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UKKO.fi light entrepreneurship online platform

Most craftspeople in Finland have a main occupation and practice craftsmanship in addition to fulfil their passion. Some craftspeople continue towards full entrepreneurship in the creative sector, but funding can be a challenge. In addition, craftspeople may be better to first trial whether they want to be full time entrepreneurs or not and to practice becoming entrepreneurs without taking full risks of going solo just yet. UKKO.fi provides one solution to this issue as a light entrepreneurship website platform is provided without having to start a business or obtain a business license or commit to long-term contracts.

UKKO.fi provides light entrepreneurship website platform without starting your own business. Light entrepreneurship is the easiest way to start an entrepreneurial activity. You do not have to start a business or obtain a business license, you do not have to commit to long-term contracts. You can do light entrepreneurship part time. It can be a side job.

Light entrepreneurship can be part time, a side job. This can benefit craftspeople who may not want— and/or may not find it profitable - to put the time, energy, and money into establishing a company. With UKKO.fi services, billing, collections, insurance, prepayments, VAT and other paperwork and red tape are all handled by UKKO.fi for the light entrepreneur. For craftspeople, this allows more time for making handicrafts and frees the individual from having to know and do a lot of accounting.

- In 2020, UKKO.fi's net sales were approximately EUR 95 million
- 81 staff in September 2021 (70 in Finland); up from 65 in 2020

- Founded in 2012
- Market leader since 2016
- Net sales exceeded EUR 100 in 2019
- Over 100,000 users in 2020
- Recognition/awareness level 67% in 2021
- In 2012-2021, UKKO.fi users paid a total of EUR 115 million in taxes, executed more than 500,000 orders and paid a total of EUR 377 million in fees

UKKO.fi’s founders went through many ideas before landing on the model for UKKO.fi. They value trial and error and want to provide the opportunity for individuals to try out business ideas through light entrepreneurship. This is ideal for craftspeople who may be testing the market with their goods.

UKKO.fi’s light entrepreneurship services specifically support individuals who do not want to set up a business license for themselves. Finnish law allows for this type of freelance work. UKKO.fi is knowledgeable about taxation, insurance and accounting practices in Finland. A similar service would need to have expertise in the business and taxation laws and accounting practices of its country.

Craft-making is tedious work. This practice provides an easy, nimble way for people to begin working for themselves without support staff or the burden of doing all of their own accounting. This can dramatically increase the numbers of people willing to take a risk and try something new. It also helps alleviate unemployment. For individual craftspeople, this service can make selling handicrafts easier because they do not need to take time and other resources away from craft-making. Similar services could benefit craftspeople in other countries.