Tea Pettersson

Running through hotel corridors during her childhood, it might not come as a shock that she is following in her family's hotel business footsteps by managing Hotel Frantz and Hotel Ruth in Stockholm alongside her sister. But BSc in Business & Economics and MSc in Management alum Tea Pettersson did try out different part-time internships and trainee programs during her time at SSE, which helped confirm that it was her family business that was her passion.

Describe your role and what it is that you do overall and on a day-to-day basis.

My family owns and operates two boutique hotels in Stockholm, Hotel Frantz and Hotel Ruth, which I manage with my sister. It’s almost impossible to answer what I do on a day-to-day basis because no days are the same. Since we’re a small family business, my role is both operative and strategic. A typical day can include everything from revenue management, HR and leadership, marketing, branding, working behind the bar, taking care of our guests, following up on financial forecasts and evaluating new investments.

What interested you about the field/company/role you are currently in?

Growing up in the hospitality industry, running around in hotel corridors my whole childhood, you wouldn’t see my career choice as a surprise. But I didn’t exactly have this in mind when I started my Bachelor’s at SSE. But when I worked in other companies, I truly missed the passion and possibility of impact by running your own business gives you and of course, the love for the industry.

Why did you choose to study your subject area at SSE?

After my Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics, I realized that I didn’t want to pursue a career in finance or management consulting; I was more interested in business creation, development & strategy. The program that best fit my interests was the MSc in Business and Management program. Moreover, I was looking for more practical experiences and real-life business problems, which is exactly what the program offers.

How did your time/education at SSE help guide you to the career journey you have embarked on?

I believe you get a very broad set of knowledge and skills within many different fields, which have helped me tackle many different kinds of business problems I encounter in real life. And even if you don’t have the answer right away when you face something new, you know how to proceed to find the right information to solve the problem. It gave me a mentality that even if something seemed impossible and overwhelming to start, it’s not. And of course, the network that comes along with the education at SSE and meeting many inspirational people motivates you to follow your dreams.

What path did you take from graduation to where you are now?

Since I grew up working mostly in the hospitality industry, I was curious about trying out other industries when I started to study at SSE. Therefore, I tried out different part-time internships and a trainee program during my time at SSE which helped me realize that I wanted to be a part of our family business. I went back to working with hotels directly after my graduation.

Following your time studying, do you have any words of wisdom or advice you would like to share with our current students?

My advice to current students would be to be patient and not take it too seriously, I remember being stressed because it seemed like everyone around me moved faster in their career than me. But there is no need to hurry, your career or success does not depend on how fast something happens, you will get there eventually. And when you fail at something, remember that someday it will be a fun story.

What are three words that sum up your time at SSE?

Fun, challenging and inspirational.