2025 – From a slow start to a strong finish
Every year, I seem to write the yearly recap a bit late. (Is it really March already?) But this time I actually had a decent excuse: I needed to wait until our publicly listed HQ published their annual report. Now that it’s done, here we are!
Another year is behind us. Time moves fast when you are running a consulting business in the middle of global chaos, AI revolution, and ever-changing markets.
Looking back, 2025 was once again a year that tested our resilience and adaptation skills. One thing consulting has taught me over the years is simple: no fiscal year is ever a clean 12-month story.
No fiscal year is ever a clean 12-month story.
There are always bumps and unexpected changes, both good and bad. But when the fundamentals are right, and the team is strong, things usually work out in the end.
And in 2025, they definitely did.
A bumpy start to the year
The year did not start with fireworks. Like often happens in our business, a few projects wrapped up just before the year-end or early in January.
Suddenly, we had several developers without a project “on the beach” (that’s the term we use in Croatia instead of benching). Anyone running a consulting company knows this is not exactly the dream way to start the new year.
So the first quarter was mostly about fixing the situation. Sales cycles are not getting any shorter in our industry, and matching the right people with the right projects takes time.
For a while, it felt like sailing against the wind again. But we kept pushing, like we always do. Step by step, the wind started turning. At the beginning of Q2, we were back on track after winning new projects and expanding existing teams.
When the engine starts running properly
After the slow start, the second half of the year turned into something completely different.
New clients, new projects, and stronger cooperation with our existing partners created momentum that carried us through the rest of the year. The market also started to feel more active again, after the cautious atmosphere of the previous years.
That said, a big shout-out where it belongs: our sales team did not sit around waiting for luck. They put in the work all year long, and it showed.
When we closed the books, our revenue had grown by nearly 30% compared to 2024.
By the second half of the year, things were moving smoothly again. When we closed the books, our revenue had grown by nearly 30% compared to 2024. Profitability also improved and landed where we wanted it.
What makes me especially proud is that we got there without giving up our core principles. At Software Sauna, people come first.
Our developers are the spark of the company. A successful team culture has always been a crucial part of our DNA, and we managed to keep it strong even during these challenging times.
A major step: joining forces
One of the biggest strategic moves of the year was becoming part of Witted Megacorp at the beginning of August. This was an important step for us.
Our goal has always been to build something sustainable and long-term, not just another small consulting shop, but a company that can truly compete in the international market.
As a Witted company, we are now able to scale faster, open new opportunities for our people, and offer even stronger capabilities for our clients.
In consulting, size and expertise increasingly matter. We believe this step will strengthen our position significantly in the coming years.
The industry keeps moving
The last few years have taught us one thing: the software industry never stands still.
The global economy remains unpredictable: wars and geopolitical tension continue to affect markets, and businesses everywhere are still figuring out what the next few years should look like. At the same time, AI is rapidly changing the entire software industry.
AI is rapidly changing the entire software industry.
AI is already changing the way software is developed. It is transforming productivity, tools, and even the expectations towards consulting companies like ours.
Some people are nervous about this. Some seem convinced that developers will be replaced tomorrow. I do not see it that way.
I think people and companies need to learn how to work with AI and make good use of it. The digitalization is not disappearing. It’s transforming: things are moving faster than ever, expectations are rising, and more things need to be built.
The companies that get good at using AI in the right places will create more value. Our job is to make sure we are one of them.
Looking ahead to 2026
For 2026, our goals remain ambitious and straightforward. We are aiming again for 25%+ growth while maintaining strong profitability.
That will not happen by accident, especially in today’s environment. The consulting market keeps changing, competition is tough, and clients expect more value than ever.
But we are ready for it. During the last few years, we have proved that our team knows how to navigate both calm waters and rough weather.
And thanks to the team culture I mentioned earlier, we even manage to enjoy the ride while Software Sauna keeps building.
Thank you
Finally, a big thank you to our clients, partners, and most of all to our Sauna team for another year of trust and hard work.
A big thank you to our clients, partners, and most of all to our Sauna team.
Building any company is never a solo act. But building a great consulting company is like a multi-seasonal Netflix series. It takes time and requires a group of smart people who trust each other, solve hard problems together, and somehow keep their sense of humor even when the sea gets tough.
Those people don’t just happen to be sitting around, ready to be hired. But I’m proud to say that Software Sauna is full of these gems.
So, Software Sauna – Season 2026: bring it on!
Ilkka-Cristian Niemi
Sauna Major, Software Sauna
