Friday Blog: Dream job? Absolutely. Calm? Not really…

Text and photo: Helena Bergström

It's easy to think that we're mostly sitting on a beach with a laptop and ordering coconuts. Or, well: Maybe you'd rather imagine us in a houseboat or camper, where we're leisurely working on a little report while sipping coffee. But hey, I can try to tell you a little about this week...

Last week – in brief

When I try to think back on the week, fleeting memories flash by...

• Video meeting with a partner about an AI-based service (the future is rolling in fast now!)
• Luncheon/meeting at an embassy (a little festive with flags)
• Planning for a presentation in the Riksdag (yes, we're apparently going to talk there...)
• Telephone meeting with an African country about a campaign we hope to do together.
• Telephone meeting with another African country about a press trip they want to arrange.
• Video meeting with a European country about a press trip they want to arrange.
• 200+ emails (Well, that's the feeling...)
• Lots of technical hassle with plugins and other things that need to be replaced.

Press trips – the puzzle no one sees

Putting together groups for press trips isn’t just about ”picking a few people to go.” It’s a bit like putting together an advanced puzzle… without a picture on the board.

It's about getting the right mix of people, the right target group and ensuring that everyone gets something out of the trip. Statistics and requests need to be collected and there are lots of logistics around confirmations, changes, flight times, allergies, cancellations and replacements. Not to mention Whats App groups, leadership during the trip itself and reporting afterwards.

We are not always involved in the whole process, but sometimes we are. And then it is also about making decisions for us: What can we help with as a friendly gesture and what is a job that requires payment? (And the communication around this sometimes tends to become a job in itself, haha …)

Collaborations and agreements – the less Instagram-friendly part

This week we have tried to get a handle on and become a little more structured around certain income opportunities. Sponsored articles are important to our finances and I have spent considerable time registering our site on various platforms, which has not always been as easy as one might wish…

We do very little affiliate marketing (commission on sales) but we have discussed a hybrid solution with a company (combination of sponsored article + affiliate) which resulted in an 8-page agreement to read through and sign...

This part of the job is probably not as photo-friendly as a beach in Italy – but at least as important.

Technology Challenge – This Week's Digital Challenges

Last week reached the technology is at its peak, but the work has continued this week. We have realized that our site is too "big" for some plugins to work well - instead, there are error messages and the entire site becomes sluggish.

We were unable to change the plugin ourselves (because thousands of redirects would have to be moved) and therefore had to seek help from our web developer.

At the same time, we ourselves have taken action and tried to replace plugins with excessively high costs – to reduce our monthly expenses. And we have to admit: Sometimes it is not easy to cancel subscriptions…

Now we are still waiting for the support for our advertising program to respond. That's where the statistics get tricky... We love technology. Technology doesn't always love us back...

The Content Machine

Sometimes there is so much else to do that we almost forgetting what is at the core of the business: content production.

• Produce your own texts (The most fun ”job”!!)
• Edit other writers' reports (No, I don't change the texts, but there is a lot of fiddling with image sizes, uploading material, adding captions and headings, communicating with the writer, etc.)
• Manage social media (Post content on Instagram and Facebook)
• Cutting together movies (Not this week, though.)
• Compile press releases ahead of Monday's news.

The work doesn't end. And it shouldn't end.

The emails. All of these emails.

Emails require their own heading. Some emails are of course completely unimportant, but others are very important (or nice!) and everything needs to be reviewed...

• Press releases: Most booked destinations in March. New ski lift in the mountains. Best clothing tips from the fashion giant. (+ Follow-up email: Did you see the email I sent?)
• News email: From tourist offices, airlines, hotels, campsites... (Some are interesting, but many we throw away right away)
• Requests to publish sponsored articles: Can we publish a sponsored article with you? What are the guidelines? 95 % are completely uninteresting (hardly willing to pay or do not accept sponsorship), but 5 % are very important to us!
• Other collaboration requests: Can we exchange links? Can we buy advertising? Do you want to try our ice cream/motorhome/surfboard? Can we collaborate on something way – do you have any suggestions?
• Invitations: Welcome to the event! Welcome to the opening! Welcome to the lecture! Welcome to the press trip!
• Comments on content: ”Thanks for the nice article about city x but restaurant x has closed. Can you change it?” ”Thanks for mentioning our mine in Germany but we have new prices from 2026 – can you change it?” ”Would you like to recommend our museum in your guide to city x?” ”Why do you recommend this city – but not this one, which is much nicer?”
• Questions from readers: Do you have any tips for good campsites in the Netherlands? How do you book the train in Uzbekistan? We bought this painting on our trip – do you know what it represents? How do you order environmental stickers for France? (Yes, we're happy to answer, as best we can!)

This week: Grateful for ...

Yes, it's a lot. And yes, sometimes it's chaos. But we love this job. It's so fun, and we wouldn't trade it for anything.

We are simply very grateful that we still have the opportunity to work on what we love most. It's really not just about traveling (there are also lots of meetings, projects and contracts) – but it's fun to run our own business.

Your turn ... What are you grateful for this week?

The week ahead

We are still busy with work and meetings (and events) so we will stay in Stockholm for a while longer, while also enjoying the sun and lovely views in the marina. We haven’t taken the camper out yet (except for errands), but we have started fixing and cleaning the inside. We have actually created some new things in the interior – so there will be a report later!

Also: I have so many pictures from the week here at the marina – so that will be a separate post tomorrow!

Did you miss the last Friday Blog? Read it Digital clutter, outdoor inspo and pink soup