An “As Told To” interview by Kristaps Kovalonoks, Research Coordinator at Aalto School of Business.
This interview is part of a first-person storytelling series highlighting the personal journeys, ideas, and insights of members of Aalto University’s Entrepreneurship Unit (ENTU). Real stories, told in their own words.
What brings a social psychologist from Indonesia into the world of entrepreneurship research in Finland? In this interview, Bernadetta Aloina Ginting-Szczesny reflects on her unplanned but meaningful journey from intergroup relations and human rights to doctoral research at Aalto University’s School of Business. She shares how her early assumptions about entrepreneurship, which she once saw as just about making money, have changed over time, how ENTU became her academic home, and why impact-driven research has become her focus.
I’m originally from Indonesia. I moved to Finland in 2012 when my father, a diplomat, was posted here. I had just completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology, so it felt like a good time to continue my studies abroad. At the time, Finland still offered free education for non-EU students, and we had heard great things about the education system. I completed my master’s in social psychology at the University of Helsinki. After that, I spent a few years abroad. I studied in Italy for another master’s and later spent time in Sweden and Indonesia before returning to Finland in 2017. Since then, I’ve been part of Aalto.
To be honest, it was not something I planned. I did not have a traditional business background. I studied psychology and was mostly interested in intergroup relations. I used to think entrepreneurship was just about making money, something my sister and now-colleague, Carmelita Ginting-Carlström, was more interested in studying. But during my second master’s in human rights and conflict management in Italy, I started learning about the social impact of entrepreneurship. We discussed peacebuilding in conflict-affected areas and how entrepreneurs and businesses could help rebuild communities. That is when I started to see entrepreneurship in a new light.
After that, I interned at a think tank in Stockholm, and although I did not yet understand the difference between policy research and academic research, I realised that I really liked doing research. I became open to doing a PhD in any field that fit my interests. My sister, who was already doing a PhD at ENTU, encouraged me to apply as Ewald Kibler, who would later become my supervisor, was looking for someone with a psychology background. Knowing that he also came from a sociology background helped me feel that it was possible to find my place in the field of entrepreneurship. At first, the decision was mostly pragmatic, but it turned out to be the right one. I am still here, after all!
My interest in entrepreneurship research developed gradually. When I started, I had a very basic understanding of what entrepreneurship was. Ewald gave me a list of key readings to help me get oriented, and through those, I started to come across work that focused on entrepreneurship as a tool for poverty alleviation and social change. One paper that really stood out to me explored how the coffee sector in Rwanda helped bring together two ethnic groups after conflict. That paper supported what I had started to learn during my second master’s studies. It showed that entrepreneurship could play a role in rebuilding societies.
I would say that, in the beginning, I had a rosier picture of entrepreneurship, seeing it as a means for solving all kinds of issues. Over time, I have become more critical. It is not always as positive or transformative as it might seem. But I still find it fascinating. The field is so broad and can be applied in so many different contexts and through different lenses. That is what keeps me interested.
It’s really about challenging the mainstream definition of entrepreneurship. When we think of entrepreneurship, what often comes to mind is the Silicon Valley model: high-growth, high-risk startups. But for me, that concept felt quite foreign. When I think of entrepreneurship in my own experience, it’s the street sellers and stall owners I saw growing up in Indonesia. For many people, entrepreneurship isn’t about innovation or growth. Instead, it’s about making ends meet or as a way of life.
So my research tries to unpack how entrepreneurship can carry different meanings depending on the context. What does entrepreneurship mean to the people actually doing it, in their specific environment? To understand that, we need to include local ways of doing and being, and listen to how people make sense of their own entrepreneurial engagement. It’s about moving away from universal theories and embracing the diversity of entrepreneurial experience as it exists around the world.
