Well, it’s been a few days, and the Dancing Queens have arrived safe and are dancing in a new city… Stockholm. We absolutely love the energy here, and we have successfully wandered all throughout the streets, only getting lost twice. Outside of our free time adventures, we have also had the opportunity to visit with three amazing companies; each one belonging to a different industry, but all of which showcase Swedish business values.
Saab
Our first stop only two hours off the plane was Saab, a company founded in 1937 with the aim of providing military aircraft to the Sweden army. Now, Saab operates on a global scale with the goal of keeping people and society safe. Originally, we knew Saab as being a car company, but they are much more than that. Saab utilizes their expertise to promote trust and drive in creating relationships with both private and public entities. Though the subject matter was serious and complex, we enjoyed Head of Business Area Aeronautics, Lars Tossman’s, ability to keep Saab’s presentation light, captivating and full of humorous stories.
Spotify
With both music and energy on high blast, we next ventured to Spotify’s headquarters in urban Stockholm. As loyal Spotify users ourselves, we were overjoyed to be welcomed by VP of HR, Anna Lundström, to the office and spoken to about the company’s culture. With a hyper-growth strategy, the world has seen Spotify grow from a Swedish start-up to a global audio platform phenomenon. Values such as innovation, sincerity, passion, collaboration, and playfulness have all pushed Spotify to the top, and the type of inclusive family the company has built should be looked at as the gold standard for all organizations. You never know, your beloved authors could one day be dancing through the halls of a Spotify office near you!
Challengermode
To top off our second night in Stockholm, we visited esports tournament platform Challengermode. As 1/2 of the Dancing Queens has interned with a gamer management agency, this was quite a fascinating presentation. CEO Robel Efrem gave our group insight on his entrepreneurial journey, navigating the ever-changing technology and gaming field, and his plans for the future. As he told us, you have to be obsessed with what you do in order to make it a success. Robel was able to turn his love of gaming into a profitable venture, and we hope to do the same with our own passions. We both really enjoyed his candor, as it allowed us to relate to a high-level person, and apply his advice in our own career paths.
Overall, these have been an electric few days, and we are ever so grateful for the opportunity to partake in this trip. With even more business visits and karaoke on the horizon, the future is looking very bright. Wish us lucky on the coming days, 2 days down, 2 more to go!
xoxo, The Dancing Queens
