Ioan Canta, originally from Romania and the owner of the company BNA Flonel, has been chosen as the winner of the Migrant Entrepreneur of the Year competition 2020 in the event Business Unplugged, celebrated online and hosted by the Federation of Finnish Entrepreneurs (Suomen Yrittäjät).
According to the organizers, the jury of the contest was "particularly impressed" by Ioan Canta’s hard work over many years to grow his company. BNA Flonel began as a modest business, offering domestic cleaning services and then expanded to office cleaning, construction cleaning and removal cleaning.
The company also provides labour-only building contracting, protective materials and contractual labour. Registered in 2013, the company has consistently grown and operated profitably. Today it has 45 employees and a 2.2 million euros turnover.
Ioan Canta says in the past he "faced prejudice" because of his Romanian background. For this reason, he claims that he had to work "twice as hard" to grow his business and build his clients’ trust.
The jury of the contest felt that Canta's story, attitude, business strategy and corporate social responsibility deserved to be recognized with the title of Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year and with the 5,000 euros prize funded by the pension provider Elo.
The event was hosted by Aicha Manai, network manager at the Federation of Finnish Entrepreneurs. Image: screenshot from Suomen Yrittäjät's live broadcast.
The secret of success
The designation of the Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 was broadcast via the internet at a show hosted by Aicha Manai, network manager at Suomen Yrittäjät. During the event, participants discussed the many issues that surround the process of founding and developing a business, as well as the additional difficulties that foreigners face.
When Manai asked the four finalists for the secret of entrepreneurial success, this year's winner said "it is very important to know what the customer wants and be present as a leader." Ioan Canta also gave some advice for those who are now planning to start a business: "Work hard and believe in your dreams."
The award winner, Ioan Canta (L), discussing with Aicha Manai. Image: screenshot from Suomen Yrittäjät's live broadcast.
Other finalists
Ioan Canta won a contest in which there were also other finalists.
One of the candidates for the award was the entrepreneurial couple of Jean-François and Darja Flogny, highly praised for their attitude and commitment to employees.
The Flogny couple own three companies which focus on providing touristic services in Koli National Park (North Karelia region). Currently, they have 8 permanent and 30 seasonal employees -among whom there are both foreigners and Finns- and the joint turnover of their companies is 800,000 euros.
Another finalist was Alexander Ivaine, who owns a start-up focused on smart urban design. Ivaine is the man behind the eTolppa App Controlled Heating Plug and eParking solution. He became an entrepreneur while studying at Hervanta Technical University (Tampere). His company, with 10 employees and a turnover of 1.2 million euros, produces a wide range of solutions for the future.
Kenyan entrepreneur Faisa Egge, winner of the 2019 award and a member of the jury this year. Image: screenshot from Suomen Yrittäjät's live broadcast.
"We need more immigrants"
During the event, which was followed live by several hundred people, most of them entrepreneurs or potential entrepreneurs, the spectators were also able to listen to the message recorded by the CEO of the pension provider company Elo, Satu Huber.
Huber, who is well aware of the challenges Finland faces due to an aging population, made a plea in favor of the presence of foreigners in the country and their contribution to society and business: "We need many more immigrants to Finland in the coming years".
Elo's CEO encouraged viewers to engage in business and share their experiences in the entrepreneurial process with relevant Finnish stakeholders like Elo and the Federation of Finnish Entrepreneurs. She also celebrated that Finland is a land capable of providing opportunities to people from all over the world. "We need your help," she stressed.
Elo CEO Satu Huber. Image: screenshot from video by Elo.
The members of the jury were: Ali Giray, chair of the Suomen Yrittäjät immigrant entrepreneur network; Faisa Egge, the 2019 winner; Marko Hara, a director at the employment pension company Elo; and Petri Salminen, chair of the board of Suomen Yrittäjät.