Most of my conferences have been abroad. I’ve presented at three international ones so far. Only one was directly focused on entrepreneurship, while the other two were EGOS conferences in management and organisational studies. I actually enjoy those more, because you get exposed to a wider range of research beyond just entrepreneurship. For instance, at one EGOS conference, I presented a paper on identity among women entrepreneurs in Indonesia. I received especially valuable feedback from scholars focused on identity theory, rather than the usual entrepreneurship framing. That helped me look at my work in a different light.
My first conference as an early-stage doctoral researcher felt overwhelming because I didn’t know anyone yet. But over time, as you meet more people and build connections, it becomes more exciting. One of my favourite recent experiences was a mini-conference in Leeds that I attended with my sister. It was our first conference together, like a proper sister trip! In the end, it’s often the people you meet and the networks you build that matter most.
I’m involved in a range of activities. Each week, I promote newly published papers on social media, often by creating visuals or writing short posts. We also organise events to increase the journal’s visibility and support researchers. I also help introduce special issues and brainstorm ways to boost the reach and impact of published research.
One part of the role that I really enjoy is translating academic findings into more accessible formats. We use platforms like Substack to reframe papers as blog-style posts, making them easier to understand for practitioners and a broader audience. It’s a small way of ensuring that research doesn’t stay trapped in academic circles but can better inform real-world practice.
I also see this role as an opportunity to connect and work closely with established entrepreneurship scholars, such as our editor-in-chief, Pablo Muñoz. For me, it’s about contributing to the research community and learning from others through that process.
To be honest, not much has changed. I am still part of the same unit and working with the same people. At first, after graduating and returning to work shortly after, it felt like nothing was different. But psychologically, it has changed a lot. I no longer see myself as working toward a degree. Now it feels like real work, something I am doing for myself, based on what I find meaningful.
As a postdoc, I have more freedom to shape the direction and pace of my research. I’m no longer tied to the requirements of a dissertation. That said, I’m still figuring out what comes next. Will I continue with a tenure track position? If so, where?
I’ve come to realise that not all universities are the same. Some place more value on impact and engaged research, which is something I’ve grown more passionate about. For example, in my current project at Lapinlahden Lähde, I work closely with entrepreneurs and try to co-create solutions with them. That’s the kind of work I find meaningful.
While I’m considering an academic career, I’m also open to other options. I might return to policy work or think tanks. For now, I still have time in my postdoc to explore and see what fits best.
What has always stood out to me about ENTU is how close-knit the community is. When I first joined, we were based in the old building in Töölö. We were physically closed off from the rest of the department, with our own hallway and office spaces just for entrepreneurship. It felt very cosy and a bit like our own bubble.
Now that we are in the new building in Otaniemi, we are more integrated with the wider department, which is also nice. But that strong sense of community has remained. The team has grown a lot since I joined. Back then, we were only four PhD students. Now there are around ten, and the unit has become more diverse and lively, both in terms of people and the topics we study.
Despite the growth, the atmosphere is still very informal. Professors and PhD students eat lunch together, and it is easy to knock on someone's door and ask for advice. People from other departments often notice this too and talk about the unique vibe of ENTU as a group. It is something I always highlight when talking to people who are thinking about applying. You do not find this kind of environment everywhere.
First, entrepreneurship is not just about Silicon Valley or startups. It is much broader than that. I would encourage early-career researchers to read widely, not only entrepreneurship journals. Look into management, organisation studies, and gender research as well. These fields can offer very different and refreshing perspectives on entrepreneurship.
Also, do not be afraid to experiment with methods, with theories, and with research contexts. Try exploring unconventional settings in novel ways. That kind of openness can lead to meaningful discoveries.
Take time early on to reflect on what kind of research you actually find meaningful. When I started, I had a very different idea of what research meant. It took me time to figure out what I wanted to work on and what kind of research fits me best.
And finally, remember that there is no one path you must follow. Even if someone tells you what an academic career is supposed to look like, you can shape your own direction. Talk to different people, attend conferences, and stay open to different perspectives. It takes time to find your own niche, but it is worth the effort.
