Sales Leader of the Month December 2025 - Plivit Trade AB

Johan Siljreus takes sales work to new heights

With long-term vision and commitment, Johan Siljreus, Marketing and Sales Manager at Plivit Trade AB, has driven sales development forward and involved the entire team in working towards common goals. By creating new ways of working and inspiring employees, he has shown that change is possible and that sales can become a natural and shared part of the company's culture.

Sales development – a long-term interest

Johan says that his interest in sales development has been there since the start of his career as a business graduate with an international focus. He realized early on that it takes more than just numbers and strategies to succeed in sales, it's about creating commitment and getting people to want to pull in the same direction.

“You need a fundamental incentive to drive a group forward, especially in sales. That has been a common thread throughout my professional journey,” says Johan. He describes how his curiosity about what makes teams perform together has followed him through different roles and companies.

For Johan, sales development has never been about quick fixes or one-off training sessions. Instead, he sees it as a long-term effort where small changes in everyday life, clear goals and a shared understanding of the business are crucial. “It is when we understand how our efforts are connected and contribute to the whole that we can take the next step together,” he says.

Plivit Trade – on the way to new goals

The company has grown significantly in recent years, from 150 to over 500 million in sales.

“We are advancing our positions and taking market share. But with growth also comes new challenges, we must adapt the organization and working methods to take the next step.” The goal is to continue growing and reach 700 million, but to succeed, the entire organization must work towards the same goal.

Sales work – a joint effort

Johan emphasizes that success in sales is based on the entire company being committed and different departments working together to create value for the customer.

“Regardless of role, we all have the opportunity to impact the business. It is when we understand how our efforts are connected and contribute to the whole that we can take the next step together.”

He highlights the importance of building bridges between departments and creating an environment where everyone feels involved in the company's development. Communication and understanding each other's challenges have become central to the work, and it is when employees take initiative and learn from each other that the company becomes stronger.

Mindit's contribution – structure and courage to change

Mindit has been an important partner in the development journey and came into the picture several years ago, when Plivit Trade was facing new challenges and needed to adapt the organization to a growing business.

A central figure in the development work has been Mikael Nylund, CEO of Mindit, who has also trained and coached the team at Plivit Trade. Mikael's ability to combine structure with inspiration has been crucial in creating commitment and a long-term perspective in the change process.

Johan describes:

“It’s one thing to attend a two-day sales training where everyone is focused, but the real challenge is taking the lessons home and actually implementing them in your daily work.”

That's why it's so important that we have a common way of working, that we have a basic template to fall back on when things start to get tough even in everyday life," says Johan.

With Mindit's support, Plivit Trade has built up routines and tools that make it easier to stay the course even when the pace is high and changes are many. It's about creating security in the organization where everyone knows what applies. You should be able to lean on common principles, regardless of whether it concerns major strategic decisions or smaller challenges.

Mikael Wallin, Key Account Manager, shares his experience of the training:

"The training felt very well planned and was therefore able to both complement and strengthen our previous experiences and knowledge. I feel that I often use all or parts of the sales process and its components that we received training and tips on. Everything from planning to follow-up with extra focus on the parts that we felt we were a little further behind in before the training."

New ways of working have become a natural part of everyday life

For Johan, it is crucial that the change does not just stop at words but is visible in the daily work. “We have invested in new routines and it is my job as a leader to ensure that they are actually used. When we notice that we are slipping, I step in and correct, we have chosen this path and now we must stick to it,” he says.

The follow-up takes place both through Johan obtaining an overview of the results and through concrete conversations with the team.

It's about creating clarity and showing the entire organization, every day, that the change is real. My role is to remind and support, so that we continue to develop together, explains Johan.

Change – a challenge that takes time

The biggest challenge is that change takes time and that it is easy to fall back into old habits.

“We are people of habit and it is tough to change, but it is possible. As we grow, the challenge becomes even greater, and it is important that the entire organization understands the framework and continues to develop it.

"As a leader, Johan has learned that the theories from the training actually work in practice. "These are tangible theories that can be implemented in everyday life, not just a painted picture. That has been my biggest lesson."

Tips for other managers – dare to take a long-term view

Johan concludes with advice for other managers:

“Dare to believe in the process and be patient. It is a long-term effort and you have to be persistent and make corrections along the way. Have a three-year plan and don’t give up even if things go slowly sometimes.”

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