How it all began

After a few years as an entrepreneur in a small town in Southern Finland I moved back into my childhood home in Äkäslompolo in 2001. It had been a long time since I felt at home like this. Even though the old yard was in a state of disrepair, I thought that if I could, I would build a good place for myself and my family to live here on Karila farm. But, I had no idea how that would happen. I spent a couple of years searching for a direction. From running a business I had learned that you can burn out, get tired, get stuck, and become a prisoner of one’s own idea.

There was this old log barn in the yard, nothing special; a small cowshed for five cows with a hay barn attached. It was built in the early fifties, now it was a little sagging here and there. Gradually, however, it began to feel like I could renovate a small workspace for myself in that barn. Maybe a small café could operate there, since there is a ski track next door? When I was outlining my idea and applying for funding, I was told that no café would be worth it in that location and that it would never be a popular place. I guess someone who earns a salary as a business consultant thought I was too old to start a business (I was under 40).

Nevertheless, I started implementing my business idea, stumbling, making mistakes and sometimes even succeeding. At the beginning, my goal was to at least finance my own lifestyle – and not have to start filling out those unemployment forms again. Gradually, my little barn business was able to employ me, my husband and, in the high season, a couple of employees. Every year, turnover has grown, slowly but surely. Now that the former barn is full of people speaking all kinds of languages, the fire in the stove is burning cheerfully and I get nice feedback and praise for the work we do, I would like to meet those who once doubted and laughed at my plans. But on the other hand, it was good that I had to weigh up that doubt. They could also have been right! It stayed in the back of my mind the whole time.

You never know what tomorrow will bring. Neither the entrepreneur nor the employee, no matter how big and solid the employer is. Situations can change and all plans can be changed. Life is just like that. But life is the most enjoyable when you feel like you are living it: your own life!

We have been given a great, rich home , full of opportunities. Here you can realize yourself, create your own life. A person can be very satisfied living even on a small scale. Then there will be time for other things that bring content to life. But at some point in your life, it is worth stopping to think about what you really want to do with your life and what it requires. Self-employment is an option worth considering. There are different ways to do it. Of course, it is not suitable for everyone, and nothing comes for free – everything has its price.

Although I haven’t been able to make a lot of money in my life, I still consider my life rich.

Matti (Nykänen) is right on this point: life is the best time of a person’s life!