Episode 9
Cruise Convos | Mim Larsson, SDK Cruise
Join Claudine Pohl this week as she chats with a port agent for the first time on Cruise Convos, Mim Larsson from SDK Cruise!
Tune in to find out what life is like as a port agent, where no two days are the same! As Mim shares hilarious stories from her career so far.
Plus the pair discuss how they have witnessed the industry evolve over their careers, and where it could be in 10 years!
Transcript
What is currently happening in our cruise industry today? Join me for Cruise Convos as we discover and learn from cruise industry leaders across the blue all within 28 minutes! Cruise community this is Claudine with Lemoneight and we are part of Cruise Convos today. Today, I am talking with a really good friend of mine, Mim. Hello, welcome to Cruise Convos.
Mim Larsson:Hi Claudine thank you so much.
Claudine Pohl:I'm so excited to have you. Please introduce yourself our cruise community.
Mim Larsson:I hope that a couple of you already know me, but I will definitely introduce myself anyway. So I think they have been around for a long time. So I still just turned 30. So I feel young. Not really a little bit old, though. But yeah. And I work as the Operations Manager for actually the largest cruise agent in Sweden. And yeah, that's what I do. Pretty much.
Claudine Pohl:What's the name of the company?
Mim Larsson:The company's called SDK Cruise.
Claudine Pohl:Nice. So we met at Seatrade Cruise Global, like few years ago, I think, right? I think that was the first time we met. We hit it off. We're hanging out with your team, your group, we went out for dinner. I think that's where we met up. And you started talking about your job and what you do. But then you shared that when you first started. You were actually the only female there.
Mim Larsson:Okay, I'm not gonna say that I was the only female because we will probably step on some toes somewhere. But yeah, it was a different world back then. I can honestly say it was a completely different world back then. I think we were only like, 1% of all of the agents. And I mean, agents in general. It's not only in the cruise segment. It's also in the shipping segment, that we
Claudine Pohl:So in 11 years, you've noticed the difference to now.
Mim Larsson:For sure. It's like completely different. It's a different environment. And I'm super happy to be around and see the change of this. Because it's like, it's so different. It's definitely so different. I think that it actually was in that position in Sweden, because the shipping industry was not really as far in gender equal to us. We were in Sweden, and in north of Europe, it was
Claudine Pohl:That is epic. I love that. And now you see the change. Do you know what the percentages now of women?
Mim Larsson:in Sweden? No, no, no, it doesn't matter anymore. No one cares anymore. It's like we are maybe more than 50% Maybe more than 60%. Yeah, okay. No one see the gender anymore. We don't care.
Claudine Pohl:Oh, wow. So but it has, this has happened within 11 years. This change? Yeah, for sure. That is so cool. So tell me. So you are the manager at a shipping agency? Yeah. Correct. Walk me through your day so I can understand. And our listeners can understand. Because see, I can say the cruise industry, but there's so many different parts of the cruise industry. Yeah, walk me through
Mim Larsson:might be right now I'm actually more of a manager. So I'm managing more of my agents who's actually on board as I do vessels as well. Of course I'm on board some from time to time, but it time to go agency is like you clear the vessel in you do all of the pre arrivals when the vessels are coming to Sweden. In this case, they send us all of these questions How? How does the birth look?
Mim Larsson:You're always learning. You're always learning something. Now, you mentioned something interesting. You mentioned about things that happen. So what has been like the craziest thing in your 11 years that has happened? Like, tell us something here. For the listeners, guys's was like the craziest thing that has happened.
Mim Larsson:Okay, I need to tell you about the glass cones, because the ice because there's just amazing because they called me in the morning and said, Okay, we have no ice cream cones at all on board. And this was quite big vessel. It was like, yeah, absolutely. 3000 Passenger ish vessel for us. And that's big because this is in Sweden is yeah, we're not allowed to have the biggest vessel. Yes. So yeah,
Claudine Pohl:Oh, wow! Yeah. So anybody who was going out shopping in the town that day could not buy ice cream. You bought it all!
