We work with superbrands and start-ups across the board. It keeps us on our toes and with each achievement we get a huge buzz – it’s a very special thing to be part of a brand’s beginning. One of the coolest start-ups we have worked on was, in fact, the most successful product launch on Kickstarter – Swedish, circular home audio brand, Transparent.
Boasting decades of experience between them both, Martin Willers and Per Brickstad sat down with our Dan Portman to take us through the circular technology space, the brand’s origins, mission, and most memorable moments to boot.
What are each of your main responsibilities at Transparent?
Martin: My title is chief executive officer, and my main job is making sure the business works. That means growing as much as we can organically while making sure we are invested in, and aligned with, our vision of being the first circular tech brand. As we are a start-up with a small team, I wear many hats and no two days are the same.
Per: I’m chief designer and creative director at Transparent. It means I’m leading the creative development of our new products and the direction of our brand.
How did you come to set up Transparent?
Per: It all started with a blog post back in 11/11/11 containing the first version of our Transparent Speaker. Back then, me and Martin ran a design studio with two other friends, and we often posted design concepts on our blog to challenge the industry in various ways. This time it went viral, and people all over the world emailed us and begged us to make it a reality.
After a successful Kickstarter we ran it as a side venture for some years while still running the studio. Martin and I always had our hearts in this project; as consultants, we never got to take full ownership of running the whole development for clients. We realised that to make real change happen we needed to do it ourselves, and finally, in 2017, we started Transparent for real as a full-time audio brand.
What is a typical working day for you?
Martin: I think about my workday as starting 10pm, because then I catch up with the west coast in the US and send them action points I need completed during their afternoon. I also need to think about things happening in China, so I email them before their workday starts around 1am CET – again, so they can act on it while I sleep. I go to bed around 1am and sleep to 7am. 6 hours is generally too little, so I try to power nap once or twice during the day. I leave my two kids at pre-school 8:30am and have my first video meetings at 9:00am. When working from home I try to do a one-hour walk-and-talk meeting per day. I pick the kids up around 4:00pm and put them to bed around 7:30pm.
Per: In the mornings I usually communicate with China, where we have a lot of our development and manufacturing. Then I usually run a bunch of design projects of new products that need attention in various ways, and of course team meetings about new collabs or campaigns. And before I know it the day is already gone!
What is your most memorable career moment?
Martin: I did a TEDx talk about the sustainable industrial revolution in 2011. It was well received, and I called my mom up afterwards and there were tears of joy!
Per: When me, Martin and Magnus went to Paris in 2019 for our first real trade show at Maison & Objet. It was the first time we were able to present our brand and our sound in a proper way. It was very well received by the visitors and it feels like that show started the wind that still blows strong in our sails…
What is your favourite part of working for Transparent?
Martin: That we are so grounded in our purpose. No challenge seems too big when you have a group of passionate people with a common purpose.
Per: My favourite part is that it has so many awesome parts! The people, the challenging of an outdated, dirty industry, the creative freedom, and don’t forget the music!
Why do you think social media is important for business growth?
Martin: If you are a brand that is not directly trying to connect with your users and build a more involved relationship, then why do you have a brand at all? And if you understand people first and then help them in what they are trying to do, your products become really, easy to like, don’t they?
Per: What he said 😏
What is your favourite Transparent product and why?
Martin: My favourite is the Transparent Speaker. It has so much character while not being unnecessarily loud.
Per: Gosh, I like them all, but I have to say our Steel Speaker. It is a true piece of craft, but also a wonderfully powerful and accurate music making machine. Its timeless in a sense that it could have come from the past, the future or outer space. But it is from an island outside of Stockholm.
What has been your favourite piece of press coverage LRR has achieved for Transparent?
Martin: The cover of Stuff made us all proud.
Per: Oh, there are so many, but I like the recent Wallpaper* piece featuring the Light Speaker.
What piece of advice would you give to yourself, if you could, on your very first day at work?
Martin: Trust your intuition, be bold in declaring it. The form of how to do achieve it will soon follow.
Per: If not you, then who? If not now, then when?
What is your favourite magazine / newspaper / website?
Martin: Goodgoodgood.co, Dagens Nyheter (Sweden’s largest), improvethenews.org
Per: Milk Decoration maybe…
Who are your three to follow on Instagram/Twitter?
Martin: @colorsxstudios @circulareconomy @benedictevans
Per: @dusttodigital @studiozimoun @teunvanderzalm
Who has inspired you most in business?
Martin: This is going to sound corny but it’s my brother in arms here: Per.
Per: Right back atcha brother! 😘
Your go-to location for a breakfast meeting / business lunch / after work tipple?
Martin: I like places that have big beer glasses. Sadly, pints are not the norm here in Sweden.
Per: TAK is nice, it is a restaurant on a roof next to our Stockholm office.
Favourite social media channel and why?
Martin: Beyond the Brick on FB, which showcases so many amazing LEGO creations.
Per: Instagram because there is so much interesting stuff there.
Who or what is your design icon?
Martin: Max Miedinger, Swiss designer of the Helvetica typeface
Per: Olafur Eliasson
