People Over Profits

Lene always knew that she wanted to help people. Even from a young age, she saw herself in some sort of teacher-type role. Any position that would allow her to share her knowledge and make others’ lives just a bit easier. 

Fast forward to today, and Lene, despite her life being ruled by numbers, still believes that putting people first is the most important part of her job. No matter if those people are her clients or her coworkers.

“Many of our external clients are startups, and I love helping these people make their dreams come true. Yes, numbers do matter, which we can see reflected in the rise of AI-automated accounting services. But behind the scenes, there will always be real people with needs, ideas and dreams, all needing to be heard and helped, and not just put into an equation.”

Lene’s first job was at the Oslo Stock Exchange. But after four years, she couldn’t seem to escape the question: do I want the kind of job that only makes the rich richer, or do I want to feel like I can really touch the lives of those I work with? Ultimately, these questions led Lene to trade her life in Oslo for a smaller, community-driven one in Skien. She now has the freedom to listen closely to others’ needs and use what she learns to help them reach their greatest potentials. 

Adding on her hobby as a volunteer with the local rescue boat in Kragerø, it seems that Lene will never let her financial roll define her or her vision for a better new normal. “Numbers are black or white. But people tend to fall into the grey - and that is a beautiful thing to explore”.