I Built a Successful Business in a Foreign Country from Scratch 0 11

Inara Akopyan was born and raised in Latvia, but 13 years ago, together with her husband Vladislav, they decided to make radical changes – the family moved to Norway, to the city of Stavanger. Over the years, she has made a brilliant career - progressing from a simple nurse to a successful businesswoman and owner of a prestigious cosmetology clinic in the heart of Europe.

How It All Started

In 2013, I was an intensive care nurse, working in the ambulance dispatch center, while my husband worked as a chef. We were both 25 years old, had a small salary in Latvia, and faced a heavy workload, but we had big ambitions. And we decided to realize those ambitions in Norway.

In the city of Stavanger, where we moved, I started working in a hospital in the pulmonology department and then in the intensive care unit. Here, I was struck by the level of medicine: patients receive individual attention, and staff are cared for regarding their psychological health. When my father fell ill with cancer, I was able to take a leave of absence, consult a psychologist, and fully recover – such an approach is simply unthinkable in Latvia.

From Intensive Care to Aesthetics

I have always loved learning something new. In Norway, I became fascinated by aesthetic cosmetology – for example, it seemed incredible that one could correct the consequences of a failed permanent makeup without pain and marks! I began training with the best specialists, participated in international seminars, including IMCAS and AMWC, and studied topographical facial anatomy in cadaver courses in Nice under the guidance of plastic surgeon Ekaterina Kudina and pathologist Vincent Casoli. My teachers and mentors showed me that aesthetic cosmetology is not about "doll faces," not about plumped lips, but about an individual approach and natural beauty. I purchased premium-class equipment, opened my office, and the first clients came... I saw that women were satisfied with the results of my procedures and felt a real surge of happiness: it meant my work had meaning!

First Business Experience

I delved deeper into the specifics of the profession, the number of clients increased, and I realized it was time to expand. I faced bureaucracy, a language barrier, and a foreign mentality, but I accomplished the impossible – I opened my own cosmetology clinic Sillage in 30 days.

Norway has its nuances: it is not customary to stand out, all cosmetologists work according to similar templates, and promises do not always match actions. But it was important for me to build a business with a "human face": only an individual approach and only high-class equipment.

"I Never Stop Learning and Mastering New Things!"

Now I perform many procedures myself – Botox, fillers, laser removal of permanent makeup, collagen stimulation. The doctor I work with performs medical injections, including Botox for migraines and sweating. Our approach is gentle, non-traumatic, and women leave us with a natural, lively face.

There is also a completely new direction that I am implementing in my clinic. In 2024, at IMCAS (International Congress of Dermatologists, Cosmetologists, and Plastic Surgeons), I was introduced to exosomes for the first time. This technology is for comprehensive improvement of facial skin quality, rejuvenation, regeneration, and health at the cellular level. Exosomes restore elastin and collagen, heal damaged skin, have anti-inflammatory effects, restore healthy processes in skin cells, and treat alopecia. I felt that this technology has a future.

I began to study, delve into the topic, and improve my protocols. I returned to Norway inspired and ready to implement the innovation. But my partner refused to work with this technology. She considered the procedure "dangerous" and "unclear." And this was despite international research and a strong evidence base! Later, I realized that the problem was not the technology – it was the difference in mentalities. In Norway, there is often a fear of the new, especially if the innovation is introduced by a foreign specialist. Nevertheless, I began working with exosomes – clients came and were very pleased with the impressive results.

Two years have passed – and today exosomes have become the main cosmetology trend in Norway. What is now called a "novelty" I have been doing for almost two years, achieving stable results with my clients.

In November 2025, a representative from @dermoaroma Norge came to our clinic and presented me with an award as an expert in exosomes in Norway. This was an important confirmation that I chose the right professional path.

Business with a Woman's Face

Being a woman in business is not easy. When I rented a space for the clinic, the landlord was surprised that I wanted half a floor for a "women's business." At first, I did everything myself – I was both a specialist and an administrator and a cleaner because I could not pay high salaries to local employees.

But now I can be proud that I have hired cosmetologists from Latvia. They are wonderful specialists whose approach I greatly appreciate: it is not about "making a quick buck," not about "pushing" a service by any means, but about an honest, careful, and individual approach to the client.

My Principles

• Aesthetic cosmetology is about preserving individuality, not about "duck lips," "template cheekbones," and "Instagram vanilla."

• One must constantly learn, practice, and adopt the experience of the best specialists.

• Thinking about people, striving to give them the best results, and ultimately seeing their happy faces is my main professional mission.

My Pride

• I built a successful business in a foreign country from scratch. Last year, my clinic turned one year old, and we organized a celebration. Tickets for it sold out in 2 hours, and 80% of the guests were Norwegians. I think this is a serious indicator of success.

• I am building my profession as a cosmetologist brick by brick – consciously, carefully, with love for the craft. I learn from the best, develop, and finally allow myself to be among "my own."

• My clients. Most come to me after procedures and thank me. I will never forget the woman who came to me after a case of domestic violence (her husband smashed a bottle over her head). I removed the scar she had been meticulously masking with makeup in just one procedure. She was so happy!

• The technologies and innovations that I apply in my clinic. I myself got rid of bags and wrinkles under my eyes. And it was not plastic surgery, but cosmetology procedures. That is, I use the same methods that I offer to my clients.

• My family, which, of course, comes first for me. My husband Vladislav is my support and strength. He believes in me like no one else. My husband and I have two children – a daughter Sofia and a son Amir. While they are small, I try to spend as much time with them as possible.

My Dreams

I want to develop medical tourism, attracting Norwegian clients to Latvia, where excellent doctors work. And, accordingly, invite Latvian women to my clinic in Norway.

@sillage_klinikken

@sillagebyinara

@skinbyinara