Moving (25)

Our first office, with warehouse space on different floors, is no longer useful. We need a bigger and better place and also two new staff. We find a new place in an area called Gamlestaden in Gothenburg. A receptionist and a salesman/warehouse worker begin to work with us in the new place. Still everyone is doing a bit of everything around the office, but a small change takes place and our roles are getting a bit more defined. It feels amazing to have doubled the staff. We all work like crazy and everyone is contributing to our success and growth.

My wife has been working in a bank for the last three years and is now changing jobs and starts working for the listed company W, a big property company, as a clerk working with loans and finance. We are both getting into our careers and see each other most nights at the neighborhood restaurant for dinner around 10 pm. Both are very dedicated and we love what we do. There is a lot to discuss over every dinner, talking about different things that have happened during the day. No children yet, so we can just indulge in our jobs and let them consume as much time as is needed.

I have my family at home and at work. Could it be any better?

Upgrading to a computer (24)

A few years back I managed to convince my father to buy a fax machine. Now the time has come to invest in a computer. The resistance is not as tough this time. His eyes start to sparkle when he hears about all the things a computer can do. When I finally have it in my office, my father has given the computer characteristics of abnormal proportions. Where did all this come from?

To help my father I will make a register over all the articles he is selling. When he gets the list he looks a little bit disappointed. "Is this all?", ha asks. I show him how I can sort everything by margin, amount, how many per kind etc. Still not impressed. "Can you ask it what I should buy to earn more money?", he then asks. I look in dismay. It is not a machine that can predict the future that I have just bought. He shakes his head and leaves my office, not impressed at all. It took some time to convince him that it was still better than handwritten lists.

When you look at what you can do with a computer today, I think he would have been happier. But back then there were still limitations as what you could use it for. It has been a long journey and the IT-side of business has come a long, long way!

Dinner (23)

A few months have passed and we are now in the 1990's. A new decade has started. What will it mean for me and my business? After having been in China and Hongkong a few times I am now starting to look for new countries where I can find glove suppliers. 

I follow my father to Taipei in Taiwan and meet with a few new suppliers. For dinner we normally go out with my father's friends. When we go to a restaurant they will often ask us what we would like to eat. My father's reply is always: "We will eat anything that you suggest." This will make us try many new types of local food. Most of the time it will be amazing.

This time I get a new experience. The supplier asks us if we like whisky and we say yes. Then, all of a sudden, we have a big bottle on our table - and nothing else to drink. It seems like an extravagant gesture, but maybe not the best choice of drink together with spicy food. The supplier himself drinks coke - he doesn't like whisky. My father looks at me and just says: "Drink! We cannot make our host disappointed." For a guy my age, 27, there is never a bad time to drink whisky...

Sometimes the things we experience when we travel exceed all expectations!

Involvement (22)

It is January 1989 and I am back in Hongkong. This time I am not alone, I have brought my girlfriend. She has been with me since this journey started, since 1985, and I really want her to understand what I am doing. Not only in Sweden, but here in Asia as well.

I still remember how I was in awe the first time I came here with my father. The airport where you land is so small and so close to all the buildings so you feel like you will end up in the closest living room. I want her to experience this as well, meet my new friends/suppliers and try all the amazing food here. To have Beijing duck, mmmm, I can dream about it. The best restaurant is hard to find, you have to walk up some stairs to reach it, then through a door that looks like it would lead you into an apartment. When you enter - you get really hungry.

On the 25th of January I take her to one of my favorite places - The Revolving 66. A restaurant that turns and we have all of Hongkong at our feet. There and then we get engaged at an amazing dinner. I get to combine the best of two worlds - my girlfriend and my work. As an entrepreneur you can never keep them separated since you live with your business day and night. To me, the best is to bring both sides together for a deeper understanding. Looking back the combination has been very successful.

Failed (21)

The door closes and all the students are in the room to write an essay. This is my second year in high school and it is getting more intense every day. One more year and then we are done. The silence in the room is almost heavy. All you can hear is the rasping of the pencils when everyone starts to write. Some students are so fast and they know exactly what to do. I struggle a bit. First I have to choose a topic and then write a few pages. This is the time before the computers, where handwriting is still a virtue. I just hope that my teacher will be able to read my handwriting...

A week later we are in the classroom and the teacher starts handing out the essays. She calls our names and one by one we need to collect it. Once again I get a disappointed look from her. She doesn't like me. I don't like her either. When I look at my essay I can just see the big F in red ink and the comment: You cannot think like that. You have the wrong opinions.

I understand that you can correct someone on their grammar or content, but can you really criticize a persons ideas? I went home totally mad.

For many years it made me very sad to think about her comments, but later in life, as an adult, I realize that maybe it is not so bad to be able to think differently. I has actually helped me a lot!