From the Soccer Field to The Boardroom

By Henrik Olsvik

Former soccer player Truls Nordby Johansen traded his cleats for business plans.

“I was a complete soccer nerd.”

This was how Truls Nordby Johansen, 53, described his early love for soccer.

Growing up in Norway, he began playing at five years old, for the local team Heggedal.

As a teenager, Johansen’s passion only grew, leading to a debut with Heggedal's senior team.

“It was a big deal for me,” he said.

Playing alongside his father, a goalkeeper, made those early years unforgettable.

Johansen had memorable moments there, including competing and reaching the semifinals of Dana Cup.

After spending three years with Heggedal, he moved on to play for HamKam, a bigger club in Norway, chasing his dream of becoming a professional soccer player. He also decided to quit school to pressure his dream.

“I hated school. I knew I didn’t want anyone telling me what to do,” Johansen said, recalling his struggles with traditional education. He suspected he might have ADHD, which made fitting in difficult.

Rather than being discouraged, this would later push him toward entrepreneurship.

“Playing professionally was never as fun as playing with friends,” he said.

Although he was offered a three-year contract at Hamkam, homesickness led him to Stabæk, a team closer to home, but also a team he described as much weaker than HamKam. The pressure of professional soccer began to drain the joy out of the game.

He played for Stabæk for four years before deciding to leave the soccer field and instead try his luck in the business world.

“I feel like I grew out of soccer, I was curious about other things in life,” he said.

“I was on thin ice,” he admitted about starting his own workplace, health and safety company.

Despite the challenges, his background in soccer helped him adapt to this new “field.”

“Soccer taught me to train hard, fail, and rise again,” he said.

This mindset was essential as he navigated the ups and downs of starting a business.

“Building a business is like growing as a soccer player,” Johansen said.

He emphasized the importance of resilience in both areas.

After some years starting up the workplace, health and safety company, Truls went back to HamKam. This time not as a player, but to work on the board. Working for Hamkam he learnt a lot, but also got to use a lot of his experiences as a player.

With these new experiences, Truls again went back into the world of business, starting the company Gammel Nok.

“When you try to build something without a formal education, it’s all about getting back up after you fail,” he said.

Johansen's company, Gammel Nok, translated to “Old enough”, focuses on creating meaningful work opportunities for older adults, especially those over 50. Established in 2013, it arose from the challenges of the new pension reform and the growing need for seniors to remain engaged and active in the workforce. Gammel Nok offers various services, including practical assistance like carpentry and childcare, and also provides staffing solutions for both temporary and permanent roles.

“It’s about matching seasoned workers with companies that need their expertise,” Johansen said.

This approach benefits everyone, as older workers can contribute to the community while companies gain from their knowledge, he said.

Gammel Nok made significant strides in recent years, establishing a database of 1,500 to 2,000 older job seekers.

Johansen's vision extends beyond individual placements, it aims to support the local economy by enhancing the workforce.

“We're not just providing jobs, we're building a bridge between experience and opportunity,” he said.

“The freedom to do what I want is what motivates me now,” Johansen said.

He sees similarities between his life now and his childhood love for soccer.

He believes the skills he learned in the locker room, like teamwork and leadership, are crucial for his business approach.

“The strongest set the standards in the locker room, either it’s the boss, manager or captain,” he said, showing how collaboration and support matter.

“Even with hard work and setbacks, you need some recognition to keep going,” he said.