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Sponsor Spotlight

 

SWEDISH AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | GEORGIA

  • 3 May 2021 2:37 PM | SACC-Georgia (Administrator)

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    Learn Swedish Now, LLC provides Swedish language educational services with highly qualified instructors. Their services include small-group and private classes. Their customers are individuals, corporations, and government organizations.They also provide educational solutions that prepare our customers for upcoming relocations, new work assignments, or improved communication with family and friends. 

    • Tell us a little bit about your company, what does Learn Swedish Now, LLC do?
    "My company helps people speak Swedish with confidence! "

    I work with my customers to identify their particular needs and learning styles to provide solutions that let them learn quickly and efficiently. Learn Swedish Now offers small group classes and private lessons for all levels of proficiency in the Swedish language. Right now all our classes are virtual, and as a result, we service clients from many different geographical areas and time zones. My customers come to me for a wide variety of reasons; some are planning to relocate to Sweden for work or school. Others have a partner or close family member who speaks Swedish, and some are interested in their Scandinavian heritage. Whatever the reason, I make sure they are ready and confident with their language skills.

    • What is the history of Learn Swedish Now, LLC? And how did you come up with this business idea?

     I was working for other organizations teaching Swedish for a couple of years and realized that I wanted to improve the experience for my students. I noticed how important it is to have small groups to provide an effective learning environment, and that every student has their own unique learning style. I wanted to give my students the option of learning in groups of no more than four and provide private, customized instructions. I also wanted to make learning fun and engaging by weaving in my students' interests, current events, and Swedish culture and history. I founded Learn Swedish Now, LLC to implement my vision for a better learning method and the company quickly took off, building a large and enthusiastic customer base. Today we offer lunch classes in different time zones, conversation classes, private lessons, and more. We also have solutions for all levels of proficiency and age groups.

    •  Tell us a short summary about you. 

    My name is Jessica Tovesson and I currently live just outside of Chicago in Naperville, IL with my husband and two school-aged children. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Education (B. Ed.) from Stockholm University and have worked as the Assistant Principal at the Swedish School in Washington DC before relocating to the Chicago area where I started my own company Learn Swedish Now, LLC. I have also worked as a teacher over 15 years in public schools in both Sweden and the USA. I am passionate about languages and different cultures, and I have traveled to many corners of the world over the years. In addition to English and Swedish, I also speak German and Spanish.

    • What is the biggest accomplishment Learn Swedish Now has accomplished?

    I am very proud of all my satisfied customers over the years. My students have used their new knowledge of Swedish for Embassy appointments, to work as researchers at Swedish Universities, and moved to a loved one in Sweden. 

    • What's your connection to Sweden? 

    I grew up in Kalmar, a small town in the southeast of Sweden which I still have a strong connection to. I'm always looking forward to visiting Sweden where I enjoy celebrating midsummer and vacation together with my family and friends once a year. Kalmar is a very popular vacation destination in the summer, with a beautiful medieval castle and proximity to the popular beaches on the island Öland (Öland which literally translates to "island"). I also lived in Stockholm for many years, working in the travel industry and studying. I met my future husband in 2005, a Swedish scientist that was living and working in the US at the time. We got married the following year and settled down in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 2017 we moved to Washington, DC, and had a great time exploring our nation's capital. When my husband was offered a new position in Chicago in 2019 we relocated once again, which is when I founded Learn Swedish Now, LLC.  

    • Do you have any connections to Georgia?

    I visited Savannah on a vacation with my family a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful coastal landscapes, the rich history, and its impressive architecture. We are all looking forward to coming to visit again in the near future to stay longer and perhaps explore more of the region and certainly enjoy more of the Southern cuisine. 

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    Contact: jessica@learnswedishnow.com 

    Websitehttps://www.learnswedishnow.com/ 



  • 30 Apr 2021 9:37 AM | SACC-Georgia (Administrator)


    Meet Michael Grad, the new Loyalty Manager at IKEA Atlanta. While he was born and raised in Palm Beach, Florida, he moved to the Atlanta area right before college and has loved Georgia ever since! When Michael is not working at IKEA, he enjoys walking with his two dogs around town and cooking. He also enjoys experimenting with cocktail making and, during the pandemic, has taken up with brewing his own beer. As a person, Michael is optimistic and thrives in an environment that is structured and organized. A big reason why he is grateful for being a part of IKEA is the great teamwork! Read about upcoming projects.

    IKEA is a well-known furniture company with its roots in Sweden. IKEA opened their doors in Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood in 2005. Most of the stores in the U.S. are usually placed outside city limits since it is easier to maintain a large space. IKEA Atlanta is placed in the heart of metro Atlanta, close to the popular shopping district Atlantic Station and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Microsoft is also building its new headquarters 3 blocks away. Today, IKEA Atlanta has about 330 employees. 

