Unique to her industry, she has made up her mind. The family business will take off with a focus on sustainability and business.
- "I love being an entrepreneur, seeing solutions and making an impact myself," says Caroline Lenner, a 30-year-old CEO who wants to chisel out new ways of thinking with smartness and drive that will have an impact on an entire industry.
Two and a half years ago she returned home to Orsa, after many years in Gothenburg and Stockholm where she worked as a real estate agent and project manager in the construction industry. The future awaited her in her home village, where her father Torsten opened up a new world for her.
- I came home during the pandemic and started to relieve my dad, he had work weeks of an average of 71 hours, we calculated, so there was a lot I could relieve him of. Previously, I had not been interested, but now something happened.
Pretty soon Caroline started to see "the possibilities in the limitations". Her mind started to spin: "What if the business could be streamlined and done in other ways?"
- The image many people have of this profession is that it's just hard, noisy and dirty, where you walk around with high visibility vests and steel-toed shoes. But the reality is that there are more roles than those that are not visible, such as the creative and outgoing parts, like drawing and calculating on the computer or interacting with customers. Then there's all the exciting sales, product development and marketing.
Since the beginning of last year, Caroline has been the CEO of the family business, which employs four people in production. Torsten, on the other hand, after more than thirty-five years with the company, has been released from day-to-day operations and is now responsible for real estate issues, where important investments are being made for the future.
- I'm not the normative stonemasonry owner. I take my cues from other industries and think a lot about how I as an owner can work smarter and support the business in different ways. In the family business, I have had the chance to create a new role where there was a need before, things that you might not normally have time for because you are stuck in production all the time.
That's why we are a company in transition right now, with a lot of investment around the corner. And being a woman in such a male-dominated industry has only been an advantage, there is a nice cohesion at all levels where I am also supported by other owners of stonemasons.
Companies of the future - with a rich history
Orsa Stenhuggeri's business has a long history, as the Stone Age hunters already knew how to value the properties of stone in their hunting and survival. The oldest grinding stone in the Nordic region is also said to come from Orsa and dates back thousands of years. In modern times, we find the beautiful sandstone mainly on house facades and tombstones around Sweden.
- We have customers in metropolitan areas such as Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, where our stones are used for construction and renovation of existing houses. We are also the largest supplier of gravestones in Dalarna.
With her focus on changing, developing and pushing boundaries, Caroline has also built a brand new ordering system for the industry that will now be offered to the market.
- There are many different ordering systems today, but none that really fits what we do. This new, unified system will simplify everything.
In terms of entrepreneurial confidence, Caroline highlights her participation in the HIT project managed by Dalarna Science Park, a forum focused on sustainable, innovative transition and growth.
- HIT suited me very well as the program was based on action and things that were very concrete for my business. It was good that the project lasted for a long time and that we could adapt the time to our own schedules. But above all, I have been listened to in various networks, and been able to discuss things that have been important to us at Orsa Stenhuggeri. Marianne Färlin, innovation leader in the program, has been fantastic, and all the theme days we have had have ended up in finished documents on how we should work, for example in sustainability, finance and marketing. I can warmly recommend other established companies to join in when the HIT program rolls on in new rounds with new companies.
In general, Caroline believes that it is easier to be successful in the countryside than in a big city.
- Here it is possible to stand out and you get so much help from organizations that want you to succeed. For example, Almi, Nyföretagarcentrum and Dalarna Science Park, they really make a difference and you are seen as an entrepreneur, based on the needs you have at the moment. There is a very good basic idea that we do it together in this region, to develop our district and our entire society. It is about a strength in the local that is invaluable.
The future of the company? Caroline paints a positive picture.
- I'm sure things will continue to happen as I'm the kind of person who comes up with new ideas all the time. I am grateful that my colleagues support me in my ideas. My reasoning is that you have to dare to test. If there is a problem, I look for solutions, and I believe in defining areas where we can improve and find sustainable solutions that work over time, not just for the moment.
Recently, Caroline received a great recognition. As one of a hundred young entrepreneurs in Sweden, she was invited to participate in a one-day event with Prince Daniel's Fellowship in Stockholm. One of the aims of the initiative is to create the conditions for more young people to dare to take the step of starting their own business and to promote the development and growth of young entrepreneurs in Sweden.
- It was an honor to be nominated and to be included in that context, it is gratifying to be appreciated for what I do.
About Dalarna Science Park's business development program for established companies
HIT - Sustainable Innovative Transition and Growth is a business development program designed for the development of established companies. Through proven methods and tools, new knowledge and increased innovation capacity are generated to future-proof companies, increase preparedness for change and continue to be an attractive employer.
Read more and register your interest here: HIT program - Dalarna Science Park
