At Based On People, we meet interesting people every day who we find energizing and open to sharing lessons and insights. We are convinced that qualities such as COURAGE, ADAPTABILITY and FLEXIBILITY will become even more crucial to succeed in the labor market of the future. This week we had the privilege of discussing a career change with Johan Bergh, now CEO of Kasthall but with a background in the IT industry.
Read and be inspired by his journey below. Do you have your own thoughts and experiences that you want to share? Feel free to comment.

You've made an impressive career change from 25 years in the IT industry to a CEO role in an old carpet company. What gave you the courage to take the plunge?
A few years ago, I started to feel that I wanted to try something more concrete, something you could "touch". My previous jobs have involved complex consulting or development of IT systems and software and this can sometimes be perceived by friends and acquaintances as very abstract. So with this in mind, I was set on using my management experience in a new industry. The big challenge in this situation then became: how to do it? Most of the job opportunities that came up were in my existing industry.
I grew up in Lammhult in Småland and my father worked in the furniture industry. When I came into contact with Kasthall, I felt "at home". Furthermore, design and interior design have always attracted me, while Kasthall is a long-standing company with a strong brand. I then thought that there should be enough people at the company who know carpets, but that I might be able to add management skills and international experience.

What have been your biggest challenges after 1 year in a completely new industry?
Finding the balance between being commercial while Kasthall is a company that drives design language. It is a challenge in leadership not to inhibit creativity and professional pride while the commercial aspect should always be included.
Another challenge has been to manage a self-producing factory and its challenges in terms of labor law, inventory management, purchasing strategies, logistics issues, etc. All of this was completely new to me.
Although I initially felt that industrial knowledge was not crucial in my role, I have realized that I had to learn food manufacturing and carpet design quickly to be respected in my own organization.

What tips would you like to share if you had to make a similar industry change?
Don't think about what you don't know but what you bring to the table with your experience and focus on that first.
Be humble to the task and let your co-workers guide you but try to learn the industry as quickly as possible and you will gain the respect of the organization.
Finally, you must be passionate about the business to dare to take the chance. Those who do not dare never win.