An entrepreneur works for his/her business/enterprise.

There are different forms of business:

• Limited liability company (ltd) is suitable form when large amounts of capital is required or liabilities are too big for individuals.
• Co-operative is a more "democratic" version of a limited liability company.
• General partnership or limited liability partnership can be used when partners want to put up a business together.
• Private entrepreneur (single member company, private trader) is the easiest and best form of business when an individual practices small-scale business.

Instructions on this web site are based on the last alternative which is the simplest form of business. With the links provided in Sources of information you can find information for all forms of business.

Private entrepreneur (private trader)

In Finnish this form of business is often called "toiminimi". Officially toiminimi means company name or trading name. Since all companies have a name, all companies have toiminimi.

The official Finnish appellation for private entrepreneur or "toiminimi" as a form of business is yksityinen elinkeinonharjoittaja.

There are two categories of private entrepreneurs:

• Ammatinharjoittaja is a self-employed person practicing business without employed personnel and without immovable business premises.
• Liikkenharjoittaja is a private entrepreneur employing others and/or practicing business in immovable business premises.

Instructions for private entrepreneurs

• Starting in business:
  obligatory notifications and insurances
• Lines of industry
• Taxation of entrepreneurs and enterprises
• Foreign enterprise