Right after the holidays, it's peak season for kick-offs. And with the right planning, it can become a lifelong memory for your participants. Here, our marketing manager Bibi Rydbacken shares her best tips on how to arrange a successful kickoff in Stockholm.

1. Have a clear purpose and goal.
What should the final result be? Communicate it clearly to the participants so everyone knows what's expected.

2. Choose the location, environment, and setting carefully.
The location for the kick-off is important as it sets the tone and atmosphere. A change of scenery promotes creativity, and getting away from the office helps you relax, focus on the present, and not have to worry about what to cook for dinner.

3. Keep your meeting engaging.
Get participants involved right from the start. Nobody enjoys a one-way communication with a long PowerPoint presentation from the boss. Instead, engage them, for example, by giving them a small task to prepare for the kickoff, like a short presentation on something related to the kickoff's goal.

4. Choose activities carefully.
Pick activities that match the kickoff's purpose and goals. If the aim is for a group of colleagues to get to know each other, the activity should be a team-building exercise, like Marholmen's Masters or Boat Orienteering. If the group is already tight-knit, the activity can be more challenging, such as a problem-solving game like Escape Box.

Please note! Remember that all participants should be able to take part in the activity. So, don't plan a half-day of rock climbing or rodeo riding if anyone in the group has physical limitations or disabilities. And don't pick a quiz about Swedish pop songs for dinner entertainment if some of your colleagues didn't grow up in Sweden.

5. Plan plenty of time in the agenda.
The intentions are good, but often the agenda for a kickoff or multi-day conference ends up being quite packed. Make sure to schedule time for participants to work out, visit the spa, FaceTime their family, or simply recharge their batteries, either alone or with colleagues, for a bit between the day's activities and dinner.

6. Follow up!
Finally, it's important to follow up on the kickoff to see if its purpose and goals were achieved. What can we do even better next year?

We hope these tips help you plan a kickoff that your participants will remember forever.
Contact us and we'll help you plan your next kickoff here at Marholmen!

Marholmen is now taking the next step to put this small island in Roslagen on the map as Sweden's next big year-round destination. “I'm really looking forward to further developing Marholmen to its full potential together with our employees and owners,” says Fredrik Utheim, who took over as the new CEO after the turn of the year.

Marholmen is located in the Roslagen archipelago, just outside Norrtälje. On the 93-hectare island, you'll find a hotel, cottages, villas, glamping, conference facilities, a spa, a restaurant, motorhome pitches, party venues, hot tubs, a sauna, jetties, and its own sandy beach. Activities for both private and conference guests all year round include adventure golf, a multi-sport court, a decathlon, Walking gym, Forest Bathing, cold baths, barbecue areas, an agility course, and playgrounds.

– I see enormous potential to truly put Marholmen on the map as a completely unique and sustainable year-round destination for visitors, says Fredrik Utheim. All the conditions are already in place, and when the offer came, I couldn't say no to the challenge of leading its continued development.

Throughout history, people have come to Marholmen for relaxation and recreation. In 1913, Nils and Hanna Berg donated a part of Marholmen to the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) to give working wives and female laborers a chance to rest. This is a tradition that is still managed today by the owner, the Swedish Municipal Workers' Union.

Marholmen's Chairman of the Board, Johan Hessius, comments on the continued investment: "The owner and the board see great potential in Kommunal's continued ownership of Marholmen. We wish Fredrik and his team good luck and look forward to following their journey closely."

– Now we will build on the opportunity that the previous management laid the groundwork for. The vision is clear. Within five years, we aim to be Sweden's next big year-round destination, Fredrik concludes.

About Fredrik Utheim

Fredrik has extensive experience from the hotel industry and most recently comes from Annordia, where he worked with hotel property development. Previously, he has been, among other things, Sweden Manager and Group CEO for the former Rica Hotels, CEO for Stockholm Meeting Selection, and General Manager for the Radisson BLU hotels at Arlanda. Fredrik also has international experience from the USA, Spain, and Norway, and a degree in Hospitality Management from Miami, Florida.

If you want to get in touch with Fredrik, just email him at fredrik.utheim@marholmen.se