Eva

It’s time for number 13, Eva Gädda, copywriter and a dear friend.

Working as a freelancer, she is not only a writer but also a mastermind for communication strategies. Lately, she has started a creativ lunch event to bring writers and other creatives in Helsinki together. There’s one thing I can promise, you’ll always have a laugh with that gal!

Where are you from and for how long have you been living here? I’m from Pietarsaari, a small town located on the west coast of Finland and I moved to Helsinki when I started to study history at the university. I was planning to move back after my studies, but I stayed. So now, I’ve been living here for almost 15 years.

How do you like Helsinki? I love Helsinki! Otherwise I’d probably not have lived here for such a long time. It’s a love relationship that has grown over the years. Little by little my social network grew. Now I feel that I have most of my life here.

After all those years, what is your favourite spot in Helsinki? I have a lot of favourite spots. I really like the fact that Helsinki is a city by the sea. Usually, I go running by the sea or just walking. I really like the islands outside of Helsinki, especially those with nice restaurants, for instance there’s Lonna, a small island just next to Suomenlinna. But my favourite place is Café Birgitta on the main island. And then of course, I play beach volleyball, so Hietsu Beach is a really dear place to me.

Since writing is part of your daily work, do you have a good writing advice? The most important thing is to keep writing. It’s not that complicated, but it’s hard because you just have to keep doing it, and constantly challenge yourself and expand your vocabulary – thinking from new angels, reading new books – overall just staying curious, that’s also very important. The moment you don’t feel the passion anymore you’re in serious trouble (laughs).

Do you have a favourite writer? Let’s put it this way, I really like good stories. I love good characters and intriguing epic stories. But then I also like very humorous books that you just read and read and read – in the bus or before going to bed; and basically you’re just entertained. There’s this Swedish writer named Fredrik Backman and I really love his book ‘En man som heter Ove’ because it plays on strong emotions. I was laughing like crazy, but I was also crying my heart out.

Speaking of your passion for humour, do you have a favourite TV comedy? I really like both the comedians Björn Gustafsson and Robert Gustafsson; and I also like the Norwegian production ‘Skavlan’. What I really like about Nikas Kellner, who plays the journalist, and interviews people that he is so sympathetic, but he never changes his facial expressions – no matter what he asks the people, whether it’s sad or very provocative, he is dead serious all the time (laughs). He’s just awesome. Last but not least, I love the Swedish-speaking Finnish humour group KAJ from Ostrobothnia. They are just fantastic, in so many ways!

What have you been proud of lately? I’m proud of the fact that I manage as a freelancer and entrepreneur. That I’ve gotten clients in a fairly short amount of time, clients and projects that I love. I know that I’m lucky, so I’m not only proud; it’s also that I feel really thankful. And I’m also proud that I managed to get a better balance between work and time off with my friends and family.

What is your dream? I have so many (laughs). I’m dreaming of better leadership within businesses and within corporations in general, leadership that’s based on love and respect and releasing people, not controlling them.

I’m also dreaming of a more transparent society and I think our lives will become even more transparent on a global scale. I think this is going to challenge a lot of companies, and also on a personal level, it challenges people to act more justly. People have to think about what their values are and take responsibility for themselves. It’s a huge challenge to be open about your life.

Dear Eva, thanks!