Esko Eerikäinen's inspiring interview in Iltalehti.fi: ”As an entrepreneur I have developed enormously, but in the beginning the bureaucracy surprised me”

Esko Eerikäinen is a familiar media personality who has had a long career as a radio presenter and television star. Now he shares his experiences of entrepreneurship and its challenges. Kevyesti.fi interviewed Esko about his entrepreneurial path. The article, produced in commercial cooperation, can be read at In Iltalehti.fi.

Esko Eerikäinen started his entrepreneurial career by setting up a company, as light entrepreneurship was not yet available in Finland. Kevyesti.fi asked Esko about his experiences of entrepreneurship, especially the early stages of entrepreneurship. The interview and article have been published on the Iltalehti.fi website.

Light entrepreneurship in Finland offers many people the chance to get started without heavy bureaucracy, but the reality can bring all sorts of challenges and twists and turns. Esko Eerikäinen now shares his own experiences on the entrepreneurial path and explains how the choice of light entrepreneurship could ease the journey for many budding entrepreneurs.

Is it worth starting a business with a trading name?

Working as a sole trader can bring challenges, such as the requirements of the Pre-registration Register and the complexities of income projection, which can surprise the novice entrepreneur.

However, self-employment can be a good option if you want to keep your business small and administrative costs low. Light entrepreneurship, on the other hand, offers an easier way for a start-up entrepreneur to try entrepreneurship, without excessive administrative burdens.

Independence and surprises

Esko's first expectations of entrepreneurship were simple and straightforward: the freedom to determine his own working hours and the opportunity to directly influence his income. The link between work and financial success motivated him to invest and work hard. At the same time, however, entrepreneurship brought sudden challenges and bureaucracy that Esko had not anticipated.

- As an entrepreneur, I've made huge progress, but in the early stages I was surprised by the bureaucracy. For example, the issues related to the pre-entitlement register and making an estimate of potential income were some of the first difficulties. Invoicing practices also seemed difficult at first," Esko recalls.

-And there's also the way the state treats entrepreneurs - it feels like a tax on top of a tax. But at the end of the day, the money goes to society, so I guess some good has come out of it.

What type of company should you choose?

Eerikäinen recommends setting up a limited company and choosing a good accounting firm when the business is already larger and the income is stable. It makes sense to set up a limited company if the aim is to grow the business and if the company has many customers or employees.

On the other hand, if you are just thinking about starting your own business or want to try out offering your own services without taking a big financial risk, light entrepreneurship is an excellent option. It offers a flexible and lighter way to try entrepreneurship, without excessive bureaucracy.

Eerikäinen has also experienced challenges with the business, such as difficulties in forecasting income, which led to unexpected tax consequences.

- At the end of my first year in business, I had a 15 000 euro payday waiting for me, and it was definitely not a pleasant surprise, Esko tells Iltalehti.fi.

However, business entrepreneurship can work well when there are few activities and you want to keep costs low.

”Focus on your skills”

The rise of light entrepreneurship in Finland has enabled many people to start their own business without a lot of administrative hassle. Esko Eerikäinen has pointed out that services such as Kevyesti.fi, are a great help for light entrepreneurs.

- Kevyesti.fi makes entrepreneurship simpler and takes care of a lot of the paperwork involved in entrepreneurship. Then you can focus on your core competencies and work, without the constant worry of bureaucracy," says Eerikäinen.

Learning and adaptation

Esko's entrepreneurial path has been full of learning, adapting and managing bureaucracy, but also of successes and opportunities to develop his own business. His advice to budding entrepreneurs is clear.

- Dare to ask for advice, get to grips with bureaucracy and don't be afraid to outsource your financial management to experts. And if you choose to go light, choose a service that really makes your life easier.

”You are not alone”

- Remember, you are not alone in this journey. Entrepreneurship is about learning and having the courage to ask for advice. Light entrepreneurship is a good way to get started and reach for your dreams without extra administrative pressure," Eerikäinen encourages Iltalehti.fi's entrepreneurial readers.

Light entrepreneurship can provide a good first step into entrepreneurship and is ideal for those who want to focus on their skills without excessive administrative burdens. Esko's story shows how entrepreneurship requires adaptation and continuous learning. With the right tools and services, such as the Kevyesti.fi invoicing service, starting an entrepreneurial career is much easier.

Light entrepreneurship through Kevyesti.fi offers a safe way to try entrepreneurship without the high risks and red tape - and best of all, it costs nothing to get started. You can also try light entrepreneurship alongside your own paid work, making it a flexible and risk-free way to explore entrepreneurship. This allows you to focus on your skills and growing your business without a significant administrative burden.