“I decided to pursue what had been a long-standing dream of mine. I gathered courage and gradually prepared myself and my friends and family for it to be coming.”
From Finland to Sweden to Norway. Come read the story of when Scandinavia caught our founder's interest and where she decided to move to energize and sustainably expand her personal life and business.
It's been more than a decade since I first visited Scandinavia. I had the opportunity to study for a month in Finland in a small town Savonlinna. Yes, it was cold there, and it was such that I had to buy shoes up to -20, which I still have today. I was like in a different world, excited about nature, and what I have learned in that month. For example, when the locals ask permission before entering the forest and give thanks for what they have taken from it. Even then, I felt that I would love to come back someday.
A few years later, I took a trip to Sweden. One day on the a small island belonging to the city Gothenburg, I took a picture of myself at the white wooden house and said that I would live in that one day. It was a bit of a game I do play sometimes, but at the same time there was something real about it. It was just a few days before the submission of my thesis, the heated bodysuit, but looking very much different form the appearance you can purchase today.
That time I knew, that this is more than a theoretical thesis for me. I felt we should bring it to the market for real and I continued working on it. After the work, I used to solder wires. I had some help, one PhD student in electronics who was trying to find a way to make the hardware smaller to make it a bit more of a wearable box. And I was trying to find a way and suppliers of washable connectors. Basically fid a way, how to get closer to the prototype and assembly for testing.
And it did it! The prototype was finished and we were able to wash the wires about five times, so we decided to get feedback from potential customers and exhibited it on the design event called Designblok in Prague. When someone asked me when I would be able to buy the bodysuit, I replied that in 1-2 years. It was a sobering realization, and the thought kept racing through my mind—I had no idea what the next step would be. I had no idea how I would finance further development and whether we would ever find a truly fully functional solution that would be able to use in the way of ordinary life and regular wash cycles. What kept me optimistic were the women who joined the list of those eager to buy once we reached the market.
When we had a more sizes and prototypes, I decided to face the fear and started testing. The battery was large and the covers printed on a 3D printer, connected by adhesive tape — but it fulfilled the purpose and I was getting more and more confident that we were on the right track. That the heating integrate din the bodysuit really is a form of warmth that will help from pain.
It became clear to me that I needed a partner to help me tighten up the electronics. Although I had a lot of motivation and enthusiasts on hand, I didn't have hundreds of thousands, or even millions which would be needed for further development. For me the most important thing was to bring it to the market soon and I was searching for a potential partners in electronic, to help me reach that goal. And guess where I found a tech partner — in Sweden! We exchanged a few e-mails, and I packed the sticks in my suitcase and flew north again.
Even though it seems like a completely fluid story, I'll be honest with you - at that moment I was experiencing the greatest pain I could never have imagined. I lost my mother less than three months after she got a cancer diagnosis. My mother has supported the project from the very beginning—not only with sewing and prototyping, but also with constant reminders that I have a gift, something unique I can use to help and empower others. The moment I realized I would make it to market gave me strength, but it also crushed me to know I could no longer share this journey with her.
I visited Smart Textile Showroom at the University of Borås and I was absolutely fascinated. At that moment I realized that I would like to do my PhD one day, focusing on smart textiles in the field of health, because there are schools where I would very much like to study further.
This summer we were excited to send our first tip to customers in the Czech Republic. I knew then that the next step would be expansion into Scandinavian markets. And I am proud to say that our bodysuit has become part of the exhibition in the showroom as one of the products that use smart fabrics and are already available on the market.
It was a year where I needed to ground myself. At the company, I had to face what didn't work. It took a lot of energy and there were times when I thought I was even going to lose the company and I felt like I'm losing a piece of myself.
I am enormously grateful that I now have only a memory of that period that literally sucked the soul out of me, which seems distant, even if it is quite recent.
At that time, I only went to Sweden for a few days, to rest, because it always calmed me down nicely there and I was able to relax there.
The idea for the second product and the new energy, which I did not feel for a long time, came from the spring. The summer was full of positive changes, ideas, clarification of visions and goals. I visited Norway and started writing a new chapter. I could feel it pulling me there. And I decided to allow rationality and go for it. Thank you to everyone from whom I feel support and trust. On a personal level, I thank my family. I feel that letting me into the world does not mean losing me, but letting me be who I am and explore that side of me and the desire.
And so I am packing my bags, one with clothes and the other with stock, and gradually move to Norway to soak up the culture and project it into my life as well as the sustainable settings of the company. And if you've read this far, you might be asking, why Norway? And I must say, a guy from Ostrava (Czech) definitely plays a role in this journey, and I don't think it’s a coincidence that we crossed paths and we will be living there together.
And I would like to end it with a quote sent to me by my friend Baska: A bird that flies out of the nest is not looking for the safest branch on which to land. She does not think about the fact that she might break, but They believe in the ability to fly.
Thank you to the Body Moody team for metaphorically believing that this company can spread its wings, and that we are in this together.
And whenever you decide to move forward and grow, remember that you can always carry the warmth with you, so you’ll never feel cold or alone. We are here for you.
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