Become an Entrepreneur
Being an entrepreneur gives you the chance to do things your way and in line with your own values. As an entrepreneur, you are responsible for the results of your own work and for your obligations as an entrepreneur.
WHAT IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
Your life situation and your business idea will determine whether you should become a full-time or part-time entrepreneur. When you know what being an entrepreneur requires and prepare yourself carefully, you have every chance of success.
There are as many ways of being an entrepreneur as there are people. However, it’s your personality that is the most crucial factor for the success of your business. You need certain qualities and skills to make your business productive and meaningful.
PERSONAL GUIDANCE
The main focus of the personal guidance we give is on refining your business idea and business plan, and assessing what you need to build a profitable business. Our guidance is free of charge and confidential. During the appointment, we also advise you on financing your business, different enterprise forms, taxation, accounting, and insurance.
If necessary, we can draw on the expertise of our extensive network of experts.
Contact us to book an appointment
Janne Korpela
Tel. 040 081 3270
janne.korpela@uusyrityskeskus.fi
Antti Mikkola
Tel. 044 771 0055
antti.mikkola@uusyrityskeskus.fi
Download our free Guide to Starting a Business and Business Plan template here.
CHOOSING AN ENTERPRISE FORM
Are you thinking about what the right form of enterprise could be for you? Uusyrityskeskus business advisors can help you compare different company types and choose the right one for you. Maybe you want to set up a sole trader firm by yourself, or a limited company by yourself or with other people? Other forms of enterprise include the cooperative, general partnership, and limited partnership. The choice of enterprise form is influenced by factors such as the need for and availability of capital, responsibilities and decision-making, investors and taxation.
INTERESTED IN LIGHT ENTREPRENEURSHIP?
Light entrepreneurship is a flexible way of selling your skills on a small scale or temporary basis, or if you want to test your business idea. As a light entrepreneur, you do not have your own Business ID and your work is invoiced by an invoicing service. Light entrepreneurship is not suitable for selling products. As a light entrepreneur, you set the price of the work you do yourself. The invoicing service will take care of invoicing the customer and paying your salary. The invoicing service takes a service charge, and also handles tax deductions and other necessary payments from your salary. It’s important for you to make sure that your customers are happy to be invoiced through the invoicing service.
AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, YOU NEED TO
- have a working business idea
- believe in your business idea
- understand and have skills in the sector
- want to earn money
- have initiative and determination
- be able to take risks
- be able to tolerate uncertainty
- have clear objectives.
TO RUN A BUSINESS YOU NEED SKILLS IN
- business management
- sales
- marketing and communication
- financial management.
Remember, you don't have to know everything yourself. You can buy services from another entrepreneur, for example, from an accountant or an advertising agency.
START-UP GRANT
Start-up grants help to promote new business activities and increase employment levels. A start-up grant provides a livelihood for the average time it takes to start and establish a business – up to a maximum of 12 months. The start-up grant is equal to the basic unemployment benefit (€37.24 per day or around €740 per month) and it is paid for up to five days per calendar week.
You can get a start-up grant if
- you are an unemployed jobseeker
- you are not unemployed, but are moving to full-time self-employment, for example, from a paid job, study, or staying at home
- you are a part-time entrepreneur expanding your business into a full-time business.
- The Employment Area will only provide the start-up grant once it has established that entrepreneurship is a suitable option for the applicant to become employed.
Eligibility criteria for a start-up grant
- full-time entrepreneurship
- sufficient readiness for the new business activity
- potential for continued profitable activity
- need for gaining a livelihood
- starting a business only after grant decision has been made.
Hämeen Uusyrityskeskus will advise and assist you in applying for a start-up grant.
OTHER OPTIONS FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Change of ownership
Starting a completely new business is not always necessary. A change of ownership, a generational change, or an acquisition are all great options. Your business activities start right away, you have an existing customer base, and you have on-going invoicing, right from the beginning.
Franchising
Are you thinking about starting your own business but lack a solid business idea? Would you like to take the easy way out and start your business on the basis of a tried and tested concept? Do you want to become an entrepreneur faster? If you answered yes to these questions, franchising could be the right option for you.
Part-time entrepreneurship
Part-time entrepreneurship is a good form of entrepreneurship if you are in employment, a student, or a pensioner. Or if your business activity is part-time or seasonal, if there is no certainty about the profitability of the business, or if you don’t want to take the risk of being a full-time entrepreneur but want to test your business idea.
IDEA BUTTON
Would you like to get free feedback on your business idea and tips on how to proceed from a business advisor in your area?
Press the Idea Button at ideanappi.fi.
Choose your municipality, describe your idea in up to 500 characters, and click to send. You will receive an email reply from a business advisor within the next few working days.
