Guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs

 

 

We're here to help you get started!

In the early stages of starting a new business, especially your first one, many questions arise, and numerous considerations need to be taken into account in the founding process. You can already book a meeting with a business developer, who will help you get started and discuss suitable solutions for your situation.

"Could I become an entrepreneur?"

Before you take your business idea forward, it's important to consider whether you're ready to dive into the life of an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are often multitaskers, adaptable to various roles as needed, and may not always count their working hours. However, you don't need to know everything yourself. Good networks and service providers are also crucial for entrepreneurs. Generally, success as an entrepreneur requires:

  • Risk-taking ability
  • Hard work
  • Determination
  • Execution capability
  • Flexibility

Of course, no one is born a master, and entrepreneurship skills can also be developed! However, it's worth testing how ready you are to take on the role of an entrepreneur.

TEE OMA YRITYS-SUOMEN YRITTÄJÄTESTI

Have you considered the option of buying a business? Instead of starting a new business, you can also become an entrepreneur by purchasing an existing company.

Lue lisää yritysoston vaihtoehdosta

Onko minusta yrittäjäksi?

The steps to start a business

Below are the typical steps involved when starting a completely new business. However, business activities can also commence through the acquisition of an existing company, where you continue to develop the established business, or as a light entrepreneur, where you don't establish a new company but start operations through an existing invoicing service. Even in these situations, it's important to plan your business activities, and you can still take advantage of free business advice.

1
Clarify your business idea into a business concept.

A good business idea is only truly good when it's put into practice. However, it's crucial not to rush into things; careful execution is part of a successful start.

The first step towards that is to translate your business idea into a business plan. As the name suggests, it's a plan for how you'll implement your business idea. It helps you assess on paper the feasibility of your idea, funding needs, and other considerations along the way.

In addition to helping you grasp and proactively address key aspects of running a business, you'll also need this document when seeking financing. A carefully crafted business plan, backed by a profitable idea and financial projections, adds credibility. That's why it's worth investing time and effort into it.

A good and free online platform for creating a business plan is available from Oma-Yritys Suomi. By logging in with your bank credentials, you can return to your business plan later. Experience has taught us that a plan isn't perfected in one go.

2
Schedule a consultation for refining your business idea.

Once you've already started working on your business plan and perhaps encountered some questions or calculations that have left you scratching your head, it's the right time to reach out to Business Kemi's business developers.

We can schedule a meeting where you can confidentially and free of charge go through your idea and business plan, as well as any issues for which you haven't found a solution.

The meeting can be arranged face-to-face or remotely via Teams. Gather together at this point the issues and questions for which you need comments from a business advisor.

3
Conduct the necessary investigations.

After our meeting, you'll likely have some homework to do, but you'll have a clear idea of what happens next.

Next, start moving forward with the issues discussed with the business advisor and address any specific questions that have arisen regarding your own business idea.

Usually, there's plenty to investigate, such as industry-specific permits, and this stage can vary greatly in duration depending on the entrepreneur.

Selvitä tästä tarvittavat luvat

The Tax Administration has compiled guidelines for aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as a straightforward newsletter series that explains the basics of business taxation.

Verohallinnon vinkit alkavalle yrittäjälle

4
Refine your plans and calculations.

Once you've found answers to your questions, it's time to refine your business plans and financial projections.

More important than having polished documents is that you, as an entrepreneur, develop a clear picture of your business and gain a realistic understanding of the financing needs and profitability of your venture.

Pääset tästä rahoituslaskelmien ohjevideoon

5
Get your company's financing in order.

Starting a business almost always requires money. Sometimes more, sometimes less. If you need more than what's in your own pocket, it's time to turn to financiers.

You'll need to convince a financier of the viability and profitability of your idea, and for this, you'll need a business plan.

The most common financier for a business is your own bank. Through them, you can also explore the possibility of Finnvera guarantees for your company.

Lisää yrityksen rahoitusvaihtoehdoista

6
Choose a legal form for your business and decide on the company name.

Already in the first business advisory meeting, we'll discuss which legal form best supports your business activities, and the business advisor will explain the differences between various legal forms.

Yrittäjien opas yritysmuodoista

The final decision usually takes shape based on the company's operations and future goals. The company name is often already in the entrepreneur's mind well in advance, although changes can be made until the incorporation process.

PRH:n vinkit yrityksen nimeämiseen

7
Apply for startup grant (before incorporation procedures).

8
Complete the incorporation procedures.

9
Find the right accountant.

10
Make necessary purchases

11
Get the necessary insurance, at least YEL.

12
Start your business and network.

Our services for you and your new company

You don't have to know everything yourself! It's worth taking advantage of free and confidential advice when starting a business. Through us, you can get advice on quick individual questions over the phone, and in meetings - either remotely or in person - we can go through, among other things, these issues:

liiketoiminta suunnitelma

Business plan review

When you've refined your business idea towards a clearer concept and already drafted the outline of your business plan, we can discuss the feasibility of the idea, sales and marketing plans, a realistic timeline, key steps for starting the business in your situation, and any other questions you may have.

The purpose of the business plan is primarily to clarify for the entrepreneur what important aspects need to be considered when launching the business. At the same time, you'll be creating a document to assure potential investors of the profitability of your idea.

rahoituskuviot-sisalto

Assisting with financing arrangements

The business plan also includes key financial calculations aimed at ensuring that your business idea is profitable and feasible.

Business Kemi's business developers will help you understand what needs to be considered in the financial statements of the company and how much both your own financial investment and potential external financing are required to implement the idea.

Perustamistoimet-sisalto-1

Questions related to establishment procedures and the choice of legal form for the company.

The activities of the new company and its future plans will influence which legal form best serves your new business. We will discuss the options and the factors to consider with each when you share your idea with us. Ultimately, as the entrepreneur, you decide which option best suits your needs and those of your future company.

However, for many, the real moment of truth when starting a business is when the official registration is submitted to the Finnish Patent and Registration Office. As an entrepreneur, this isn't something you do every day, so expert assistance is available to help you prepare the registration notification.

vakuutukset, starttiraha

Insurance, startup grant, and various obligations of an entrepreneur

It's important to clarify and consider the obligations related to entrepreneurship when establishing a company to avoid unpleasant surprises.

In Business Kemi's advisory services, these matters are addressed for each new business. We assist in creating a timeline that takes into account the processing times for various permits and registrations, as well as the correct sequence of implementation.

Let's schedule a meeting!

You'll get the most out of the meeting when you've already worked on your business idea to some extent.
Before the meeting:

You've started compiling the Business Plan (BP) and outlined your business idea, for example, using the Oma Yritys-Suomi service.

You've compiled the key questions that are on your mind.

You've already given some preliminary thought to how much and how you plan to finance the expenses related to starting the business.

I'm here to help you get started!

Tuula Saarela
yrityskehittäjä, rahoitusneuvonta ja aloittavien yrittäjien neuvonta
Tuula Saarela tuula.saarela@digipolis.fi
040 128 7272