Rasmus Bent CEO of Tänndalen welcome to Nå mål! Do you often participate in podcasts?

Thank you! Great to be here! And no, this is actually my first one, so it feels like a big deal for both me and Tänndalen.

Exciting! Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Rasmus, and I was born in Husby, Småland but grew up in Tornedalen. I love everything about this place the mountains, nature, and the environment. I’ve worked in the tourism industry my whole life, starting as a cleaner at a hotel in Ramberget, and since then, I’ve continued in the ski resort industry.

It’s impressive that you’re now a CEO at Tänndalen and have seen all roles.

Yes, I’ve worked in almost every role from cleaning to restaurants, retail, and rentals. I didn’t take the academic route but learned through experience, which has been a huge advantage.

Have you always wanted to be a leader?

No, but I’ve always had a drive to develop things. I love building things up and seeing progress, and that has probably led me here.

Tell us about Tänndalen. How big is the area, and how many people work there?

Tänndalen is an amazing place with a long history in tourism. Sweden’s first high-altitude hotel opened here in the 1800s. Tänndalen’s ski resort has existed since 1932, and we have a long tradition of welcoming guests.

We are a relatively small area in terms of visitor numbers, but we have Sweden’s largest ski area when you look at the entire region. We have 55 slopes in Tänndalen, and with the same lift pass, you can ski in over 140 slopes across six ski areas. People appreciate the authentic feel here – the combination of great downhill skiing, cross-country trails, and snowmobile routes, as well as the fact that Tänndalen is a living mountain village where people actually reside. We even have people moving in, which is rare in inland northern Sweden!

There are many ski resorts in Sweden. How does Tänndalen stand out, and how do you break through the noise?

It’s a tough industry, but we have a long-term plan and stick to it. Historically, people here have always fought hard and reinvested everything to develop the area. I think that shows in how much we genuinely care about our guests – we have many returning visitors and also try to retain staff to build long-term relationships.

You became CEO in 2019, just before the pandemic. How was it to lead during such challenging times?

It was tough. My first year as CEO started strong, but then the pandemic hit, and we had to close right before Easter, which is one of our most important periods. We laid off all staff and prepared to go into hibernation.

But we quickly decided not to get stuck in the negative. We planned to be ready for when we could reopen. By the summer of 2020, we were fully prepared, while others perhaps weren’t. That allowed us to welcome guests and actually grow during the pandemic.

Despite the economic downturn that followed, we have managed to retain many of the new guests. Over the past five years, we’ve had 25% organic growth, which we are very proud of. We focus on opportunities rather than obstacles and put our energy into what we can influence.

It’s amazing that you’ve grown by 25% in such tough times. Now, many are talking about a recovery, but it’s been difficult years, and many families may not afford a ski vacation. Maybe those who previously went to the Alps now come to you, but I don’t know how budgets look. How do you see the future?

It’s still challenging, and I feel it myself in my personal finances, with rising mortgage costs and higher living expenses. That said, the entire industry is still growing. Of course, a mountain vacation costs money, but when I booked my own summer vacation with my family, I noticed that it almost cost more.

I think many still prioritize a ski trip. Our own surveys, with over 1,000 responses, show that time with family is more important than ever. A mountain vacation is about being together – on the slopes, in the sauna, or around the dinner table. I believe that becomes even more important when everyday life is stressful, which is why we’ve done quite well despite difficult times.

You’ve been very optimistic, but how do you motivate employees who feel it’s tough? How do you boost morale and work culture?

We have high ambitions in Tänndalen, for both our external NPS and our internal eNPS. We have many initiatives to support employees and speed up processes that might be frustrating. We invest a lot in having great leaders and leadership training so they have the right tools to motivate and inspire.

One advantage in our industry is that we don’t just work toward financial goals, but toward experiences. It can be easier to stay motivated to create an amazing guest experience rather than trying to influence a key metric you don’t fully understand. Our employees know that if they deliver a great experience – if they notice the guests and go the extra mile – it leads to better business results as well.

