Evelina Kvartunaite
Hustle Amsterdam (HA): Where are you from? And what brings you to Amsterdam?
Evelina Kvartunaite (EK): I was born in Lithuania. And I arrived in Amsterdam after living in Denmark for six years. I came looking for a change, new opportunities, and more opportunities for self-expression and building the community.
HA: Tell me about your business? What is your mission?
EK: Word Up is an NGO that promotes social inclusion and diversity through spoken word poetry and other creative outlets. We also have a podcast that I co-host together with Bill and it is currently in season three right now. You can find it anywhere you get your podcasts or also listen on our website where we keep the transcripts of all the episodes.
HA: How has the shift to remote work affected you and your business? Are you being strict with a routine or taking it day-by-day?
EK: From the very beginning we moved online as we saw how important it is to keep the community going and feeling supported.
This new season after the summer break is all about cooperations — we hosted an event with the Unwanted Words highlighting the winners of the 1st Queer & Feminist Poetry Awards, curated the entertainment for the OMEK Bicultural African Diaspora Summit and, of course, hosted the Word Up Slam heat for the international Superheroes of Slam end of last year.
Our upcoming event Edition Nature is also in partnership with Envitalyfe that works towards mainstreaming environmental issues and is going to be online via Zoom on the 21st of January 2021.
We run weekly writing workshops on Wednesday “Inspiration Factory by Janice,” which has an online community and recently added “Accountability Factory,” which is an accountability group for those who might need extra support in keeping up with their writing goals. This group is hosted every Monday. Recently we added coaching opportunities to Word Up which is being led by Meredith Fraenk and is kicking off with the first group coaching on the 19th of January.
Additionally, we host more extensive themed writing workshops around once a month or so. As mentioned before, our podcast is available anywhere you get your podcasts so there has been no major change really.
HA: Why Word Up Amsterdam? What brought you to spoken word poetry and NGOs?
EK: I have been part of or running NGOs since 1999, and I find social movements are a very important part of the community. It’s a great way to bring change, connect people, service their needs, and create a lasting impact. I’m also a trainer and coach which helps me a lot with creating educational initiatives, creating impact, and solidarity. Word Up Amsterdam is an organization that is all about the things I am passionate about which are creativity, self-expression, education, entertainment, and a strong and supportive community.
HA: What is the current state of Word Up Amsterdam? Do you have six and 12-month goals for your business?
EK: Considering the global situation we are going with the flow and making sure we reflect the needs of our community. We’re staying aware and hopeful.
HA: What kind of obstacles do you face in your company? How do you handle them?
EK: As usual with NGOs I suppose, it's always a lack of resources and visibility. We’re learning a lot as we go and growing as well as that is the biggest proof that we are needed.
HA: What has been your most successful moment so far? And how do you celebrate your wins?
EK: We take each moment with pride — may it be a full event with massive attendance, a great workshop, or a new season of the podcast. We make sure to create space and celebrate it with the team as it's super important and necessary to celebrate the fruits that our volunteer work bears.
HA: How have you accomplished what you have? Did you go to business school? Did you wing it? Fake it till you make it? Get really lucky?
EK: I’ve always had a passion for community building, personal development, and always loved accepting challenges that life would bring me. After already creating several NGOs in several countries, this didn't feel too weird somehow. But of course, it's always trial and error and there’s a learning curve. I really believe that when it comes to community building, it's super important to have fun and have a great relationship with the core team as that really creates a ripple effect.
HA: Did you fundraise for your business? If so, tell me about your experience.
EK: We fundraise for specific projects and we currently have few projects approved though due to COVID, it's all on hold.
HA: How big is your team? And where are your team members located?
EK: Our team changes depending on the needs and projects that we’re running. Currently we have around eight people but we also have members on standby if we need support for the bigger events or projects.
“Always ask, the worst thing that can happen is you will hear a no.”
HA: Do you have a favorite motivational quote?
EK: It's not really a quote but something I keep repeating to myself when things get tough. Always ask, the worst thing that can happen is you will hear a no.
HA: What 3 tips would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? What do you wish you had known before you started?
EK:
Be confident but always make sure to double-check if the confidence is based on your skills and abilities, and not just arrogance.
Make sure you have a bigger vision — always look up and aspire to be the best you can be.
Don't be scared to work — you will have to work a lot before the fruits come around.
BONUS: Research and seek to cooperate instead of competing.
HA: How would you describe your working style?
EK: I think it's a mix of several, depending on the task, project, or situation, and if I’m working by myself or with the team. Overall, I’m cooperative and people-oriented.
HA: When you’re not working on Word Up Amsterdam — where can we find you?
EK: I love traveling, photography — have been also offering free shoots for entrepreneurs and small businesses affected by COVID over the summer. I do some graphic design, exploring personal development, and many many many other things.
HA: How do you find work-life balance while being an entrepreneur?
EK: It's always a struggle I would say and most of the time work is winning. However, I do try to balance it out, take time off, spend time with family and friends, reconnect to myself, and create.
HA: What is your passion?
EK: Within the context of Word Up and working with community building, it's to connect people, to support them, facilitate personal development, growth, and creativity
HA: What inspires you most about Amsterdam? Do you have any favorite spots to work or hangout?
EK: I am a bit hesitant to have a favourite spot as it's a city that always has something new, something to discover and be surprised. I have been greatly inspired to look at Amsterdam through a whole different lens by Elyzabeth Gorman from Ask A Badass as she is focusing more on Amsterdam LGBT+, BIPOC & women’s history tours that are featured every Thursday on #DamDaily show hosted by BLESZ on Broadcast Amsterdam radio.
Follow Word Up Amsterdam on Instagram and Facebook. And connect with Evelina on LinkedIn.
