Finland would definitely use a proper hammock gear and DIY material vendor! I know only two places who sell anything else than basic TTTM type hammocks (Varustenet imports Hennessy, and Varusteleka has DD)
I suppose hammocks really are gaining popularity in Finland, but the knowledge about them is still quite shallow. When people hear the word hammock, they mostly think of a sunny summer afternoon, laying in either the classic bulky back yard hammokcs, or TTTM (which have done a great job saturating the casual hanging market). Hammock camping seems to be quite unknown to the general public. It might be most widespread in the paddling community (at least most of the people I have seen with hammocks have been on sea kayaking trip). So I suppose it all boils down to building awareness of hammock camping among the active outdoor people.
Building a potential customer base by educating young people would be a logical first step. Starting with scouts is a great idea, since they are already interested in outdoors. And what I have heard from my wife, a girl scout master, TTTMs have bee insanely popular especially in big jamborees.
But you should engage adults too. They have the money
Youtube videos are a relatively easy and agile way to start. But if you wan't to get straight to the right target group, I believe that Suomen latu (The Outdoor Association of Finland) could also be interested in introducing less known outdoor activities to their members. For example they have promoted geocaching quite actively in recent years. Try to reach them and ask if you could give some (well planned) presentations or demonstrations. They have a widespread and enthusiastic membership.
One possible way of gaining wider awareness among outdoor people could be doing a hike with a proper hammock setup (maybe even several options for demonstration purposes), and writing an inspiring article about it accompanied with some good pictures. Offer it to Latu&polku (published by Suomen latu) or Retki outdoor magazines. They might be also interested in still quite obscure outdoor activities.
Maybe try also to find the hammockers that already are out there by organizing a hang out event. You'll gain first hand knowledge of the most potential customer group. In the Suomen Latu subsection Tunturilatu (in the Helsinki region club Kavtsi) a couple of memebers started to organize wood gas camp stove gatherings a couple of times a year just by creating Facebook events and posting them to the Tunturilatu Facebook wall. The gatherings have started to slowly grow, when people outside the small group of enthusiasts have heard about these strange little devices.
And how to bring this all together into a profitable business? That’s the tricky part. Start small and build up. Start prototyping and testing ideas to your own products. Do research about potential hammock brands, gear and material to import besides your own line of products. Put up even a humble website with a shop. Try to bring something of your own, something local into your brand and products, not just repeating what’s been done elsewhere. Do benchmarking with even vaguely similar businesses like e.g. Shelby, that’s making their own outdoor clothing and selling DIY clothing materials and even patterns to their products, Juuvi, a one mans wood gas camp stove manufacturing and innovation business, or Welhonpesä, vendor that specializes in kayaking and canoeing gear.
Although as a entrepreneur my self (freelance graphic designer), I must say that the bureaucracy of starting a business can be daunting. But nothing you wouldn’t get trough with some guts and perseverance. Too often Finnish people are so afraid of failing, that they don’t even try. Now (if you still are unemployed) you have the perfect opportunity to start building something of your own!
If the swedes can build several international outdoor brands in a marketplace not so much larger than our own, why couldn’t you?
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