Hellen Wohlin Lidgard, a warm welcome to Nå mål!

So great to be here, happy we made this happen.

Today Hellen Wohlin Lidgard, we’ll talk about your background and what you do now. The podcast is called “Nå mål”  what’s your relationship with goals?

Goals have varied throughout my life. At first, I wasn’t quite sure, but then I decided to start a company and really wanted to succeed. I find things I want to do and set goals to achieve them in the best way possible.

Is it more about having a vision, building something, and then breaking it down into smaller goals?

Yes, a bit like that. My life goals have also changed. Initially, it was about freedom getting “fuck-off money”  and being able to continue my entrepreneurial journey. Now, it’s also about family.

You’re visible in many contexts like Draknästet, and you invest a lot. I assume you’re quite busy?

Actually, less so now. I’ve sold several companies and have more freedom. Now, I mostly do things that give me energy.

In Draknästet, do you invest your own money from your exits?

Yes, I’ve set aside a million for investments in Draknästet companies and have made five investments. I’m very happy with them.

Have your exits changed your perspective, for example, on price increases?

No, I don’t think about it much, maybe because I’m not a big shopper. I’m not driven by money itself, which might be unusual for an investor. For me, freedom has always been the most important thing.

What do you like to spend money on?

Traveling with my family and boats. I want my kids to learn how to drive a boat, so I have both smaller and larger boats.

How did your entrepreneurial journey start?

I was a math nerd and studied engineering, thinking I’d become a trainee at Ericsson and design 2G or 3G systems. But when I graduated, the job market was bad, so I ended up in consulting, working with data and analytics for management teams, and later in finance. Eventually, I realized, I Hellen Wohlin Lidgard could do it better in my own company. I reached out to a friend from university, Anna, and we started Pointer.

So, you started Pointer together?

Yes, she knew more about technology, and I focused more on analytics. We built a company that gathered and presented business information for companies. It was quite new in 2000, so we were pioneers.

Did you hire developers to build a platform?

We built custom platforms for clients and had our own products, but we were also a consulting business. We recruited many newly graduated engineers and trained them ourselves. It went really well!

You spent ten years at Pointer. Were there any particularly tough periods?

Yes, two. The first was in 2001 when the economy crashed, and we had very few customers. We were transparent with our employees and temporarily reduced salaries but managed to turn things around. The second was in 2009 when we lost a big contract and suddenly had 20 consultants without assignments. But we were always honest and worked together to find solutions.

What was the best part of that journey?

When things finally took off after three to four years. It’s an amazing feeling when customers start coming in, business picks up, and the team is motivated. That happened around 2004-2005 at Pointer and again with Yellow Elk, which I worked with for seven years.

Is three to four years a common timeframe for a company to take off?

Yes, often. Many think it happens faster, but it takes time to find the right market fit. You need to adjust, understand customer needs, and build reference customers.

I’m a first-time entrepreneur. What are your best tips?

Be passionate about what you do. It often takes ten years to build something truly great, and at least three before it gains momentum. To sustain that, you need motivation and a long-term mindset. Also, listen carefully to your customers who values what you do, and how can you attract more of them?

Some entrepreneurs find their idea by encountering a problem, while others actively look for market gaps. What’s your take on that?

If you haven’t experienced the problem firsthand, there’s a risk of building a technical solution that doesn’t fit customer needs. That’s why it’s crucial to talk to customers and understand them deeply.

When did you know it was time to leave Pointer?

We sold after seven years, and I stayed for three more. We got a good offer when the stock market was high, and I had a one-year-old and a three-year-old at home. Plus, I wanted to work more internationally with data.

Have you ever taken a break to reflect?

Yes, after Pointer, I thought I’d have a midlife crisis at 40, but my husband said, “you don’t have a crisis.” I took a writing course, studied psychology, and worked with impact investments in clean water and maternal healthcare. It was a great period where I stimulated other parts of my brain.

Today Hellen Wohlin Lidgard, you’re the CEO of Quantum Leap and invest in companies. What do you do?

I’ve started four companies, and Quantum Leap is a natural continuation. I don’t invest just to throw money around I want to be involved where things happen. I have experience and can be a sounding board.

How do you support entrepreneurs?

Mainly through strategic work. As an entrepreneur, you have a thousand ideas, but I help prioritize and focus on what’s most important. It can also involve raising capital, structuring the company, building a board, or fostering collaboration between founders.

Fewer but bigger – the importance of focus and strategy

What sets successful companies apart from those that don’t reach their goals?

Successful companies are clear about their goals and stick to them. Many businesses set too many goals and lose focus. It’s better to pick one or two things to prioritize and measure them carefully. Companies that fail often change goals too often, don’t track progress properly, or don’t stick with their strategy long enough.

What’s crucial for achieving a goal?

A goal must be clear, written down, and measurable. It should be something the entire organization can rally around. It’s also about not constantly adjusting the goal but sticking with it. To succeed, you need to break it down into sub-goals, like website conversion rates, offer hit rates, or delivery quality.

What do you look for when evaluating an investment?

I assess customer loyalty whether customers return, why they do, and if they are good customers. If a company retains its customers and they keep buying, it signals a strong market position.

Are there other key factors?

The business model is critical. I analyze customer acquisition costs, retention rates, and revenue per customer. A sustainable, scalable model is key. The team is also crucial. I rarely invest in solo entrepreneurs because it’s too much to handle alone. A strong, diverse team is essential for success.

What does success mean to you?

Success is about being persistent and achieving the goals you set. There will always be days when you want to give up, but you have to keep going. I’ve always been long-term oriented and kept pushing, even in tough times.

How do you handle setbacks Hellen?

I shake them off quickly. If I’ve worked for months on a deal and it falls through, I go for a run or watch Netflix, then move on the next day. I think this comes from my sports background, you have to miss a lot before you hit.

What role does company culture play?

Culture is more important than strategy. People need to feel a sense of belonging, be able to express themselves, and share knowledge. An open, transparent culture where people grow and learn from each other is key to success.

What do you want to leave behind in the companies you’re involved in?

I want people to feel like they were part of something meaningful, that they developed and had fun. In the companies I’ve been part of, culture has always been a driving force for long-term engagement.

Thank you Hellen Wohlin Lidgard, for being on Nå mål!

Yes, thank you so much!