Stories

Beyond Success: A Fireside Chat on Failure, Trust, and Resilience

This Fireside Chat, presented in two parts at GoCo House, opened with a clear sense of anticipation among participants. Sessions like these are designed to create genuine opportunities for people to meet, exchange experiences and learn from one another across roles and backgrounds. As part of Blue Days, GoCo’s initiative to highlight International Men’s Day, the session addressed themes closely tied to men’s health: experiences of leadership, pressure, and the realities behind building a company. What happens when a business developed over decades is suddenly placed in legal and structural jeopardy? How do founders respond when an industry shifts from rapid expansion to immediate contraction?

Mikael Kubista: When You Lose What You Built

Mikael Kubista is a well-known profile in Swedish life sciences, with long experience in molecular diagnostics and close ties to Chalmers University of Technology. As co-founder of TATAA Biocenter, he was central in setting up some of the earliest COVID-19 testing operations in the country. His account revealed how a restructure requested by U.S. investor Care Equity triggered a series of legal steps that ultimately forfeited the founders ownership of the company. A merger, recommended by their lawyers, later discovered to have been executed in the wrong direction, dissolved the ownership entity they relied on. A mistake that went unnoticed for several months.

"Let’s skip the small talk. You’re fired."

He recalled the Sunday evening Teams meeting where he was informed of his dismissal. There was no buildup, no explanation. “They said, ‘Let’s skip the small talk. You’re fired.’ And then my computer was wiped clean remotely, right in front of my eyes.” Within minutes, his access to the phone was revoked. He was cut off from every system holding the evidence, message histories, and working documents required to address what followed. And what followed came quickly. Legal demands continuously arrived in rapid succession, each requiring documentation he no longer had access to. “These were not ordinary disputes,” he said. “It was a strategy to overwhelm.” This tactic is known as SLAPP — Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation. It refers to legal actions designed not to win a case but to drain the other party’s time, money and capacity to defend themselves.

The People Who Stay When It Matters

Despite the gravity of the situation, one moment stood out in particular. Late that same evening, his closest colleagues were approached, confronted with allegations against him, and invited to continue under revised terms. But instead, they chose to resign. “We had built the company together for 20 years,” he said. “They were not bought. They stood by me.” The importance of people, loyalty and surrounding yourself with good people was echoed by the next speakers, who reflected on what it means to lead when circumstances shift faster than expected.

Erik Gatenholm and Hector Martinez: Learning To Celebrate The Smaller Wins

The second part of the fireside chat featured Erik Gatenholm and Hector Martinez, the visionary co-founders of Cellink and BICO. Over seven years, they grew their organisation from an academic idea into a global business with more than SEK 2.2 billion in annual revenue. They described the years from 2016 to 2021 as a period of extraordinary momentum. Investment interest was high, the sector was expanding and opportunities came quickly. “Life sciences were in a golden era,” Gatenholm said.

When the Market Turns

But at the beginning of 2022, everything changed. Investor expectations shifted almost overnight from growth to profitability. Plans had to be rewritten, and difficult decisions followed. “Growing is relatively easy,” Martinez said. “But growing and being profitable takes discipline.” In short, teams had to be reduced, and long-standing colleagues faced uncertain futures. Martinez spoke about the weight of these conversations, entering a room knowing he had to deliver news he did not want to give. “There’s never a good time for bad news,” he said.

Adapting to a Changing World

One of the most important insights from this experience was to redefine what success means. In tougher times, you must learn to recognize the smaller wins that still move a company forward. “Accept that the world changes and move with it,” Martinez said. “You have to take the lessons that you can learn from this experience, and that will guide you forward.” Gatenholm also reflected on how relationships shift when conditions change, and how important it becomes to have people you trust close to you. During the high-growth years, success has many companions. But when the pace slows and pressure rises, you realise who truly stands with you. “You’re surrounded by a few good people. They will help you get through it,” he said. And he added a reminder that applies far beyond the boardroom: “If you see people struggling, reach out. Tell them you are rooting for them.”