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    Sustainable Business Strategy Brings “Doing Good” to This Artist’s Life & Work

    Miroslav Stiburek with his painting called "Knowledge"
    • 22 Sep 2022
    Michele Reynolds Author Staff
    tag
    • Business in Society
    • Student Profiles
    • Sustainable Business Strategy

    Miroslav Stiburek grew up in a small town near Prague, Czech Republic, with entrepreneurial parents who inspired him to follow his dreams.

    "After the revolution, when the Czech Republic became a democracy, my parents gave up their government jobs and opened a bakery and ice cream shop," Stiburek says. "That shaped my life. With their encouragement, I became determined to earn money from my passion for drawing and making things with my hands."

    Stiburek thought learning to speak English would be important. He convinced his parents to send him to an international school where everyone spoke it. He describes the experience as "chaotic at first," but he became proficient enough to attend the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom for a bachelor's degree in sports technology and master's degree in financial management.


    Free E-Book: How to Be a Purpose-Driven, Global Business Professional

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    "I was an amateur golfer, so I wanted to combine my love of sports with my interest in making things with mechanical engineering," Stiburek says. "I got my master's in business because I realized, to pursue any entrepreneurial field, I would need a business background."

    As an undergraduate, he grew interested in design and marketing. He launched a business doing search engine optimization and web design for various clients. It was his first foray into entrepreneurship and helped him get through college and refine his English skills.

    After university, he gave up his marketing business and moved back home to live with his parents in the Czech Republic. He supported the family ice cream and bakery business and helped launch their new venture: designing and building a shopping mall. Creating a large mural in the mall's entrance inspired him to return to his passions. He combined his love of golf with his creative talents and opened a shop in Prague specializing in golf fashion.

    "The golf shop was a good source of income for a few years, but I missed my inner child, my love for drawing and painting," Stiburek says. "I got out my pencils and bought a book to help refine my drawing skills. I wanted to launch my own product but didn't want to be tied to a physical space. I wanted to be able to live anywhere."

    Stiburek decided there was no better place to pursue a career as a designer and artist than in Barcelona, Spain. He gave up his shop and moved there with his girlfriend.

    Around the same time, he entered an international design competition and won an award for a fashion watch he designed for teens. The experience sparked an interest in industrial design and reinforced his belief that he could put his art to work to create something that would sell.

    Miroslav Stiburek's Knowledge painting
    Stiburek's painting called "Knowledge," inspired by Sustainable Business Strategy

    He decided to split his time as a freelance graphic and industrial designer. At the same time, he resurrected his love of fine arts and began painting.

    "With painting and drawing, I fell more in love with being an artist, but I needed another source of income," Stiburek says. "Since then, art has become my primary career, but I believe my design work helps my art."

    Stiburek developed an interest in sustainability while working with a client in a water filtration business. He wanted to learn more about it, so he searched for a course. Most options he found were in the U.K., but he wanted to experience American education and was drawn to the Harvard brand and HBS Online's Sustainable Business Strategy course.

    "I was worried it would be strange to do a class entirely online, but it turned out to be very interesting learning with people from around the world," he says. "The class was exceptional. The videos were well produced, and I loved the faculty, businesspeople, and interaction with classmates. I found it helpful to work at my own pace, but the interaction with other students brought out the competitive part of me and made me work harder."

    He adds, "The biggest message I got from the course was: 'Do well by doing good.' Businesses need to think about the long term because when they're focused only on short-term profit and greed, they'll eventually fail."

    While taking the course, Stiburek applied his learning to his art and created a painting that captured the process of gaining knowledge (featured above). The painting attracted the attention of many potential buyers, including one from the U.S. Yet, because it was personal to him, he gave it to his girlfriend as a gift.

    "The course confirmed that formal education is important to being successful in business," he says. "Having a purpose and bringing sustainability to my work builds trust with my customers. It helped me solidify the strategy to pursue helping others. My vision became sustainability in business and life."

    Continuing to juggle a variety of entrepreneurial pursuits, he invented an electronic coaster that heats up and cools down depending on your drink. He has a prototype and hopes to manufacture and sell it soon.

    Sustainable Business Strategy | Unite Profit and Purpose | Learn More

    As his art business starts to take off, Stiburek is contemplating how and if to stay involved with his family's business.

    "I'm happy in Barcelona and don't want to move back, but I could open an ice cream shop here to reconnect with my family's business and, perhaps, one day follow the passive income route through renting retail space," he says. "I'd also like to take more courses, especially about innovation. We must innovate, or we'll die and go extinct."

    If you're interested in learning more about how you can do business while doing good, explore Sustainable Business Strategy—one of our business in society courses—and download our free e-book on how to be a purpose-driven, global business professional.

    About the Author

    Michele Reynolds handles brand marketing and PR for Harvard Business School Online. Prior to HBS Online, she led communications for TripAdvisor and Gazelle and has been widely quoted in national media outlets, including CBS News, Reuters, and The New York Times. Michele earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University. Outside work, she spends time with her teenage daughter, plays tennis, and visits her enormous extended family.
     
    All FAQs

    Top FAQs

    How are HBS Online courses delivered?

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    We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

    Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

    Are HBS Online programs available in languages other than English?

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    We expect to offer our courses in additional languages in the future but, at this time, HBS Online can only be provided in English.

    All course content is delivered in written English. Closed captioning in English is available for all videos. There are no live interactions during the course that requires the learner to speak English. Coursework must be completed in English.

    Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

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    No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

    How do I enroll in a course?

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    Certificate Programs

    HBS Online welcomes committed learners wherever they are—in the world and their careers—irrespective of their professional experience or academic background. To extend the reach of HBS Online, we no longer require an application for our certificate programs. (Applications are still required for our credential programs: CORe and CLIMB.) You can now immediately enroll and start taking the next step in your career.

    All programs require the completion of a brief online enrollment form before payment. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before enrolling in the program of your choice.

    Our easy online enrollment form is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

    Updates to your enrollment status will be shown on your account page. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for enrollment for any HBS Online program.

    Credential Programs

    HBS Online's CORe and CLIMB programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

    Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

    Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your account page. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application for CORe and three weeks for CLIMB. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for admissions for any HBS Online program.

    Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

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    No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

    What are my payment options?

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    HBS Online offers a variety of payment methods to provide flexibility, including:

    • Credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and AMEX)
    • PayPal
    • Wire transfers
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    • Bank loans (When available)

    You may split your payment across two credit card transactions or send a payment link to another individual to complete payment on your behalf. A minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

    Some learners may also qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the program fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for more information.

    What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

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    After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

     

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