Anna Br?kenhielm: Inside the mind of a contrarian
Anna Br?kenhielm has been a big driving force for more than 2 decades in the media and entertainment industry. She’s an entrepreneur, business leader and producer. She was CEO of the very known Strix Television where she brought Expedition Robinson (internationally known as Survivor) to Swedish TV and she has continued to produce groundbreaking programs in her field. She has also written a compelling autobiography of her life growing up as a girl near farmland and her journey to the highest echelons of entertainment, power games, failures and what the future brings. Her book is called “R?kna med Br?k” (“Count on trouble”)
Her newest venture will be as the CEO of Consurge Content Bureau.
Anna keeps her sight on bigger and bolder projects, and she was gracious enough to answer a few questions about her life and career.
- Where did you grow up and tell us about your earliest memory where you got in touch with the world you’re involved in now. Did you see a movie, a series, a picture that caught your eye, a family influence or something completely unrelated that piqued your curiosity…
My mother has told me that she, when I was a child, tried to find a good activity for me. She tried with gymnastics and ballet, which was entirely wrong for me that has no sense of coordination and don’t like standing on stage and performing physically. I later found my sport, horse riding. The love for horses and animals led me right. And it’s always been that way with everything in my life: I’ve needed to choose things myself.
I got to early on get used to being and moving around in different circles and environment. From being in a farm environment in Skir?, to the academic relatives in Stockholm. From the stables in Stockholm’s southern suburbs to that first pr job at Stureplan. From as a youngster not feeling at home anywhere, to as an adult fitting right in anywhere.
There is one dirt road that led up to our ranch that always comes back to me. I think my lonely walks on that road actually set the foundation for my continued life direction. Still, 45 years later, I still recognise the thoughts I had in my head when I walked ahead. I am still the same person today, same girl with the same will to realise my ideas. It’s the same feelings of loneliness, vulnerability, curiosity and a strong belief: “It’ll work out, I will get there, as long as I put in enough effort.”
It’s the same feelings of loneliness, vulnerability, curiosity and a strong belief: “It’ll work out, I will get there, as long as I put in enough effort.”
- How did you choose/begin your career path in media and entertainment- did you apply for a job via CV or a connection? Was this a clear dream of yours or did you decide to just try it and see where it goes.
I already knew in middle school that I wanted to be a journalist. Everybody in the family liked to write. My grandfather, Per Br?kenhielm, wrote in the Vetlandaposten and urgently put out his own historical books about the countryside and our relatives.
I wanted to Stockholm and I wanted to be a journalist. From the very start, I knew that my life was going to be somewhere else, not in Vetlanda.
You needed high grades in all subjects. I got to take a detour and study political science, sociology and information technology. I got together 155 points but a job in Stockholm made it so never finished my C-paper about “the journalist’s occupational identity”. I also happened to break my floppy discs where my paper was stored, so big parts of it disappeared and so did my bachelors degree.
From the very start, I knew that my life was going to be somewhere else, not in Vetlanda.
I sat in my little glass covered room at a big Stureplan office and I was reading the magazine “The Journalist”. My eyes froze up and stared at an ad and I got really excited. The headline “Aschberg seeking an editor” just screamed out to me. Robert Aschberg was going to start a new program on TV3 and he was looking for another coworker for the editorial staff. I knew it right then and there: I had during my short career never wanted something so intensely as this job on Robert Aschberg’s editorial staff.
I knew it right then and there: I had during my short career never wanted something so intensely as this job on Robert Aschberg’s editorial staff.
- Who were you mentors and positive influencers in your life that has shaped you as a person and/or as a professional? Can you tell us about a key moment or experience that sticks out to you?
Yes, I’ve have had many mentors. The first time I saw Robert Aschberg’s show Diskutabelt it was really quirky, provocative and innovative. I loved it and was absolutely mesmerised by his blunt style of hosting and large charisma.
I came in as very excited and my stomach full of butterflies with the meeting with Robert….and a whole host of tv and radio journalists in their 30s and 40s that were to be my coworkers and peers for a long time ahead. I was the girl who worked at this fancy PR firm. My background was whole other world other than that big mouthed and busy evening and tv production world. But it only took me a few minutes to realise that this is the exact world that I belonged in.
One day Robert comes in ask: “Anna, I’m wondering if you want to be the CEO of Strix in Sweden?”. I was taken by surprise but also got a real jolt of joy. I was quiet in two seconds and then answered: “Yes, if you promise to back me up as long as I am the CEO.”
It’s meaningful as a young and inexperienced boss have someone with authority and power that is supportive in the beginning. If you don’t have any support from someone who has authority it’s hard as a new boss, and God knows how many times I was being questioned. Without his comforting support I wouldn’t have made it.
I had during some time the social democratic politician Odd Engstr?m as a mentor. He had been Olof Palme’s right hand man for many years. I really like my moments with Odd Engstr?m. He was so calm and friendly, intellectual and humorous.
One day Robert comes in ask: “Anna, I’m wondering if you want to be the CEO of Strix in Sweden?”. I was taken by surprise but also got a real jolt of joy. I was quiet in two seconds and then answered: “Yes, if you promise to back me up as long as I am the CEO.”
- In closing, to someone young starting out who wants to excel in their career in media who maybe doesn’t have the “right” experience on their resume, doesn’t live in a big city or has any solid connections yet - What are two or three key skills/mindsets you would say they need to focus on to get their foot in the door, stand out in their roles and start developing long-term relationships?
My advice to girls and boys with a passion for business is:
Open your own doors. No one else is going to open up doors for you. Create your own job instead of expecting someone else to do it for you.
Find and get a mentor. Early in your career it’s important to have a heavyweight person and someone with credibility who can back you up.
Show measurable results. Numbers, numbers, numbers. There is only one thing that counts, being good at sales and getting measurable results.
Open your own doors. No one else is going to open up doors for you. Create your own job instead of expecting someone else to do it for you.
Study economics or law if you want to be a CEO or high level executive. An education is great to have, economics or law. That’s the two choices I like to recommend all young people who plan on being a high level executive in their career. It can never go wrong with having studied law or economics. I’ve had to compensate my shortcomings in these two areas of study over the course of the years.
- Bonus: What keeps you excited and energized in your work - what inspiring elements/projects still gets you going even after many years in your profession?
I look forward to all coming chapter in my life and take on the challenges they bring. To quote of one my all-time favorite authors, Bodil Malmsten: “Talent is having long patience. Talent is not to give in, to persist, to keep going.”
“Talent is having long patience. Talent is not to give in, to persist, to keep going.”
Thank you so much for participating Anna, for contributing to more young and ambitious people with distinct voices to emerge and shape our culture.
Sharzad Modeli
This interview is a apart of the "On the Radar" series.
Mission
The On the Radar - Unscripted initiative is committed to introducing students and young professionals from small towns and underserved communities to careers in media and marketing through networking, mentorship, and professional development. By providing inspiring interviews, guidance and resources to bring young people one step closer to their goals, its aim is to infuse all facets of the these industries with a new generation of distinct voices.
Finance | Investing | Law LL.M. International affairs
5 年????