In Finland we celebrate Entrepreneurs every year on Sept. 5th, this is why I wanted to share my story of how I became an owner of my own business. I was never really supposed to become a full-time entrepreneur, but that’s how it turned out. At first, starting a business felt scary – like jumping into the unknown. Without the support and encouragement from my family, I probably wouldn’t be here today.
The First Steps into Entrepreneurship
I lost my job in October 2016 due to company-wide negotiations, and I had to rethink my career path. I found a new calling and started school at the beginning of 2017. The Finnish “activation model” did everything it could to make sure I would never become an interior design entrepreneur. My studies didn’t qualify, since they claimed it did not improve my employment prospects. But I was determined not to be paralyzed by bureaucracy and kept pushing forward.
At one point, I was working on my final school project, preparing the entrance assignment for university (where I applied to study architecture), attending mandatory activation model training in another city, and applying for five jobs per month. If anything, that truly required an entrepreneurial mindset. By the end the week, I was always completely exhausted.
When I founded my company in 2018, my goal was to build a career in interior design. Of course, it doesn’t just happen overnight, no matter how strong your skills and determination are. During the first years, I focused heavily on marketing and got small projects. Most of my income, however, still came from my earlier professional expertise – marketing. I worked as a marketing consultant for other businesses. I still do some of this today, although the majority of my time is now dedicated to interior design.
Gradually, I began to receive larger projects. Then the pandemic and the war hit, and the effects of that combination are still being felt. But let’s rewind a little, to when I first dipped a toe into Spain.
To the Costa del Sol
My husband had been traveling to Spain for years, and it was his idea to establish a base there. We spent about a year looking at properties on the Costa del Sol before finally finding what we were looking for. The year was 2019, when we finally found what we’ve been looking for.
At that stage, the culture still felt very different to me, and the thought of doing business in Spain seemed daunting. But design work can be done almost anywhere, anytime. My days in Spain were often spent in front of my computer, creating plans for clients back in Finland. I also did subcontracted design work in Spain and even managed a few projects of my own locally.
The work situation in Finland continued to be relatively weak. Finally, in 2024, I had to admit to myself that there was more work in Spain. By then, I had already become more familiar with the Costa del Sol and the way things are done there.
At the beginning of 2025, I signed the papers and Decorasi S.L. was officially founded. The process wasn’t easy at all. The local bureaucracy is a jungle – had I known beforehand everything I know now, I might not have had the courage to start a company in Spain. In Finland, things like founding a company are straightforward, clear, and, above all, quick.
In Spain, the days are full of work, but there’s still time to enjoy the sunshine.
As an Entrepreneur – Now and in the Future
In Finland, I would hope for a more positive attitude toward entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs aren’t always the villains; often they are solo entrepreneurs like me, who simply want to make a living doing what they love. Despite all the challenges, I hope I will still be an entrepreneur when retirement comes. Today, I can proudly say that I have been earning my living as an entrepreneur for seven years!
Nowadays, I run my businesses in both Finland and Spain, flexibly across both countries. So don’t hesitate to reach out, where ever your project may be – in Finland or on the Costa del Sol.
Sunny regards,
Sari Lindblom
Entrepreneur