How can you really connect with your customers?

Of course, it’s because they warm to your offer and enjoy dealing with you. But how do you achieve that? Well, by following the usual (and sensible) advice: Be yourself! It also has the advantage that the truth is the easiest thing to remember. If you try too hard to fit in, you end up coming across as unclear. On the other hand, if you maintain a clear line, it builds trust. That is the essential foundation for all business.

To be able to be clear, you must, of course, know who you are. Many people lack a clear sense of self, and that makes it difficult to establish a distinct profile. It becomes harder to gain trust. Harder to succeed.

Here’s an example…

The first time I visited Knut restaurant in Stockholm, I felt an immediate connection. The second time I was there, it struck me how consistent everything was. I became curious about the founder – Martin Sjölander. He agreed to an interview, which I published on my blog in September 2025. It was interesting to learn about his journey.

People act based on their personality, values and chance. How has this influenced Martin’s story, which led him to start Knut? I’ll focus on his personality – his driving forces – as that’s my area of interest.

Taking a personality test

Martin agreed to take the HumanGuide test. The result was as follows

The test is based on a theory comprising eight core dimensions (see humanguide.com for further details), which makes the results more nuanced and useful. It identifies a number of key traits for each                      

• Sensibility, i.e. caring, empathetic and service-oriented
• Power, i.e. results-oriented, quick and dynamic
• Quality, i.e. responsible, determined and long-term perspective
• Exposure, i.e. colourful, spontaneous and lively
• Structure, i.e. orderly, organised and disciplined
• Imagination, i.e. open-minded, creative and curious
• Stability, i.e. security-oriented, traditional and economical
• Contacts, i.e. people-oriented, easy-going and sociable

Martin’s results show that he is both driven and reflective, i.e. two fully coloured squares in the top row and two in the bottom. He can be very driven, but is also capable of pausing to reflect. It’s fair to say straight away that there are no such things as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ personalities. Instead, it’s about suitability for the job, the culture, a life partner, or…
 
His working life began with a lot of travelling around the world, driven by Imagination – the desire to discover. To gain new experiences. Etc.
 
He became increasingly keen to become a chef. Ideally, to open a restaurant abroad, as Swedish cuisine is often perceived as exotic. Imagination again. A good chef places a high value on Sensibility, like Martin;-)
 
It’s interesting to note the international connection for Fredrik Härén, who in 2026 published the book The World of Creativity and believes this explains why many Swedish chefs win international cooking competitions. Fredrik argues that Swedes are very humble, so they choose to go abroad to create good food. As they are in many countries, they gain a lot of inspiration, which leads to new and interesting dishes. Whereas, for example, French chefs think French cuisine is best, so they take in far less influence from other countries.
 
In any case, Martin opened Knut in Stockholm. Knut is named after his grandfather, which may be explained by Sensibility (consideration), Quality (his grandfather stood for that) and Imagination (distinctiveness and uniqueness).
 
I also noticed that Martin’s personality came through in the interior design. It is rustic and northern Swedish (Power, no unnecessary frills) and features recycled materials from old barns and vintage items, i.e. Quality (a focus on roots and long-term thinking).
 
Martin’s personality has also influenced his approach to staff. At first, he was a bit too kind (Sensibility), so there were sometimes people who weren’t really suited to working in the restaurant. An interesting and exciting move was to remove all managers after a while. This demonstrates both Sensibility (consideration for staff development) and Imagination (distinctiveness and innovation in a rather authoritarian industry). It proved to be a good move. Much more commitment and personal development! Just as several gurus say.
 
Martin also sells a range of products that help build the brand. They’re clever, too, and ‘promote’ the restaurant. This is typical of Imagination.
 
If you can, why not experience Knut for yourself? I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
 
NB! If you would like to gain a clearer understanding of your own personality, you can purchase the test with or without coaching in our eShop here: humanguide.nu. Prices from 300 SEK incl. VAT.