"I am proud that I dare!"

Victoria Victoria Victoria Bergfors was former architect and office manager at the consulting firm AFRY before she decided to start her own. Bergfors Projectbyrå AB takes care of her home in the scenic village of Tannsele.

"I chose to start my own to test my wings as I have a broad expertise and a drive to constantly evolve, both as a human being but also in my professional role, which also shows itself in the offer that Bergfors Project Agency AB has," says 34-year-old Victoria Bergfors.

During the ten years at AFRY (consulting firm in community building, design and infrastructure) and former TM Consultant where she was employed as a newly graduated civil engineer in architecture, she has had different roles, primarily as an architect but also as a project manager.

"At AFRY, I created a multidisciplinary competence that gave me an understanding to see the whole thing and stay up to date in the industry at a different level. I was inspired by others close to me who chose to start their own and their experiences of daring to take the step. The fact that I started my own right now was enough because I felt that the time was in and that the decision had matured for a long time. I was also curious about self-employment and how to run a business," Victoria said.

Better start than expected

"Bergfors Project Agency stands to put the customer’s needs and vision in focus where I believe the best projects are created together, in a project culture where individuals strive towards the same goals.

"My first time as self-employed has been better than I could hope for and at the same time learning. The response I have received heat and means a lot, both from loved ones but also to clients and other players in my industry. It is a liberty under responsibility on a completely different level, where all the time you put down and everything you do comes back a hundred percent to me and the company. I have been busy and projects continue to roll in, which I am grateful for.

Victoria’s future plans and goals for entrepreneurship are to continue to develop and become an established consultant where her services are sought by clients in mainly northern Sweden. "In the near term, mainly land in pursuing your own and setting long-term goals for my business and business in the long term.

Good career opportunities

Victoria sees only opportunities to run the company from the hinterland.

"The career opportunities in the industry up here, I would say, are good. In Lycksele, we have several consulting firms that are certainly interested in employment now that the market turns and it is built a lot in the north," Victoria says, explaining that it has not always been easy to hire when the move has been low compared to the need for competence, and that it is often the returnee, as she moves in.

"We need to be better at marketing the inland municipalities and why we should move here. Many larger companies are located in several locations along the coast and sometimes you can get the opportunity to "satellite office", so you don't have to move from the hinterland or can work along the coast even if you move here.

Expanding geographical limits

Another way is to start your own, like Victoria, who believes that there is a market both for big giants such as AFRY and small one-man companies.

During the journey, Victoria has experienced how opportunities to work remotely have only increased. First, the locally anchored TM consultant became part of the nationwide AFRY. Then the pandemic opened up for team meetings that expanded geographical boundaries.

"When I have taken the next step and started my own, I am not bound to the local market but will continue to work with customers all over Sweden. But the Norwegian construction market has taken off, so there are benefits to being here on site as well.

Safe, close and fair

After growing up and high school in Lycksele ruled Victoria Kosan to Luleå where she was educated at the university. A turn in Skellefteå was also included before she decided to return to her home town to try her luck as an adult. Calm, proximity and the fairly big city attracted and she quickly gained employment at TM Konsult (currently AFRY) where she had previously done internships and summer jobs.

Victoria now lives with her husband in the scenic village of Tannsele, a stone's throw from the centre of Lycksele. The benefits of living here are many, not least the geographical location between the coast and the mountains.

"We are partly close to the cabin in the mountains where we are happy to go scooters and pick edges, and we are close to Umeå with shopping and entertainment if we are keen on it. The network of friends and family means a lot to me.

frightenedly

She emphasizes that if you want to live in your own house outside the city, there is hardly any better place, with low house prices, nature and scooter trails outside the house knot and just a quarter drive to the service range in downtown Lycksele.

I also have no longing to travel abroad and backpack like many others, but I enjoy the safety, proximity and freedom here. It beats most of it.

Her tips to others who are thinking about starting their own are to dare.

You can read and think, but ultimately it’s about daring to believe in yourself and your business idea. There is a lot of help and support to get around the parts you feel insecure about, and also support and contributions to seek to get started.

So far I am most proud that I dared!

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Text: Monica Wiksten Gideonsson
Photo: www.ricke.se