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“It’s so easy to give feedback to everyone else. But you so rarely, as a founder and CEO, get feedback yourself unless you ask for it.”
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Ida Johansson
Entrepreneur and Founder of Hyred
If you have a goal to create a company, a process or a website – it’s so much easier to learn. Because then, you have an objective. My story is a pretty good example of what you can achieve by just Googling your way. I’m a Software Engineer and I taught myself through YouTube. So, my point of view has always been that my generation, Gen Z, learns differently.
I founded the company, Hyred, to make the recruitment process more accessible and equal. When you’re very young, you don’t have that much experience, but employers often ask for previous experience in the same area, so it’s very hard to know what to put in your CV. That was the main reason for starting the business – to give more young people an opportunity to get into work without having to rely on contacts or being born into a family that can help them into that first job.
I dropped out of high school in order to start the business, so I hadn’t studied at university before then. But education in Sweden is free, so I took a few small courses to get knowledge in areas that are hard to be self-taught in. I didn’t have any formal education, so it was all trial and error. Leadership might seem easy, but it’s not that easy in real life.
After I handed over the rights to the software to another company, I had more time and resources so that’s why I chose to do some executive education with LBS. I knew I wanted something concise that would give me knowledge I could take directly to a new position or whatever I might do in the future – whether that’s a new business or employment. I didn’t want to spend five or six years in school, so I thought the LBS executive courses were such a good option.
“You don’t always have to come up with the right answers yourself. It’s more about asking the right questions and getting the people around you to come up with their own solutions. Because being a leader is ultimately about creating other leaders.”
I got a really good feeling from London Business School. It seemed like it was very international and was a global base. The most important thing for me was that the courses looked really interesting, and those expectations were definitely met when I started studying.
From my very first week on the HPPS course, it felt like I’d worked for lots of different companies. In my focus group I had everyone from someone who worked with aeroplanes, to entrepreneurs like me, to people working on the corporate side in banks. I was surrounded by people who came from different backgrounds, and I got so much insight from that diversity. Even though we all had different experiences and had taken different routes in life, there was a feeling of belonging. We all had that general curiosity.
The week was filled with reflection and development, not just professionally, but personally too. When you’re in the middle of building a business as a Founder and CEO, you rarely take the time to ask for feedback about your own performance. Analysing my own leadership and who I am as a leader – it’s all about becoming a better human.
We did a 360 analysis, focus groups and personality tests which opened my eyes to my strengths and weaknesses.
The course has helped me foster my curiosity and made me better at asking questions. You don’t always have to come up with the right answers yourself. It’s more about asking the right questions and getting the people around you to come up with their own solutions. Because being a leader is ultimately about creating other leaders. Having done the HPPS course I’ll be more confident in my position, both as a leader, and whatever position I take on in the future.
“I was surrounded by people who came from different backgrounds, and I got so much insight from that diversity.”
Build the confidence and capabilities to lead people and communicate with them more effectively on this highly practical programme.