    Big dreams

    Michael has a background in marketing and events. He started in entertainment and broadcasting and stayed in the industry for 15 years. Right after college, he worked as an office assistant at Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) in an entry-level position with the company. With his advertising degree and his growing skillset, he wanted to work more with marketing. Michael said that it all started with sorting mail and fixing copiers to get his foot in the door and ended up with a marketing assistant role at TBS where he managed client entertainment activities. The client entertainment could, for instance, involve handling client hospitality for the Masters Golf Tournament or the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four Tournament. Once Michael moved into consumer marketing as an Assistant Marketing Manager, he also managed website promotions, digital marketing and marketing campaigns for projects like the iHeartRadio Music Festival and the SAG Awards. 

    Another set of eyes

    Starting an event and communication role at IKEA in the middle of a pandemic seems like a tough challenge – but not for Michael. As he began the role in October last year, IKEA has created various COVID-friendly projects for both customers and employees. For instance, he helped manage a drive-thru trick-or-treat event for Halloween. Kids were dressed up in costumes and drove through IKEA’s covered parking deck - they counted over 400 cars. – “I had to rethink how to communicate and started to streamline IKEA Atlanta’s communication process slightly and it was well-received. IKEA Atlanta has been thinking outside the box and has arranged fun virtual and pandemic safe events.”  

    “Working in communications and events,you have to be ready for everything and things always come up”

    He further explained that every year, co-workers look forward to the annual holiday party which is generally a big bash. This past year, IKEA threw their first virtual holiday party and had a DJ playing music throughout the whole event with prize giveaways, and appearances by store management speaking to the year’s success.

    The challenging part of the pandemic

    Michael stated that having to deal with customers who are also enduring pandemic fatigue is a big hampering of excitement. “People were not as excited to interact like they normally would – which was challenging. Trying to connect with co-workers and meeting customers is harder than it looks like when having a mask on.” He said that he cannot wait to get back to a day where we can use events to gather as a group of people.

    “One of the important aspects of my job is co-worker engagement. I work towards making sure that every single person that is employed at IKEA Atlanta is heard, seen and appreciated”

    IKEA Atlanta has become more careful with events to be on the safe side. They are very happy to be able to engage their customers in new creative ways with craft activities for children and grab-and-go projects which have been great, Michael states.

    Cool things coming up.

    IKEA has partnered with a local charity called 100 Black Men in Atlanta that was formed to support and enhance educational and economic opportunities particularly for African-American youth. They are also involved in a nonprofit project called Family Promise, where they are helping transform a new space purchased by the non-profit to help make as functional as possible for homeless families. Last but not least, IKEA Atlanta is investing monetarily in small black-owned businesses that have been affected by the pandemic. In that way, they have established a relationship with the local Black Chamber of Commerce to help them identify businesses in need and distribute funds to them. 

    “Being able to harness the power of togetherness to create an even stronger connection is what I really can't wait to get back to.”

    One of IKEA Atlanta’s key values is togetherness. Michael explained that the key value is important since a lot of what he is doing is connecting people with different ideas and through communication. He strives for being in a place where both IKEA and SACC Georgia can exchange ideas that would benefit our members and IKEA Atlanta customers and be able to lean on each other for support when needed. The reach we both have separately is enormous with a huge opportunity to get in front of an even larger segment of the Atlanta population, he said. 

    Favorite places in Atlanta. 

    Michael’s favorite places to visit are the Botanical Gardens where they have several stunning exhibits throughout the year. On Saturdays, he enjoys visiting the local farmers market near his home at the Carter Center, which is the center dedicated to former US President Jimmy Carter, a Georgian. He also suggests visiting an area outside the city called Arabia Mountain for some beautiful and somewhat quiet hiking trails.

    Finally

    Michael is very passionate about interacting with people and exchanging ideas. If you have any questions or ideas, whether they are IKEA-specific or if they are around how to partner or communicate together, please reach out to Michael Grad. 


  • 28 Apr 2021 6:27 AM | SACC-Georgia (Administrator)

    Stephan Ogenstad of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce of the Carolinas interviews Dr. Karen Pollard, licensed clinical psychologist with a specialization in neuropsychology and founder of Brain Power Advisors.

Sponsor Spotlight 



ABOUT SACC-GEORGIA

The primary objective of SACC-Georgia is to promote an exchange of business, trade, investment, technology and culture between Sweden and the state of Georgia. SACC-Georgia is one of 19 regional chambers across the United States, cooperating under the umbrella of SACC-USA based in Washington, D.C.

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info@sacc-georgia.org

303 Peachtree Center Ave NE Ste 600 Atlanta, GA 30303 

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