Little bit of hustle

How to silence internet rants? Put the energy into something productive instead.

My tiny service business had a surprisingly good late spring and early summer. And autumn has never started this brightly in fourteen years. Caution: it is a tiny, tiny business. The bottom was so low that a small bounce → Busy.

Being an entrepreneur is so hard in Finland.

• Zero predictability in the service industry; everybody orders at the last moment.

• Rising energy prices. Small service business pricing power? Mitten tier.

• For some reason, everybody in Finland hates small entrepreneurs, be it “right-wing” politicians, from worker unions to just your average Joe.

There has never been a better time.

• The bar is pretty low in the service industry, at least. Cleaners cannot clean, electricians do a shitty job, and don’t leave cables neat. Try getting a mechanic to fix your shit? Anybody answering calls and emails? Carpet cleaners don’t bother. Landscapers work with only one hand. The list could continue forever.

• Everybody is so doomerish. Always go against the herd. Now it’s time to build and not whine.

• Zero predictability. Be an entrepreneur and hustle. The old and clumsy government-protected services that rely on predictability? I wish the government would let them die away.

• Rising costs? Rising energy costs hurt everybody. Innovate ways to be more energy efficient and build better service. The big incumbents just send letter oh no here +10% to the price. Best service? Best price? = win the market.

• Purpose. Running a business is a good purpose. It is a great joy to help other businesses do better and get paid for it! They are happy you get money, and it’s win-win!

• You get to meet plenty of new people. I have tried to recruit new people; yeah, it’s hard, but I met new people! New customers! Yeah, they demand a lot, but it’s good. Do business > doomscrolling and whining.

Is it for everybody? No.

The sad truth is that, in the “AGE OF AI,” being mediocre isn’t enough to survive anymore. Go UNI and go to do some clean desk job? Try to predict what degree will be good for the rest of your life? You could do that 20 years ago, not today. You have to hustle today…

WTF DUDE, what to do then?

1. Own a business

2. Own assets and speculate with stocks

3. Be unusually good at your work, adopt the newest tools. Try things and keep learning.

The message? There is an entrepreneur in all of us: acting, choosing, adapting. Find it, and let human action guide you. No, the government won’t help you. The AI won’t save you. You save yourself by creating value for other people.

My business has been close to bankruptcy at least 3 times; I’ve spent nights crying, “its over”. Lost my money a few times gambling with stocks and went to the forest, cry my eyes out, and puke at the same time.

So what?

Who the fuck cares?

Whatever you do, do it properly. Help people. Solve problems. You don’t need to found a company to be entrepreneurial. Take responsibility.

Every day, do it again, a little bit better.