Living in Tampere, data reporting specialist Saana-Sofia Kakkuri has been working with Power BI and data warehousing for several years. Today, she freelances through her own company and is currently part of an ERP transition project at a large Finnish transportation company.

“My typical day starts with the client’s daily meeting. After that, I go through tickets and start developing reports. The business owners give me the specifications, and I begin building. Then we iterate together – meeting, developing, and adjusting until it looks the way it should,” Saana explains.

Her career path has been anything but linear. Saana holds a Master’s degree in Sports Science, but spent only a short time in that field before turning to data.

“Right after graduation, I started retraining on the side and doing small reporting projects. Little by little, I reduced my sports-related work and moved fully into data. Now I’ve been working in reporting for about four years, and the last two and a half as a full-time freelancer,” she says.

She has been freelancing from the start through her own company. Her collaboration with AI Roots and Finitec began soon after moving full-time into freelancing. Her very first assignment was with the same client she works with today, even though she has also taken on projects in other industries along the way.

For Saana, freelancing was both a natural and practical choice.

“As a freelancer, I can influence my own work more. It challenges me in a good way – I keep learning new things, since each client has their own way of doing things. It also helps me stay more objective and bring in fresh perspectives without getting caught up in internal politics,” she says.

Although freelancing can sometimes mean uncertainty, Saana makes sure her everyday life stays balanced.

“I try to finish work around the same time every day. Of course, when projects overlap, it can be more demanding. But generally, I keep evenings and weekends for myself. Hobbies like climbing, yoga, and ceramics keep life balanced,” she explains.

Longer, full-time assignments are what Saana values most.

“It’s been a real benefit that my projects have been clear and full-time. That’s much more meaningful than juggling small tasks here and there,” she says.

After long projects, what makes reporting especially meaningful for her is how it can truly ease people’s work and help companies reach their best potential.

She also appreciates how collaboration with AI Roots and Finitec has worked:
 “When my first project was ending, Max quickly called me with a new opportunity. Everything has gone very smoothly with AI Roots and Finitec, which has been great,” she says.

The biggest challenge, she says, is the uncertainty at the end of projects.

“In the beginning, I felt like when a project ended, it was a big deal. But over time, I’ve learned to trust that there will always be new opportunities. That trust is key,” she reflects.

For anyone considering freelancing, she shares encouraging advice: