Nordic Insights

Eps 31. I think one of the best things about Australia is the food. My guest Kati Turkia agrees with me on this. Kati is a young, super talented chef based in Sydney. Her love for food started while learning to cook with the seasonal ingredients from her Grandmother's garden in Finland.  In spite of her young age, Kati has gained great experience in working with multicultural cuisines in Finland, Spain and, over the past 9 years, in various restaurants in Sydney. We discuss her journey from Finnish kitchens to Australia and her experiences working in demanding restaurant kitchens of several cultures. Kati also talks about seasonal Finnish foods and the differences between Finnish and Australian cuisine. After losing her job as a chef due to the COVID lockdowns, Kati decided to start her own catering business. We also discuss how, to Kati's surprise, she has found a niche market in Australia for her Finnish specialities.  You will learn from Kati how:  Her perseverance has helped form her successful career  She has learned to work with multicultural restaurant kitchen teams Finnish food culture is based on seasons Visit Nordic Chef Kati Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net/podcast Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast  

Eps 30 I was delighted to learn that there is a Nordic Policy Centre in Australia. (How did I miss this?) It is a think tank formed by the Canberra-based Australia Institute. It investigates the effective, progressive social and economic policies of the Nordic countries and how they might work in Australia.  My guest is the Inaugural Convenor of the Nordic Policy Centre, Professor Andrew Scott, who has been investigating Nordic policies (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) for over 10 years. We discuss the aims of the Centre and his new book, The Nordic Edge, which he has co-authored. The book explores Nordic policies and the possibilities they provide to overcome some of Australia's big problems.  Topics we discuss include climate and energy, work/life balance, independent foreign policy, prison reform and retraining for workforce participation. We also dig into more detail on the benefits of high Nordic taxes, gender equality and media diversity. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much I did.  You will learn from Professor Scott  Policies that have made Nordic societies effective and successful  The differences between Nordic and Australian thinking   How COVID has made Australia more Nordic  The Nordic Policy Centre The Nordic Edge The Nordic Policy Centre on Twitter  Professor Andrew Scott Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net/podcast Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

EPS 29 My guest is multi-talented Satu Vänskä, a fellow Finn, and the Principal Violin of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Her destiny was decided when she started playing the violin at the age of 3 while living in Japan. Her talent was recognised early on while she was studying violin in Finland and Germany. She was named ‘Young Soloist of the Year' by Sinfonia Lahti in Finland in 1998 and a few years later she was a prize winner of the ‘Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben' in Germany. She studied and worked in Europe with world-leading classical music orchestras and musicians before moving to Australia. She joined the ACO in 2004, where she today has many roles, performing also as a lead violin and soloist. She is the curator, frontwoman, violinist and vocalist of ACO Underground, the ACO's experimental spin-off band.  We talk about how Satu's multicultural upbringing and experience has had a strong influence on her character. Satu tells us about her role as a performer and leader. The big milestones that have transformed her life include performing as a vocalist and violinist in Barry Humphries' Weimar Cabaret in The Barbican in London. You will learn from Satu how    Her multicultural upbringing and perseverance has formed her successful career  She has developed her Leadership skills  Her amazing career growth has been organic Visit Australian Chamber Orchestra  Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net/podcast Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps 27 Sydneysiders, check out our sponsor VENLA Resell+Relove, a second-hand fashion store with a NORDIC twist, located in Mosman and Bondi Junction (opening July). VENLA rent-a-rack store is a place where you can give a new life to your quality fashion clothes and accessories and find new loves. Join the VENLA community to help reduce fashion waste. Your wallet and the Earth will thank you. Check out venla.com.au for more details.  My guest is my friend, fellow Finn and business partner of 4 years, Minna Monaghan. We discuss how COVID made us pivot from our travel aviation consultancy business to open a recycling retail fashion store in Sydney. We talk about our careers and how we both ended up moving from Finland to Australia.  Minna's career path took her from advertising to various aviation management roles with QANTAS and Virgin. My own journey started at sales and marketing in hospitality, then running my own marketing PR consultancy for over 10 years. After the GFC, I ended up in travel tech marketing for 6 years. Minna and I set up our travel-aviation consultancy in 2017, representing AIRHELP air passenger rights company in APAC.  We discuss how the idea of VENLA was born at the end of 2020. The VENLA mission is to recycle fashion and help to reduce fashion waste. We talk about the success of VENLA MOSMAN in its first 6 months, which has now enabled us to open our 2nd store, VENLA BONDI, in Sydney Eastern suburbs. You will learn from Minna and myself How we have pivoted our travel consultant business to second-hand retail stores How our career journeys have taken us from the corporate world to becoming entrepreneurs  Why Finland has a strong sustainability and recycling culture   VENLA Resell+Relove Instagram venla.resell.relove  Facebook venla.resell.relove Follow Nordic Insights  Listen nordicinsights.net/podcast Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast  

Sydneysiders, check out our Sponsor VENLA Resell + Relove, a second hand fashion store with a NORDIC twist, located in Mosman (Sydney). VENLA rent-a-rack store is a place where you can give a new life to your quality fashion clothes and accessories and find new loves. Join the VENLA team to help reduce fashion waste. Your wallet and the Earth will thank you. Check out for venla.com.au more details.  My guest Karin Adcock trained as a school teacher in Denmark. However, life took her in a very different direction. She ended up in Australia and has become a very successful award winning business leader and entrepreneur. Karin has gained in-depth knowledge of branding, marketing, distribution and franchising. This includes founding Pandora, a Danish jewellery brand designed for women, which under her leadership became a household name in Australia and New Zealand.  Karin has since transformed her career into management of a diversified portfolio of retail and property assets, including Winmark Wines in the Hunter Valley. Karin took over the estate in 2016 and have now restored the property to its former glory including winery, high-end accommodation, event venues and art gallery. We discuss Karin’s journey to success, her challenges, vision and determination.  You will learn from Karin how she  Built her career to become a multi-award winning business leader  Built a successful team and multi-million dollar franchise business in Australia and New Zealand   Got one of her most profound life lessons from an Indian tuk tuk driver Follow Karin in Linkedin` Winmark Wines   Follow Nordic Insights  Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast  

Eps 26 Diabetes has a long history in my family. It has made me curious to learn more about it and to research recent encouraging developments. I came across Dr Miina Ohman, a Singapore based Finn who has a strong desire to prevent and/or cure chronic diseases, including diabetes.  We discuss her successful career in clinical healthcare and her strong track record in academic research working environments in Europe, North America and Asia. Miina also talks about how you develop prediabetes and diabetes,  including what happens in our bodies when we become insulin resistant. She also gives us guidance on how to prevent, manage and even cure diabetes in some cases. Miina promotes personal choices that support a long and healthy life. She is a believer in the power of Nature as an integral part of the holistic well-being of humans. We discuss her challenges and strengths as a Finn in working in multicultural environments in three continents. You will learn from Miina about How she has built her career from a Helsinki based GP to become a leading global researcher  Managing cultural differences, challenges and benefits living as a Nordic in three continents  Her resilience and passion in research to prevent and cure chronic diseases  Follow Dr Miina Ohman: Miina Ohman Linkedin Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net/podcast Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps 25 Singapore based Finn Sami Jääskeläinen runs Nordic Innovation House, a community platform for accelerating Nordic start-ups in the Singapore and South-East Asia region.  Sami’s colourful career included being a professional chef in Helsinki and later moving into advertising as a team lead for iconic global brands such as Nokia and Finlandia Vodka. Sami now has a successful career as a Nordic start-up Community Director in Singapore. This has included running  partnerships for Slush, the super successful start-up event based in Finland. We discuss Sami’s experience of cultural differences working as a Nordic in Singapore and in his collaborations with other Nordic colleagues. Nordic Innovation House is a unique collaboration platform between five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Their aim is to connect Nordic start-ups with major innovation hubs globally including Singapore, Silicon Valley, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong.  You will learn from Sami about how he has built his career from a chef to a global start-up advisor managing cultural differences, challenges and benefits living as a Nordic in South East Asia  his resilience and curiosity in conquering new areas to progress in his professional life  Follow Sami Sami Jaaskelainen in LinkedIn Nordic Innovation House    Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net/podcast Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast  

Episode 24 It is surprising to hear that there are over 600 Danish brands in Australia. How has little Denmark, with 5.5 M people, achieved this success? There is a very special relationship between these two countries, thanks to Jorn Utzon's design of the Sydney Opera House and Tasmanian born HRH Crown Princess Mary. However, it doesn't explain why Australians have embraced Danish products so wholeheartedly. My guest, Michael T Hansen, the former Trade Commissioner of Denmark, talks about how the 2008/9 global financial crisis offered an opportunity for Danish companies in Australia when the rest of the world was in recession. During his eight years in the job he assisted over 200 Danish companies to enter the Australian market. Michael talks about why he thinks Danish design, cuisine, food products and livability concepts are now well known and desired in Australia.  We discuss features of Danish and Nordic corporate culture which Michael has very successfully introduced to his staff as MD of iconic Danish company Nilfisk.  Michael also introduces how, against all odds, hel and his wife Parret have built a stunning, 100% off-the-grid Danish designed holiday house in Australia.   You will learn from Michael about   How he has succeeded in making hundreds of Danish companies into household names in Australia  The challenges and wins in promoting a country in the other side of the world  Nordic tips for a successful career  Follow Michael    Michael T Hansen in LinkedIn Nilfisk Pasific Michael and Parret’s holiday home (in Danish) Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps 23 Silicon Valley based entrepreneur  Ari Tulla made a big jump from Finnish Nokia and the gaming industry to the healthcare industry in the USA. In 2011 he co-founded BetterDoctor,  a comprehensive doctor data engine that powers the healthcare market to help people to navigate the complicated US healthcare system. He also had personal reasons as he wanted to find better healthcare for his own family. Ari ran BetterDoctor for over 10 years, after which time it was very successfully acquired by Quest Analytics and Ari became CEO in 2018. We discuss Ari’s journey from a teen tech gig in Northern Finland to becoming a serious entrepreneur in San Francisco. Ari talks about his strong drive ”Finnish Sisu “ to help people live better lives and his connection to his Finnish roots.  We also discuss the reasons for the  success of the Finnish start - up world. Ari talks about his recently founded stealth mode startup which is transforming food from the cause of disease to medicine.  You will learn from Ari about how he has succeeded as a start-up entrepreneur  challenges and benefits when entering a new industry as an outsider  positive outcomes of the Nokia collapse for Finnish start-ups  Follow Ari Ari Tulla in LinkedIn AriTulla.com Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast  

Eps 22 Nordics are well known to be some of the happiest peoples in the world. What do they do to make themselves happy? Kajsa Humphreys is a Sydney based Swedish Health and Fitness coach and a mum of 2 children. Her business, The Swedish Solution, helps women implement simple step by step lifestyle changes to increase their feeling of health and well-being - and of course happiness. Her business was born after she was feeling unhealthy and unhappy about her own life. She made some dramatic changes and decided to quit her successful corporate job and leave her marriage - at the same time. Kajsa talks about her journey as a single mum to become a very successful and happy entrepreneur.   You will learn from Kajsa about   Her dramatic change from a successful corporate life to becoming a happy entrepreneur  Why Swedish people are some of the happiest in the world Three simple steps to increase your well-being and create a happier lifestyle  TheSwedishSolution The Swedish Solution in Instagram The Swedish Solution in Facebook   Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps 21 In this episode we talk about delicious and healthy food with a slight Nordic flavour in its philosophy. Danish chef Nilla Tomkins,  the founder of Vanillafood, runs two cafes in Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast in Australia. Nilla’s philosophy is all about good food, health and the environment. She says VanillaFood’s style is flavour first but always with health in mind.  Nilla talks about how her interest in food started on the family farm in the medieval town of Ribe in Denmark. Her successful journey as an entrepreneur is focused on creating a sustainable way of life for her and her team of 20 staff,  who she calls her family. She uses fresh produce that is organically grown and local when possible. Nilla’s beautiful ‘’Vanillafood the Cookbook” ,  has been 10 years in the making and is coming out in December. You will learn from Nilla about Her journey from a Danish farm  to becoming a successful entrepreneur in Australia  How to create a healthy and sustainable way of life and business as an entrepreneur   Her secrets of success in a very competitive business environment Follow Vanillafood Vanillafood Vanillafood in Instagram Vanillafood in Facebook   Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

EPS 20 In Finland and Sweden, people not only celebrate their birthdays each year, but their name days as well. The tradition of assigning names to specific dates stretches back to medieval times.  As the importance of name days changed over the centuries, so did the various traditions associated with it. Nowadays, it’s mainly coffee-and-cake celebrations in workplaces, day care and schools. Finland’s indigenous Sámi people also have their own name day calendar. There is also an Orthodox name day calendar that recognises the days of saints that are observed by the small population of Finnish Orthodox. Most Nordic’s have adopted the commercial Halloween tradition of American-style pumpkin decorations and trick or treat customs. Iceland‘s answer to Halloween is Öskudagur in February, where kids dress up in costumes and go from door to door to sing for candy. In Finland during Easter Saturday,  children dress up as little witches. The tradition derives from ancient times, when evil spirits and witches were thought to wander around, doing mischief before Easter.   You will learn How Nordics have celebrated Name Of the Day since Medieval times  Some Nordic answers to Halloween  Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps 19 South African born former Sydneysider Megs Järvinen fell in love with Finland and decided to move there with her Finnish husband and their little son. They now live in Kuopio, a small town with 120K inhabitants. It is located in the lake region in the eastern part of Finland, around 400km from Helsinki.  Twelve months on, what has her experience been like when it comes to everyday life, adjusting to dramatic four seasons and the Finnish way of life?  Megs talks about her new work life culture as a brand strategist in a local creative agency. She also talks about the highs and lows of living in a Finnish society, not knowing the language and discovering quirky sides of the Finnish character.    You will learn from Megs   How she has made living in Kuopio work for her both personally and professionally  How she has adjusted to dramatic four seasons and a very different Finnish culture  The three most important things if you are thinking of moving to Finland   Megan Järvinen in LinkedIn Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast  

