As we celebrate our 10-year milestone, we caught up with Johan, one of the co-founders of Synch. With the tagline “the ever so friendly”, Johan has played a central role since day one. In this interview, Johan reflects on the past decade and discusses his plans, focusing on his new setup. Join us as we explore Johan's insights and experiences that have shaped Synch's remarkable journey.
● I am a curious person who welcomes change. I’m always happy when something new comes along.
● I first met the team when we all worked for Bird & Bird, and that’s where it all started.
● I’ve always been interested in helping our clients. Being genuinely interested in their business has been advantageous for me.
It must be the fantastic feeling that everything works as we intended. We take care of each other in the office. Of course, it hasn’t been entirely problem-free. At one point, we were thinking about if we needed to down-size to survive, but we decided to fight on. And here we are a decade later, stronger than ever.
Together, all of us founders left the law firm we were working for. Then, an intensive start-up phase began before we could welcome our first client. It was a lot of fun. One of the challenges was to find and rent an office space for all of us, the office was at that time far too big for us. It was a big commitment, but if you are going to do something, you should do it properly.
Jim has been the primary driving force at Synch in every way. Without him, we wouldn’t be where we are today. It’s also a nice feeling that all our original ideas are still around today. Among other things, we have worked a great deal with technology and even developed our own.
Our whole mindset has made us stand out as a law firm—we have our management structure, i.e., with little impact on the owners, and we productize and standardize our services to the extent possible.
As always, your recruitment decisions make a difference. A great combination of different people is best, and that’s a challenge for all employers and law firms in particular.
The original team of partners has always been very different individuals. This has been advantageous as it means we complement each other, enabling us to offer something unique. However, the differences must be accepted and appreciated.I think that’s how Synch should continue—recruit individuals who will enable you to offer something special.
As our manifesto says, we shall help each other, let everyone focus on what they are best at, and avoid doing things that someone else can do better. There is no specific format for everyone.
Part of Synch's successful concept is meeting companies on their level. We try to understand their challenges and technical capabilities and can contribute with our insights, services and products.
That's why we have structured our management so that innovative ideas from everybody will be heard. Providing space for new ideas and having an open dialogue is part of our DNA.
Last year, Jim and I discussed my stepping down as a partner at the turn of the year. Together, we found a solution that allows me to continue working with several of the clients I have worked with earlier. It will be more intensive but with fewer clients, which I look forward to.
Synch and I will continue to collaborate closely, helping each other ensure clients get exactly what they need. I will be able to plan my time more freely, pick up my grandchild from daycare, and work more remotely. It is quite simply a win-win solution for all of us.
As Johan bids farewell to his role at Synch, his legacy of warmth, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit will continue to inspire us. We thank Johan for his invaluable contribution to Synch's success over the past decade and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
