People with diverse experiences, knowledge and ideas gained while living and working abroad are returning to Latvia. One of them is entrepreneur and craftsman Jānis Zelčs, who, after living in Norway, decided to return to Latvia and continue developing his ideas here.
Jānis believes that the decision to return is largely connected to a person’s sense of belonging and the ties they have developed with Latvia throughout their life.
“Latvia is better for me and my family. If a person is born there, it is different, but if they leave halfway through their life, mentally they remain more connected to their homeland,” says Jānis.
Jānis moved to Norway during the economic crisis. He acknowledges that the time spent abroad was an important life experience, but he always remained connected to his homeland through his family, property and his own ideas that he wanted to develop in Latvia.
“I had also been abroad during my student years, but I left for a longer period when the crisis began. At first, I went alone, and later my family joined me for a while. My family returned to Latvia, and after some time, I did too,” Jānis recalls. “If you have property, ideas and things you have already started, you either have to make them happen or sell them. It was important to me to continue developing my ideas here,” he says.
From Craftsmanship to Creative Entrepreneurship
Jānis describes himself as more than just a craftsman. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration, which allows him to look at his work from a broader perspective.
“I am a craftsman, and I like design and natural materials. But I have a background in business, so I look at all of this very differently than a craftsman alone would,” Jānis explains.
One of his working principles is to “turn a defect into an effect”. This means recognising value in things that others might consider imperfections or even waste. As an example, Jānis showed a table made from ash wood that was originally destined to be thrown away but was transformed into a work of art. What would traditionally have been considered a defect in the wood ultimately became the table’s main visual feature.
“For the table, we used ash wood that had been left in a pile to be thrown away. It was very knotty, and there was damage inside, which would theoretically be considered a defect. But we turned it into an effect, into a decorative feature. In the end, it looks very impressive,” Jānis says.
This approach is also at the heart of his broader vision – to use materials that might otherwise end up as waste and give them a new life.
Jānis wants to develop his “Saloon” as a space where workshops and creative activities can be organised, allowing people to explore different forms of art and craftsmanship while also collaborating with other entrepreneurs in the region.
“I want to use production leftovers and integrate them into works of art,” Jānis says, describing one of his ideas.
In his view, this is a way to create something new, make use of available resources and reduce the amount of unnecessary material ending up as waste. It is also an opportunity to combine entrepreneurship with creativity and sustainable thinking, giving things a second life.
Jānis’s story shows that returning to Latvia can become a new beginning in one’s professional life. The experience gained abroad, the ideas that remained connected to Latvia and the desire to create here provide a strong foundation for new business and creative initiatives – from interior design and garden solutions to modular homes and other interesting projects.
More about Jānis Zelčs’s work, the solutions he offers and how to get in touch with him can be found at www.jlzprojekti.lv.
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