Eps 18 How do you build an award winning  travel destination for a niche segment? My guest Christina Guggenberger, the Co-Founder of StockholmLGBT, has 25+ years experience in creating successful award winning marketing campaigns for the city of Stockholm. We discuss her successful career progression and what have been the winning strategies for Stockholm to make it one of the most diverse and inclusive destinations in the world for the LGBT community. You will learn from Christina How to build an award winning niche destination marketing campaign  How to build strong partnerships in destination marketing  What have been the winning strategies for Stockholm to make it one of the most diverse and inclusive destinations in the world for the LGBT community Follow Stockholm LGBT  Stockholm LGBT in Instagram Stockholm LGBT in Facebook   nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast  

Episode 17 PART 2 In part two of my conversation with the futurist Johnny Thorsen, we discuss the state of travel in the “new normal”.  What are the new green and technological developments in travel that will have a significant role in the future? How will travel provide value in the future? What are the changes we will see in aviation, corporate travel, meetings & events and leisure sectors? How will the behaviour of travellers change in the future? Johnny also talks about his Nordic values and the role the Nordic countries can have in travel.  He gives advice to travel suppliers on how to manage current crises and what to look for in the future. You will learn from Johnny  How travel will bring value in the future  How travel industry sectors including travel agents, meetings & events, hotels, rail, car rental, aviation and corporate travel will survive COVID-19 Who are the new start-up disruptors in travel What is the role of Nordic countries when it comes to the future of travel  Johnny Thorsen in Linkedin Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps 17 It would be fabulous if you could predict the future, don't you agree? My guest Johnny Thorsen is a Global travel technology evangelist and futurist in the corporate travel and mobile world. He is a Dane and fellow Nordic based in California. Johnny has had an extremely impressive career within the travel, procurement and mobile world after living and working in 5 different countries in EMEA, APAC and now USA. He has been named twice as one of the 25 most influential people in the travel industry  by Business Travel News (BTN). Firstly  in 2010 as CEO and co-founder of conTgo, a UK-based startup acquired by Concur technologies and again in 2018 as VP of Strategy and Partnerships for his Mezi start-up. Johnny is also a strategic advisor for multiple other startups.  We talk about his successful journey to becoming a startup entrepreneur and industry leader. Johnny also talks about the process he uses to construct his predictions for the future of travel.   You will learn from Johnny how he created his start-up expertise  built conTgo from a two man start-up to a global success has used Nordic characteristics to help him to be successful has built his know-how and experience to become a sought after futurist for the travel industry Johnny Thorsen in LinkedIn Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps 16 It's not often that you discover a product that totally delights and in fact over-delivers. I recently found an Australian made super premium sparkling wine by Heemskerk winery in Tasmania that has the most elegant Georg Jensen bottle and stopper. After doing my research, I discovered the team behind it.  My guest today is Rowena Curlewis, Co-Founder of Denomination, a Sydney based multi-award winning design agency.  Rowena and Margaret Nolan, Creative Director,  came up with the idea to collaborate with the Danish iconic brand Georg Jensen. Their challenge was how to make Heemskerk super premium sparkling wine more desirable than French champagne for a gift or special occasion. The combination of ultra premium design-led packaging and Heemskerk premium sparkling has created an amazing new category of luxury wine. Rowena talks about this exciting project and collaboration with the Georg Jensen team. She also discusses how the project ticked all the boxes for their client brief.  Georg Jensen sparkling  truly over-delivers to its target group, with each batch being quickly sold out.   You will learn from Rowena how  their innovative design taps into consumer need very successfully their collaborated with Iconic Nordic brand teams they discovered the key principle of Nordic design how they were able to deliver the project on very demanding timeline   the combination of their design with sparkling created a new category of luxury wine Follow Denomination Denomination in Instagram Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps 15 Two charming London based Brits, Paul Wagner and Andy Fairburn, have a long track record in working with Nordic travel and tourism. Their interest and passion for the Nordic Region inspired them, in early 2019, to establish the Nordic Tourism Collective (NTC). It is a collaborative tourism membership network connecting Nordic travel and tourism suppliers with international buyers worldwide. The aim of the NTC  is to have a united voice in the region on key tourism issues such as sustainability and over-tourism.  How have they managed to get the Nordic travel industry in all 5 Nordic countries on board and to invest in their venture? We discuss their experiences in doing business with Nordics and the similarities and differences between all 5 Nordic cultures. Paul and Andy also discuss opportunities the Nordic region offers for travel and tourism and how they see the future of tourism in this region in the “new normal world”.   You will learn from Paul and Andy how to     make your passion and interest your business reality   build credibility and trust among Nordic stakeholders collaborate with different Nordic cultures  Follow Nordic Tourism Collective Nordic Tourism Collective in Facebook Nordic Tourism Collective in Instagram Transcript Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Episode 14 Nordic Business Forum (NBForum), co-founded by Hans Peter Siefen, is the most sought after business leadership event series in the Nordic Countries. NBForum has featured world-class speakers such as Barack Obama, Al Gore, Simon Sinek, Sir Alex Fergusson, Seth Godin, Steve Wozniak, Gary Vaynerchuk, Randi Zuckerberg, Sir Richard Branson and the late Jack Welsh, just to name a few. One of the secrets behind their success is to exceed the customer expectations, says Hans-Peter.  We discuss what makes these world leaders unique and what have been some of the learnings from them that have been implemented into NBForum culture. Hans-Peter also talks about NBForum events during COVID-19 and their plans for the future.   You will learn from Hans-Peter how to     exceed customer expectations build credibility and trust among stakeholders choose a team member  build and plan your business and your career  Follow Hans- Peter Siefen in LinkedIn   Follow Nordic Business Forum Visit Nordic Business Forum Instagram Nordic Business Forum Facebook Nordic Business Forum Twitter Nordic Business Forum YouTube Nordic Business Forum LinkedIn Nordic Business Forum

