Who are we?
Our Mantra: Revolutionizing Employment
Valmista is where independence flourishes. It’s the place where Service Providers find the ideal conditions to connect with clients, align their services, and gain visibility in a fair marketplace. Here, everyone works towards mutual success, independently yet together.
Our Motto: Be Your Own Boss
Mission: Empowering Independence & Promoting Excellence
Our goal at Valmista is simple but powerful. We want to help freelancers, gig workers and business owners to shine on their own. We aim to revolutionize the employment landscape for freelancers, gig workers and business owners by sharing knowledge, tips, and a top-notch platform to make being your own boss a smooth journey.
We are committed to helping enhance entrepreneurial skills and providing a platform that boosts visibility for service providers. By connecting top-tier freelancers, gig workers and businesses with their ideal customers, we aim to transform the service economy starting from Finland. We aim to become Finland’s preferred service provider platform, fostering a community where every hardworking service provider is recognized nationwide. Through Valmista, we are dedicated to reshaping the service industry and establishing a globally renowned Finnish brand.
Vision: A world with a fair marketplace for all independents
Imagine a world where everyone who provides a service is in charge of their own work, free from others taking a cut of their earnings. We dream of a place where customers can easily find the perfect service they need, paying a fair price for great work. Our big dream is to make this a reality for everyone. We believe in a world where every service, big or small, is valuable and respected, changing the way we all think about buying and selling services.
Therefore, we envision a world transformed for the better, where service providers flourish independently, free from the constraints of middlemen. Our goal is to empower both service providers and customers, ensuring that hard-earned money is invested wisely and returns the best value. We strive for a marketplace where customers effortlessly connect with exceptional services, leading to a thriving economy underpinned by fairness and opportunity.
Our Story
Tomi: I began my journey with Valmista in the spring of 2020, during a time when I was juggling my 9 to 5 job, pursuing my eMBA, and preparing for the arrival of my first child with my wife. Long story short, we desperately needed our windows cleaned to create a brighter future for our child. With us expecting, leading busy lives, and not being well-versed in window cleaning, we decided to find a window cleaning company to hire for the job. I thought it should be simple since we have Google. Yet, the challenge was more difficult than I expected. Living in Lappeenranta, a small city in a small country, it took me about an hour to locate a service. Out of the four companies I contacted, only one responded, and that too after several days. This frustrating experience highlighted a gap in the market for reliable and quality service providers. I thought there should be a better way.
Around this time, Tero, a friend from my MBA class, and I were exploring business ideas. We both recognized similar difficulties in the service sector and began brainstorming solutions. We noted that the nature of work, whether in IT or other fields, is shifting towards project-based models rather than lifelong employment at a single company. This observation further fueled our desire to innovate and led to the conceptualization of Valmista.
Tero: Reflecting on my own story, I grew up as a farmer’s boy and did a lot of different handyman jobs while growing up. I quite enjoyed my side hustles, but when I started corporate life, I stopped doing such work.
However, while working in the corporate world, I engaged in a lot of entrepreneurship for the companies I worked for. Now that I think about it, I still had that desire for a money-making side hustle. Out of curiosity, I searched online: was it possible to do this online? I couldn’t think of a Finnish platform that catered to that, especially for gig work and handyman-type stuff.
After our discussions with Tomi about the idea of creating a Service Provider platform, I thought that I would use such a platform! Why not? I would be happy to use it both as a Service Provider and a Client. I thought I would be happy to also provide others with the same opportunity, especially young people.
That brought us closer to the Valmista idea. Along the way, we wondered why, until this time, Finland did not have such well-known platforms. We thought it could be due to our culture of doing things ourselves, which is not problematic; that is something we are proud of. But at the same time, we saw nothing wrong with receiving a service, as it contributes to the economy and one’s well-being.
Then our mind was set. We were going to continue with Valmista and take it where it goes. One of my dreams is to create a world-known Finnish company, and I think Valmista can be that company. I would be happy to see that.
How do we describe the need for Valmista?
Challenge
Freelancers, gig workers and small business owners often struggle to find the right clients and manage their work effectively. Their main challenges include standing out in a crowded market, navigating legal requirements, and securing enough work. One of the biggest hurdles is getting noticed and reaching potential clients without spending a lot on marketing or losing a portion of their earnings to middlemen.
At the same time, customers are searching for trustworthy and high-quality services but find it hard to locate the right providers, especially in smaller towns or for niche services. Valmista addresses this by creating a platform that simplifies the connection between service providers and clients. Our aim is to provide an easy, reliable, and direct way for service providers to offer their skills and for customers to find the services they need.
Solution
Valmista offers an innovative solution that makes it easy for service providers and clients to connect and do business. This digital platform is user-friendly, allowing service providers to display their skills, manage their schedules, and communicate directly with clients. For clients, it’s a hassle-free way to quickly find and book the services they need.
What sets Valmista apart is its commitment to a commission-free model. This approach empowers service providers by letting them keep all their earnings. At the same time, it provides clients with transparent, straightforward pricing. With Valmista, the focus is on building a fair and efficient marketplace where both service providers and clients benefit from simplicity, transparency, and direct communication.
Result
Valmista is revolutionizing the service market by giving more power and opportunities to freelancers, gig workers and small businesses. This new approach creates a fairer marketplace, where service providers have the freedom to manage their work and connect with a broader range of clients. Meanwhile, clients enjoy access to a wide variety of quality services, easy booking, and transparent pricing.
The platform goes beyond just connecting people; it’s about building a community that values hard work, creativity, and contributing to a healthier economy. By focusing on these goals, Valmista is making the service industry more accessible, equitable, and beneficial for everyone involved. It’s not just about making transactions smoother; it’s about supporting people and businesses to grow and succeed in a sustainable way.
