Voima Weekly #33 – Faith, family & work

@ Trump National Doral Miami¹. Stefan Sburatura (VP, HNWI Sales), Marko Viinikka, Niko Palonen (VP, HNWI Sales).

A week has passed here in the United States, and the journey will continue for a few more days. During this time, I’ve had the opportunity to sit around the same table with people from Texas, Florida, Arkansas, Michigan, and New York. Different states, different industries, and businesses of different sizes — yet the conversations carry the same tone, the same energy, and ultimately the same foundation.

It’s difficult to put it into a single sentence, but if I had to try, I would say this: there is a clearer sense of order here.

That doesn’t mean everything is better. But many things seem to be more simply in place. People speak openly about faith, carry responsibility for their families with pride, and approach work in a way that doesn’t need justification. Often, it comes down to three words: faith, family, work. Not as a slogan, but as a way of living.

When a person has direction, responsibility, and meaningful work through which to build, something emerges naturally that cannot be forced from the outside. Entrepreneurship is not then a program or a policy - it is a consequence. The desire to build, grow, and succeed comes from within, and does not need to be taught.

This is especially visible in one area that has stood out to me the most: sales.

In America, sales is not something to be ashamed of. It is not avoided or disguised with softer language. Sales is direct, but not rude. The conversation begins with the customer - what they need, how they can be helped, and naturally leads to asking for the business and driving toward a decision. There is nothing artificial about it. On the contrary, there is something deeply honest in it.

At the same time, good sales is not just about listening. The customer is also guided. The right questions are asked, they are led toward a decision, and when needed, their thinking is challenged. Not through pressure, but through responsibility. The salesperson does not leave the customer alone in uncertainty, but helps them see more clearly.

Where I come from, sales is too often something people are cautious about. We hesitate to ask, hesitate to price, and especially hesitate to ask for the decision. As if clarity itself might somehow be impolite. At the same time, we forget that without sales there is no business, and without business there is no economy.

The reality is simple: sales is the most important function of any organization.

That does not mean everyone needs to sell in the same way. There are many ways to sell. Some do it quietly, others visibly. Some build trust over time, others move quickly toward decisions. But what all effective organizations have in common is this: sales happens - and it is respected.

When I think about this more broadly, one of the greatest salespeople in the world never carried the title of a salesperson. Steve Jobs did not sell products through arguments alone, but through a vision of how the world could be better. That is sales in its purest form: understanding, courage, and the ability to bring an idea into reality.

Here, sales is seen in exactly this way. It is not merely exchange; it is responsibility. The responsibility to help the customer make a decision that moves them forward.

During the trip, we attended a sales training by Patrick Bet-David², and one example in particular stayed with me. He referred to Paul Harvey’s famous speech³ describing how, on the seventh day, God created the farmer: a person who works, carries responsibility, and keeps society fed.

As the son of a farmer, this resonated deeply with me. I am incredibly grateful to have grown up on a dairy farm - close to work long before I even knew to question it. The thought continued from there: perhaps on the eighth day, the salesperson was created. The one who brings work into the world. The one who connects production with demand. The one who ensures that movement does not stop. It is a simple idea, yet a deeply profound one. Sales is not a separate function of the economy - it is its lifeblood.

When reflecting on this against Finland, there is no need for exaggeration. We have a great deal that is good: competence, reliability, and the ability to build for the long term. But the direction still requires a sharp correction.

Too often, the conversation begins with what we receive, rather than what we contribute. We talk about holidays, free time, and conditions; but less about what we are willing to build. Work is no longer as self-evident as it is in many places here.

This is not criticism of individuals. It is an observation about direction. And direction can be changed. It does not mean extremes, nor that everything should revolve around work. But it does mean restoring the value of work to its rightful place. Understanding that building requires effort, and that a simple 9- to-5 is rarely enough if the goal is to create something greater than oneself: a company, security for a family, or lasting prosperity.

Faith, family, and work are not in conflict. On the contrary, they reinforce each other. When the foundation is in place, work gains meaning. And when work is done well, it creates value that carries both the family and society forward.

Ultimately, all of this comes down to a very simple chain: sales creates revenue, and revenue builds the economy.

Next week, we will hold the annual general meeting of Voima Gold. Revenue for the last financial year was €257,889,846.94 and operating profit €2,377,747.82. These are not an endpoint, but one milestone along the journey. Much remains unfinished, much needs to be improved - but the direction is clear. We keep building forward.

There is a great deal of work ahead.

And perhaps most importantly: we must restore honor to work, and through it, also to sales, but above all to our core values. That is where everything begins.

Building Voima has not been an easy undertaking. At times, it has been, quite frankly, relentless; in the words of Elon Musk, like “eating glass and staring into the abyss” - and at the same time, our family has grown by three children. It is fair to say life has been full.

Along the way, I’ve also neglected sharing this journey more openly; especially on social media. That changes now.

All glory to God above, and to my beloved wife and our remarkable team — some of whom have walked alongside me through even the toughest storms.

You can follow the journey by searching Marko Viinikka or @iamvoima on Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.

– Marko Viinikka
Founder, CEO
Voima Gold Oy

Disclaimer: Voima Weeklies are the personal writings of the undersigned. They do not necessarily represent the official view of Voima Gold Oy or any other company, nor do they constitute investment advice or a recommendation to purchase securities.