If you feel your weeks are like from the Groundhog Day movie, you need disruptions to your routine! In this episode you will learn 5 Nordic inspired disruptions to spice up your week. 1st disruption is for your Mindset - scream your heart out. You can now record your scream and it will be released in Iceland’s beautiful, wide-open spaces. Get ready to scream at Looks like you need Iceland. 2nd disruption is for your Meals. If you are fed up with your cooking and baking go to IKEA and buy the ready made Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam. Add potato mash and voila, your Swedish dinner is made. However, if you want to make an effort and do it all by yourself here is a traditional Swedish meatball recipe to try.  3rd disruption is for your Entertainment. Here are some of my favourite Danish TV shows to stream while you are huddled indoors. Watch Borgen, The Killing, 1864 and so on. Create some hygge for yourself and start binge watching. 4th disruption is for your Exercise. Time to get up from the couch! If you are looking for something different to your normal exercise routine try Nordic Walking. Pole prices start from $30 - $400. The health benefits are endless according to Harvard Medical School. Finally, to look like a Nordic get yourself a Nordic anorak jacket, it will last you a lifetime. Go to Anorakki.com.au and when you quote Nordic you get 10% off. 5th disruption is for your Hope. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is preserving a wide variety of seeds from plants from all over the world, in case of a global crisis. Learn more by going to Seedvault Norway.  That's 5 Nordic disruptions for your week. Enjoy! Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast  

Eps 12 Melbourne based Norwegian “Maker of Things”, Hans-Jørgen  Jahr, was so inspired by multi-Grammy awarded musician Ben Harper that he decided to start designing guitars. He didn't know then that Ben Harper would be his first customer.  This very talented and soft spoken Nordic designer, carpenter and photographer draws his inspirations from Bauhaus and Nordic designers. Hans talks  about his time in the Norwegian army as a pacifist and about his love for outdoors and extreme sports, including ski jumping, snow- and skateboarding. Hans is a very dedicated father and stepfather. We discuss what it is like to be a Nordic father and how it differs from Australian, based on his experience.   You will  learn: Where Hans draws his inspiration from as a designer  What is means to be a Nordic Father  What has given Hans confidence to take risks and succeed in life  Follow Hans-Jørgen Jahr  jahr.com.au Instagram Pile of Trees Instagram Jahr Made  This episode is sponsored by Nordic Anorakki anorak jackets. Get 10 % off and FREE shipping by quoting NORDIC when ordering. www.anorakki.com.au Follow Nordic Insights  Visit nordicinsights.net Instagram Nordic Insights Podcast  Facebook Nordic Insights Podcast

Eps. 11 Getting retrenched during COVID-19 can be truly devastating, especially when it happens during your maternity leave. This  happened to my guest Susan Galvin, who was retrenched in March this year. Instead of becoming paralysed by the challenge she decided to start her own company and design her own watch brand by using kick-starter funding. Susan talks about her journey to becoming a watchmaker in Finland and her experience in the male orientated luxury watch industry. She has over 10 years experience working as level 5 Omega watchmaker for prestigious global companies such as LVMH, in the UK and Australia, and The Swatch Group, Omega in Australia.  You will  learn: What skills and attitude you need to go straight  from school to work for a global luxury brand company  How to turn redundancy into a new opportunity  How to make kick-started funding work successfully for your start-up Follow Galvin Watch Company Back the Kickstarter campaign in August to become an owner of an Alku watch galvinwatchcompany.com.au  facebook.com/galvinwatchcompany instagram.com/galvinwatchcompany Visit www.nordicinsights.net Follow Nordic Insights on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow nordic Insights  on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/  

