We have been around since the internet "saw the light of day". From the beginning we were a media company (BTP Grafisk Tjänst AB) that served various advertising agencies with originals and printed materials. This changed/developed with the personal computer making its entry/intrusion into the industry (time period 1986-1989). Many traditional graphic companies were eliminated during this period, but we saw opportunities.
Nothing was the same and communication with e-mail took over completely and the internet with the first ... . . .
... the browser (Netscape) was a revolution. At that time we were forced to change our way of working and adapt to the new digital market that was growing faster than dandelions.
There have been many changes due to the development of software and hardware that has been lightning fast, one day was never the same as the next. The company has also changed and changed its name and focus several times, but always with the same heart and burning interest.
We have been involved in various activities that have become part of our own basic structure, such as; software development, programming, database management, communication... etc. Web development and website production have been the backbone of our business for a long time and are still the heart that we build around and decide what additional resources we will use in the process.
The company has also changed in size from the start in 1990 when I Thomas Höggren had it as a side job to the family business where I was employed. In 1999 I took the step and left the family business where I was CEO and focused on my side job that had grown and become my main interest.
During the years 1990 - 2000 the company was called "Mega Store" (long before the well-known electrical chain) and the name was based on part of the business which consisted of me importing portable storage media from the USA, so-called "Syquest Drives" for which I was a reseller. In 2000 I changed the name to "Strategic IT Solutions" (www.sits.se) as the basis of the business now consisted of combining software tools together with websites. This name lasted until 2011 when I received an offer from a Polish furniture chain that had chairs, armchairs and sofas in its range, to buy my domain name SITS. It was too good to say no to, so I went back to "Mega Store" for a few years.
In 2013 I made the decision to go to Ecuador for a short period and work from there. I had clients in Sweden who saw no problem with me performing my services from there and I got more and more clients in Ecuador. I changed the company name to fit the Spanish language and it became "Chevere" www.chevere.ec. The "short period" turned into 10 years, depending on different circumstances and I learned to love the country and the people there. I have made many new friends and family for life.
My wish was to continue living in Ecuador, but life wanted something different. Then came "Covid 19" (2019) which became a disaster for Ecuador which closed down for long periods and introduced martial law and curfew. This took a toll and people became unemployed, companies went bankrupt and I lost income for long periods. The crime rate became unsustainable and in 2022 we were forced to make the decision to move to Sweden. This was a long process with applications and visits to the Swedish Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia, an adventure that could become the basis for an adventure documentary.
After 18 months, my Ecuadorian wife and my bonus daughter received residence permits in Sweden and our journey began in June 2023. For me, it was a stay of exactly 10 years in Ecuador.
I registered a company in Sweden in the fall of 2023 and am now establishing myself by acquiring new customers and resuming old contacts.
Best regards
Thomas Höggren
