You want to be an entrepreneur? Are you crazy or genius?

What kind of imagine do you have when someone say the word entrepreneurship?

Maybe the freedom to do anything you want. Work when you like, how you like and execute your wildest dreams to become truth. No-one tells you what to do and you are free to make your own choices on the way to success. Or uncounted working hours, sleepless night, life filled by stress and too much work. No spare time with family or holidays with fun. Those imagines were quite oppositions to each other’s, but all those things could be truth in an entrepreneur’s life. But there are also so much more between those imagines.

When you are planning to find a company in Finland what things you should be aware of? What are the risks of being entrepreneur or pitfalls that young entrepreneurs do? How about the good things? Why you should be an entrepreneur in Finland?

Risks and cons about being an entrepreneur in Finland

• You are responded of your company, with your whole person and your own capital. If everything goes wrong you can lose everything: your money, health, family, friends and glory.
• If you don’t have a good network, you can be very lonely with your difficulties. Also, if you do work a lot and don’t spend spare time with your friends and family you can be very lonely in general. There need to be also something else than just work and business!
• Taxation is high and bureaucracy is strict. According to hiring employees for example, costs which are related to that are high. Also, there are many different costs for employees’ insurances and occupational health care.

Mistakes you might do as a young entrepreneur

• You can be too optimistic about your idea and product which can make you to underestimate your competitors. On the other hand, it is also common that there is a fear to dream big and try something new.
• Common mistakes for entrepreneur are to not put enough effort for budgeting, counting, marketing, and planning. If you do those things poorly at the beginning, there can be big consequences in some point in future.
• It is also common for entrepreneurs to trying to do everything by oneself and not asking help. Finnish people are very humble and work oriented, so it is easy to do too much work and have burn out in some point in career.

Pros about being an entrepreneur in Finland

• Find a company in Finland is easy and fast. You don’t need to have a big investment at the beginning so entrepreneurship for everyone regardless of own financial capital
• Finland is a safe country to start a company. Our civilization in sincere and trustworthy as for example landlords, employees and business occupation in general. If people in Finland promises something that will be kept.
• Business premises are quite easy to find also because there are lots of buildings and premises which are built constantly for companies and for business use.
• People in Finland are educated, and work ethic is high, so it is easy to find competent employees.
• Entrepreneurship is recognized business model in Finland and supported in financial way. For example, there is a start-up grant (starttiraha), women entrepreneur loan and project financing which could be applied for capitalice the business.
• There is option to join into different associations for entrepreneurs to build up a good network and get support from people with similar mind set. Those different networks are for example, Suomen Yrittäjät -Federation of Finnish Enterprises, The women Entrepreneurs of Finland and Finnish software and E-business Association.

Many entrepreneurs highlight the importance of good network and support squad to avoid burn out and stress too much. It is important to find right people to inside of business but also outside of it. Everything should not be just business and company but also remember to spend free time and relax. Because entrepreneurship is working 24/7 and there is always works to do.

The most important thing in entrepreneurship is to find the passion to do what is doing. When the reason why is bright in the mind it is easier to do choices, which supports the business and the values. Because there are going to be mistakes and wrong choices but when actions are followed by values, there is possibilities to do something great. It is also important to remember that the journey is not meant to walk alone but there should be the team which has a same goal and same values. It makes the journey more rewarding.

So, be both crazy and genius. Be entrepreneur.