Our lives have changed dramatically - maybe forever. We have had to adjust to many changes due to Covid. Satu is introducing four fairly well known Nordic concepts that could be helpful for creating a calmer mindset for these turbulent times.    You will  learn: About SISU which is a certain inner strength that Finns have that creates an action-oriented mindset. How anyone can develop SISU into your own life About LAGOM which is a Swedish lifestyle philosophy based on having “Not too much, not too little. Just right.” How you can live better with less and practice LAGOM to create a happier life. About FIKA, a Swedish Institution that is a mini - break in a day. Often meaning a coffee break with a cinnamon bun. How you can create FIKA moments,” little escapes” in your day.  About Danish concept of having a special cozy feeling or a moment of HYGGE. How you can create simple HYGGE moments and make your everyday life more enjoyable.   References:  About SISU The Finnish Art of Courage.  About LAGOM  Lagom: The Swedish Art of Balanced Living”. About FIKA Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break, with Recipes for Pastries, Breads, and Other Treats. About HYGGE How to Hygge  This episode is brought to you by Anorakki. Get 10 % off and FREE shipping by quoting NORDIC when ordering. Anorakki jackets are Unisex and Anorakki offers full returns. Visit www.anorakki.com.au  Visit www.nordicinsights.net Follow Nordic Insights on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow Nordic Insights  on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/

Episode 9 Nordics have long been international champions of gender equality. The Nordic Region regularly  produces outstanding female Presidents, Prime Ministers and business leaders. On average almost three in every four working-age Nordic women are in paid employment, according to the OECD (2018). However, to be a young female Nordic leader championing gender equality in a very male dominated corporate culture is not an easy task. My guest, Norwegian Silje Barningham, is a very successful HR professional at Jacobs who has been making ‘pro-equality’ waves in the corporate world throughout her career.   We discuss the attributes and determination she has developed to change the traditional corporate culture to bring Nordic modelled gender equality to her work place.  She talks about the resilience and determination she gained as a child living an outdoor life in Norway. Her female leader idols in the 1980’s included Gro Harlem Brundtland, the first female PM of Norway and the Nordic region.  Silje co-founded a start-up called Anorakki,which sells modernised versions of traditional Nordic Anorak jackets that last a lifetime. She talks about how the idea of Anorakki came about and how she has been able to bring a piece of Nordic culture to ANZ based on Norwegain “fritid” concept.  You will learn  The benefits that gender equality and diversity bring to corporation and community The way Silje has been championing gender equality cultural change in her workplaces and in her teams How Silje has developed her start-up idea from her own cultural traditions This episode is brought to you by Anorakki. Get 10 % off and FREE shipping by quoting NORDIC when ordering. Anorakki jackets are Unisex and Anorakki offers full returns. Visit www.anorakki.com.au Follow Anorakki on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/anorakki_thestore Follow Anorakki on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AnorakkiTheStore/ Check out Anorakki website https://www.anorakki.com.au. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, coming up soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review?  Kiitos, tack and thanks!    Visit www.nordicinsights.net Follow Nordic Insights on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow nordic Insights  on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/

Episode 8 I am reflecting on my interviews to this point. What have been some of the inspirational business and leadership survival strategies used by my Nordic and Nordic-inspired business and corporate leader guests during COVID-19?  Listen in and get insights how four Nordic and Nordic-inspired business leaders tackle their challenges   Scandinavian travel specialist Tietse Stelma. Tietse is the CEO of 50 Degrees North, which specialises in tours in the Nordic Region. He has built up 50 Degrees North to be one of the most successful global travel operators specialising in the Nordic Region, with over 40 staff. When COVID-19 started, he went from $2M monthly turnover to $0 in a month. Tietse talks about the changes he had to make and how he is pivoting his business during the time of turmoil.   Libby Helinski, the Founder of Pappa Sven, a Nordic lifestyle business including a retail shop, online business, Pappa Sven community events and 2 airbnb’s in Newcastle.  After COVID-19 hit, she thought she would lose her business. However, inspired by Armi Ratia, the founder of Finnish Marimekko, she has been able to turn it all around with her passion and energy.   Swedish born Anders Lindstrom, Director of Communications for North America for Norwegian Air, found himself living in NYC in the middle of COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter demonstrations, working for an airline industry that has just been paralysed. In March 2020 he initiated the non-profit “Project Wingman USA”, mobilising hundreds of airline crew to provide care for COVID-19 hospital healthcare workers in NYC hospitals.   Finnish-born Tommi Nordstrom is the co-founder of Pupsy, an online start-up platform for all things that matter to dog-owners. Tommi talks about how his Nordic characteristics have helped him to get through the start-up challenges, including COVID-19.     Check out 50° North website https://www.fiftydegreesnorth.com Check out Pappa Sven website https://www.pappasven.com.au Check our Project WingmanUSA website https://www.projectwingmanusa.com/ Check out Pupsy website https://pupsy.com.au/   Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my upcoming interviews, which are on the way soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Kiitos, tack and thanks!    Follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/

