Let’s take a closer look at what light entrepreneurship actually means. A light entrepreneur is a person who works under their own name but uses an invoicing service to handle billing. Light entrepreneurship is an easy and safe way to try out your business idea without having to commit immediately to full-scale entrepreneurship. It offers a flexible and low-risk way to see whether your service or idea is profitable.

A light entrepreneur can forget most of the bureaucracy – taxation, bookkeeping, and reporting to the authorities are taken care of by the service. This allows the entrepreneur to focus on what really matters: finding clients and carrying out the agreed work with quality.

With a light entrepreneurship service, invoicing is smooth and stress-free, for example through bisse.fi. Even though you don’t need to set up your own business ID, a light entrepreneur is usually still considered an entrepreneur in terms of unemployment benefits and social security.

Light entrepreneurship as a gateway to business

If you dream of starting your own business but don’t want to take unnecessary risks yet, light entrepreneurship is an excellent way to test your idea in practice. It helps you get familiar with entrepreneurial life, and later on you can decide whether to set up a sole proprietorship or even a limited company.

Many people find the ease and risk-free nature of this model so suitable that they continue working as light entrepreneurs long term. Since the decision is entirely yours, light entrepreneurship becomes a very flexible option for different life situations.

A way of working similar to entrepreneurship

In practice, a light entrepreneur operates much like a traditional entrepreneur: they find their own customers, set the prices, and agree on deadlines. The difference is that there’s no need for a personal business ID – all invoicing is done with the invoicing service’s business ID. This makes it easier to get a feel for entrepreneurship, and billing for individual gigs is simple.

Assignments as the basis of work

It is important to understand that you cannot invoice for work performed under an employment relationship through an invoicing service. Billing is only possible when the work is based on an assignment contract. In practice, this usually includes the following features:

• There is no employer–employee relationship between the client and the contractor
• The work is agreed upon with an assignment contract – orally, electronically, or in writing. For clarity, a written agreement is recommended.
• No fixed working hours – the light entrepreneur decides when to do the work, though the client can require completion by a certain deadline
• The purpose of the work is to earn income
• A light entrepreneur may have several clients at the same time

Light entrepreneurship is a smart choice whenever you have a business idea or a gig lined up that you want to carry out as easily and with as little risk as possible. It works especially well for earning side income – in other words, for freelancers and gig workers.

In short, the process goes like this: you agree on an assignment with a client, complete the work, send the invoice, and receive your pay. It’s a uniquely straightforward way to earn a living in an entrepreneurial manner.

Time-saving in many ways

Light entrepreneurship offers a hassle-free way to work without wasting time on paperwork. You can get started in just minutes by registering with a light entrepreneurship service online. The service also provides clear views of your invoicing and reporting, meaning no more binders or manual archiving – all important information stays in one secure place.

Remember to keep receipts for purchases related to your income as a light entrepreneur. These expenses can be deducted in your personal taxation. If your assignment involves travel or driving, keep a logbook – travel expenses and mileage can be deducted directly through the service. In this way, light entrepreneurship is a quick, time-saving, and effortless way to sell your skills to those who need them – no matter what your business idea is.

Free registration and no commitment

In addition to saving time, starting is risk-free: you can begin without any upfront costs by using a service provider. For example, registering with bisse.fi’s light entrepreneurship service is completely free now and in the future – you only pay a service fee once your client has paid the invoice. Signing up with bisse.fi does not bind you to anything, making it carefree to use.

Simply being registered in the service costs nothing. This means you can safely and completely risk-free test your idea and try selling your services. If business doesn’t take off as planned – or at all – you won’t lose any money.

Light entrepreneurship for minors

Light entrepreneurship is also possible for anyone aged 15 and above. By registering, a young person can employ themselves without complicated job application processes or heavy paperwork, while gaining valuable work experience easily. From the age of 15, a young light entrepreneur can do exactly the same work as an employee. To get started, all that is needed is an invoicing service, a tax card, online banking credentials, and parental consent.

The short answer is yes – light entrepreneurship is worth it. It’s essentially the only form of entrepreneurship where the risk is virtually zero. You can join a service completely free of charge, test calmly how your idea takes off, and stop anytime if it no longer feels right.

This means you can try out a new business idea, do freelance work, take on gigs, or earn side income without committing to a certain amount of invoicing or a specific scale of business activity.

Marketing your services as a registered light entrepreneur

There are two main ways to get started. One option is to first check if there’s demand for your service and let potential customers know that you plan to invoice through a light entrepreneurship service. The other option is to register right away as a light entrepreneur and then begin approaching and contacting potential clients. At the same time, you can market your services both to new prospects and to existing contacts.

Even if you don’t yet have a client base, you can still register immediately. This gives you a professional image and builds trust when you can say that you are already a light entrepreneur and that your invoicing goes through the service. Customers see your operations as reliable and organized. This latter approach is both risk-free and convincing – a great way to start promoting your services.

When considering whether light entrepreneurship is the right choice for you, it’s important to reflect on which aspects of entrepreneurship matter most in your own situation. Every business model has its strengths and challenges – and light entrepreneurship is no exception.

As you compare your options, weigh the advantages and disadvantages carefully. Below you’ll find a list of the key pros and cons of light entrepreneurship – and don’t forget the other benefits mentioned earlier that this model can bring.

Advantages of light entrepreneurship:

• Starting doesn’t require large capital, and you don’t risk financial losses – you only pay if you use the invoicing service.
• Bookkeeping and taxation are handled through the service, so you don’t need to spend your time and energy on paperwork.
• You can also invoice side jobs even if you’re already employed, making it a good way to earn extra income.
• If your activities don’t grow as expected, you can stop using the service immediately without extra costs.
• If you later decide to establish a company, the transition is easy – for example, bisse.fi also offers the option to set up a sole proprietorship, and ending the service is straightforward.

Disadvantages of light entrepreneurship:

• The service charges a fee for each invoice, which is deducted directly from the total amount.
• This model is suitable only for selling services – product sales or regulated fields, such as taxi operations, are not possible through light entrepreneurship.
• Expense deductions are limited, and you cannot apply for business financing for things like equipment purchases.
• Start-up grants are usually not available, as applying for one requires a business ID (y-tunnus). Light entrepreneurship is only suitable for invoicing earned income, not capital income. Applying for start-up grants becomes possible later if you decide to establish your own business.

Read more about light entrepreneurship