Tallinn, Estonia | 20 August, 2025
Selected through a rigorous process, these participants represent some of the brightest minds in export consultancy, poised to apply their expertise immediately in the international business arena. ECM is designed as a multidimensional program, combining hands-on workshops, immersive study visits, and strategic mentorship, with a strong focus on practical learning and real-world application.
The first workshop, dedicated to Consulting Skills, served not only as a foundation for professional development but also as an essential team-building experience. Participants were organized into seven cross-country teams, providing a unique opportunity for professionals from three different countries to collaborate, share perspectives, and strengthen their ability to work in international contexts. By learning and practicing together, the participants built the groundwork for future cooperation and applied problem-solving, a hallmark of ECM’s approach.
Guided by Ilona Lott and Anu-Mall Naarits, CEO of Visionest Institute, the workshop emphasized the practical side of consultancy. Sessions explored core consulting methodologies, client engagement strategies, analytical frameworks, and problem-solving tools, offering participants actionable skills to apply in their own work. Notably, Ilona guided participants through the principles of building high-performance teams, encouraging them to agree on shared missions, define team values, and reflect on their stage of development. This created a strong foundation for cross-country cooperation. Moreover, Anu-Mall introduced sprint planning, a dynamic method that helped teams translate their goals into clear, actionable steps. Together, these approaches ensured that participants were not only learning concepts but immediately applying them in practice.
Prior to the workshop sessions, participants engaged in study visits to leading Estonian companies, witnessing operational excellence and innovative business models in action. These visits provided context for the workshop discussions, allowing participants to see consultancy in practice and to reflect on how theoretical tools translate into measurable results in global markets. Anu-Mall Naarits personally accompanied participants during the study tours, connecting theoretical knowledge with real-world business practice and offering insights from her extensive experience in cross-cultural collaboration and international trade.
The workshop also incorporated an experiential element at Iglupark, a pioneering space in Tallinn that blends reflection, well-being, and professional inspiration. Here, participants could recharge, connect with each other, and integrate personal growth with professional development-reinforcing ECM’s philosophy that learning by doing is the most effective way to master skills.
By the end of the first workshop, participants had not only strengthened their consultancy skills but also forged meaningful connections across countries, enhanced their practical understanding of international trade, and gained confidence to tackle complex challenges in export consultancy. The inaugural session in Tallinn marked a powerful beginning to ECM 2025–2026, highlighting the program’s mission to shape the next generation of expert export consultants equipped to make an impact globally.
Delivered in partnership with the Estonian Centre for International Development Cooperation (ESTDEV), and supported by key regional partners including the EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) and the University of Georgia, the ECM program combines global expertise with local insight to empower a new generation of certified export consultants.