I got to sit down with Tara Malay of Sigma Freelancing the other night and while Tara and I have a bit of history back when we lived in Jyväskylä - we did not get to see each other often until I moved to Turku for work a few months afterward!
I had moved here in August 2018 and did not know anyone really other than my workmates and at the time partner that I dated - so it was wonderful to see a familiar face!
Now - over a year later, I sat down with her to discuss what brings her to Finland and what IS "Sigma Freelancing".
"What brought you to Finland and when did you move here from the USA?
I moved here in August 2016 to study my masters abroad. I had other expat friends living in Finland already and also some I had met from Germany while studying there abroad.
What did you study?
I was doing my Masters in Applied Linguistics.
Do you plan to study more here and if so - would it be a continuation of your current study field or something entirely different?
After I obtain Finnish citizenship I would like to go to the police school in Tampere.
They offer their education program in Swedish, which would mean smaller classes as there are less Swedish speakers and I am fluent in Swedish!
Why the police force?
I have
always had an interest in the law and law enforcement and as a foreigner - I believe we should know the local laws.
I feel that foreigners that require police assistance or are involved with a police matter somehow - would prefer to have someone they can communicate easily with in English. And if they do not speak Finnish or Swedish - then they would be able to express themselves in English in an emergency situation.
Where are you from in the USA?
I am from Dallas, Texas.
Other than language differences - what was a major culture shock for you moving to Finland?
How extremely introverted Finns can be and they really can keep to themselves - and I myself am an introvert!
What cities did you live in other than Turku?
I have lived in Dallas of course, New Orleans (Louisiana), Dortmund (Germany), Jyväskylä (Finland) and I have spend a lot of time in Stockholm (Sweden).
What are your hobbies?
Reading, nature photography, watching Youtube videos, reading fashion magazines and I love cooking!
When did Sigma Freelancing come about?
Around November 2019 I was incredibly frustrated because I did not have a job and I couldn't find one at all - so I decided to make my own job and I have filled paperwork and am just getting started.
What does "Sigma" represent?
Sigma is my favourite Greek letter! I did a semester in Ancient Greek Literature and I also really like the look of it. It is used a lot in math and it means it is the sum of something.
In physics it has to do with a term called "self-energy" in condensed matter physics. Basically self energy is the energy that a particle has - as a result of changes it itself caused in its own environment.
Sigma's core values are offering services to small business companies who need help with social media platforms and help these businesses understand the value of a strong social media presence.
What do you do as a freelancer?
I am teaching my clients to understand
value and
strategy. If you don't have an idea - you're going nowhere. If you can understand what each social media platform can give or offer you - then utilize them accordingly - then your customer flow can increase significantly.
Why do you want to be a freelancer?
Being from the USA there is a warped sense of work and life balance. For me - as a freelancer - I have the freedom to be my own boss, do as much work as I feel comfortable doing and it gives me the ability to achieve a healthy work and life balance.
Because I know a lot of people can burn themselves out at their jobs - whether they are entrepreneurs or not!
Do you find it difficult to find clients that need your services?
I am officially licensed but I am in progress of getting legal insurances and once that is obtained then I will be taking on clients.
I do feel there is a niche for my services. People KNOW what social media is but knowing how to utilize their social media platforms fully is where I am needed.
Are Finns open-minded to having an expat handle their business-related affairs with Sigma Freelancing?
The assumption is that it would be on a customer-by-customer basis. Everyone has different needs.
What is it like for an expat to open up their own small business or become an entrepreneur?
I think it is quite simple and knowing Swedish DEFINITELY helps.
All the sites, information and documents are available in Finnish but of course there are some things that do not translate well to Swedish or it is missing altogether so you need to hunt for it.
There is a
really strong entrepreneurship community in Finland and they can provide you with information packages depending on what kind of business you are registering.
There is the
link for the Finnish Patent and Registration office.
And also there is
"My Enterprise Finland" which is a public service managed by Ministry of Economic Affairs & Employment - this would be handy for those wanting to start up their own business!
I informed Tara that everyone else I have interviewed so far would disagree with that statement based on language skills and requirements alone and this is where Tara has the upper hand - being very fluent in Swedish!
How would you change the system for expat students living in Finland - if you were given the power?
I would change the Finnish language requirements. At least based on when I was attending the University of Jyväskylä - depending on what you studied of course - I would focus more on day to day situations and be more of a spoken-heavy course. We did a lot of book-based learning and it was not enough.
I did not feel comfortable or learn enough to order food or ask for assistance while out shopping. So there are huge gaps in my learning of the Finnish language.
There should also be caps in the amount of students per class as well.
At most - 20 students. Everyone has different levels and it is mandatory to study Finnish for a single semester. Within one of my classes there were multiple and huge gaps (both in learning and the knowledge of the Finnish language) and there would be easily 30+ people in the same room!
