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 motivates someone to leave behind a decade-long corporate career in Turkey to pursue a PhD in Finland? In this interview, doctoral researcher Canan Keleş reflects on her transition from industry to academia, shaped by her background in political science, marketing, and business development. Now based at Aalto University, she explores entrepreneurship through the lens of culture, identity, and space. Canan shares what drew her to Finland, how post-industrial sites like Kaapelitehdas have influenced her work, and why ENTU feels like the right academic home.
After living in Istanbul for about 18 years, I moved to Ankara to study political science at Middle East Technical University. I then spent around a decade working for international companies, including in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector and later as head of business development at a SaaS startup.
Later, I developed a strong desire to keep learning and pursued a master’s degree in marketing, focusing on consumer culture theory, at Bilkent University in Ankara. That academic path eventually led me to Finland, where I am now doing my doctoral research in entrepreneurship at Aalto University. I work at the intersection of business, anthropology, sociology, and political science, and I find the Finnish research environment incredibly supportive of this kind of interdisciplinary work.
I worked in the corporate sector for years, including at Philip Morris International, and later at Mobile Action, which is a SaaS startup where I led a team of ten business and sales development executives. It was an energetic, fast-paced environment, and I really enjoyed it, especially the agility and excitement of working with young, mission-driven people.
But even while doing my day-to-day work, I had this persistent urge to keep learning, to question things more deeply, and to share what I was discovering with others. I started noticing certain phenomena in the world around me: patterns, behaviours, and experiences that I wanted to understand better. That curiosity led me to leave my full-time job and pursue a master’s degree in marketing and consumer culture theory.
During my studies, I continued working in the startup world, which gave me a unique dual perspective. I saw how different the corporate world was compared to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and it made me realise there was something truly interesting and underexplored about this world of startups. That is what ultimately led me to Finland. I wanted to dedicate myself fully to learning about entrepreneurship and contribute to research in this area.
Before applying, I spent time researching universities, ecosystems, and student-led organisations. I was drawn to Finland’s collaborative environment and how well research, government, and civil society are connected.
I arranged a meeting with ENTU’s Head of Unit, Ewald Kibler, who kindly referred me to Myrto Chliova. I then visited Aalto’s campus for a few days and met with Myrto in person. We had a long conversation about the programme and the research environment, and I immediately felt a strong connection. Several colleagues at ENTU had also transitioned from industry to academia, and I felt I had found my place. After that visit, I applied directly, and when Aalto made me an offer, I gladly accepted.
My research focuses on post-industrial spaces and how they’re being used today by creative and cultural entrepreneurs. One of my key case sites is Kaapelitehdas, the former Nokia cable factory in Helsinki that is now home to artists, designers, and small organisations. I’m interested in how these spaces influence identity, behaviour, and everyday entrepreneurial practice.
During my first year, I interviewed around 50 entrepreneurs, reaching out to them via Instagram and LinkedIn. I wanted to understand entrepreneurship in Finland from the ground up. What I’ve found is that for many, entrepreneurship is not just about launching a company. It’s a behaviour, a lifelong project, and a way of being. That perspective really resonates with me.
Finland offers a unique environment to study this. There’s a genuine appreciation for preserving history while fostering innovation. I recently presented my early findings at an ethnography workshop in Lyon, and I’m grateful that Aalto supported my participation through a travel grant. That kind of support makes a big difference as a researcher.
The transition was not so much surprising as it was deeply rewarding. I knew academia would be hard work, but I was drawn to the freedom it offers: the freedom to manage my time, choose my research focus, and really dive into ideas that matter to me. What makes it even more fulfilling is the collaborative nature of the academic community. There is a real sense of mutual respect and a shared spirit of learning.
In the corporate world, everything moves fast. But here, I can spend entire days observing and interviewing entrepreneurs, trying to understand their relationships with space, identity, and aspiration. That slower rhythm gives me room to think deeply and meaningfully. I find myself growing, both professionally and personally, every single day.
What I appreciate most is the respect people show for each other’s work. Whether it is colleagues or participants in my fieldwork, there is a sense of trust and openness that really shapes the way I experience this journey. It is a very human and intellectually nourishing environment, and I feel lucky to be part of it.
This journey has been deeply transformative. I am constantly discovering new perspectives and methodologies that I hope to one day bring back to universities in Turkey. Living and researching in Finland has shaped not just my academic thinking, but also how I envision contributing to academic life in the future. What stands out to me is the strong social fabric of this country, the mutual respect, the trust, and the calm sense of safety. It creates a space where both life and research feel meaningful.
When I approach people in my fieldwork and say I am a doctoral researcher at Aalto, they trust me. They open up and share their stories fully, which adds so much richness to my work. I often reflect on how this atmosphere, rooted in social connection rather than just efficiency, is part of what people describe as Finnish happiness. It has helped me feel grounded here, both as a researcher and as a person.
During my master’s studies, which happened during the pandemic, I mostly took classes online and missed the feeling of community and collaboration. My bachelor’s degree was completed long ago, so I also felt disconnected from that time. At ENTU, for the first time, I truly feel like a researcher and a colleague. There is a strong sense of solidarity, open discussion, and knowledge sharing that I had not experienced before.
Whenever I need support, there are colleagues and professors I can reach out to, even across different departments. For example, when I was preparing for my ethics review, I spoke with several faculty members who shared their own experiences and helped me shape my application. That kind of accessibility and encouragement creates a generous academic culture that makes both Aalto and ENTU feel like the right place for me.
I have been reading Linda Essig’s work on art and creative entrepreneurship, and I completely agree with the idea that entrepreneurship is a behaviour, not just an action or an economic construct. From what I have seen in both practice and literature, entrepreneurship is about how people engage with the world, often through long-term, personal projects. Since the 1980s and 1990s, the field has grown a lot and is now sharing tools and questions with other academic disciplines. I do not plan to become an entrepreneur myself, but I still feel that I act with an entrepreneurial mindset when I reach out to scholars, ask for conversations, and share my ideas across research communities.
Apart from academic readings, I am also reflecting on deeper questions. Recently I read The Scent of Time by Byung-Chul Han, a South Korean philosopher who critiques how modern life pushes people to work without thinking. He writes about the difference between being a working person and becoming someone who works without meaning. That made me ask myself: am I just working, or am I thinking deeply? For me, entrepreneurship is about staying conscious, connecting heart and mind, and being present in the world. It is not only something we teach students but something we live.
First of all, I always recommend doing your homework. That really helped me. Even if visiting in person is not possible, try to learn as much as you can about the university, the department, and the academic culture. Reach out to people, look into how the unit works, and try to understand whether it is the right fit for you.
Also, be prepared for a different rhythm. In academia, time moves differently than in the corporate world. The path to a tenured position is highly competitive, and it comes with its own challenges. But if you value flexibility, independence, and the chance to go deep into questions that matter to you, it can be incredibly fulfilling. If you are unsure about whether to make the leap from industry to academia, I would simply say: do not be afraid. Go explore. You may discover what truly gives your life and work meaning.
