What happened in this episode?
Matilda Djerf, co-founder and chief creative officer of Swedish fashion and lifestyle brand Djerf Avenue, discusses how her social media audience preceded the launch of the company and why she does not believe a following automatically converts into paying customers. She describes the added responsibility she felt once customers were spending “hard-earned money”, and says building repeat purchasing requires attention to “every single detail” across the business. Djerf recounts early scepticism in her small Swedish hometown, citing the cultural norm “Jantelagen” and saying she was mocked at school for early Instagram posting.
A substantial portion of the episode focuses on work patterns and culture. Djerf contrasts Swedish office norms — fixed work hours, lunch breaks and time outdoors — with what the hosts describe as US “hustle” expectations. She claims Swedish employers are obligated to provide four consecutive weeks of summer holiday and says maternity leave is a year, adding that government support helps subsidise it.
Djerf also gives a personal account of the costs of running a fast-growing brand, saying constant operational issues can prevent true disconnection and that the biggest sacrifice has been “internal peace”. Later, the hosts discuss AI tools as productivity aids while warning about confirmation bias in chatbot advice. The conversation ends with extended promotion of a limited co-branded product collaboration and a New York retail launch, during which Djerf says Djerf Avenue has opened its first permanent store in the city and that the US is its biggest market.
