True story: Heini, Visual designer
“I remember my mom had a huge stock of art books and I became interested in them when I was about 11 years old. Back then, I already knew I wanted to work somewhere I could draw. I would have liked to study clothing design, but it had a small downside that I should have been able to sew as well, and I was not good at sewing. At the same time, I learned that you could study audiovisual communication media assistance at Hollola Kukonkoivu, so I applied there. When I received the note that I got in, I also ticked a box that I wanted to complete a triple degree. That’s how I also graduated from high school at the same time – partly out of social pressure. So, at an incredibly early stage, it has become clear to me that I want to work with my hands.
As a visual designer, I am more focused on advertising agencies and not so much on mere illustration, for example. Of course, as a hobby I draw and paint, this way these skills are preserved, and it brings balance to working on the computer. At the very beginning of my studies, we painted and drew a lot, but then we focused more on everything else. Just over ten years later, while completing my master’s degree, I then took more elective courses where I got to paint and practice my own motor skills again for that job. I have been lucky to have known what I want to do since I was young, and it has carried me forward ever since. I can’t imagine any professions other than this.
I must say, in this profession, almost everything is learned the hard way. Particularly estimating your own coping skills, especially at a young age. Today, I can evaluate well what I can do and how much I can handle, and I don’t even try to force it if I can’t. And sometimes there have been adversities such as being completely tired of my own profession, and I have thought that now I am changing my profession completely. These situations have mainly come from the fact that the work is hectic and stressful. When working on your own, you need to work hours when your head works the best. As an entrepreneur I can choose when I do my job and that’s an ideal situation. I can choose working just when I’m the most effective. When you get an idea, you can do the job in 15 mins. Forced to do the same job, you can easily spend even 15 hours.
My star moment was at the time of my master’s degree, I did my Master’s in human creativity. When I internalized all that is meant by creativity, it was a humbling experience. How built-in feature creativity is, and after all, everyone can master it. Creativity is based a lot on brain and body activity and is a truly natural thing. Creativity is a real unifying factor in humanity and when you discover all this, it’s a pretty cool thing!
For me, a project always starts with getting to know what the client is doing. The client can be a small sole proprietor or a large company or organization, but I always start by doing the groundwork carefully. I never go to do a design that has no basis of any kind. Of course, it limits my work because I always keep certain frames in my work. But I enjoy being able to analyze and research what I am doing and to whom. I also get to know exactly what my client’s audience is to make sure the communication I create works. In the future, I would also like my own projects where I could extend my boundaries visually.
With Corona, I’ve thought a lot about what I’d like to do. It is certain that I will continue in this field, but perhaps a little differently in the future. I have been in advertising for several years and done a lot of business communication, but now I’m starting to outline my guidelines in life again. I would like to do more work in science. You must learn so many things in it and I like it when you get to learn something new all the time. There is so much of everything in science that is hard to explain, and I want to be involved in taking science communication forward.
In this field, you must be patient and unyielding. Even if you are rejected in interviews, just believe in yourself, there is always someone who wants to hire you. All you have to do is find your own path. Or you will find clients by doing your own work and thereby employ yourself. But perseverance is everything, even though it sometimes seems tiring. In this field, it is difficult to get to school and gain a foothold in the field, especially in Finland, the circles are quite small. But yes, there is always someone who wants you to work for them, for sure. There is always a way, your own path to the industry.
I really like light entrepreneurship. At one point, I thought I would have started my own business, but then I did not. Partly because when I use Eezy, I save so much time when all the bureaucracy is handled through them. Nor is there any risk of any mandatory fees being missed, especially now that the YEL is also being handled through Eezy. It is so easy to keep track of how much money for YEL is saved from each invoice, all insurance payments are taken care of. At times, it feels weird that light entrepreneurship is not considered as real entrepreneurship, but I strongly believe that it will change.”
Hi! I’m Heini and this is my true story.
I am a visual communication designer and Eezy light entrepreneur. With corona, I stopped looking for a job and decided to start working as a full-time light entrepreneur. I work from Finland and Malta and will permanently move my office to Gozo in the Fall.
Check out my portfolio at: https://punintended.design
In addition, you will find me and my work in social media:
