Inside the Mind of an Experienced External CEO – Strategic Planning with Niklas Harging

Many entrepreneurs and business owners are constantly on the hunt for the next phase of growth. They hire more salespeople, invest in marketing, and tweak the product. But despite high energy and major investments, that truly scalable effect often fails to materialize. Why? The answer often lies not in what you do in the market, but in what you failed to do in the conference room before the journey began.

In the latest episode of We Love Salespeople, Jonas Olofsson sits down with Niklas Harging, CEO of Mindset. Niklas has extensive experience leading and developing organizations, and his message is clear: without a shared vision and a united front at the top, growth becomes both fragile and difficult to manage.

In the interview, Niklas Harging shares several invaluable strategies. Here are 3 insights you won’t want to miss:

1. The Owner’s Guide – Your Compass for Scalability

Growth comes at a cost—in terms of capital, time, and energy. If the owners aren’t in complete agreement about how much they’re willing to invest, what risks to take, and what the ultimate goal actually is, the organization will sooner or later suffer from decision paralysis. Niklas emphasizes that the owners’ directive isn’t just a legal document, but a strategic tool for creating a shared vision.

Putting expectations in writing creates a sense of security that permeates the entire organization. Once the direction is set, it becomes easier for management to make operational decisions that align with the owners’ wishes.

"The owner's directive is the cornerstone. Without it, we don't know whether we're building a lifestyle company or a global growth engine, and that uncertainty kills efficiency."

This aligns well with Adviser Partners’ philosophy of “GROWTH made SIMPLE.” By simplifying and clarifying the top-level goals, friction is eliminated at the lower levels.

2. The external board as a driver of growth

A common obstacle to growth in owner-managed companies is that board meetings tend to devolve into operational discussions of day-to-day issues rather than strategic decisions. Niklas emphasizes the importance of bringing in external expertise to the board to drive professionalization.

An outside board member brings fresh perspectives, asks the tough questions, and ensures that the company stays on track with its strategy. This creates a healthy separation between ownership and day-to-day operations, which is essential for scaling the business without the founders becoming bottlenecks.

"An outside voice on the board sees things that we ourselves have become blind to. It’s about bringing in a voice that represents the company’s best interests, not just the owners’ current sentiments."

3. Strategic groundwork builds confidence

Growth is often associated with chaos and sudden shifts, but Niklas argues the opposite. By investing time in strategic groundwork—agreeing on goals, culture, and processes—you create a sense of security that allows the organization to step on the gas when an opportunity arises.

Once the foundation is in place, hiring becomes more targeted and sales efforts more coordinated. It’s about building a structure that can withstand the pressure of increased volume. At Adviser Partner, we call this building a sales system that doesn’t rely on individual star performers.

"Confidence comes from knowing why we do what we do. When the strategy is crystal clear, execution becomes a matter of discipline rather than guesswork."

Next Step

This is just a fraction of the insights Niklas Harging shares. Want to hear the full conversation, get more concrete examples, and dive deeper into the importance of the owner’s directive? Listen to the full episode of We Love Salespeople here! [Link to episode]

Would you and your sales team like to have the tools to implement these strategies and reach new heights? Adviser Partner can help you build a high-performing sales culture. Contact us at expansion@adviser-partner.se or visit www.adviser-partner.se to learn more about our proven Way of Sales methodology.