You have an exciting background. You built up the communication agency Gnistra, worked as Head of Communications and Business Development at the mutual insurance company Länsförsäkringar Östgöta, and then became Director of Business Development in Linköping Municipality. What makes you dare to take on such different assignments?

Yes, the assignments may look very different on paper, but what they have in common is that they have involved building up and developing new businesses, which I think is fun. Therefore, I haven't thought about it as daring, but I have been quite driven by passion. In the latter two assignments, it was also explicitly stated that they wanted me as a force in the management team, but also that I would build the businesses I was responsible for, so that they would contribute to developing and strengthening business and operations in a new and clear way. So, even though the industries have been different, there has been a common thread in the assignments.

You started an agency, did you have previous experience as an entrepreneur?
No, not really. However, I had previously had an "intrapreneurial" role and developed new business, and I also had several years of experience from the agency side. I founded Gnistra in a situation where I had moved from Stockholm to Östergötland. I saw it as an opportunity to try out life as an entrepreneur, started networking, and soon met a driven woman in a similar situation. We saw the space for a new type of communication agency, which did not exist in the regional market at that time. The timing was good, our services were in demand, and we were able to grow the agency together with customers and employees. After almost ten years, we chose to sell to an industry colleague.

What has it been like to switch between running your own business and being employed?
Yes, running your own business is incredibly fun and rewarding, but after that, my roles as an employee have been of a "build and develop" character, so it has gone well. After a stint as acting CEO of the East Sweden Chamber of Commerce, I was asked to build a new, company-wide marketing and communications function for Länsförsäkringar Östgöta. The assignment soon came to include business development and sustainability work as well. Building a marketing and communications function on the client side was something I had not done before. Of course, the opportunity to be involved in developing such a strong brand as Länsförsäkringar also appealed to me.

And then a public employee?
Yes, I probably surprised myself there as well, but the role was newly created in the municipal management administration in Linköping Municipality and involved building the function in a new way. I had never worked in public and politically governed operations before, so having that opportunity in one of Sweden's largest cities and spending a few years in "the service of society" felt both exciting and meaningful – and provided many important experiences.

What drives and motivates you in your working life?
I am vision-driven in the sense that it is important for me that there is a long-term and explicit vision that aims high, and that I can buy into, in combination with sound and positive values. It gives me a clear direction and goal to work for, which I can also take out into the organization and towards the market. I have often initiated work myself to review and sharpen a vision or goal – and work through values, goals, etc. so that everything is connected. It is often very powerful, and for me, that work in itself is motivating.

Constant development, both for me as a person and for the business, is another important driving force. As a person, I need to have room for my own creativity – to see new opportunities and to be able to translate them into new solutions and ways forward. Even though I am driven by long-term visions, I want to be able to see results fairly quickly. Then I like to have fun, so I try to contribute and create a climate where you show trust and respect for each other – and where there is plenty of room to have fun and laugh together.

Now you have founded Sprkl Management, tell us more?
Yes, it has been fun and intense years since we moved to Östergötland just over 15 years ago. Then we took over my husband's family farm with an active farm that he has been running ever since, but which is of course also part of my and our daughter's everyday life. I wanted to give myself the opportunity for a slightly freer existence for a while and founded Sprkl Management as my platform. Right now, I'm keeping it a little open, so we'll see where it goes in the future.