What's your problem
2013-01-30 16:11 Whatever it is don't tell me. Im not really that interested. I do want to be the good listener but what I rather hear is HOW you are about to solve it. Tell me where in that process you are and tell me what the feeling will be when you're done. How will things be different and better? Don't tell me how this is keeping you awake at night but instead how you think this will help you to make better choices later this week, this spring or next year.
We all have our share of problems, I certainly do, but by talking about them as something that Im on to and about to solve I find that more rewarding for all. Be the inspiration and not the black hole. And here is ASAP Rocky, he got serious problems...
Tobias
The tape
2013-01-16 00:12 The list of what was good last year is not always what you like to read about in blogs. Usually we focus on what's to come and who's next. I used some time during the holidays putting together this list of the 22 best songs of 2012 because it was hard and because I really had to think. I had to make choices of cutting some stuff out that I really thought was great just because there were some even greater songs that had to go there instead. Picking and choosing, making decisions. Taking a stand. And for you that doesn't understand Swedish rap lyrics like Näääk or Sjukstugan, just listen to the beats... Here U go!
All play and too little work makes...
2012-12-28 00:38 Work is what I do best. Resting have always been difficult. I do both but people around me have always been training me to to get better at resting. My favorite worktime though is work done on a holiday or at any given day where most people are not working. I share this with many others too so I know Im not all that crazy. There is a sense of fooing the clock when you turn those extra hours, that you really didn’t expect to make something useful out of, to work.
Rest might be useful too, of course, we all need to rest from time to time. But what’s supposed to be called rest isn’t always that peaceful. If it doesn’t make you a more relaxed person afterwards, is it really rest then? Being with your family can be all but rest for example. Or any given picnic, holiday, dinner or weekend at a rainy soccerfield. It’s important to call things by it’s real name and I admire the people who can stay focused and a good sport at the activities above. If you mange to yourself, give yourself a gold star and treat yourself with some extra work time (or whatever makes you happy).
The kind of work that you find yourself doing on thease extra hours or days might also be the work that put you on the right track in a more holistic manner. The stuff you get done in this time might just have your best attention and focus. It might be the thinking or doing that sets you apart from the crowd. Personally it sometimes feel like the work was done by a smarter version of myself and therefore leaves me stronger and more ready than I was before. A boost of the ego in a sense.
This said, the best thing, if you really can control your time and surroundings, is to manage to get this type of quality into your regular work time. Im not really there yet myself but I have heard that this is possible.
Seth the Relevant
2012-12-16 23:02
What do you believe in? For real, what do you put your heart into? It's the time of the year when a lot of people reflects and it is glorious times. An important time for the secularized section of the civilized world because it might just be the only time during the whole year when we all become a small part of something bigger than ourselves, something more than the shoes we walk in or the bicycle we ride. The Christmas spirit and message is hard to avoid.
I could make this post about religion but I'm trying not to. This post is actually about business. I'm using todays post to tell you about a person that I have come to believe in and listen to when looking for ways to understand myself and the businesses that I have run over the past years and the ones Im running now. He is one voice among many because in this type of searching I find it better to follow more than one masters brush. The opposite of religion, right? His name is Seth Godin and he is an entrepreneur who blogs, write books and lectures on topics that often relates to how we on a daily basis fight to make sense of what we are doing in business and on a profound level –why? The question why is crucial since companies and people at one point or the other forget why they are relevant to their customer. Questioning what you are doing is important and sometimes you even need to ask why you started this business in the first place.
Every day I deal with my own brand and business, how to make it a business that is successful now and something to be proud of in a hundred years too. To stay innovative and to dare to ask why is hard but when reading Seths blog it sometimes makes it easier. And sometimes harder...
So even if his blog is not religion I have to say that Seth is a bit of a spiritual leader and a guide. He is a storyteller and a Relevant (not Reverend). Like going to church at Christmas morning to listen to one of the biggest stories of them all and reflect on why it's still relevant to so many, two thousand years later.
Tobias
A place in the woods
2012-12-13 10:39 Mankind seeking solitude. To be alone with his thoughts and with himself.
I stumbled upon this blog a while ago but it still remains one of my favorites. Like reading Walden by Henry David Thoureau the first time or Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. For me it's the door to the idea of a life different to the one I and most of you live right now. A glimpse and proof enough that what we have been running from for a hundred years might just be the thing we long for the most. If this is an Oidipuscomplex of ours against mother nature or against our inner caveman is hard to tell but in any way Im sure we are on our way back soon. Personally I like to hug a tree more often now than before but that might just be my own age speaking.
So, back to this religious feeling I wanted to share with you, log in to Cabin Porn or join their Twitter.
/T
The Word
2012-12-12 12:12 Sson chapter number two. If I didn't tell you before, my name is Tobias Adolfsson and I live in Stockholm. I have been loving twowheelers in all forms since I was about four. Now Im older but the love is still intact, probably even stronger in most ways. Time flies and we are having fun.
The Sson brand started out as a thought in 2005 and has evolved ever since. To be transparent and showing the process behind means giving people a chance to learn new things. We are responsible for keeping each other informed.