Episode 7 What is it like to live in NYC as a Nordic in the middle of COVID and Black Lives Matter demonstrations, working for an airline industry that has just been paralysed? It sounds very challenging. However, Director of Communications for North America for Norwegian Air, Swedish born Anders Lindström has turned these challenges into an opportunity. In March 2020 he initiated the non-profit “Project Wingman USA”, mobilising hundreds of airline crew to provide care for COVID hospital healthcare workers in NYC hospitals. Anders talks about his experience running the project as well as various other award winning initiatives he has launched during his very successful career as a PR and Communications Professional working for the aviation industry. He is one of the most prominent airline spokespeople in the US, frequently appearing in mainstream media including Forbes, Bloomberg, CNN, Reuters, Travel+Leisure, USA Today etc. As a Swede, Anders is implementing his Nordic values in his personal and professional life and his corporate culture.   You will learn about: How Anders  turned the COVID challenge into an opportunity to assist NYC healthcare communities How Anders has created his ideal professional life working across three continents,  now in NYC  Anders passion for Corporate Social Responsibility, including his various award winning initiatives featuring diversity and equality campaigns    Anders Lindström in Linkedin Project Wingman in NY Daily News or Forbes. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE to Nordic Insights so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, coming up soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review?  Kiitos, tack and thanks!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/              

Episode 6 How do you transform your life from a highly successful corporate career in Europe to ending up on the beach in Australia and running a start-up? My guest, Finnish-born Tommi Nordstrom, has done this very successfully. He co-founded Pupsy, an online platform for all things that matter to dog-owners. He shares his idea to launch Pupsy as a way to help dog owners find, book and review dog friendly places and services.  Tommi talks about how his Finnishness has sometimes seemed odd to other cultures and how it has helped him to get through the start-up challenge.  Tommi is pioneering in Australia the not so well-known sport of Floor-ball, as a player and coach.  You will learn about: How you can use your career know-how and experience to build a start-up  How to build and scale a start-up model in different stages  How you can build new connections and networks when you move to a new place/country Pupsy website https://pupsy.com.au/ Follow Pupsy in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pupsy.team Follow Pupsy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pupsy.team/ Episode Sponsor: Vloggi makes group videos easy. For any kind of team, from co-workers to customer testimonials, Vloggi is an all-in-one crowd-sourcing and video making platform. Find out more at https://www.vloggi.com/   Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE to Nordic Insights so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, coming up soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review?  Kiitos, tack and thanks!    Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/        

Episode 5  What does the ‘Nordic Everyman's Right’ to roam freely in nature have to do with corporate leadership and managing teams? According to Swedish corporate super achiever Teresia Fors, everything. Meet Teresia, who got her first Board membership at 15. Since then she has had a remarkably successful career as an accomplished Managing Director, CEO and Board Member across many industries in Sweden and in Australia. We talk about her Nordic management style and her way of implementing cultural and structural change across corporate business environments, with such companies as Viking Cruises and Volvo Group. You will learn about Teresia’s journey as a country kid from Swedish Lapland to getting a seat in a prestigious board in Australia  How working a pub provided a priceless entry lesson to Australia Teresia’s cross-cultural experience as a female leader in a Nordic company in Australia  The Nordic way of leadership and building diverse teams   Follow Teresia Fors in Linkedin Episode Sponsor: Vloggi makes group videos easy. For any kind of team, from co-workers to customer testimonials, Vloggi is an all-in-one crowd-sourcing and video making platform. Find out more at https://www.vloggi.com/ Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE to Nordic Insights so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, coming up soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review?  Kiitos, tack and thanks!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/  

Episode 4 - PART 2 I am continuing my conversation with Dr Marianne Juntunen, who is a STEM teacher based in Lapland. She talks about her daily life as a teacher in Finland and the teaching methods currently used in Finnish schools.  The world class Finnish education has also its challenges. How to service those students who have learning difficulties as well as those who are very talented. Marianne also introduces the practical guide which she developed to Finnish schools to help teachers to plan their teaching from the perspective of sustainable development. Download here Edugems FREE Practical guide in sustainable development in science education for teachers In 2016 Marianne received The Most innovative Science Teacher Award for her education guide from LUMA, which is the science education development organisation of the Finnish National Board of Education. Marianne is also a Founder of EduGems, a company that specialises in developing educational programs and offering teachers in-service training focusing on holistic and inquiry-based science education. Follow Edugems in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edugemsfinland/ Follow Edugems on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EduGemsFinland/ Check out Edugames Website https://edugems.fi/ Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE to Nordic Insights so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, coming up soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review?  Kiitos, tack and thanks!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/    Vloggi makes group videos easy. For any kind of team, from co-workers to customer testimonials, Vloggi is an all-in-one crowd-sourcing and video making platform. Find out more at https://www.vloggi.com/

