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JohanEriksson
LJEriksson.com | johan.eriksson@ljeriksson.com | Founder##comma## Owner | 01/15/2003 | Sole Proprietor
Johan Eriksson is the founder and owner of LJEriksson.com##comma## an IT-consulting company focusing on the eastern European market.
What kind of training or education did you acquire before your venture?
I am currently a student (junior)##comma## majoring in financial economics at Gustavus Adolphus College. I started my first company##comma## a smaller web design company back in Sweden during the IT boom. That company doesn##aps##t exist anymore but I learnt a lot about the IT industry during that time.
What services or products does your organization offer?
LJEriksson.com is an IT-consulting company focusing on the eastern European market. The eastern European market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world##comma## and a very existing market to be operating in right now. LJEriksson.com also holds POLAR a venture capital portal that works as a community for investors and entrepreneurs.
The company is actually physically located in Minnesota right outside Minneapolis##comma## but we live on the web##comma## and I personally spend parts of the year in Europe so the company##aps##s location is of less importance.
What type of business or organization do you operate?
It is registered as a sole proprietorship right now##comma## because I felt that it was the easiest way to do it for the moment. I am not a US citizen so I found it to be the least amount of paper work that way. My plans are to incorporate as business speeds up and larger amounts of money gets involved.
How many employees do you currently have?
none##comma## yet
How did you originally discover the idea for your organization?
I have carefully designed the model out of my own experience from my previous company##comma## and with the help of an advisor.
How did you originally fund your organization?
Personal funds
Are you the founder of your organization?
yes
Do you believe there is any distinct culture within your organization? If so, please describe it.
Well the company is very young and I am the only one that is directly employed##comma## so my way of doing business shines through the company very clearly. I believe that creativity knows no limits##comma## and every problem has a solution. The old way of doing business with Harvard MBA##aps##s and ##quote##inherited##quote## titles are gone##comma## work hard##comma## show results##comma## your degree is of less importance more important is the ##quote##hunger##quote## for success. – Show me result and I##aps##ll take you in.
What obstacles or challenges have you faced in your organization?
Well running a business in USA as a non US-citizen sometimes gives you problems##comma## but as a mentioned creativity know no limits. Work with the problem##comma## go a different way if one doesn##aps##t show result. Everything is possible##comma## – never forget that.
Did you accept any advice along the way? Do you believe new organizations should be open to such advice?
Advisors##comma## friends and co-workers are important. Listen to what others have to say and value their opinions##comma## but don##aps##t forget that you control the ship. I have personally gotten many good advises from advisors and friends##comma## but they are not vital for your success. Network##comma## build up a large contact net and don##aps##t totally rely on just one advisor.
Did you receive any help along the way from other businesses or organizations? If so, how and from whom?
Minnesota Small Business Assistance Office.
What have been the keys to success in your business? What do you believe are the keys to success?
Hard work##comma## and creativity.
What kind of relationship do you establish with your customers or clients?
Be creative##comma## be bold##comma## and remember that the customer always comes first
What types of marketing do you employ?
I am mostly focusing on online marketing
Do you employ any web or online marketing?
Well##comma## technology that is my entire company.
What role does trust play in business or in your organization?
I have probably made a whole lot of mistakes. What I have learnt though is that everyone makes them so just keep on working harder##comma## and yeah – try to learn from them.
Did you struggle with starting your own organization or venture? Why did you decide to begin on your own?
I started my first company when I was 17 so i guess it came to me when I quite young.
What books or resources would you recommend for individuals starting off now?
Boo Hoo: $135 Million##comma## 18 Months. . . A Dot.Com Story from Concept to Catastrophe is very good. – Try to learn from it.
Do you notice any trends in the marketplace? If so, what are they?
I think that the eastern European market is a very exiting market to be in right now. I think that the future will be very rewarding for companies working on that market.
Do you believe networking and contacts are important? If so, how?
It is very importent.
What do you think about contracts and other legal obligations? Are they important in your business?
All problems can be solved.
If there is one thing that would sum up your advice to new entrepreneurs, what would it be?
Go to a liberal arts college##comma## you need to be ##quote##street smart##quote####comma## but you do not need to know how to take antiderivatives. I have learnt a lot in college##comma## but I have picked up even more from just doing my thing in the business world.
What, if any, final advice do you have for new entrepreneurs?
Keep track on your expenses##comma## don##aps##t waste money. Never give up.