How would you change the system and application process for expat small business holders living in Finland - if you were given the power?
I would have
everything available in English. I do understand that the two official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish but there are SO many foreigners needing jobs that they could do a better job if they offered their existing skills as business owners.
How does Sigma Freelancing compare to other freelancing companies in Finland?
It is hard to compare because everyone is different. I think my idea is unique and upcoming and the social media strategy business is becoming more popular and necessary.
Is Sigma Freelancing a franchised/already established company or you're completely independent and 100% local?
I am 100% local and independent.
I pointed out that there were other "Sigma Freelancing" companies online but she confirmed that she is not affiliated with those and is completely independent.
Do you feel having a social media presence helps to boost customer flow? What kind of social media presence do you have with Sigma Freelancing?
Currently I have Instagram and am in the process of building a Twitter account and a Facebook page.
A lot of people think social media is only for connecting with friends and family. But once you utilize it to its full potential - your audience is THE whole world.
Sigma Freelancing will be offering services for Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And while a lot of people think Pinterest is just for food and crafts - you can actually do a lot more with it!
What are the pros and cons or challenges of having your own small business in Finland from a foreigners perspective?
Pros
Because I speak Swedish - one major pro is that all the documents are available in Swedish!
There is also a strong entrepreneurship community in Finland and I really do feel very supported.
Cons
Well, not everything is in Swedish so there is a bit of a treasure hunt involved. Some things are missing and sometimes I have to find it in Finnish or English and translate it accordingly.
If you do not speak Swedish or English - banking can be difficult.
As an American - certain laws affect expats in foreign countries. For example, some banks don't comply with American banks regulations so getting a Finnish bank account with insurance - whether it be personal or a business one - is extremely difficult.
There is a law called "
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA)" so as an American we have to abide by this.
In Finland we have to file taxes once a year where as in the USA we have to file taxes every quarter but even though we have to file in both countries we only have to pay to Finland and the IRS can see we pay taxes to another country. Of course this depends on how much you make.
Do you feel your education you have currently has prepared you for running a small business?
I would say 50/50 because from a language perspective - most definitely. I have the language skill sets to make my idea sell.
But I learned a lot of the business side from my father as he has worked in a bank before and still works in a business-related field. I learned a lot also from friends, other business owners and online videos too.
Starting businesses has ran in my family for a very long time -
my great uncle knows how to make cowboy boots and actually my great grandfather was into super custom-made cowboy boot making and had his own shop. He was actually an apprentice for "Lucchese Bootmaker" brand!
So I come from a family of self-makers.
Is freelancing in your field popular in the USA?
It is starting to become really popular among those in their late 20's to 30's. The only thing is that a lot of jobs do not offer pension plans so you have to ensure you have enough in your savings for when you retire - but with freelancing, you are in control of everything - including when you retire.
There is not enough creativity being used in companies and you are often told to suppress it. But with freelancing - you only limit yourself and you can use as much creativity as you want.
What advice would you give to other expats wanting to run a small business themselves?
Best thing you can do is to be friends with someone who is an entrepreneur or has their own business. Be sure to ask questions of other business owners and of the entrepreneurship community! Especially befriend those that are in a business that is similar to your business you are trying to start.
Don't be afraid to mess up and also, don't be afraid to ask for help!
What languages do you speak?
English is my native language and I am fluent in Swedish. However, my German is pretty good and my Spanish, Russian and Finnish skill levels are
very basic.
Starting up a self entrepreneurship in Finland as an expat is a very high risk in this particular field. Did you consider signing up via Ukko or anything similar to reduce the risk to yourself and your business idea?
(Ukko is a light entrepreneurship company that handles taxes and a lot of the paperwork for you so you can work legally and test out your business idea.)
I don't know if I'll do that. It seems like they take care of a lot of the bureaucratic work and I've already done that, plus the banking stuff. I need an accountant, but that's easy enough to find. I think that Ukko would be good if you can't speak Swedish or Finnish, but if you can, then I don't really see the use for it unless you're unsure of the banking and insurance side of things.
Also, I enjoy trying to learn these things for myself because I think it's good to know as a business owner.
Where do you see yourself and Sigma Freelancing in 12 months, 5 and 10 years respectively?
In 12 months I would like to have at least 4 clients.
In 5 years I would like to expand my business and hire an employee or two.
In 10 years I would like to have a second office in Sweden or Germany and go international. Currently I am working from home."
I would like to thanks Tara for taking the time to meet with me and sharing insight of what it's like to start a business from a Swedish-speaking American point of view!
You can find Sigma Freelancing
on Instagram,
Facebook and
on her site here.
LAFA
If you are interested in having an interview with me and being featured in my blog - please email me!
LearningaboutFinland(a)gmail.com
