Degrees from Haaga-Helia led BBA graduate Liisa Reinilä to develop e-commerce at Lumo

Reinilä completed both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree at Haaga-Helia. She graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the Degree Programme in Finance and Economics in 2016. In 2024, she completed her Master's degree, focusing on strategic management in organizations. 

Today, Reinilä is responsible for maintaining and developing the Lumo Homes online store and leads a team of e-commerce specialists. Her career path began with a summer job during her studies.

Studying at Haaga-Helia fits different life situations

According to Reinilä, her bachelor's studies were completed in a close-knit group where students progressed at a similar pace. The sense of community, strong team spirit, and familiar lecturers made her studies particularly memorable. 

– One thing I remember from my bachelor's studies is the huge amount of group work we did. Sometimes it was even frustrating, but looking back, "group work" is exactly what we continue to do every day in working life, Reinilä reflects. 

She completed her Master's degree entirely online while working full-time. Distance learning allowed for a flexible schedule, and the studies were closely connected to her professional role, enabling her to apply what she learned directly in practice. 

Why Haaga-Helia? 

– I’ve always been a mathematically inclined person, and at the same time it was clear to me that I was interested in business, says Reinilä.

When exploring study options, the Degree Programme in Finance and Economics stood out because Haaga-Helia was the only university of applied sciences offering the programme at the time she applied. Later, when she began considering a master's degree, Haaga-Helia was the natural choice. 

– Having completed my bachelor’s degree at Haaga-Helia, it was the first place I looked when considering a master’s degree. The Strategic Management in Organizations programme seemed to offer content that would support the direction I wanted to take in my career, Reinilä explains. 

According to Reinilä, no degree alone can fully prepare someone for working life. However, her studies at Haaga-Helia provided a strong educational foundation, core professional skills, and above all, the ability to learn continuously. The ability to seek information, think critically, and apply knowledge in practice is essential in today’s working world, and these were exactly the skills her studies helped develop.

Career direction clarified during studies 

Internships completed during her studies helped Reinilä identify the type of work she enjoyed most. Although numbers and finance were among her strengths, working solely with figures felt too static and lacked the dynamic pace she was looking for. Her first internship in sales at Lumo Homes and another in accounts payable provided valuable experience and helped her realize the direction she wanted her career to take. 

Studies often reveal new talents and strengths, and this was also the case for Reinilä. According to her, the most important thing is to seize new opportunities and maintain a desire to keep developing. 

– Along the way, I’ve had to learn a tremendous number of new things, and new challenges still come up almost every day. But if you maintain the desire to grow and the courage to embrace something new, learning becomes genuinely enjoyable, says Reinilä. 

Message to current and future students 

– Approach all learning and knowledge with an open mind. Learn how to study, how to seek information, think critically, investigate topics, and express yourself, advises Reinilä. 

– Learning doesn’t end when you leave school, but your studies can give you excellent tools for continuing to develop yourself throughout your life, Reinilä concludes.

Did You Know? Haaga-Helia and Lumo collaborate closely through the Haaga-Helia partnership programme. The impactful collaboration connects students with working life through for example student projects and guest lectures. Learn more about the Haaga-Helia Partnership Programme.