The Founder Effect

January 5, 2022

This portrait of Nordsign’s founder was originally published in January 2022. It reflects the people, places and perspectives described in that story.

For Tomas Pedersen, Poznań was more than a place to work. In the original interview, he described the city as his home and base for the business he had started in Denmark and developed in Poland. The story also mentioned Kosmonaut as Nordsign’s sister company at the time.

A city that felt authentic

Tomas spoke warmly about Poznań’s character. He liked that it was large enough to offer new experiences yet compact enough to explore on foot. Walks, conversations and the city’s location were part of what made it a place where he wanted to live and work.

That openness to his surroundings ran through the portrait. He was described as someone who greeted people in the street, met people for coffee and found inspiration in everyday encounters.

The founder’s influence on culture

The title uses “founder effect” to explore how a founder’s outlook can shape an organisation. In this account, Tomas brought Scandinavian values into a business operating in Poland, while recognising the importance of a motivated team personally connected to its work.

He explained that a strong culture allowed people to act independently and take responsibility. Trust in colleagues gave him space to develop products, find inspiration and explore ideas. The point was not to make every decision himself, but to build a shared understanding of how to work.

Creative energy and production

Tomas and his business partner, Michael Overgaard, wanted to connect Danish creative energy with Polish production. The ambition described in the article was to make products with reliability and trust at the centre of the relationship.

The portrait also recalled Scandinavian visitors recognising familiar values in a company in Poznań. Conversations with colleagues and visitors were part of the approachable atmosphere described at the time.