Since setting up my company Bipper nearly two years ago, I have more and more frequently been referred to as Bipper-Silje or simply Bipper-Mom. Hence the name of my blog…
My real name however is Silje Vallestad. I was born and raised in Norway, and after a few years abroad studying in Wales and Canada, I settled down in Bergen in 1998. I am currently 30 years old, married to a wonderful man, and mother to three beautiful kids; Oda (8), August (5) and Alvin (2). My youngest baby however is not of the human species, but my company Bipper that I founded August 1st 2007.
Bipper is the result of the shock I experienced when Oda started school and I shortly thereafter discovered that children as young as 6 are carrying mobile phones – both in Norway and abroad. At that point in time I wouldn’t in my wildest dreams have thought that children that young would need nor use cell phones, but after massive amounts of market studies all my findings made me conclude otherwise: Children everywhere are younger and younger when provided with their first mobile phone, and the worries and problems surrounding this new trend are many.
With no knowledge of neither technology nor telecommunications, I decided to develop a solution to make mobile phones safer for children. And this solution was going to set an international standard for safe mobile products for kids. I had no relevant networks or experience, but my fresh master degree in strategy and leadership from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration proved to be of great help in making people have faith in me.So did my many years working as an idealist and founder of various idealistic organizations and projects nationally and internationally. Running a business, though, is quite different from running an NGO…
I see now that I had a great idea, but sat out on an absolutely crazy venture. But day by day I have been digging my way through the mountain, met great people along the way, and is getting closer and closer to the goal…
Bipper should be launched this autumn, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you! This blog will give you the opportunity to follow my journey ; my visions, my fears and my dreams.
BipperMom