In our employee survey, we ask if staff see a positive future in the company, and we received a score of 4.62. Many feel that we are moving in the right direction, that we are investing in the business, and making continuous improvements. If we were struggling financially or losing a lot of staff, we would need to work more actively on motivation, but right now, there is a positive atmosphere in the company.

You talked about breaking down financial goals into more operational and practical objectives. What’s your philosophy on that? How do you ensure every employee has clear goals?

For us, profitability is about being able to continue developing the resort. We have worked a lot with goal setting and the feeling of what it should be like when it’s “good,” but sometimes that has been perceived as vague.

This year, we started using the OKR model (Objectives and Key Results), which has made expectations much clearer for employees. We don’t call it “Objectives and Key Results” but rather “Winter Focus,” where we define three overarching goals, three measurable sub-goals under each, and a series of concrete initiatives at the department level.

Previously, the perception was that our goals were unclear, but in this year’s employee survey, we scored 4.50 on the question of whether the vision and goals are clear – a significant improvement from the previous 3.8–3.9. OKR has helped us align all our energy in the same direction.

Can you give examples of some of your “Winter Focus” goals and how you measure them with the team in Tänndalen?

One example of a winter focus goal is ensuring that our guests take home unforgettable memories from their stay. To measure this, we have three objectives:

• Increase our external NPS
• Increase our internal eNPS
• Increase on-site sales

To achieve these goals, we have a range of concrete initiatives, such as:

• An improved onboarding program for employees
• “The Kiss Lift,” a modified T-bar where guests can highlight someone they appreciate
• Automated SMS notifications about activities and offers
• Reception staff calling all guests 40 days before arrival to ensure they have booked lift passes and received answers to their questions

All initiatives are concrete and aligned with our overarching goals.

How do you follow up on your goals during the season in Tänndalen?

We initially used a PowerPoint, but it quickly became 26 pages long and difficult to manage. Now we use Noxit to track and follow up on all goals digitally.

We have six reviews throughout the winter:

1. After the pre-season
2. After Christmas and New Year
3. After the winter break
4. After the mid-season
5. After Easter
6. After the entire season

We also have weekly informational meetings where we go through the upcoming week. Every other week, we highlight examples of initiatives linked to OKRs – both those that have gone well and those that haven’t gone as planned.

How many people attend these meetings, and how long do they last?

The weekly informational meetings have 10–15 participants and last for 45 minutes, with about five minutes dedicated to OKRs. The more extensive follow-up meeting on Key Results lasts 2–3 hours.

You’re now shifting into summer planning – will it differ much from the winter focus?

We haven’t yet set our summer focus, which we feel we’re a bit late on. We started selling summer before setting the goals, so we haven’t quite found the right rhythm yet.

Since the business is soon operating year-round, we need to get better at managing the transitions between seasons. We don’t want to be in deep planning mode in the middle of peak season. The idea is to update goals twice a year, but we need to find the right timing for this.

How do you think about long-term planning versus shorter goal horizons?

Our ambition is to be long-term. We went from being a very short-term company to now having a 20-year perspective. That allows us to make better decisions.

For example, we have a goal to be fossil-free by 2027. To achieve that, we need to break it down into steps – what impact do we want to see by 2025, and what initiatives are required to get there?

Do you have any personal goals you’re working towards?

I’ve realized that I’m a goal-oriented person after all, even though I didn’t think so before. I like checking things off my list. I try to balance work and family life, and now that my kids are old enough to ski everywhere, it’s incredibly fun.

One of my goals is to spend as much time as possible with my family. Another is to visit five new ski resorts every year – I still have a few left to visit this year!

So, do you get inspiration to bring back home?

Yes, absolutely! It’s about both clearing my head and seeing how others do things. No observations, no insights! You need external input, or you just keep producing without getting new ideas yourself.

Great talking to you, Rasmus. Fun to hear how you work with leadership and goal setting at Tänndalen, as well as a bit about your personal goals. Thanks for joining us!

Thanks for having me!