As a boy, my great grandfather, John Akerblom, made his way from Stokholm, Sweden to Ellis Island, New York, in steerage class.  Like many immigrants to the United States, his family had very little in terms of worldly possessions, but made up for it in their abundance of dreams, skills and ambition.  His family made their way to the Midwest, as did many Swedes of the time, but decided to keep going West, eventually settling in Southern California. 

 

John worked as a grip on the set of Hollywood films to feed his family during the depression and soon after the depression ended, he started a company with his wife, May, buying vacant land in Los Angeles and building strong, classically Swedish homes.  They bought the land together, he built the homes and she sold them.  John and May built their company like he built his homes - thoughtfully, using the finest materials, offering bespoke designs and always with a commitment to excellence.

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John Akerblom & Sons was the name of the company, which still exists today.  It is to thank for many of the most beautiful and iconic homes in Bel Air, Brentwood and the Pacific Palisades of Los Angeles.  It is a business built on skill, hard work and unyielding commitment to the craft.

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My great grandparent's story has always been an incredible source of inspiration and motivation to me.  I have a deep and unwavering belief in responsible, high impact companies and the entrepreneurs who give birth to them.  My goal is to work with responsible companies and those invested in them, to feed their growth, broaden their appeal and ensure their optimized communication of impact.

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The name Akerblom encompasses all of this, to me.