Episode 4 - PART 1 One of my favourite subjects is the Finnish education system, which is recognised to be world class.  One of the secrets of the success of Finnish education is the teachers. They are very highly educated and well respected. It is said that it is easier to get into university to study law or medicine than teaching in Finland. How do you become a teacher in Finland and what is the teacher’s world like?  I am very excited to talk with Dr Marianne Juntunen, who is a STEM teacher based in Lapland. She has a PhD in Chemistry Education, MSc in Chemistry and Mathematics Education and MSc in Technical Microbiology. Marianne has developed a practical guide to Finnish schools to help teachers to plan their teaching from the perspective of sustainable development, and to integrate mathematics into their topics. In 2016 Marianne received The Most innovative Science Teacher Award for her education guide from LUMA, which is the science education development organisation of the Finnish National Board of Education. In PART 1 of the interview, Marianne talks about her journey to become a STEM teacher and her passion to create holistic sustainability science teaching methods for Finnish schools.  Marianne is also a Founder of EduGems, a company that specialises in developing educational programs and offering teachers in-service training focusing on holistic and inquiry-based science education. PART 2 of the interview will be live on Friday 19 June 2020.   Follow Edugems in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edugemsfinland/ Follow Edugems on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EduGemsFinland/ Check out Edugames Website https://edugems.fi/ Download here a Edugems FREE Practical guide in sustainable development in science education for teachers   Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE to Nordic Insights so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, coming up soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review?  Kiitos, tack and thanks!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/    Vloggi makes group videos easy. For any kind of team, from co-workers to customer testimonials, Vloggi is an all-in-one crowd-sourcing and video making platform. Find out more at https://www.vloggi.com/

Libby Helsinki, Owner of Pappa Sven lifestyle business |Bringing all things Nordic to Australia | My guest is a Nordic Inspired Aussie Libby Helinski, an HR professional who after living a year in Skellefteå the north of Sweden decided to change her career path and start her own business. She got so inspired by the Nordic lifestyle (including eating reindeer hearts and watching ice-hockey) that after arriving back in Australia she established the Pappa Sven business. Her Nordic lifestyle business includes a retail shop, online business, Pappa Sven community events and 2 airbnb’s in Newcastle,  2 h drive North of  Sydney.  Libby truly embraces the Nordic way of providing a cosy retail experience to her community. Libby explains why her business is not focused on Scandinavian but rather Nordic products.  After COVID-19 hit, she thought she would lose her business. However, inspired by Armi Ratia, the founder of Finnish Marimekko, she has been able to turn it all around with her passion and energy. Follow Pappa Sven on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pappasvens Follow Pappa Sven on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pappasven Check out Pappa Sven website https://www.pappasven.com.au. Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, coming up soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review?  Kiitos, tack and thanks!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/   Vloggi makes group videos easy. For any kind of team, from co-workers to customer testimonials, Vloggi is an all-in-one crowd-sourcing and video making platform. Find out more at https://www.vloggi.com/

Episode 2 brought to you by https://www.vloggi.com/ My guest today is Nordic and Scandinavian travel specialist Tietse Stelma. Tietse is the CEO of 50 Degrees North, which specialises in tours in the Nordic Region. With 30 years in the travel industry, Tietse has spent most of his life travelling around the Nordic Region and knows the area like the back of his hand. Tietse has built up 50 Degrees North to be one of the most successful global travel operators specialising in the Nordic Region with over 40 staff. (Pre Covid-19) Tietse shares his journey from the Frisian Islands of Holland to Norwegian Lapland, the Fjords of Southern Norway and on to Australia and Asia. Tietse talks about his Nordic way of building a business and about his plans to make his business more robust and sustainable during and after COVID-19. We discuss the ups and downs of travel industry trends in the current times of turbulence around the world.  Get some tips from Tietse on how to create a sustainable Nordic business model with purpose. Follow 50 Degrees North on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/50degreesnorth/ Follow 50 Degrees North on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/50degreesnorth Follow 50 Degrees North on https://www.pinterest.com.au/50dnorth/pins/ Follow 50 Degrees North on Twitter: https://twitter.com/50degreesN Check out 50 Degrees North website https://www.fiftydegreesnorth.com ========================================== Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, coming up soon. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review?  Kiitos, tack and thanks!  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/  ========================================= Vloggi makes group videos easy. For any kind of team, from co-workers to customer testimonials, Vloggi is an all-in-one crowd-sourcing and video making platform. Find out more at https://www.vloggi.com/  

Episode 1 I often get questions about Finland and other Nordic countries. How come the Finns and other Nordics are the happiest people in the world? Why is it that Nordic countries rank at the top of the world when it comes to education, innovation, press freedom, sustainability, design, healthcare, quality of life and more. There are so many areas where Nordic countries are on top. Why is it? Nordic Insights podcast introduces high-achieving Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and  Sweden) and Nordic-inspired people with niche expertise in business, lifestyle, travel, education, innovation, and more. We bring to life their unique secrets of success in a lively conversation and explore Nordic common sense and trends in this complex  world. Listen in for some tips on Nordic approaches to a happier and more holistic way of business and personal life.  Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of the upcoming interviews, which are on the way soon.   And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Kiitos, tack and thanks!    Follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/nordic_insights_podcast/ Follow my on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NORDICINSIGHTSPodcast/