Scandinavia’s Home Market: The World

Throughout our trip, there has been one approach to operating a business in Scandinavia which seems much different from the average start-up in the United States. The approach we are referencing is rooted in the business attitudes of operating internationally. For example, a start-up in the United States may have only domestic plans for the […]

The Cultural DNA – Social Responsibility

Prior to leaving Sweden, we were able to enjoy the social graces of Volvo Cars and their Volvo Brand Experience Centre. Even though Volvo has withstood the test of time and through multiple acquisitions, such as under the management of the Ford Motor Company and at present, Geely Automobile. Volvo has never lost its touch […]

Challenging the Core Business Model

Scandinavian companies, as our team has come to realize recently, tend to stick out in regards to their longevity and ability to change quickly with macroeconomic trends. This characteristic can be seen as a major difference between the American business structure, where companies may come and go in a quicker lifecycle or be slower in […]

The Swedish Inside Voice

As you walk through the various offices located at companies such as Klarna, Ziggy Creative Company, and even the noisy subway, you will find that Swedes are very quiet and tend to keep to themselves. It would feel out of place to see Swedes speaking loudly to each other in public places compared to other […]

The Do-It-Yourself Culture of Scandinavia

Throughout our visit, we’ve taken notice that Swedish businesses have a tendency to spend special attention to pushing tasks onto the consumer, or looking for solutions, which use less human capital entirely in the product or service process. The realization of this trend came when dining in Gotland, yesterday. At the restaurant we stopped at […]

Taking Innovation to New Levels

On Monday, 03 Jun, the venerable Team Helsinki made a delightful visit to a small yet innovative company founded by Darja Isaksson called Ziggy Creative Company. This company was formed with the aim to “…help you expand or innovate your digital business. By understanding your business core and your customer needs, we help you design […]

The Scandinavian Way

Hey everyone, this is Team Helsinki checking in live from Stockholm, Sweden! Team Helsinki is comprised of Huntington Beach natives Andrew Tran and Brandon Cook who will be focusing on the organizational differences between American and Scandinavian companies and how it affects their outlook and business prospectives. Check in with us periodically as we explore […]