Interview: Eventyrakademiet.
Anna Hasselby transitioned from biochemistry to entrepreneurship. As a ‘one-woman army,’ she created Eventyrakademiet, a world of magical children’s experiences that combine play and learning. Read on to learn about her journey from student life to success on Løvens Hule!
Anna began her university studies in biochemistry, which she found exciting. However, outside the lab, something magical seemed to be missing from her daily life.
Her creative side always pulled at her, and at 21, she decided to follow that impulse. While also studying for a business diploma, she worked on organizing events at Niels Brock. For 17 years, Anna crafted murder mysteries and strategic team-building exercises for Danish companies, weaving their mission and employees into the experience.
Then, a global nightmare struck: the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything was cancelled.
“What does a smart person do? I had been thinking about ready-made children's experiences and events for a long time. It was now or never,” Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
At that point, she had her two daughters at home and started creating games at the dining table, which would later evolve into Eventyrakademiet.
Read more about the creation of Eventyrakademiet here.
From Biochemistry to Adventure: Anna's Journey to Magical Childhood Experiences
Eventyrakademiet is a combination of Adventure and Academy. It offers enchanting childhood experiences with ready-made treasure hunts and mysteries, perfect for birthdays or any special occasion
The academic side of Eventyrakademiet is that children should have an 'aha moment' by solving a puzzle or riddle to discover the next clue. This could involve putting together letters, finding eggs, or solving a rhyme. It’s a learning universe where children don’t necessarily realize they are learning.
Anna explains that when children reach the solution, it creates a genuine and immediate sense of accomplishment.
Solving the task triggers new neurological and physiological patterns in the brain, forming new connections. There are many layers and a great deal of depth in the games of Eventyrakademiet.
Creativity Unleashed: How Anna Creates Adventure Universes for Children
When Anna describes how she creates different adventure universes, her ideas flow quickly. She always starts with the end result in mind, determining what the children need to find. Then, she lets her imagination run wild. For example, The Big Secret of the Circus, which she presented on Løvens Hule, was born from this brainstorming process.
“The children need to start by finding 4 numbers. Then I decide which universe it takes place in. For example, it could be a circus. There are clowns, popcorn, and a ringmaster with a funny mustache. While there aren’t animals in circuses anymore, in the game, we can easily include them- like a giraffe, a monkey, and a clown named ‘Rebus,’ who has a riddle that needs solving,” Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
It’s clear that Anna has a naturally creative mindset and an imaginative way of thinking. We think it must be magical to be a child in her universe!
Mom and Entrepreneur: Anna's Passion Creates Unique Experiences for Children
Anna has considered giving up on Eventyrakademiet many times, but as she says, when you have so much passion and drive for an idea, it’s hard to let go. What makes Eventyrakademiet truly unique is that there’s nothing like it on the market. At Eventyrakademiet, you get invitations, the game itself, stickers, and props—something no other competitor offers. This uniqueness posed a challenge when Anna presented her business on Løvens Hule, but it fortunately turned out well.
Currently, her challenge is onboarding families. It’s crucial to make both children and parents feel comfortable with Eventyrakademiet's products, and ensuring this is a big task. The goal is to make families feel confident in planning an adventure day for their children or grandchildren.
One-Woman Army: How Anna Taught Herself to Build Eventyrakademiet
Many of the skills Anna needed, she taught herself. The graphic work, for example, is a significant part of Eventyrakademiet.
“I can’t draw, and I’m not sure what things are supposed to look like. So, at the start of my career, I sat down and taught myself InDesign and Photoshop through YouTube tutorials. I’ll admit, what I do now looks nothing like what I did 10 years ago,” Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
Working from home has its ups and downs for Anna. She admits it can be challenging to act on a sudden idea while stirring a pot in the kitchen. But that’s the difficulty of having such a strong passion for what you do. As Anna says, "I’m also a mom, and that’s another part of my passion," Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
From Dream to Reality: Anna’s Experience on Løvens Hule
When Anna first watched Løvens Hule, she told her husband, “One day, I’ll be on that show. It’s something I’ve dreamed of ever since I saw it for the first time," Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
After keeping it a secret for six months, it was a huge relief to celebrate with family and friends once the episode aired. Anna had prepared for whatever might happen afterward, and her husband even took the following Monday off work to help, which turned out to be a wise choice.
The days after the show were busy. Photos needed to be taken, and many people reached out with congratulations, but everyday life continued. Packing products in the living room became too much, so they had to bring in extra tables for different packing stations.
“My main goal was to establish a distribution channel beyond the webshop. I’m so happy KiDS Coolshop said yes. Their stores are spread across the country. Now, I’m visiting the shops with demo materials that the products deserve. Plus, it’s fun to meet people in person,” Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
Keep the Magic Alive: Anna’s Advice for Staying Passionate as an Entrepreneur
Anna reflects that she wishes she were where she is now, three years ago. But she believes everything happens for a reason. If she hadn’t spent years doing graphic design, she wouldn’t be able to create the magical universes she does today. Anna has plenty of wisdom to share:
“My best advice is to act on your impulses. For me, the impulse was that the time was right. It wasn’t until two years into Eventyrakademiet that I thought, ‘Now is the time,’ and signed up for Løvens Hule. Remember why you’re doing what you’re doing! If you push yourself too hard, you’ll lose the magic in your work," Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
"My best advice is that if you get an impulse, act on it. For me, that impulse was realizing the time was right. It wasn’t until two years into Eventyrakademiet that I thought, 'Now is the time'—and that’s when I signed up for Løvens Hule. Remember why you’re doing what you’re doing! Go back to the love you have for your work. If you push yourself too hard, you’ll lose the magic in what you do,” Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
“When you focus on your strengths and where you’re at your best, that’s when you perform at your highest level. You can’t juggle everything. As an entrepreneur, you might feel like you’re not succeeding if you try to do it all. So, make sure to stay focused and make decisions in line with where you want to go. From there, each day, take small steps in the direction of your goals. Sometimes, it’s hard to see the path ahead, but if you act daily in alignment with your vision, you’ll get there eventually," Anna Hasselby, Eventyrakademiet.
Thank you so much for the conversation, Anna. We are truly proud to call you our partner, and we’re excited to follow your journey. Best of luck with everything moving forward.
Team pensopay.
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