Thriv talent spotlight: Simo Pulkkinen

In this blog post series, you will get to know the stories behind our talents. Why did they become entrepreneurs, how have their experiences with Thriv been, and where do they want to be in the future? Without further ado, let’s get familiar with Simo Pulkkinen, Azure Lead and Senior Software Architect with over 20 years of experience in the software industry.

How did you become interested in entrepreneurship?

I was interested in the possibility of being able to cherry pick the projects that seemed the most interesting to me. This way I believed that I could best develop my skills and become an even better IT professional. In 2018, I put up my own company, Prosimo, that specialises in Micfosoft Azure cloud development. Since then, I have hired three cloud experts to my company as the demand for cloud services has significantly increased.

How do you keep yourself and your company relevant to clients?

I believe that continuous learning is key, even for us who have been in the industry for years. New services and ways of working emerge all the time, which means that one needs to stay curious and be willing to update one’s knowledge in order to stay relevant in the eyes of the clients. Therefore, I always aim to find projects where me and my employees get to try and learn new things. This is a great way to widen the skillset in addition to certificates and courses.

How did your path cross with Thriv?

Thriv contacted me just at the right time as my previous project had just ended and I had just started to look for projects through my own channels. The client that Thriv proposed to me was looking for talents with extensive experience and wide knowledge. To me this sounded interesting and multifaceted as I could work with multiple cloud technologies at one of the leading companies in Finland. Now I have been working on the same project for over two years already.

How was the matchmaking process at Thriv?

The process was fast, smooth and well-coordinated. Both the client and I quickly agreed that this would be a great match, just as Thriv had predicted. From the beginning, the service that I have received from Thriv has been great.

What is the best thing about being a freelancer? How about the worst?

The possibility to choose what kind of projects and technologies you want to work with is one of the big benefits. This way you can guide your own professional journey toward your chosen direction. It is also beneficial that you get to see many ways and models of working and adapt the ones you find the most effective to your own business.

The downside is that you need to be prepared for periods when you don't have projects on the table, which means your income won't always be stable. It's important to set aside some money for those times when you're not working on a project.

What advice would you give to someone dreaming about entrepreneurship?

In the beginning, it just takes a lot of courage to jump into entrepreneurship and also some nerves to deal with the insecurity. As soon as you get some revenue, remember to also save some of your income for the less busy periods. And don’t forget about continuous learning!

Apply to our tech talent network and get one step closer to your own dream project!