Mim Larsson:No, nothing at all.
Claudine Pohl:That is a great story. I love it.
Mim Larsson:And it makes you feel so good. Because you can develop this and then you can go go there and give it to them. So
Claudine Pohl:yeah, and I think it also connects you connected with them with the relationship to it. Like I can see it like next time. Hey, remember when we got you, you know, the ice cream cones? We got the ice cream cones like that friendship builds?
Mim Larsson:Yeah, it is like that. Yeah. And then you used to get more and more requests of this strange things. So yeah. Otherwise, yeah. I mean, we did a lot of strange things. You get it? You pretty much lose the sense. So what's the reality? After a while?
Claudine Pohl:Yeah, no? Interesting. Interesting. So tell me, you've noticed the difference. So when you started back 11 years ago? What was it like to work then? Like we just working with men all the time? Or? Like, how was it?
Mim Larsson:This was like a huge moment for me, because the first ever event I was at, it was in the shipping industry within Sweden. This was a shipbroker Association. It's a local, only Swedish everything. So I went into this. I was 19 at this time, so I was like, the only like young girl ever who's ever attended this event ever. And I went into this room and I saw 103 females?
Claudine Pohl:No, you were 19. How did you start in there, then?
Mim Larsson:That's a different story.
Claudine Pohl:We want to hear that one too. So fill us all in. We want everything.
Mim Larsson:Oh no, I didn't choose this job. I absolutely didn't choose this job. This job shows me for sure. So my father was he was working with printers and it stuff. And this company, this agency company, they had a printer didn't work so he was there all the time. Doing things with them. And back then I was studying I just needed a job for the summer so after a while my father was Yeah, yeah,
Claudine Pohl:What that is amazing story. So thanks for your dad. Really you have or thanks to their printers not working basically.
Mim Larsson:Exactly! We say thank you to the printers pretty much.
Claudine Pohl:Yeah, that's great. And take me back. You were you were into the you went into this room, you were 90-100 people, like what went through your mind? 100 men, three women, like what...
Mim Larsson:have been also one of the women, she was the host of this event and she's lovely. She's one of my real good friend still today. And she was like, you are the new generation. This is the future. And I'm like, okay, she was like, Don't be afraid. It's going to be okay. And I'm like, Okay, thanks.
Claudine Pohl:Inside, you're probably like, I'm only here for the summer. But we'll see. A little bit like that, for sure. And after that summer, you just fell in love with the job? Like, did you find it challenging? And
Mim Larsson:I did. Yeah, I just fell in love. Like that. I mean, the agency because I tell my staff today, or not today, but when I hired them is like, either you love this type of job or your hate it. It's nothing in between. It's like a lifestyle. One of my first bosses told me he was like, port agency. It's not a job. It's a lifestyle. And you need to embrace it in order to develop and love
Claudine Pohl:Right? Yeah. Because you start out early. You can have late days, like, is there like an actual schedule? There's not is there? It's always?
Mim Larsson:No, no, no, no, it's not an actual schedule. We used to work with the vessels are here. So it's always go go go, right. Yeah, it is. Of course, we have days off and we cover each other's and stuff like that. But yeah, it's nonstop operation for us, for sure.
Claudine Pohl:So how big is your team that you manage?
Mim Larsson:My team? We are six persons at the moment. But we have local representation in different ports of Sweden. So my whole team is not located here in in Stockholm. They are located all over.
Claudine Pohl:And I have a question for you. When you hire team members. What's one thing that you look for in that person? I love?
Mim Larsson:Yeah, me too. That's like the first day. Because I'm not really used to hire that many people anymore. So but I always want to see the the glow and the drive. And if they asked me, okay, what's my schedule for three more months? I'm like, Yeah, you're probably not the right fit for this job. But if they ask, what do you do tomorrow? And what's the to make this better? It's yeah, I
Claudine Pohl:to go that extra mile? Who will find ice cream cones?
Mim Larsson:Exactly. Yeah. Oh my God, my God. They are amazing. And finding everything. Yeah.
