Today I was planning on not eating breakfast because we always have fika early in the morning, but I ended up heading over anyway. I used this time to chug some orange juice and eat a few slices of cucumber and fruit. Also, I had my customary ginger and lemon shot before I ate a bite of anything.
Today, we were traveling to Valea and Xylem. For once, traveling went quite smoothly. We caught all of our trams, and no one was late.
It was overcast and windy this morning, but that didn’t dampen our moods. You could just tell it was a Friday, and I know the thought of the weekend had me in a good mood.
I didn’t know what to expect from Valea, so no matter what, I was in for a surprise. We went up to their fifth-floor reception to meet Andrew, the CEO and a founding partner of Valea, and then he led us to our fourth-floor presentation area. There, they offered us coffee and snacks, so I made myself a latte. I felt pretty under the weather and wanted to grab a banana as well, but I decided to sit down and just enjoy my coffee.
But, my coffee didn’t exactly make itself easy to enjoy. It made me feel even worse, which is my fault. I know I shouldn’t drink that much caffeine, especially on an empty stomach.
Before the presentation, we had to sign an NDA, which the first time I’ve ever had to do something like that. We were told that we couldn’t mention any of their clients by name, so I’ll keep some things hush-hush.
Andrew started off the presentation by giving a company overview and a profile of his role in the company. Then, we got into the nitty, gritty details. He mentioned how Valea is organized as a company, which I thought was very interesting. They have no geographical divisions and a flat organization scheme.
“You have to be in a working environment that is conducive to enjoyment.”
Andrew Hammond
He also talked to us about patents, as they are his specialty. They’re for things and how you do things.
Then, his associate Viktor talking to use about trademarks and their purpose versus patents.
“Don’t be afraid to pivot.”
Viktor Möller
He also gave us some good advice; make use of your friendships and connections.
Then, we had lunch with them both under the lipstick building, and I had the best fika treats! It was a spongy yellow sweet cake, and I had three pieces.
Between our meetings, we had time to shop around in Norstan. I got my roommate and I matching necklaces and a pair of earrings. I also bought an olive green blazer at H&M, but honestly, I might return some things because I’ve been spending too much in the city. It’s my own fault, but still.
The next stop was Xylem! This time, we had to take a bus and cross the river, but it wasn’t a long drive, and again, we had an easy time navigating.
Xylem was the company I had the least background with, as I have no knowledge regarding pumps or water treatment, and yet, it was
Their mission is to efficiently save, protect, and control water.
Xylem is now three separate companies, as TT split into three. Now, there is ITT Corporation, Xylem, and ITT Exelis. The scale of their production really surprised me. They bring in $4 billion in revenue per year and have 16,000 global employees.
They also manufacture almost everything by themselves, which is very unusual in this industry, and they provide on-site final product testing at their place of manufacture, while others have to do it at different sites.
The most expensive pumps that Christian sold were a 6-piece set valued at $850,000. They’re located in New Orleans, and they pump out 3,000 hot tubs worth of water per second per pump.
After Xylem, some of us went back to the hostel to change and get ready to go out to dinner.
I managed to get pretty sick though, so I stayed in a rested until my group came back.
Then, we hung out and blogged together in my room until Leslye’s boyfriend stopped by to meet us.
After that, we headed to Karlson’s for a quick pick-me-up, and I had a great time.
Daily Reflections
1. I don’t think the legal track is for me.
2. We waste so much water and I never knew how bad it truly was.
3. Friends can make even bad nights into good ones.
Jenna Goes to Sweden 