02 | 2023 Sanna Valkeejärvi & Niina Ahtiainen, Beach volley professional

"Wonderfully genuine people. Fun and warm-hearted people, and they're a joy to work with. I appreciate them very much."

Kipinä's athlete, beach volley professional, Niina Ahtiainen is currently preparing for the upcoming season with her partner Taru Lahti-Liukkonen. Before the first tournament in Mexico, the trip will take her to Tenerife for a camp and before that to conduct a bici school for Kipinä's stakeholders. Kipinä has supported Niina's trip to the Paris Olympics in spring 2022.

What is a true partnership between an athlete and a company? A good example is the partnership between Nina and Kipinä.

The work takes the athlete around the world and from a responsibility point of view, it always raises a lot of thoughts. Niina feels that Kipinä's support is also important in this regard. "It was wonderful to hear from the very beginning how similar values are shared with Kipinä. I really appreciate how they work together, treat everyone as equals and appreciate everyone's contribution.

Sustainability is reflected in their activities and we share this same value. For example, they compensate me for my tournament flights through Compensate."

The sport takes Nina around the globe, and flight compensation is part of Kipinä's partnership.

At Kipinä, the community is at the heart of everything. The athletes supported by Kipinä are placed in the same mindset. Because Kipinä has a genuine desire to help and to put good things into circulation. For an athlete, the support of a partner is precious.

"A partner makes a lot of things possible financially (tournament trips, training camps, flights, etc.) No one can reach the top of the world alone without help, so the importance of a partner is really high. For me, a partner means long-term cooperation and staying with the athlete even in the difficult moments that inevitably come during everyone's career." Niina describes the importance of partners for her.

In a modern partnership with an athlete, the cooperation and benefits are truly two-way. In such a partnership, shared values and common goals play an important role.

Kipinä's own team has already enjoyed Nina's birch school and soon customers and stakeholders will have the same honour. The athlete himself finds such things with a partner refreshing and fun:

Niina taught the Kipsians the secrets of the sport at a music school.

"It was great to be able to train together and practice new things with the Kipinä people. They have such a brave sense of adventure. Throwing yourself in the water was the best. I also really liked the fact that we stayed for a chat and a meal after the birch school. It's nice to really get to know each other and know the kind of people you're going on this trip with."

The common journey is smoothly run, with meetings scheduled to fit in with race and training schedules. More getting to know each other and doing things together is on the way.

"Last time we were in my working environment and next time it would be great to see what Kipinä working environment and community at the office looks like 😉"

From the point of view of Kipinä, it is the athlete's values and way of thinking that is essential. The community and the essence of Kipinä is based on values and actions, and all partners should support this approach. Nina's values and desire to succeed are in line with Kipinä's ideas. From both perspectives, cooperation is fruitful and rewarding.