At the moment Sson is taking a break in product developing. At the same time we (a group of people more then two) are preparing for our first spring in the new showroom called And-The-Revolution (A-T-R). Most of the time I keep myself busy running the nordic distributing company called i like bike. If you have a chance, pay us a visit at Åsögatan 122, Södermalm, Stockholm. This place is not about soap, bags or Harris Tweed –just about the bikes and bikerelated culture this time.
In this blog I will explore things that still fits in the Sson territory and sometimes just slightly outside of it. There are a lot of things that collides and inspires and disrupts and keeps me moving. Hope to see you around.
/Tobias
The Box
2011-02-10 01:34 So it's a long time since we finished up this project now, if there is such a thing as a beginning and an end of anything. If I never said it before I must state this here: Erik & Erik made this project happen and it has been a pleasure from Sson to be a part of this process. This video of the building of the box says it all, really. Peace, love.
E&E + SSON 028 travel case from Erik&Erik on Vimeo.
Thank you for directing, Oscar Wrangö.
Some busy guys in Gothen(la)burg
2011-02-07 14:01 They bought some bikes and got into it. Any progress will be displayed here and we think they are on to something. Glad somebody is doing stuff, not just the old talking... Keep it up!
Last 2010 delivery of 028
2010-08-13 10:11 So we built the final 028 bicyles this week. It was a bit sad but after a hectic spring this is the last five bikes to be sent out from our Hammarby bikeplant. 3x56cm and 2x54cm to Crab Cycles at Zürichstrasse 46 in Lucern. Daniel also ordered some of the 010 bag in black and blue and was also promised to be our exclusive Sson sergeant in the Swiss region. His shop looks great and the selection in super. We have some framesets left in 54cm though if you like to kit the bike up without our help. See you in 2011...
Clip by yet another Erik
2010-05-21 10:54 This time it's our friend Erik Hedin who decided to contribute to our project with a short movieclip. He claims to be an amateaur with this moving images thing but we think not. Looking forward to Erik going pro sometime soon...
Asia is fine
2010-03-19 19:19 I have left Sweden for a trip east. After some slight delays (a day in Bejing is also a day) I joined Nils in Kichijoji, Tokyo and sat down for a beer with his friends. The last few days after this we spent singing, walking, eating and enjoying the spring. This a report from the field and since it contains many picures of bikes, houses, art and people I found it best to throw them up on the great old Flickr. Welcome!
(TA)
They are here!
2010-03-12 18:48 Finally we have the pleasure to introduce our first bag. There is not much process to show here, unfortunately, but the short story goes something like this: Anton at Sandqvist did most of the work and he ended up with a greatlooking bag in heavy canvas and some really thick leather. There was supposed to be a Ssonpatch at the front but the people in the factory had other plans. Who cares, it's a nice bag and we believe you will enjoy it. Buy it here or here or at your closest Sandqvistdealer.
New year, new ride
2010-01-21 02:00 We are making room for the arrival of our first collection of coloured bikes. The colour is red. Red like the Japanease sun. It's the classic 003 that will get a splash of paint and we will start sending them out first week of February. Order it here
Photoshoot in Hammarby
2009-09-15 12:45 With Patrik behind the lens we finally got SSON 028 captured for the upcoming catalog and pre-order advertisements.
(EE)
Yes we have new stickers
2009-07-02 21:32 Or rather, we will have. Soon... After this summer when are done swimming, sleeping late, cooking food over open fire or just doing what we seldon do the other 48weeks of the year -nothing! But here is a peek from the creators of the official Vol.3 stickerkit. Parra is doing what he does best, Gunilla Hagstrom/VOL is already dreaming of winter and the north pole. Random Bastards are just very random. Bastards! But very good at it.
Sson x Jim Rickey
2009-07-01 12:57 I met Patrik in the Jim Rickey booth last year at the Vision show in Copenhagen. We split 3 bottles of Cava that he had come about the evening before under suspisious circumstances (according to Hannes). I love Cava and we decided that a Sson vs. Jim Rickey biycles was a great idea. We dicided to base it around the 016 platform but thats was about as much we got done that day. It was a great day and the result is pretty ok. Think of it as the biggest possible BMX that you have seen and one that will get you to the afterparty in no time at all. After the afterparty it's the after afterparty somewhere, hosted by Jim Rickey.
Saigon by night
2009-03-17 03:28 Since I spent my days looking at bicycles I didn't get the chance to take any of the scenic tours around town. There is a lot to see in Saigon, alot of warrelated stuff but also temples and trips into the Mekongdelta. I took my own tours at night and there was still alot to see just by walking around. Since this is not meant to be a travelsite I will keep it short but I do recommend Vietnam and Saigon to pretty much everyone.
In the loop
2009-03-12 10:53 Today I we got the pictures and confirmation of the new 003 bicycles that are soon being built in Cambodia. Like we showed you in a previous post we are going crazy and adding a real colour to our line of 003's. Its red, isn't it? We will make it in white (1speed) and black (3speed) as well. Delivery of black and white bicycles are in the end of April but need to wait til June for the reds.