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A journey from idea to reality
With a passion for design, mental health, and storytelling, Desirée Stiernstam Berg runs ULO, an advertising agency for small businesses looking for simple, effective solutions to grow.
How did it start?
It all really started with a simple question; “Why aren’t you working more on your marketing?” The year was 2015 and I asked the question to small business owners I met during high school. The answer I got was almost always the same; “We don’t have time.”
Shame on the one who gives up
I immediately understood that this was not just a practical challenge but an obstacle that held
holding companies back from growing. I could accept that time was a scarce commodity, but I couldn't accept that there was no solution to it. So my answer was simple: Let me do it for you. Since then, I've worked to make effective marketing accessible to those companies who can't afford larger agencies or the time to do it themselves.
Some of the hundreds of pictures I've taken of various advertisements I've seen around town.
Some of the hundreds of pictures I've taken of various advertisements I've seen around town.
Quick facts
Favorite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Hidden talent: Bowling, and tripping over things
Hobby: Painting naked men in ink
Loves: Creating and helping people
Hates: People who don't want to learn or change
Favorite quote:
"Society gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom" - Isaac Asimov
The title of the draft of my first business plan that I wrote in 2016.
Why small business owners?
For me, it's always been about more than helping businesses – it's about helping people. Small business owners are the hardest working people I've ever met, but digitalization has completely changed their circumstances. Today, you have to be where your customers are, and that takes time and money – something small business owners often have limited access to.
Making a difference
For my clients, the goal is rarely about buying a new summer home, but rather about being able to afford to take a vacation, not having to worry about unpaid bills, and being able to go home early to spend time with the people you love. And it's when I can contribute to things like that that I feel like I make the biggest difference.
Why generalist?
I think my ADHD has made it hard for me to stick to one subject. Instead, I find new interests all the time, which has made me a generalist rather than a specialist. But I also think it's one of my greatest strengths, because if you understand the nuances of each marketing channel and can connect them to business goals, you suddenly have the ability to see the big picture, connect the dots, and create new solutions based on different conditions.
ADHD and creativity
I think this industry is perfect for many people with ADHD – or at least it is for me. It’s fast-paced, has a wide variety of assignments and there’s always something new to learn. The work is constantly oscillating between analysis and creativity, which means it never gets monotonous – something my brain really can’t handle. I’ve struggled for a long time to find a place where I can function, but here everything feels so natural. There’s actually almost nothing I love more than my job.
The same vision, now as then
My vision for ULO is simple: we will help Sweden’s small businesses grow through solutions that are both simple and cost-effective. And I won’t stop until we achieve that. As the title of my first business plan in 2016: “I want to make a difference, for real.”
Read about her in DN here:
Desirée Stiernstam Berg was diagnosed as an adult: "What is ADHD and what am I?"