Emma has been with Funnel for the last four years, facing challenges that were not always easy to overcome. Canceling huge events and company initiatives, being all alone in a 2500 square meter office, and constantly adapting to changes was nothing Emma had planned for when she started as an office and event manager right before the pandemic hit. However, if there is someone who can inspire and make people thrive at work, it is Emma.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role in the company?

I am a sportsperson with many hobbies, ranging from snow and water sports to having a background as an alpine racer. My skiing career includes being a former member of the Icelandic national team, competing in the 2002 Olympic Games, participating in skicross at the X-Games, and ending my career after competing in freeskiing. 

Today, I am working as an office and event manager at Funnel where I am responsible for our team functions and spaces in in Stockholm and Boston. My team includes two office coordinators and one receptionist. We make sure that our colleagues get the best office experience and nicest events possible. We all put a lot of love and passion into our job.

Can you discuss a time when you had to collaborate with others to solve ap problem?

My team has to work this way most of the time, but let me share a specific example. It was right after the pandemic, and “Camp Funnel” was coming up. We were gearing up for the whole company (about 300 people) to hold a retreat in Barcelona - something we were trying to do for a long time.

… And what is “Camp Funnel”?

Camp Funnel is our opportunity for our entire global company to meet face-to-face and build stronger bonds. We are dining together, mingling, spending time by the pool, or playing golf. Of course, we have business-related activities throughout the event, but I think Camp Funnel is really about getting to know the colleagues we don’t see every day. 

Okay, going back to your example of thinking outside of the box to solve a problem…

So, we had planned for all 300 employees to sit in a special location at the venue. We were going to light some candles, have blankets, and hold a fireside chat. There was lots of planning and coordination that went into it.

And then, hours before the fireside chat would begin, we realized that there was a big wedding party on the neighboring property. Due to this wedding, we wouldn’t be able to hear anything. Together with the event company, we needed to think outside of the box to find a new solution ASAP. 

The event company suggested another location at the venue, and I needed to make a decision fast without seeking input from the event hosts: our CEO, and CMO. I trusted the event company to make a good suggestion, and this new location ended up being the best spot ever! 

Can you share a challenge that you had to overcome in your role?

After working here for seven days, we needed to shut down the office due to the pandemic. Fredrik, our CEO, called me and said, “Let’s close our office for weeks.” But that turned out to be two months, and it just continued. I had just started at a new company, and I was alone in a 2,500 square meters office.

Except for a few people who lived within walking distance of the office, I met most of my new colleagues over Slack. It was very lonely. 

At the same time, I was proactively planning events for when people would return. But the first year, the only thing I did was cancel events and other initiatives, which was really challenging.  It was sometimes hard to keep my spirits up. We never expected the pandemic to last so long. 

Another really tough decision was when we were planning our third Camp Funnel. We planned everything down to the smallest detail. I had done all the research, and I had even visited the venue in Paris. 

But then, the pandemic hit again. The restrictions were back, and at this point, it didn’t make sense to go through with the event. We had to cancel. For me, it was devastating. I had been working on the event for about two years, and I had just onboarded a new employee in our team, Stephanie. 

It was very tough, but I still managed to accept the decision and find passion in my work. I truly love what I am doing. 

How does teamwork play into your role, and what have you learned from working with others?

Teamwork is crucial in our team, because without my team or collaboration, we wouldn’t be able to host such nice events or offer such a nice office atmosphere. I have two examples of great collaboration. 

The first one is related to Camp Funnel, our big event in Barcelona. During the planning phase, I didn't have anyone else here at the company to collaborate with. Therefore, I needed to put a lot of work into this event together with a great event company. My only colleague at that time, Stephanie, took over many of my tasks around the office This allowed me to focus on the event, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her.  

The next example was when we hosted another company-wide conference here in Stockholm. We called it our “Funnel Summit.” By then, the team had grown and was involved in working with our events. As a team, we needed to work closely together while also dividing the work among us. We all contributed in various ways, and we stepped up for each other to make this the best event for our employees. 

We were able to accomplish this event with our team spirit.

In what ways does the company encourage innovation and creativity in your work?

I think my and my team's role is all about innovation and creativity. We are always trying to find new ways to make our offices an even better place to work at and to come up with new ideas for events. I think a big part of it is that we dare to try new things. 

My latest project is a great example of this. I am going to try a new concept for our Stockholm office meeting. Instead of repeating how we usually conduct these meetings, I am going to try a small version of a talk show that could be more exciting and engaging. 

What is the most exciting office request you have received?

That's a good question. We receive a lot of fun office requests, but for me, events are very close to heart. Every time I get a request about an event, especially an external one, I get very excited.

One example is a recurring event when we host Wharton University’s MBA students. I love planning these! They visit our office every spring and every fall. Our CEO Fredrik is involved, and it’s amazing to see the students say, “Wow, this is a cool company.” They enjoy visiting us.

When it comes to internal events, for our employees, the most exciting ones are our holiday parties. I specifically remember the first-holiday party after the pandemic – it was amazing to meet everyone again. 

Thank you Emma for these inspiring examples of yours! Is there anything you want to add?

I just want to say that I’m so glad that people have trust in me and that I have the opportunity to grow in my role. I love that I am being encouraged to be creative and that I get to work with so many great people.