Kneippbyn was the starting point of his career – meet Mårten Britse

In a mini-series, we meet stars who have made their mark on Kneippbyn in one way or another over the years. First up is entrepreneur Mårten Britse, 37, who managed to tick off eight seasons and most workstations and roles.

Once upon a time, six-year-old Mårten's dream was to become a bus driver when he was asked to describe his future career under the heading "We in first grade." However, entrepreneur Mårten Britse, who came into contact with Kneippbyn at an early age, has not ended up driving many heavy vehicles.

"It really felt like I was being noticed and was constantly being given a little more responsibility," recalls Mårten.

But it didn't actually start at Kneippbyn. Instead, it was archival work at Länsförsäkringar that filled the first days of his working life.
"I remember answering that I wanted to be a bus driver in first grade, but that's not how it turned out. I started working in the archives at Länsförsäkringar when I was around 12 years old," says Mårten, continuing:

– Early on, I was really keen to get a proper job, and the options were Destination Gotland and Kneippbyn. I didn't quite meet the age requirement at DG, so I ended up at Kneippbyn, which I'm still grateful for.

The mountain coaster and go-kart track were the first workstations I was assigned to.
– I was thrown right into the thick of things and felt a sense of responsibility to make sure everything ran smoothly. I was then promoted, and Summer following Summer I Summer in charge of those same activities. It felt pretty cool, and I grew with the responsibility.

Do you remember anything in particular from the first seasons?
– Yes, I actually do. A slightly odd story that perhaps doesn't belong here: I was pretty good at soccer, and for the first time ever, Gotland advanced to the playoffs in the big district team tournament, so I had to go to my boss and ask for time off, which I found a bit awkward. The crazy thing was that we did well, and in some strange way, I was selected for a national team gathering and had to ask for time off again. Mattias was understanding, and of course, that was motivating, Mårten reflects.

Mårten didn’t end up with a career like Zlatan’s; he was just as interested in music as he was in soccer and working.
“Everything was so much fun that it turned into a sort of hybrid solution.” It wasn’t exactly hard to fill the days.
His career at Kneippbyn continued, and Mårten managed to serve as operations manager for both Summer and Waterland a stint as a full-time musician awaited him.
– We were a group that had stuck together for a long time and wanted to spread our wings. It went well, and we ended up playing a lot of gigs. We traveled around the country in an old paratransit bus that had 70,000 miles on it, so it wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it was a lot of fun.

"The goal was to earn a salary."
Daring to try and having a strong will seem to be the watchwords when listening to Mårten, who prefers to keep a low profile and a very humble tone. A stint in the media industry was then exchanged for more instructive years in the local hotel industry.
Since 2014, Mårten has been co-owner and operator of the event company Hansa Event, with a customer base that spans the whole of Scandinavia.
"I remember that our first business plan was to earn a salary. We didn't quite manage that in the first year, but we have had steady growth since then. It started as an activity agency but has developed into a full-service company, says Mårten, continuing:
"The fact that I now get to run the company together with my first boss at Kneippbyn, Mattias, is really exciting and a great example of the relationships that are created at Kneippbyn."

The interview is coming to an end, new events are to be held, and lessons are to be learned.
Mårten, to tie up the bag.

What is your best advice for someone who is just starting to look for a job?
The answer comes straight from the heart:
– Be humble, responsive, and show that you really want it. You never know what's waiting for you, and if I hadn't made the trip to Kneippbyn, I would never have met my fiancée Elin.