Blog postBy Rami Hirvelä
Balancing Work and Well-being: Lessons from a Freelance Data Expert Anton Jääskeläinen
On a typical December morning, freelance data engineer and business intelligence expert Anton Jääskeläinen starts his day with a big coffee. Having organized all his daily tasks the night before, he can dive straight into his project at one of the large Finnish pension insurers.
“I’m working as part of a larger project, so I’m at the client's office a few days a week, presenting new development opportunities and solutions and meeting the clients. On other days, I’m working remotely and coding or planning ahead. I also frequently nip to the gym or walk during lunch hour to stay energized until evening,” Anton describes his typical day.
“I can't stand sitting at the office for nothing – I get bored and frustrated as I think the same time can be used for other things. As a freelancer, I can use my time efficiently. In knowledge-intensive work, one's well-being is at the center. I find balancing work and life outside work very important," Anton adds.
Passion for data
Anton graduated with a Master of Science in Innovation and Technology Management in 2016. After working in the logistics industry for a year, he joined a large consulting agency. He rose from Junior Advisor to Advisor, BI Specialist, and Data Engineer within six years in the company.
“I gradually grew and changed tasks within the company, leading to my passion for data, analytics, Power BI, and Azure. I learned the tools and ways of working until I got the complete package: understanding the IT needs, strategy and vision, source systems, how data is generated, integrations, reporting, and finally, decision-making based on data,” Anton says.
Anton has been working as a freelancer through his own company for 18 months now. As a seasoned IT consultant, transitioning from a full-time job to freelancing went smoothly.
“It was my childhood dream to try entrepreneurship one day. What made me act on it back then is that I was burned out, and it made my thoughts move and see things from a different perspective. I thought I now have to start acting according to my values, live life to the fullest, and take risks if needed,” Anton says.
A job well done
In IT, projects are usually completed in three – to six-month contracts. A job well done is a freelancer's best assurance of continuous work.
“When I started at the client in my first freelance project, there were a lot of consultants, but Ididn't bother myself too much about that. As the project went on, the number decreased all the time. I believe the client wanted to keep me in the project as I managed to communicate clearly and get things done what I had promised,” Anton says.
Anton finds that the biggest challenge as a freelancer is that besides having responsibilities on his company side, he has much to answer for on the client side. Besides delivering, working successfully as a trusted advisor comes down to communication.
“I always think about what is best for the customer. Customers do not necessarily know what they need or do not know about the different possibilities. Hence, as a consultant and expert, I’m in a position where I need to advise the customer and dare to suggest something else, not immediately accepting what the customer says," Anton says.
Fast way to projects
Anton appreciates the experience gained from working as a solo entrepreneur:
“I’ve heard some people doubt if the risks are too high, if it makes financial sense, or if you can ever go on a holiday. It’s not risky if one is well prepared. I think it tells a lot about the person if they dare to go out and do something on their own,” Anton says.
Before launching his company, Anton carefully calculated how much he needed to earn to cover his living expenses in different scenarios, such as not finding a suitable project immediately. However, he had no problem finding freelance work:
“When I founded my company, I instantly got an assignment through AI Roots. And I'm still on the same project!”
“You can get into freelancing in many different ways. I think that AI Roots is the most transparent, straightforward, and fastest ways to get a project through an agency. As they make finding a suitable project with them a breeze, it solves 80% of freelancers' worries and challenges. In the end, in freelancing, nothing else matters if there is no client,” Anton underlines.
Are you interested in a career in freelancing? AI Roots is the leading agency for data freelancers in Finland. Join our roster here.
“I’m working as part of a larger project, so I’m at the client's office a few days a week, presenting new development opportunities and solutions and meeting the clients. On other days, I’m working remotely and coding or planning ahead. I also frequently nip to the gym or walk during lunch hour to stay energized until evening,” Anton describes his typical day.
“I can't stand sitting at the office for nothing – I get bored and frustrated as I think the same time can be used for other things. As a freelancer, I can use my time efficiently. In knowledge-intensive work, one's well-being is at the center. I find balancing work and life outside work very important," Anton adds.
Passion for data
Anton graduated with a Master of Science in Innovation and Technology Management in 2016. After working in the logistics industry for a year, he joined a large consulting agency. He rose from Junior Advisor to Advisor, BI Specialist, and Data Engineer within six years in the company.
“I gradually grew and changed tasks within the company, leading to my passion for data, analytics, Power BI, and Azure. I learned the tools and ways of working until I got the complete package: understanding the IT needs, strategy and vision, source systems, how data is generated, integrations, reporting, and finally, decision-making based on data,” Anton says.
Anton has been working as a freelancer through his own company for 18 months now. As a seasoned IT consultant, transitioning from a full-time job to freelancing went smoothly.
“It was my childhood dream to try entrepreneurship one day. What made me act on it back then is that I was burned out, and it made my thoughts move and see things from a different perspective. I thought I now have to start acting according to my values, live life to the fullest, and take risks if needed,” Anton says.
A job well done
In IT, projects are usually completed in three – to six-month contracts. A job well done is a freelancer's best assurance of continuous work.
“When I started at the client in my first freelance project, there were a lot of consultants, but Ididn't bother myself too much about that. As the project went on, the number decreased all the time. I believe the client wanted to keep me in the project as I managed to communicate clearly and get things done what I had promised,” Anton says.
Anton finds that the biggest challenge as a freelancer is that besides having responsibilities on his company side, he has much to answer for on the client side. Besides delivering, working successfully as a trusted advisor comes down to communication.
“I always think about what is best for the customer. Customers do not necessarily know what they need or do not know about the different possibilities. Hence, as a consultant and expert, I’m in a position where I need to advise the customer and dare to suggest something else, not immediately accepting what the customer says," Anton says.
Fast way to projects
Anton appreciates the experience gained from working as a solo entrepreneur:
“I’ve heard some people doubt if the risks are too high, if it makes financial sense, or if you can ever go on a holiday. It’s not risky if one is well prepared. I think it tells a lot about the person if they dare to go out and do something on their own,” Anton says.
Before launching his company, Anton carefully calculated how much he needed to earn to cover his living expenses in different scenarios, such as not finding a suitable project immediately. However, he had no problem finding freelance work:
“When I founded my company, I instantly got an assignment through AI Roots. And I'm still on the same project!”
“You can get into freelancing in many different ways. I think that AI Roots is the most transparent, straightforward, and fastest ways to get a project through an agency. As they make finding a suitable project with them a breeze, it solves 80% of freelancers' worries and challenges. In the end, in freelancing, nothing else matters if there is no client,” Anton underlines.
Are you interested in a career in freelancing? AI Roots is the leading agency for data freelancers in Finland. Join our roster here.
