I was employee number two or was it four?
Everon Sweden was started in 2016 by Christer and Mona Arlehed. They hired Johan Broström (still here as System Project Manager) and two weeks after they hired me as a technical project manager.
There were still boxes in the hall
In the beginning, we were just four people running the show with no HR or IT-support and we had to do everything from scratch, which was fun. We were like building the airplane in the air.
And then I had a daughter…
I did two and a half maybe three years and then I left the company because I wanted to work more towards sales and those roles were already taken. And then I had a daughter and wanted a job that was closer to where she was.
I took a job selling hi-tech mattresses
This company did high-tech mattresses for hospitals and ICU units. I was national sales manager for five years. That was a good journey for me.
And then I came back to Everon SE
I met up with the Everon team at a trade fair and they asked if I would be interested in coming back into a public bid and business development role. That was one and a half years ago. By the time I left, there were around eight employees. When I re-joined, we were 30.
I had the best of both worlds
I didn’t just want to be answering tenders. I wanted more space, more creativity, more autonomy. I wanted to be affecting the processes, affecting the customers and ways of buying and selling. This position allowed me to do both.
And then a new job at Everon Group came calling
I was asked as part of review of how the company was run if I would be interested in starting a business unit for Everon Group, managing the tenders and quotes globally for Sweden, Finland and the U.K.
Standardising systems and ensuring best practice…
The job includes making sure we have best practice and golden standards in place for the benefit of our clients. The idea is for this unit to have a close connection with all parts of the company leading to better co-ordination and project support across the group. As part of that, I will also be implementing a new CRM system.
Building market understanding, and recognising difference
I’ve always wanted to work globally and see how things work in different countries. Finland, Sweden and the U.K are pretty close, but the cultures are different, including ways of working and the political and economic landscape. I’m just getting started but am looking forward to the challenge. That will mean both learning and sharing knowledge. I’m psyched to have this opportunity.
I like selling products that make a difference
Whether it’s mattresses or wheelchairs or alarms for the elderly, for me it’s about working in a sector that wants to make life better for people, that can make a difference. I also like the long processes and the administration of public sector tenders. That might just be me though.
Technology is developing really fast and we’re part of that story
We can see how much difference technology can make in care settings. Back in the day you would have just a motion detector. That was like a revolutionary thing as well. Four years from then to now and we have these super smart sensors that are so much more advanced, thanks to advances in AI and machine learning.
An exciting time to be part of the next phase of digital transformation
With demographic changes coming up in all three countries, we’re going to have really big challenges. It’s not about one supplier getting all the business. The question is more: Are we going to have enough suppliers to cover all the needs of customers? There’s room for more than one, which makes competition really good and healthy.
Quickfire Questions:
Secret to a happy life: Autonomy, purpose and flexibility
A typical day: At the moment, a lot of planning
Who inspires you the most: The people closest to me.
Favourite place: Stockholm
Signature dish: Cauliflower soup sprinkled with pancetta or ramen (I like Asian food)
Spare time passion: Training for a mile run, a half marathon then a full marathon. Reading all the classics.
Being a parent: Doing kids’ stuff is a lot of fun, and cooking food from scratch
Questions a six-year-old asks: Why do I brush my teeth in the morning? I haven’t had anything to eat since I brushed them in the evening.
