Name: Henrik Sandsmark
Job title: Platform Lead, Digital Advertising
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from BI Norwegian Business School
Professional background: As a 21-year-old, while still studying, I co-founded Rotor, the first specialized employer branding agency in Norway, along with three friends. I had a great time, learned a boatload, and got to work with several large clients. Since then, I have worked in performance marketing and management in different ways, specializing in Facebook ads. Most recently, I was co-owner and head of the paid social team at Fullstakk.
When did you first hear about reMarkable?
I met Sigurd Gran-Jansen at a marketing conference in Stockholm back in 2017. We have stayed in touch since then. At first, I had no idea that the device would catch on like it has, but I have been watching reMarkable grow exponentially since then. Four years later, when the Platform Lead role was announced, I decided to apply and join Sigurd’s team.
What made reMarkable stand out to you?
There is not a lack of ambition among startups, but it is not as common to have a vision that extends beyond creating and selling a cool or useful product. What makes the difference to me is reMarkable’s dedication to the ultimate goal of better thinking, as opposed to just selling cool paper tablets. An organization like this is something you don’t see very often. There are a couple of Norwegian consumer electronics brands, but as far as I know, none have grown to this size since the radio manufacturer Tandberg in the 1930s.
Considering my field, few Norwegian brands operate at a scale that truly allows for robust performance marketing, where you have numbers big enough to run experiments that give significant results on both the complex strategic decisions and the smaller details. In turn, we are able to make accurate decisions and bring the art of marketing closer and closer to perfection.
Last but not least, I just like the people here. I could give a list of cliché adjectives, but there is an unusually strong priority on building culture and recruiting the right people here. Also, not many marketers get to get this close to entirely different fields, such as physical product design, supply chain management, retail, and app development. I guess I’m a bit curious about other fields after many years of jobs narrowly focused on marketing.
Has reMarkable lived up to your expectations?
Yup!
Any words of advice for prospective employees?
Have fun, ask for help and advice when you need it, and always assume people are on your side. So far, I have not seen any petty company politics, intrigues, or sharp elbows. For those familiar with improv theater, everyone has a “yes, and” attitude here, listening to and building on ideas and initiatives. Keep doing the same in return, and you'll love it here. Honestly, the onboarding process will give you all the advice you will need.
Finally, what are some of your goals as Platform Lead?
My top priority is hiring the best specialists within all the relevant fields, building a healthy and thriving culture in my team, and establishing routines that facilitate great work and cooperation with other teams within the company. I’d also like to discover and prioritize the most effective marketing platforms, tools, and ways to work. Apart from that, I just want to do great things, learn stuff, and have fun.
