Selfcheck is the company that successfully identified the need for simplified, systematic security checks and digital checklists. The initial idea was that customers would be in the hotel industry, but now more and more industries are starting to show interest in their services.
- "Now we're going to accelerate. There is no ceiling, this can be as big as we want it to be," says Ulrica Björklund, one of the founders.
About ten years ago, Ulrica lived with her husband Niclas on Värmdö in Stockholm, they were happy, but wanted to find new perspectives in their lives and started looking towards Dalarna. At that time, Ulrica was active in events and various service professions, while Niclas traveled the seas as a sea captain. One day Niclas said the words that changed everything, "I have found a Bed & Breakfast that we can buy".
- Lustigsgården in Rättvik became our new home and workplace, a fantastic place overlooking Lake Siljan that we expanded and developed in various ways. We got everything for the same amount as a two-room apartment in downtown Stockholm costs. It was a good deal. A basic prerequisite was, of course, that we liked to fix and do things ourselves.
Already during his time as a sea captain, Niclas' thoughts turned to the subject of safety checks of various kinds. Niclas found that the controls that took place on the ships could be developed, he felt it was too cumbersome and time-consuming with all the self-checks and reports that had to be made. We saw how much better everything became with the digital checklists he created for self-checks, not least in the fire protection area where we got a quick response from the local emergency services. They saw the value of our service, which over time would create less costs for society, through time savings and fewer accidents and fires. We looked around the market, but didn't find any good systems. That made things easier, we decided to go for it and see how far our idea could go. That's the way it is. Lustigsgården has been sold since last year and now the focus is one hundred percent on Selfcheck.
Selfcheck's first period as a company can be summarized as intense, developing and extremely exciting. An important base and platform has been at Dalarna Science Park, where they entered as an incubator company in 2019 and remained until their exit in May. "It has been an incredible boost for the company, we have much more confidence, see opportunities and different doors and networks have opened," says Ulrica, and continues to talk about the refined concept and offer that is now on the verge of a breakthrough. It is far more than "just the hotel industry" that has discovered the benefits of Selfcheck's various services.
- The first large-scale customer we had in hotels was Quality Hotel Friends, Sweden's second largest hotel. Now we hear from players in the real estate industry, real estate companies, commercial buildings, housing associations, sports arenas, construction companies. All of them have a need that is basically similar, and that we can help them with. We had an idea of how far we would get in five years, but this can go much faster. Ulrica and Niclas are a couple with a wide range of experience, thanks to the different industries they have worked in over the years. Niclas stands for order and tidiness, he is very structured. I am more impulsive and make quick decisions. Niclas works mostly with the back-end, such as the economy, the system and contracts and so on. I'm more outwardly visible with marketing, customer contacts and sales. It works very well to work together, we have been doing it now for almost ten years. And that's how we met in the beginning, when we worked together on a boat in the Stockholm archipelago many years ago.
Digital tools that grow
Of course, there have been challenges along the way. One example was when we got a customer as big as Quality Hotel Friends, so early in the company. At first, we did not have the capacity to handle the large amount of data such a large hotel entailed. So we had to rebuild and develop the system to handle it. Useful experience, but time consuming at the same time.
With many parallel projects, the need for development skills is growing, and they would have liked to employ another person in this area. A lot is about different adaptations and with another developer the company would get out wider and faster, says Ulrica. The challenge is to do everything at the right pace and find sustainability in everything we do, show perseverance. And this acceleration is a balancing act when it comes to hiring, everything costs money. Today our turnover is quite modest. In the vision, we see a turnover of 50 million in five years. Then we want it to double, given all the needs that exist and our scalable business concept. But everything has to be done at the right pace and we have to choose which requests to respond to.
A crucial foundation in the start-up phase is the economy
- We have been able to attract investors, both within and outside the county's borders, and we are planning further activity this fall with a new pitch to various stakeholders. It's an exciting journey in that area too. We are getting good signals. Another important component for success over time is the composition of the board. "We have an incredibly good and competent board where, among other things, we have brought in three external board members, together this is necessary to make the right decisions for the business.
Ulrica and Niclas see few competitors in the field today.
- "There are competitors, but we work more flexibly and our system is modern, where we involve our customers in a different way, according to their needs. Selfcheck is built by users, for users, with a focus on making it simple and user-friendly.
In November, Ulrica and Niclas will "celebrate" another year living in Dalarna. When they sum up their time here, they pay tribute to the people and the environment: "The entrepreneurial spirit is incredibly exciting, it's a proud region with fantastic opportunities. It's wonderful to live and work here. Moving here was one of the best things we did.
Victoria Ställberg, Head of Business Development at Dalarna Science Park, has followed Selfcheck's development in recent years and is impressed by the company's development journey. - "It has been an exciting journey to follow Selfcheck on their journey. It was founded by a genuine entrepreneurial couple with great ambitions who show great courage. An important part of being an entrepreneur is to dare to try and make mistakes that you then learn from and we have been able to see that with Selfcheck. Their digital checklists will make it easier for many companies and industries and I look forward to seeing them on an international market in the coming years.
Some advice along the way
- "You have to be nimble and seize opportunities. While being open to the new, it may sometimes be necessary to close doors, which takes courage.
- "It's always difficult in the beginning, you may need help, but you may not be able to afford it. Dare to ask, many people are generous and generous with advice, as long as you open up to it."
- "Believe in what you do, or it will never fly."
