Don’t we all know at least one foreigner in Oulu who came here with a new business idea and lots of enthusiasm to make it work? Some of them, however did not succeed, simply because there were not enough customers to make the company profitable . . . or perhaps the eager businessperson did not do his or her homework before launching the new enterprise.

Yesterday, I met a man with a not so common profession and skills but a very good business idea. He had also done some very good research on marketing possibilities in Oulu, albeit back in his home country. Paul Dean is a blacksmith, and back in England he has been making horseshoes for 8 years for the British Army.

He and his Finnish girlfriend Leila moved from London to Oulu last November and in January Paul started his mobile blacksmith service here.

“Not the best time for starting a business like mine” he said. True, winter in Finland affects not only humans but is also a quiet season in horse leisure. Therefore, at the moment Paul is working more on the search for customers than actually fitting the horses with new pairs of shoes.

Paul and Leila already began their customer hunt in London through some Finnish friends they met there.

“They told us that there is a big demand in the Oulu area for blacksmith services, even gave us names and addresses of some stables,” said Paul.

 But friends are friends and officials are officials, we all know that. Paul and Leila preferred to be on the safe side and contacted the Finnish Blacksmiths Association (Suomen Kengittysepät Ry) who confirmed the good news about the big market for the professional blacksmith services. Paul took all the necessary blacksmith tools with him and the couple came to live in Oulu.

“How do you find your customers now?” I asked him, knowing that he does not speak any Finnish yet.

“We take our company’s posters and business cards with us and simply go to various places that have horses (like stables or riding schools) and offer my services. Some addresses we found through the Internet but the good reputation of my work and the word passing from one horse owner to another is the real key to success. The article in Forum 24 newspaper was a big help for us too. I got about 4-5 calls from horse owners the same day it was published” said Paul.

Although Paul’s Finnish language skills are rather basic at the moment, he doesn’t see it as a major problem to run his company.

“Leila usually accompanies me and does the introductory talk during the first visit to my new client. Once the presentation has been made and ice broken, I get to do my work alone. After all, it’s my skills that are important, not the conversation”, says Paul. Although, he admitted later that speaking the local language is an absolute must for any person running a business. He is currently looking for good Finnish language courses in Oulu.

After moving to Oulu Paul and Leila went to get professional help and advice from one of the consulting companies here, Oulun Seudun Uusyrityskeskus Ry. Seppo Kaijalainen, an English-speaking consultant was a great help to them.

“He told us all we needed to know before starting our company”.  

After getting the business know-how, the couple went to Oulun Työvoimatoimisto, where they applied for the financial benefit that TE Keskus guarantees to some new entrepreneurs. Paul has admitted that this monthly money (“Start-up raha”) is a great help to them at the moment.

“It’s still early days and the business doesn’t bring enough money yet but we still have to pay our rent.”

The first year is usually the most difficult one for many new businesses. It’s often a question of “sink or swim”. Paul is, however, very positive that success will only be a matter of time.

 “With the right and active marketing, which in my case means advertising my services to everyone who owns or knows the stables, riding centres or other horse leisure places, I believe, I will soon have enough customers and work on my hands. Once people find out that I am a true professional and care about both, my human and horse customers, they will overcome their suspicions and come to me,” says Paul.

I asked him, what other difficulties his new company faces at the moment while trying to find the market for his business.

 “Well, as always, the problem lays in people’s economical situation but also their habits” was his honest answer.

What Paul meant by that, was that although horse owners love and care about their pets, they sometimes seem to forget how important for the animal’s health the professional service of a licensed blacksmith can be. Paul has undergone thorough training, in horseshoe making but also in horse anatomy.  According to Paul, it may be more expensive of course to pay the standard price that he charges but the owners will have, in his view, the guarantee of a job well done and no risk of injuries to their animal.

After hearing all the positive and less positive reflections about setting-up a new company in Oulu, especially from someone as brave and enthusiastic as Paul who didn’t waste any time after his arrival and went straight into business, I asked him what advice he would give now to anyone moving here with similar plans and ideas as his.
 
“Such a person has to have enough confidence that his company will succeed. But it’s never wise to take things for granted and expect them to run in a similar way as in one’s home country. It’s very advisable to get to know Oulu and its market possibilities beforehand, even by coming here first on holiday and doing the field research.

One should ask as many detailed questions, as necessary from people who know the local market. It’s also key to learn a lot before putting savings and energy into something completely new and unknown.

Plan the start of your business very carefully; even choose the right time for it. Depending on the nature of the company, summer might be the booming time, or perhaps winter.

And what’s also very important, start your networking, by talking to as many people as possible about your coming up or already running business.

And remember: stay patient!  The first year is never easy but with the right business idea, well done planning and networking the success is guaranteed.”

With Paul’s last words still on my mind, I contacted two of my colleagues who own riding schools near Oulu and told them about the new blacksmith in town. They too promised to spread the word further.  One step at a time….

Paul Dean,
Blacksmith Services:
Tel: + 358 40 4185 439,
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it