At Based On People, we meet interesting people every day who we believe provide energy and are open to sharing their learnings and insights. We are convinced that qualities such as COURAGE, ADAPTATION and FLEXIBILITY will become even more crucial for success in the future labor market. This week, we had the privilege of discussing career changes with Johan Bergh, now CEO of Kasthall but with a background in the IT industry.
Read and be inspired by his journey below. Do you have any thoughts and experiences that you would like to share? Feel free to comment.

You have made an impressive career change from 25 years in the IT industry to a CEO role in a traditional rug company. What made you dare to take the step?
A few years ago, I started to feel that I wanted to try something more tangible, something you could "touch". My previous jobs involved complex consulting or development of IT systems and software, and this can sometimes be perceived by friends and acquaintances as very abstract. So with this in mind, I was determined to use my leadership experience in a new industry. The big challenge at this stage then became: how is this going to happen? Most of the job opportunities that came up were in my existing industry.
I grew up in Lammhult in Småland and my father worked in the furniture industry. When I came into contact with Kasthall, I felt "at home". Furthermore, design and interior design have always appealed to me, while Kasthall is a traditional company with a strong brand. I then thought that there should be enough people at the company who know rugs, but that I might be able to contribute leadership skills and international experience.

What have been your biggest challenges after 1 year in a completely new industry?
Finding the balance between being commercial while Kasthall is a company that drives design language. It is a challenge in leadership not to inhibit creativity and professional pride while always keeping the commercial aspect in mind.
Another challenge has been managing a self-producing factory and its challenges in terms of labor law, inventory management, purchasing strategies and logistics issues, etc. All of this was completely new to me.
Even though I initially felt that industry knowledge was not crucial in my role, I have realized that I had to quickly learn rug manufacturing and rug design in order to be respected in my own organization.

What tips would you like to share if you were to make a similar industry change again?
Don't think about what you can't do, but about what you contribute with your experience and focus on this first.
Be humble in the face of the task and let your employees guide you, but try to learn the industry as quickly as possible so you gain the respect of the organization.
Finally, you probably have to be passionate about the business to dare to take the chance. He who does not dare never wins.