Claudine Pohl:That's awesome. I love it. So tell me share with our listeners. Tell me about you traveling. This is off topic, of course. But tell me about your traveling. Where have you traveled to? Where do you want to go? Where have you been that you love? Oh, love.
Mim Larsson:Oh, no. No, I mean, I've been traveling a lot quite a lot actually. Privately and also in in my job of course, because that's part of the job of course. But I'm actually I enjoying Spain. I used to enjoy the climate in in Spain, because now we can have occasion during the summer periods. So I need to go somewhere. I worked at weather. It's actually quite good during the winter time. So
Claudine Pohl:To go to Spain. We're in Spain. I love Spain to have good food to do
Mim Larsson:it's amazing. Now I didn't know I use like I actually went last winter time for three months to Spain, just because of escaping that horrible Swedish winter.
Claudine Pohl:Nice. And where did you go in Spain? in Malaga. Malaga. Oh, that's nice. Yeah, yeah, well, we were just there. What was it last year for see? Yeah, it's nice place. Nice place. Yeah, there's so much to explore there. Now. Going back to Sweden. I need to find something out. Is Swedish chocolates the best?
Mim Larsson:without any doubt that it's the best. And I even heard because I have another Canadian friend. And I told her go to IKEA and buy this chocolate and she sent me pictures from IKEA. So you don't even have it in Canada. But Ill bring it for Seatrade. Don't you worry.
Claudine Pohl:You're coming to Seatrade Europe?
Mim Larsson:Yes, of course!
Claudine Pohl:Okay, I'll wait. I'll wait. I hope our listeners come up to me at Seatrade Europe and be like Did she give you the chocolate? I'll be expecting Fran wants one too! Our producer for the show. Just just to make sure.
Mim Larsson:We're sure. It's Absolutely the best. Actually, funny story Yeah, my hometown is actually the place where they do this. So where I was born, it's really, really close to my house actually as well.
Claudine Pohl:Oh, my goodness. So is there? Is there like a tour where people go and see the
Mim Larsson:No, unfortunately not?
Claudine Pohl:What's the name?
Mim Larsson:Margo
Claudine Pohl:Margo. And what makes the chocolate so good? They're like, what is it?
Mim Larsson:It's just milk chocolate. That's why!
Claudine Pohl:really, I'm intrigued. I can't wait to try this. Now talk to me. What do you think? If there is a young person, you know, female or male who's looking to potentially get into your line of work? Right? Or even in the cruise industry? Right? Because you think about it. There's so many people, young people all over the world, but they may not even know about potential jobs in the
Mim Larsson:If they already know about the job, or if they just want to get into the industry?
Claudine Pohl:Now, if they just want to get into the industry?
Mim Larsson:Don't do it! No, I'm just kidding!
Claudine Pohl:CUT! Start again!
Mim Larsson:No, no, no. It's just a matter of it's not for everyone. And, yeah, do you need to really, really love it in order to be good at it?
Claudine Pohl:You got it? Yeah. You really, really do need to love it. I'm just looking at some of the things that I was going to, to say like for young people would be something like along the lines of don't be afraid, right. Like to try new things. Simone was on last time. And he mentioned that, you know, sometimes we do get scared of change and trying new things. But just to go for it, right?
Mim Larsson:Yeah, yeah, it is like that. You need to try it out in order to make sure that this is something you want to do for sure. And also, I mean, don't plan your whole life. Don't plan it out. You try different things. And you'd never know where you're ending up. And also, I mean, we see this develop in the industry, we see this huge change. We don't even know the jobs in 10 years. We don't
Claudine Pohl:Right. Yeah, you're right. Mims, you, you know, like you mentioned new jobs. You see a lot of new jobs happening now in the cruise industry, too, with sustainability. You know, Ioannis, he's a consultant out of Greece. Anyway, yeah, his son is actually going to Holland, to study environmental, something, but it's for the ships. So I'm like, wow, it's incredible how time is changing,
Mim Larsson:And I mean, that's also why we need the young professionals, because the new thinking and new way of doing things, because our passengers also they also getting they need this new and we need this new bread. You know what? It's difficult. Yeah.
