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Johan Berndtsson

Designer turned entrepreneur, advisor, and investor. CEO at Ambition. On the board of Touchtech and Vizcon. Co-founder of inUse and the From Business to Buttons conference (both sold in 2017).

📍 Varberg, Sweden https://johanberndtsson.com

#17 That’s where you’re wrong, kiddo

You know the old grump who says, “That will never work?” That’s me. I started my first company in 1994. Like many others who have primarily focused on building businesses, I’ve encountered quite a few grumps. You know, the kind who either imply—or outright say—that what

#16 U.S. Elections: Democracy or Entertainment?

On the night of November 8, 2016, I went to bed in our overnight apartment in Stockholm, convinced that Hillary Clinton would win the U.S. presidential election. The last thing I saw on my phone was a prediction graph showing her as the likely victor. I turned off the

#15 I Hate People… But I Love Money

“Hey. Look. I hate people, but I love money. And the only way you’re going to make money is by making sure this works really really well for people.” A few months after we started inUse, Ingrid and I met with a CEO for a potential client. This was

#14 How My Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k and a Stack of Magazines Taught Me to Love Friction

I still remember the excitement. Sitting down in front of my Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48k. Fingers hovering over those iconic rubber keys. It was an incredibly simple machine by today’s standards, but to me, it was a gateway to an entirely new world of creation, learning, and gaming. I

#13 User Research as Risk Management: Aligning with Decision-Makers

"You know we would like to do tests and research, but there is no time right now.” Jan Andresen recently followed up on my post about trusting the process. He asked how I handle situations where decision-makers want to skip the research and move straight to implementing a solution.

#12 Convenience or Manipulation: Play Next and Autoplay

It's 11 p.m. I really ought to go to sleep. Play next? 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Ok… Just one more. Have you ever binge-watched shows too late because of the "Play Next" feature? I know I have. Convenient? Definitely. Manipulative? Without a doubt. Problematic?

#11 Health and Taxes: Should Companies Pay for Sick Leave?

– Hello! I’m calling from the National Federation of Small Businesses (Småföretagarnas Riksförbund). Do you have a minute? Usually, I end sales calls quickly, but this one piqued my curiosity. – Sure, go for it. – We advocate for reducing payroll taxes and eliminating the employer’s responsibility to pay for sick

#10 Want to Impress? Trust the Process

I’ve spent years meeting with CEOs, VPs, and upper management—both as a board member and advisor. These rooms can feel intimidating, filled with decision-makers who expect results. My role is often to help make the product or service perform better. Still, despite decades of experience, I sometimes find

#9 Saying Yes: How One Small Decision Sparked 30 Years of Entrepreneurship

Yes. Such a small word—yet it has the power to change the trajectory of your life completely. This week, I celebrate 30 years as an entrepreneur. One yes led to another and, eventually, to a career I could never have predicted. It all began during a summer job at

#8 The Key to Closing Performance Gaps: Quantitative Indicators and Qualitative Insights

When optimizing business performance, numbers often steal the show. And here’s the thing. They should. But to really understand what’s happening, you have to dig deeper. The most important insights aren’t captured in spreadsheets. Last week, my Ambition colleagues and I organized after-work events in Gothenburg and