Founded in Outokumpu in 2017, Itä-Suomen Kotihoito Hymynkare Oy was born from a desire to provide truly people-centred home care. The company offers home care, home nursing and support services for the elderly, families with disabled children, and informal caregivers.
In addition to Outokumpu and Joensuu, the company operates in Heinävesi, Kaavi, Liperi, Polvijärvi and Tuusniemi. Services are delivered from Outokumpu and Joensuu, and the company employs around 20 home care and cleaning professionals on a permanent basis.
Over the years, Hymynkare has grown from a values-driven idea into a significant regional provider. At its core are the client’s own home, smooth everyday life, and unhurried, genuine encounters.
Itä-Suomen Kotihoito Hymynkare was founded by entrepreneur Katri Koskisuu-Reijonen, driven by a desire to employ herself and deliver home care in line with her personal values. From the very beginning, the goal has been to enable clients to live safely and well in their own homes for as long as they wish.
- Our aim is to make everyday life easier and more pleasant for our clients. When daily life runs smoothly, people feel safe and well in their own homes, Katri explains.
People-centred service and authentic encounters are at the heart of everything. Clients are met on their own terms, with respect for their homes and lifestyles.
- We’re not there to change people’s lives – we’re there to support them, Katri says.
One of the most powerful examples is the company’s very first client, a bedridden patient who initially required several visits per day. Through rehabilitation, the need for visits gradually decreased. Today, the client lives independently in their own house, with visits needed only once a week.
The impact comes, above all, from having enough time to care for each client.
The business took off more quickly than expected. Originally, the plan was to hire the first employee after a couple of years, but demand for services was strong from the beginning. The first employee was hired already during the first autumn.
Early growth was largely supported by purchases from the regional health and social services sector, enabling expansion. At the same time, Katri’s role evolved from a sole entrepreneur into an employer and leader.
On the recommendation of a Business Joensuu specialist, Katri participated in the Lead leadership coaching programme, which helped professionalise the business and strengthen her leadership skills.
- I grew from a solo entrepreneur into a leader, Katri describes.
She has also invested in her own and the company’s development by taking part in the Grow² growth coaching programme. For Katri, participating in training and events is essential, there is always something valuable to take away.
A sudden decrease in public sector service purchases brought a significant turning point. Balancing the company’s finances and securing jobs required bold decisions and new ways of thinking.
This situation led to a new growth direction: Raikas Arki currently being developed into its own brand. It provides reliable everyday help in Joensuu, Outokumpu, Liperi and Polvijärvi. Services include cleaning, yard work and home services, supporting daily life when customers don’t have enough time themselves.
The aim is to raise the quality of home cleaning clearly above basic standards and meet customers’ expectations for high-quality service. Employees’ skills have been strengthened through training provided by the PÄRM project*, and the plan is for Raikas Arki to grow steadily alongside Hymynkare into a significant service provider.
- As an entrepreneur, I thrive on change. A steady pace isn’t for me, Katri laughs.
Katri strongly feels the meaningfulness of her work:
- We help people manage in their own homes. That truly matters.
The future looks promising. Demand and market potential remain strong, and the goal is to ensure well-being for clients, employees and the entrepreneur alike.
According to Katri, an entrepreneur’s well-being is essential for good leadership and courageous decision-making. When you take care of yourself, you have the strength to make decisions, energy to face change and move forward, even when everything isn’t fully ready.
- You have nothing if you don’t take care of yourself, she says.
This mindset is also reflected in her approach to entrepreneurship: you don’t need everything to be perfect to get started. Business develops through action, and the courage to begin is often more important than perfect conditions.
- There’s no point in waiting for the perfect moment or even a finished website. The most important thing is to start, you can always improve things later, Katri encourages.
* The PÄRM project is a local rapid structural change coordination and development initiative in Outokumpu, funded by the Regional Council of North Karelia.
Contact:
Katri Koskisuu-Reijonen
katri@kotihoitohymynkare.fi, +358 45 225 6150
Follow on social media:
Itä-Suomen Kotihoito Hymynkare: Facebook Instagram
Raikas Arki: Facebook Instagram
Text and photos: Jaana Karppanen, Business Joensuu