On June 16, it's finally time for the Umeågalan. This year is the first time that the prize "Company of the Year in the cultural and creative industries" is awarded and the competition is fierce. After a long jury process and lots of great candidates remain Underbaraclara, Storspoven and Turborilla.

The prize is awarded by eXpression Umeå in cooperation with Umeå fabriks- och hantverksförening.

"It is an incredible honour to be nominated and highlighted as a good example in the industry, given my somewhat odd profession and the company I run," says Clara Lidström, also known as Wonderfulclara, to the Umeågalan.

Over a hundred nominations were received in autumn 2021 and now three finalists remain: the Big Poof, Wonderful Clara and Turborilla. Finalists who, among other things, managed to stand out in their market and challenge prevailing norms.

At the Umeågalan, the three nominees shared their experiences - some of the reasons why they have succeeded and continue to develop just as passionately in their respective fields.

Mattias Wiking, CEO of Turborilla, highlights the importance of a strong compass with its own values. This includes daring to say no to opportunities that do not suit them.

We'll skip the quick bucks if we think it'll hurt the working conditions of our employees or our players. Another important thing is that we develop our games in close cooperation with the practitioners of the sport. This gives us quick feedback from our players from a player perspective, but it also helps us to remain true to the sport.

A long-term advantage for us is that we don't see ourselves as entrepreneurs, but that we focus primarily on our creation. You should do what feels fun, sensible and sustainable and not worry so much about what others are doing," says Samuel Isaksson, CEO of Storspoven.

Clara Lidström says it's important to get good at the craft behind it in order to develop in her field.

This is true whether you want to build a business through social media or even work as an influencer. Write, shoot, film, podcast, package and create ideas - learn from the best, take courses, read books. The competition is incredible and anyone who doesn't have their own unique offering won't cut through the noise," she says.

Clara stresses that a winning concept over the years has been to work with those who are better than her.

- Every person I bring in has to be the best in their field, whether it's an editor or an assistant," she says.

Read the full article on Umeågalan.se - where you can also read the nomination texts.