Meet the founders of Consid

Join us as we meet Consid’s founders, Peter Hellgren and Henrik Sandell, and learn more about the company’s journey to becoming one of Northern Europe’s leading tech companies.

When you think back to the fact that we started out in a small two-room flat in Vetlanda, it all feels quite remarkable.

Peter Hellgren, CEO and co-founder of Consid

History, culture and future visions – a look back at Consid’s highs and lows

The name Consid comes from the word consideration, and today the company is one of Europe’s fastest-growing businesses, offering comprehensive solutions within IT, business development and communication. Consid was founded in Vetlanda in 2000 by CEO Peter Hellgren and administrative director Henrik Sandell.

Much has happened since the early days, but what actually set the company in motion? Henrik reflects on the both prosperous and challenging period that marked Consid’s beginnings – and the assignment that changed everything.

– We started out in fantastic times. Everything seemed possible. Money flowed in as soon as someone even whispered about a business idea. But then the crash came, and it really affected us. Salaries still had to be paid, yet we didn’t have any major capital built up. But then we had some luck. The Swedish Premium Pension Authority had just been formed and had purchased a large IT system that was supposed to solve everything. The problem was that the system was never completed. This meant the authority had to postpone its launch. Because it’s a government agency, they had to go to the government and explain that they wanted to amend the legislation. After much back and forth, they received a directive requiring them to develop an emergency solution in case the original system didn’t work.

– This gave us an opportunity. My father happened to be working as a consultant for the authority, so we discussed the situation and decided to build a prototype. We worked on it non-stop for three weeks and eventually produced a solid prototype, which we presented to the management team. They were impressed, and we were given the assignment to build the system. It was incredibly exciting for us – it was interesting, fun, and we actually got paid!

“We are an innovation incubator.”

So who exactly is Peter Hellgren? Henrik Sandell describes his colleague:

– Peter is an extroverted salesperson who is excellent at building relationships, and he’s extremely goal-oriented. At the same time, he works incredibly hard and is very determined.

Peter Hellgren describes Henrik Sandell as extremely competitive.

– Henrik is very persistent. I’ve also never met anyone who is as technically brilliant as he is. That’s where we met halfway from the very beginning. I’m not particularly technically oriented, while Henrik is extremely technical.

Consid’s successes have followed one after another, and despite periods of crisis the company has remained stable and continued to grow at a rapid pace. What do Peter and Henrik see as the key to Consid’s success? Peter explains:

– In many ways, we now have a strong breadth to what we do. Part of our organisation works with the public sector, which began preparing extensively in 2020 due to the pandemic. At the same time, we work with a wide range of industries across our overall client portfolio. That’s very positive from an exposure perspective, but it also allows us to create dynamics between companies and build a platform where we can learn from each other. In that sense, we add something as well – you could say we’re an innovation incubator.

“You have to be willing to take a stand and try to make a difference.”

– Building long-term relationships with our clients contributes to our success. But our people strategy is really the foundation of our entire company culture. It’s the individuals who shape the culture, and Consid’s culture is built by our employees. We’re a very passionate company, but also a stable one. We stand for long-term thinking and continuity, but we also stand on the barricades, because that’s important to us. You have to stand out and dare to raise the flag and try to make a difference. The digital world is what we will build tomorrow’s society on, and that means we must dare to challenge and question things. I believe that’s exactly what we do, and it’s something we will continue to do.

Henrik adds:

– We know that downturns will come – we just don’t know when. That’s why balance and breadth are so important. It’s rare for things to decline everywhere at once. If you have balance, you can manage it better. You should also maintain a slightly over-dimensioned sales effort – simply being out there looking for new assignments and maintaining active client dialogue.

“I am incredibly proud of Consid and what we stand for.”

Looking back at Consid’s journey, what might Peter and Henrik have done differently to avoid certain pitfalls? Henrik believes there are many things one can reflect on in hindsight, but that those experiences are valuable lessons.

– I think it would have been beneficial if we had established our own recruitment function earlier. We also should have brought in more salespeople, because that area slowed down for a few years.

With the company’s remarkable expansion, it is exciting to consider where Consid may be headed in the future. Henrik believes that much can happen, while there will always be new opportunities ahead.

– We will continue to grow as we are doing now, open new offices, expand our existing operations and create new business areas.

Peter concludes:

– We will continue to stand on the barricades, challenge the status quo and take a stand on issues that matter to us. In other words, there are very exciting years ahead. For us, the journey itself is the goal – that’s what makes it enjoyable. We simply want to keep making a difference and making a real impact. I’m incredibly proud of Consid and what we stand for. Every time someone tells me that Consid is a great company, I grow a few centimetres taller. When you think back to the fact that we started out in a small two-room flat in Vetlanda, it all feels quite remarkable.

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