A warm welcome, Linnea Bolter!
Thank you so much! It’s really fun to be here.
You work as a reporter at Dagens Industri. Can you tell us a little about your career journey and what you do on a daily basis?
I’ve been at Dagens Industri for almost seven years now – it will be an anniversary in April. I work in the news editorial team as a reporter, and for the last two years, I’ve also been a moderator for our events, such as DI Gasell and “The Most Powerful Woman in Business”. Before I started at DI, I freelanced for several years and also worked as a communicator. But I realized that I would rather be the one writing myself, rather than working with conveying other people’s messages. For me, journalism is much more stimulating.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
It’s really a varied workday, especially now that I have a role where I stand on stage and interview people. It gives me the opportunity to step out of the box and take up space in a different way than when I do regular interviews.
The most fun part is meeting all kinds of people and talking to business leaders, as well as individuals in politics or public agencies. I really enjoy being able to ask whatever questions I want. That’s something I really like. Changing my career to journalism was also part of my childhood dream. I wanted to be a journalist since I was little, so it feels really good to be living that dream now.
And how do you feel about asking questions to the business community? Is it easy to ask all the questions you want?
In the beginning, I was afraid of asking “stupid” questions because you want to seem smart and knowledgeable. But you learn that those so-called “stupid” questions are often not stupid at all, but sometimes the most important ones to truly understand.
What can be difficult is asking uncomfortable questions. When you need to put someone in their place or get someone to answer something difficult, it can be uncomfortable for both the interviewer and the person being interviewed. It’s something I’ve learned to handle, although it can still be tough.
What’s the most uncomfortable question you’ve asked?
It can be questions about irregularities or when I know that a leader has made controversial decisions. For example, when you’ve interviewed others who have different opinions about a business leader, and you have to ask difficult questions about that. It can create an uncomfortable situation for both me and the person I’m interviewing.
And what’s your relationship with goals?
As a freelancer, I started setting goals when I began my journalism career. I wanted to write for the major newspapers, so I set goals to get assignments from, for example, Dagens Nyheter. I set both performance goals and financial goals to develop myself. Since I started at Dagens Industri, I’ve continued setting goals for myself and in collaboration with my boss. It’s about expanding my network, doing more assignments, and creating my own news.
Journalists sometimes think of quantity as a goal, with clicks and such. What do you think about that?
It’s important that people read what we write, but personally, I’m not as motivated by the numbers in the same way others are. For me, it’s more about producing good journalism that reaches the right people. The quantitative goals, like clicks and subscriptions, are important, but I believe there has to be a balance between quantity and quality.
What’s your view on the balance between quality and quantity?
Quality is truly a cornerstone of everything we publish. But quantitative goals are also important for being able to follow up and see if what we do reaches its target. Personally, I think that you don’t always have to measure quality exactly. Sometimes it’s about a feeling for what’s good, and reader engagement is a good measure of that.
How do you view the business community’s ability to set goals?
Many successful companies and their leaders have visionary goals. An example is Lyko, which aims to reach ten billion in revenue by 2028. That’s a goal that’s not only about numbers but also about creating a long-term vision. I think visionary goals are really important for companies that want to grow and succeed.
When you talk to businesses, do you follow up on their goals?
We sometimes do follow-ups, even if we don’t always ask directly about their goals. Sometimes we see that companies have talked about big visions and goals, and if we later notice that they haven’t reached them, that’s a form of follow-up. It’s about following their journey and seeing how things are progressing.
What do you think makes some businesses succeed more than others?
A major factor is the ability to attract and retain talent. The business leaders I’ve spoken with say that having a clear vision of where the company is heading is incredibly important, and not getting fixated on competitors. Successful companies have the ability to think ahead and find the right people to work with.
What’s your relationship with the business community as a journalist?
It’s truly a symbiotic relationship. At Dagens Industri, we are both investigative and reporting. We write about companies that we sometimes both praise and criticize. I believe a journalist should never become too friendly with their sources, but we still need to have mutual trust in order to do our job in the best possible way.
What future trends do you see in the business world?
Many experts point to a turning point in the economy around 2025-2026, although it’s still uncertain. We hope things improve, but we know there’s a lot that affects it. If the largest economies in Europe recover, it could help the whole market.
Do you think businesses could have done anything differently to avoid bankruptcy?
Many businesses that have gone bankrupt have had large debts from pandemic support, which has made it harder for them to recover now that interest rates have risen, and taxes have to be repaid. It’s hard to say exactly what could have been done differently, but it’s clear that many have struggled with the big cost increases.
Finally, do you have any personal goals?
I have a rather embarrassing goal that I’m still working on – to become comfortable driving a car. I got my driver’s license late, at 35 years old, and it’s been a huge challenge for me. But it’s a goal I’m continuing to work towards. I also have a goal to become fluent in French, which I practice with Duolingo every day. And I also regularly save money to reach my financial goals.