Piia Vähäsalo
Entrepreneur, chief designer
An inexhaustible source of creativity, the spirit and soul of Utua. Piia is inspired by anything and everything, and as a skilled artist, she gets to work immediately and not after a while, and soon a new project is underway. And they are not left unfinished, but reaching the finish line is more the rule than the exception. Utua grows and develops under Piia's steady guidance: new collections are created, the online store develops and only the sky is the limit!
Marja-Kaisa Linna
Collection coordinator
There is nothing in Utua's store or office that this active and accomplished all-rounder can't do. And if she can't, just wait a minute and she'll be up and running in no time. "Maika" is a girl from Kokkola who has traveled the world in her previous jobs. She has solid expertise in both purchasing and sales. The world of bags has captivated her and the leather qualities and features are at her fingertips. Maika can handle Excel, Canva and Shopify, and the power lady keeps Utua in overall management with a bang.
Merja Hammar
Sales and Marketing Coordinator
Most often, this former advertising agency entrepreneur can be found working on graphic design and content production, but sometimes also in the store. Blogs, newsletters, social media updates and other necessary texts are a favorite part of her job, but newspaper advertisements, brochures, labels and other printed banners and cards that require a graphic designer's touch are also part of the job description. Utua requires a wide range of skills and versatility is Merja's trump card. It is pulled out of her sleeve whenever a suitable vocabulary or a stylish advertisement is needed.
Katja Mattila
Kasvupäällikkö
Katjan portfolion luettelointi veisi aivan liikaa palstatilaa tässä henkilökuvauksessa! Eipä silti, hänen laaja osaamisensa sen kyllä ansaitsisi. Mutta entinen kilpavoimistelija ja liikunta-alan yrittäjä on nyt monen mutkan kautta löytänyt itsensä kiihdyttämästä Utuan kansainvälistä kasvua digimarkkinoinnin keinoin. Luovuus, visiointi ja suunnittelu ovat hänen mieluisinta työsarkaansa, ja juuri niitä laukkuliiketoiminta tarvitsee, timanttisen teknisen osaamisen lisäksi.
Timo Juntunen
Verkkokauppaspesialisti
Asioiden kasvattaminen suureksi on Timon intohimo. Olipa sitten kyseessä kasvihuoneen kasaaminen entisten konttorikoppien vanhoista laseista tai verkkokaupan rakentaminen. Utualla hän kokoaa digitaalista myyntikanavaamme kuin lapsuuden legokaupunkia: jo olemassa olevan hyvän pohjan päälle pinotaan uusia maailmoja, joissa muutkin kuin suomalaiset pääsevät tutustumaan Utuan laukkuihin.
KATI KASTELLI
Myyjä
Katin lempeä ääni tunnistetaan niin Utuan myymälän puolelta kuin Langin Kauppahuoneen puhelimesta. Tämä palvelualan suvereeni sulostuttaja kertoo Utuan tarinaa aina yhtä innolla niin uusille kuin vanhoille asiakkaille. Hänen lempikohtaamisiaan on ihastelevien turistien porisuttaminen ja Wanhan Raahen nähtävyyksien esitteleminen. Hersyvä nauru kajahtelee myymälästä tuon tuostakin, kun Kati saa vierailijat temmattua mukaansa mielenkiintoisiin keskusteluihin. Ja silloin kun ei asiakkaita näy, tekaisee hän helponnäköisesti kiehtovia somepäivityksiä Langin elämästä.
Oona Similä
Chief Operating Officer / Lang's Trading House
Piia's daughter has inherited a busy nature and the ability to organize things. Oona holds dozens of threads in her hands all day long, running between Lang's kitchen, café, party rooms and the office. Utua's bags are as familiar to her as the recipe for cinnamon rolls, and she even fills in for Utua's people in the shop when needed. Oona has also performed excellently as Utua's mannequin. No task in managing this manor complex is foreign to her. Sometimes she throws on a 19th-century shopgirl's costume and presents Lang's history to groups. A real powerhouse, but she can handle it at a young age!
Pasi Siipola
Man of the hosue and servant
If there is a loose spot somewhere or a hinge needs oiling. Or if you need to build a sleeping nook for the Christmas elf in the window or heat up the captain's experience sauna for the guests of Lang's Trading House, Pasi is already there.
Piia's husband's job description includes all repair, restoration, construction and entertainment work. He goes out every day to crack a joke or two for the joy of the women of Utua, and there is no situation for which the cheerful Pasi cannot come up with a suitable proverb or light comment.
Here we are
We all work in Raahe, in the heart of the old town. Here in the blue building, we also wrap the bag you order through the online store in tissue paper and gently hand it over to the courier. See here where our bags are sold everywhere in addition to Raahe!
