business models. It is a "learning by doing" all the time. And that is also what develops and takes you forward. Another tip is to persevere. It takes time to start up a business. Do something every day that brings you closer to your goals and celebrate your victories, big and small. Last but not least, surround yourself with people who believe in you and if you don't already, start loving networking!