Claudine Pohl:Yeah! Sustainability at your locations. Do you notice that? In Sweden, you guys are doing different things for sustainability?
Claudine Pohl:Yeah, of course, we do a lot.
Claudine Pohl:Tell me a little bit about it. What are you guys doing? Because you mentioned the ship sizes. You said they can't come in? If there are more than Is it like a certain
Mim Larsson:No, we can take the because that's the far away into Stockholm. And also it's the breach during the passage into into the.. Unfortunately, from from my perspective, however, we do a lot we were, we're almost done with the shore power here in Stockholm. So, hopefully, super excited to try it out as soon as they're ready. Yeah. And we see the difference. We also are a lot more strict
Claudine Pohl:Oh, interesting. Interesting. Do you feel that in the next 10 years, we're going to see even more like changes in Everything
Mim Larsson:Yes, definitely. Yeah, we will definitely because every people, or at least the people here, they are very aware of what we need. Yeah. And that put pressure on everyone.
Claudine Pohl:Yeah. So tell me you said you're the largest company in in Sweden. Let's say how many ships you guys service or help?
Mim Larsson:I don't know how many ships but we we have around 200 calls
Claudine Pohl:200 calls just that just cruise right but you also do cargo.
Mim Larsson:Yeah, we do cargo. That's not my side, however. Yeah. sighs Yeah, but definitely do cargo. And we do. I'll just say we have a large side doing yauchts as well. That's interesting.
Claudine Pohl:Yeah. Good job. Different,
Mim Larsson:different. Definitely a different industry for sure.
Claudine Pohl:Different different, but you don't want that's an interesting point. Because I work a lot with governments and ports. And that's a big, like, that's a bridge that start I'm starting to see and a lot of things are happening. The yachts are starting to cross over into, you know, a lot of more people want more yachts. They're really looking at that market. I feel like that's growing.
Mim Larsson:Yeah, it's definitely a develop in Yeah, definitely. For sure. However, we can see different in the yacht segment from when I started because we back then we had only like the richest people, if you can say it like that is it was completely different. Right now. It's more. Okay. It's still rich people, of course. But it's more charters. It's more normal people who's going on them? Yeah.
Claudine Pohl:Yeah. more accessible to people, I
Mim Larsson:think exactly. Yeah, for sure. Absolutely.
Claudine Pohl:Now, this has been a lot of fun. So it wasn't too bad was it?
Mim Larsson:it was fun. It was fun.
Claudine Pohl:I love it. I'm gonna ask you our last question, Mim. This is this. This is the final question. We asked this to every guest. And the question is, if you could look back at your younger self, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Mim Larsson:Don't be so afraid. Because you never know what you ending up in the end. And don't put this huge plans and have everything like when I'm turning 30, I'm going to be this part of my life. When I have all of this. I mean, the world is changing. It's a completely different world. So you just go with the flow a little bit and put a ghost instead of like, fixed.
Claudine Pohl:All of that I think you're spot on. And I think as women, sometimes we put ourselves in boxes that we have to do certain things by certain ages. You know, and I think that in a way, men are a little bit more, maybe they are, you know, maybe they're a little bit more free flowing that way. And I think that we we want certain action points at certain times before we turn 30 or before
Mim Larsson:And it doesn't really matter. I mean, we're still where we are. We just need to embrace the change.
Claudine Pohl:Embrace the change. I love that. Well, my friend. This has been an epic conversation with you. It is an honor to have you I thought the world of you when I met you and I said you know when once I knew that we were going to do Cruise Comvos as part of Seatrade Cruise Talks. I talked to you and I said we got I want you on the show. Right and now.
Mim Larsson:I'm super nervous. I'm still super nervous.
Claudine Pohl:Why? You don't even sound nervous. It sounds so chill. You're good. You've rocked it. All of our listeners, let us know what did you think she rocked it? Yes. I look forward to seeing you at Seatrade Europe in just a few weeks!
Mim Larsson:I will, it was a pleasure.
