There are several paths to entrepreneurship in the optical sector, including starting a new optical store or taking over an existing business. Aspiring entrepreneurs can also receive support from experienced business owners as well as from Näe ry.
Vision and eye health affect all of us, and their importance continues to grow as the population ages. For many Finns, optical stores are the first and most accessible place to seek help with vision-related concerns.
As a result, the optical sector holds a strong position in today’s rapidly changing business environment. Optical stores, and entrepreneurs, are needed both now and in the future.
Finland has many long-established and reputable optical stores that will need successors in the coming years. For many prospective entrepreneurs, the opportunity may lie in an existing company. A business does not always have to be built from scratch, making the transition to entrepreneurship significantly easier.
Support for new entrepreneurs
Those considering entrepreneurship do not need to know everything in advance. Support is available from fellow entrepreneurs, networks and industry organizations. Optical stores are often the result of decades of work, sometimes even an entrepreneur’s entire career. For this reason, many outgoing owners are willing to provide valuable support to their successors to ensure business continuity.
Both new and experienced entrepreneurs can benefit from the expertise and networks offered by Näe ry. The association provides guidance on industry-related matters as well as questions related to entrepreneurship. It also hosts its own network for entrepreneurs.
Näe ry is a member of Suomen Uusyrityskeskukset ry (the Finnish Enterprise Agencies) and collaborates with them to provide services for those considering entrepreneurship in the optical sector. The Suomen Uusyrityskeskukset offers free, confidential and impartial business advisory services for new entrepreneurs. Assistance is available with developing a business idea and business plan, assessing profitability and financing, choosing the appropriate business structure, and addressing issues related to purchasing a business or ownership transitions.
Entrepreneurship should therefore be viewed as an opportunity rather than a predefined set of skills that must already be mastered. Professional expertise and experience in the optical sector provide a strong foundation, while business skills can be acquired and developed along the way. There are many paths to becoming an entrepreneur in the optical sector.
Elina Paturi, Silmäoptikot Palmu: “Entrepreneurship has completely captivated me”
“The optical sector has always interested me, but my career began on a different path. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2003 and worked at Kela, Finland’s social insurance institution. In 2006, however, I decided to study optometry. After graduating, I worked in various optical stores for more than ten years.
The idea of entrepreneurship had been in the back of my mind for a long time. Thanks to my business studies, I was also interested in business development and management. Entrepreneurship runs in my family as well, and today I am actually an entrepreneur in two fields, as I am also an agricultural entrepreneur.
When I began to look for new challenges in my work as an optometrist, I called the optical store Silmäoptikot Palmu, which I already knew, to ask about job opportunities. The response exceeded all my expectations: the owner was planning to retire and was looking for someone to continue the business. Since 2023, I have been the entrepreneur running the store.
The transition to entrepreneurship went remarkably smoothly. Pekka Palmu, the founder and owner of Silmäoptikot Palmu, stayed on as an employee and provided every possible form of support. He helped me get to know customers and local stakeholders. It was important to me that they got to know me and could see that the business would continue in good hands.
The best thing about entrepreneurship is freedom. I can make decisions, try new ideas and develop the business based on my own vision. I can influence our services and eyewear selection and invest in areas that I find important and interesting. For example, in spring 2025 we organized a Vision Day event that attracted more than 700 visitors. It was a major effort for the entire store, and it is something I am especially proud of. We also give presentations to associations and stakeholder groups on topics such as eye health and eyewear.
I see plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurship in the optical sector in the future as well. Technology is creating new possibilities, particularly in examinations and services, and can enable businesses to expand their service offering. As an entrepreneur, I can build the business around my own strengths and interests, as well as those of my employees.
Of course, entrepreneurship involves uncertainty, but there have been very few days when I have doubted my decision to become an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship has completely captivated me, and I honestly cannot imagine myself in any other role anymore.
If entrepreneurship interests you, I strongly encourage you to take that step in your career. Running a business is not rocket science, and fear of failure should not stand in the way of your dream. Go for it!”
Jaana ja Vesa Vaine, Ajan Näkö: “We have been able to create a workplace that reflects who we are”
“Both of us have long careers in the field of vision and eye health. Jaana has worked as an optician and registered nurse, while Vesa has worked in optical stores as well as in various administrative roles within optical retail chains and an international lens manufacturer. We both took a break from the optical sector and worked in other fields when the opportunity to become entrepreneurs appeared almost by chance.
Although the optical sector was familiar to us, we became entrepreneurs from outside the industry and without previous experience of this type of entrepreneurship. The decision to become the entrepreneurs behind Ajan Näkö came easily and quickly because we already knew the previous owner, and the store had an excellent reputation. We wanted to continue the operations of a company that had been serving customers for more than 40 years. During the transition, both the previous owner and Näe ry provided valuable support, particularly with administrative matters.
What especially attracted us to entrepreneurship was the opportunity to create a workplace that we would truly enjoy at this stage of our careers. A workplace where it is pleasant to wake up and go to work in the morning – and where staying late when necessary does not feel burdensome.
Entrepreneurship offers flexibility and allows us to make decisions that benefit everyone involved: entrepreneurs, employees and customers alike. There is certainly plenty of work as an entrepreneur, but stress exists in every profession. At this stage of our lives, however, we are able to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life. Entrepreneurs are entitled to have a life outside work too, and that is made possible by our fantastic employees, who keep the business running even during our summer holidays.
For us, the most important aspect of entrepreneurship is the freedom to shape the workplace according to our own values and vision. Making money and maximizing profit are not our primary goals. What matters most is being able to help and serve our customers in the best possible way, in a workplace where we enjoy working. The value of helping people has become even stronger since becoming entrepreneurs. Without question, this is the best workplace we have ever had.
As entrepreneurs, we can specialize in certain services or product categories and complement the local market offering. In our store, this is reflected in our frame selection, which includes options for customers looking for something unique, unconventional and distinctive.
One factor that made the decision easier was the fact that Finland has many excellent and well-established optical stores. You do not always have to build a business from scratch; you can continue the work of an existing company.
To anyone considering entrepreneurship, we want to say that help and support are available. You do not have to face the journey alone. Talk to more experienced entrepreneurs, ask for advice and build your network. We are also happy to share our own experiences. It is worth being open about your interest in entrepreneurship, because many excellent optical businesses will need successors in the future, and opportunities can arise unexpectedly. Believe in yourself and move boldly toward your dream of becoming an entrepreneur.”
