Exploring Generational Challenges in Family Business Ownership

In this episode we are joined by Staffan Salén – one of Sweden’s most prominent business men. The Salén family has a strong heritage spanning more than one hundred years, where Staffan and his brother Erik represent the third generation. In a fun and engaging conversation, we talk about banana boats, long-term investments, and high-speed lessons.

For more info about the podcast, go to the episode page and make sure to follow us on X/Twitter. We love to hear your thoughts on what you like and what we can improve, so please give us your rating and a review. You’re also very welcome to tell us about great authors, books, and investors you want to hear on the show. Thank you! /Eddie & Niklas with team

This episode was recorded on March 20, 2024.

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Episode Chapters

(00:00) Introduction by Eddie & Niklas

(02:10) Welcoming Staffan Salén

(04:45) The Salén Story

(07:49) Hands-off leadership in the early 20th century

(09:00) The Salén Spirit

(11:10) The family business during WWII and beyond

(18:23) Modern times and societal commentary

(21:18) What the Salén family considers important in early-stage ventures

(23:20) Staffan’s early career

(31:19) The Sagax investment

(38:02) The eWork investment

(41:57) The Green Landscaping investment

(46:44) Creating value from acquisitions

(50:45) What makes a good board?

(52:34) Measuring success

(54:30) The next generation of Salénia

(55:51) Views on life more generally

(01:01:00) Is there too much information available today?

(01:05:21) Book recommendations

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Books Mentioned

• The Salén Story - Staffan Sjöberg with contributions from the Salén family

To receive a copy of "The Salén Story", contact mariana.martell@salenia.se (limited availability)

• The Outsiders - Will Thorndike
• Capital Returns - Edward Chancellor
• Chip Wars - Chris Miller
• What You Do Is Who You Are - Ben Horowitz
• The Wizard of Kremlin - Giuliano da Empoli
• The Essays of Warren Buffett - Lawrence Cunningham
• Poor Charlie’s Almanack - Charlie Munger & Peter D. Kaufman
• Charlie Munger: The Complete Investor - Tren Griffin
• The Price of Time - Edward Chancellor
• Skin in the Game - Nassim Nicholas Taleb
• The Black Swan - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

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Companies Mentioned

• Sagax
• Ework
• Green Landscaping
• Carnegie
• P&G
• Swedbank
• Frontline

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More on Staffan

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staffan-sal%C3%A9n-34b87a17

• The Salén Group: https://salengroup.se/en/

• X: https://x.com/staffansalen

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About the Podcast

Intro episode: https://www.redeye.se/podcast/investing-by-the-books/817383/0-intro-to-investing-by-the-books

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What is Investing by the Books?

Investing by the Books was founded by Henrik Andersson, Bo Börtemark, Mats Larsson and Michael Persson. It has published hundreds of book reviews in the past 10 years and operates on a non-profit basis.

Visit the website: http://www.investingbythebooks.com/

Follow on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Investbythebook

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What is Redeye?

Redeye is a research-centered boutique investment bank from Stockholm. Founded in 1999, Redeye cultivates investors through timeless knowledge, a humble attitude, and a strong focus on quality.

Visit the website: https://www.redeye.se/

Follow on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Redeye_

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Disclaimer

Notice that the content in this podcast is not, and shall not be construed as investment advice. This information is meant to be informative and for general purposes only. For full disclaimer, visit Redeye.se