When Carina joined the company in 1995, Bohus was housed in a few office rooms on Tingstadsgatan. The company had revenue of 7.5 million and about 50 employees. Today, the group has revenue of nearly 500 million and about 600 employees. Over the years, Carina has been responsible for the company’s finances and has helped build the structures behind a business in constant flux.

Carina is an accountant by training and was hired after a firm handshake with the owner, Patric Svensson, to manage Bohus's finances. But her role soon became much broader.

“Hey, figure it out”

She handled everything from bookkeeping, payroll, and quotes to cars, phones, and IT. Whenever Bohus acquired a company or launched a new business, she made sure the systems and administration ran smoothly behind the scenes.

– Patric would sometimes come in the week before I was set to go on vacation and say, “I’ve bought a new company. You figure it out.” Then I had to make sure the employees were set up in the systems and that VAT, accounting, and everything else was working properly. But it all worked out!

As the company grew, the workload needed to be distributed among more people. Carina chose to focus on finance and then handed over responsibility for IT to Jesper Carlsson.

A Workplace in Constant Change

New companies, districts, positions, and systems have brought new challenges to tackle and new knowledge to acquire. It is precisely this change that has been a key reason Carina has stayed so long.

– I’ve learned something new every year. If Bohus had still been the same company as when I started, I probably wouldn’t have stayed on for 31 years. It would have gotten far too boring.

Helped create *Bohusandan*

– My philosophy is that you should have fun at work. If you’re not having fun, it won’t be a good job. Of course, you have to do your work, but there has to be a pleasant atmosphere.

She describes the Bohus spirit as a community where everyone greets one another, helps each other out, and doesn't act as if they're better than anyone else.

– No one is above anyone else. Sure, there are managers, but I’m no better than anyone else. If a problem arises, the organization comes together and solves it. That feeling must never fade.

– Bohus feels like our baby. It might sound really strange, but that’s actually how it’s been.

Having the courage to ask questions and admit mistakes

For new employees, the advice is simple: be yourself, listen, and don't be afraid to ask questions.

– There are no stupid questions. If something goes wrong, speak up right away and ask for help. Don’t try to hide the mistake, fix everything on your own, or blame someone else. Take a moment, talk to a coworker or your manager, and work it out together.

After 31 years, retirement awaits

Carina is now handing over her duties to a new finance manager. She is proud of what she and her colleagues have managed to achieve through all the changes, but it’s not easy to leave the team:

– I’m not taking this lightly. It’s going to be really hard to leave all my friends behind. There are many people I’ve worked with for a long time.

– I’m incredibly happy with everything I’ve experienced. We’ve pulled it off, and I’m still enjoying myself. It feels really good to leave on a high note.