Learning the skills! (48)

Same as when I grew up, our children have heard endless discussions during dinner about Soft Touch and how to make a good deal. As a parent you have no idea if they listen or what they learn from it.

When our daughter is eleven, she wants to buy a new digital camera. To get enough money she wants to sell her old one. I have never really seen the charm of a digital camera. I have always been more of an old-fashioned guy when it comes to taking pictures. But, now I have a chance to buy one for a good price.

Our daughter does her research online and comes back with a price. I bargain like crazy and finally I get it at a much lower price. I am a bit surprised that she doesn't look more disappointed. I go through the list of what I am buying: camera, memory stick, case. She nods at every word. Money changes hands.

When I am about to use the camera I discover that it is out of battery. I go back to my daughter and ask for the charger. "You never bought it", she says. "It is not on your list". With my head bowed I have to go and get more money and buy the charger and my daughter now has a smile on her face.

Now I know for sure that they have been listening - and understanding - our discussions at the dinner table.

Looking for the best office (47)

Arriving in Kuala Lumpur 2004, I don't have an office. Since we are just going to stay for two years I don't really see the point We have a two story apartment and I buy myself a desk and make a small office under the stairs. Every other week I travel to our office in Hong Kong. It is so much better to travel from Malaysia. A trip of only four hours now. I rent a small place in Hong Kong since I spend so much time there.

After two years, due to our business in Pakistan, among other things, we decide to stay on. The children get older and sometimes it is hard do work from home. I cannot tell them to be quiet all the time. They must have time to play with their friends.

So, in 2008, I rent a serviced office and at the same time I get my first colleague here. One year later it is decided that we should get our own place and we buy an office in Plaza Mont Kiara. This is the official step towards staying in Malaysia. We start hiring staff from Sweden and in 2010 we open our call center and customer support here. It will be a way of saving money and try if we can work in several time zones. On the day of our opening I have to leave early realizing that I have dengue fever. What a start to our project!

Soft Touch and charity - part 2 (46)

Swedish financial aid has gone from sending money to doing projects that will be beneficial for the country that is in need of help. This is where Soft Touch comes in. We have, for some time, been looking into buying more from Pakistan, but in many places the factories are not up to modern standards. After some research we find two factories willing to change and try something new. SIDA and Soft Touch can, in 2005, start a project together.

SIDA is giving financial contributions and Soft Touch is helping with the transfer of knowledge. During the years to come, there will be many trips to Pakistan and endless meetings. How should a factory use patterns in the best way? Which is the best way to produce and how to ensure that the quality is stable?

When our project is finished from our side, more than a thousand people have new jobs, families will survive and new skills have been learnt. 

We change our production location of P-209 from China to Pakistan, from pig skin to goat leather, and today we buy around a million pairs per year, of this model alone.

I look back with pride at what we did together. In a small way we helped to change the world for the better. There is a lot to do for companies who wish to help.

Soft Touch and charity - part 1 (45)

As our company grows bigger the idea of helping others grows stronger. In 2004, when the Tsunami hits Asia, we help, for the first time, by sending gloves to the rescue staff. 

Since we bought our office and warehouse in Partille 2003, we have hired a crew of users, people who need a personal assistant to be able to go to work. They have minor duties, but they get a sense of meaning and fulfilment in going to work every day. Small steps but at least something.

The one thing that I am the most proud of happens in 2005. A very severe earthquake hits Pakistan on the 8th of October. Around 85,000 people dies and 4 million become homeless. Since we just a few months earlier had sent gloves to Indonesia, one of our staff suggests that we should do the same thing again.

However, just sending gloves or money doesn't feel right. How to make sure that it ends up where it should? Could we do something that would be good for the region as well as good for us? To find out what can be done, I contact Business Sweden to see if they have any suggestions. Through them we get into contact with SIDA, the Swedish International Development Cooperation and a project is started.

This will be an exciting journey.