Life should be fun. We try to reflect that in our products and as a company every day. But life isn't always fun. My name is Helene, and I am the founder of doodop. I have always tried to be a better person and do what feels right in my gut. Building doodop has taken several years and almost all my resources to achieve. For me, it was worth every hour and every penny, to create something so that more people can make good, fun, and comfortable choices and feel that wonderful gut feeling.
This blog is not just about quirky everyday situations where toilet paper suddenly becomes the hero of the drama (we've all been there). It's also a forum for something much bigger - to celebrate those who are behind our strong values as a company. My life has been marked by losing people I love and looked up to. In this blog, there will be a series called "Tributes". We will post a story about each person who has shaped me as a person and been a strong influence on doodop's values and how we work. This is not something we do for sales or marketing. It is solely to honor important people who are unfortunately no longer with us. Perhaps they can read this blog from where they are now. Or perhaps this can inspire more people to reflect on how they live and become even better people on Earth. That's what these people helped me with.
The upcoming series, "Tributes," is for them. Those who made me want to be better, think bigger - and sometimes just laugh in the midst of all the misery.
Below, these individuals will be introduced, and the posts for the coming weeks will be dedicated to their stories.
"Don't be sorry, be better"
Zach. Just writing his name makes me smile and breaks my heart into a thousand pieces. Zach studied law, loved photography, and started companies, all while battling one of the toughest diagnoses one can receive. He was young, smart, driven, and left an impression on everyone he met. Until his last day, he held onto the vision of graduating, launching his company, and continuing to be a kind friend, son, and fellow human being. He was 26 years old.
"Damn it"
My beloved dad taught me most of my swear words when I used to listen to him talk to his friends on the phone. He swore, I repeated. His humor was as crude as his heart was big. He always had a twinkle in his eye and a bad joke at hand. I'm pretty sure he could have delivered iconic toilet jokes for doodop. But unfortunately, he didn't get to see his children grow up. "Damn it" - as he would say about that.
"Tvy vale"
In contrast to a dad who had a wide vocabulary of swear words, there was a man who wouldn't offend even an ant. Arne. Probably the kindest person from SmĂĄland in the world. And perhaps the only person I've ever heard say "tvy vale" as a swear word. As the only swear word he used. A SmĂĄland expression that can be translated into standard Swedish as "oh dear". There wasn't much that he considered "tvy vale," except for the football team AIK, for some reason. Arne was proof that the kindest win.
"I dreamt I was a pile of poop"
Yes, you read that right. My grandmother once said that, completely seriously, and then that was it. Grandma was a woman who always had something funny to say, an inventor and the queen of recycling long before it became trendy to "think circularly." She understood things that many of us still don't understand. Buying quality was important. Fixing things if they break? A no-brainer. Reusing trash and finding new uses for it? Yes, no problem. In recent years, we've started talking about a circular economy. It's about all resources we use being reused. Something my grandmother was an expert at. She could turn anything into something new.
"Respect everyone until they prove themselves to be idiots"
My grandfather was a stubborn man with strong values. He wouldn't leave home without his wallet, because if someone asked him for money, he had to be able to help. He trusted everyone 100% until they proved otherwise. And if they proved otherwise, they could forget about asking for help or support from him. Perhaps a bit unforgiving, but by taking care of and showing concern for his fellow human beings and those he loved, he never stopped making friends. He always had many wonderful people around him, and he had weeded out the rotten apples and never let them back in. Because, as he said, if you are a good and kind person, you win in the end.
"It should be AWESOME"
I have been outrageously spoiled in my professional life. I can hardly name more than one bad boss I've had. But I can list them from good to awesome. My boss, Micke, was undoubtedly AWESOME. And that was his life motto too. Micke and I became friends quickly, perhaps because we both had an entrepreneurial spirit. One lunch, I told him that I had figured out what life is all about. That you should have a good time. He replied and said, "Everything should just be AWESOME." Yes, everything should be AWESOME, and that even includes your toilet paper, according to Micke.
Losing someone you love is awful. It feels unfair and is not something you can get used to. I have lost many people who mean a lot to me, and through processing the grief, I have understood that there is nothing to be done. You have to be sad, try to pick yourself up, and live for them, become better, and try to be a better person every day.
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