In the Press

Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

Why Dad remains top mentor choice

June 14, 2013

Business Journal: “What is your father’s best business advice?”

Björn Stansvik: “I picked up his great attention to detail, structure and systems.”

Business Journal: “How has your father inspired you?”

Björn Stansvik: “My father invented the pricing model for costing health care in Sweden. He was offered a very lucrative consulting job in Stockholm, but turned it down as he realized it would prevent him from spending time with his family. It demonstrated to me that just because something hasn’t been done, it is not an impediment to you doing it. It also serves as a reminder of work/personal/family balance for me.”

Business Journal: “How has your dad supported you?”

Björn Stansvik: “He gave me $2,500 to help start MentorMate and is still an avid reader of our quarterly reports. He’s always been supportive of my being an entrepreneur even when, early on, other extended family members wondered why I wouldn’t “Get a real job, buy a Volvo, get a dog and be like normal people.”

(Read More)


Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

Which management style is best?

April 19, 2013

Business Journal: “What kind of managerial style gets the most out of a company’s employees? Why does it work for you?”

Björn Stansvik: “Consultative … It allows for the benefit of team wisdom without losing the ability to make executive decisions.”

Business Journal: “What is that style’s weakness?”

Björn Stansvik: “None, as long as it is blended with other styles, allowing for picking the right style for the occasion.”

(Stansvik said he uses a consultative style 60 percent of the time, while using autocratic, chaotic, laissez-faire and persuasive styles 10 percent of the time each.)

(Read More)


Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

Act like a boss: How engaged employees mold a workplace

January 18, 2013

CEOs love employees who act like owners. They are the employees who understand the big picture, who need little managing and who confidently make decisions that the CEO would make. They also are the people who come up with great ideas that make the company better and more profitable…(Read More)


2012 Technology 200: Inbound marketing and SEO companies top the list

November 27, 2012

Each year, information services company Lead411 compiles a list of the top revenue-producing startups in technology. This year’s list ranks companies with the highest percentage revenue growth from 2009 to 2011. The winners are all based in the United States, are private, and…(Read More)


MentorMate, eager for a mobile tech conference, invented its own

October 31, 2012

MentorMate’s principals thought a conference with a mobile technology focus would be good for the technology ecosystem in the Twin Cities, good for senior executives struggling with figuring out a mobile strategy for their businesses, and not bad for MentorMate if the firm had a prominent role…(Read More)


MSP Business Journal Fast 50

MSP Business Journal’s Fast 50 No. 7: MentorMate

October 19, 2012

Q & A with MentorMate’s CEO and Founder, Björn Stansvik…(Read More)


The Minneapolis Egotist

Tech Tuesday: Developers Listen Up, MobCon MobCon MobCon

October 9, 2012

MentorMate is a locally based mobile application and software development company and this year they’re partnering with with MobCon to create a unique competition for developers…(Read More)


The Line Magazine

Innovation + job news – Tech company MentorMate relocates and boosts hiring

September 12, 2012

Minneapolis-based technology firm MentorMate continues on its robust growth track, anticipating more hiring when it moves into new headquarters soon… (Read More)


Twin Cities Business

Local App-Development Contest to Award $25k Prize

September 11, 2012

The developer of the winning app will take home $5,000 in cash and receive $20,000 worth of mobile development services from Minneapolis-based MentorMate… (Read More)


Southwest Journal

New tenant lined up for mono’s old space

August 20, 2012

The fast-growing MentorMate firm is relocating within Uptown to 3036 Hennepin Ave., occupying the ad shop mono’s old spot (recognizable by the bright blue door)… (Read More)


Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

More on MentorMate: A mobile conference and a CEO who kayaks to work

August 17, 2012

Our print-edition story today about fast-growing tech firm MentorMate left out a few interesting details, including an upcoming conference and CEO Björn Stansvik’s… (Read More)


Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

Mobile tech firm revs up hiring

August 17, 2012

Björn Stansvik got the idea for his first mobile application in 1999, when he was struggling to learn Chinese and wanted to carry language-learning software in his pocket… (Read More)


Twin Cities Business

3 MN Cos. on List of Fastest-Growing in Mid-America

June 07, 2012

Three Minnesota companies were included in a new list called “Flyover 50,” which recognized the 50 fastest-growing companies that are based in the middle of the country. MentorMate… (Read More)


The Line Magazine

Innovation + job news – MentorMate looks forward to expansion, hiring ahead

February 08, 2012

When Bjorn Stansvik immigrated to Minnesota from Sweden in 1999, he had big ideas about using software to optimize learning. After turning those plans into reality just a few years later, he’s now on… (Read More)


PC Magazine

The Top 100 Websites of 2011

December 09, 2011

We all know that SEO (search engine optimization) drives Web traffic. Without SEO, even the best sites get left far, far behind. How do you perfect your practices? A tool like SpiderMate makes all… (Read More)


University of St. Thomas

Learning Technology Program to host talk on ‘Essential Mobile Learning Apps for E-Learning

October 05, 2011

Candace Chou from the UST School of Education and Björn Stansvik from MentorMate will speak on “Essential Mobile Learning Apps for E-Learning, Authoring and Project Management” at the… (Read More)


Software Magazine

Buyers Guide: Software Development Tools & Services

Spring 2011

MentorMate is featured in Software Magazine’s software development buyers guide. (PDF)


Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal

Hunger for apps contributes to growth market for tech firms

September 26, 2010

Well before Apple recently relaxed its rules on how independent software developers could build applications for its mobile products, local developers were busy devising them. All kinds of… (Read More)


Minnov8

MentorMate: Turning Vision in to Software

July 07, 2010

One of the most challenging things to do as a startup, entrepreneur, or any leader looking to manifest a vision or outcome in software, is finding a trusted partner with whom to turn that vision in to reality… (Read More)


Tech Dot MN

Making it Happen in Minnesota – Get to Know Bjorn Stansvik

April 06, 2010

Bjorn Stansvik is a the Founding CEO of MentorMate, a Minneapolis-based custom application software development company. MentorMate’s beginnings trace back ten years to the creation of a patented… (Read More)


Finance & Commerce

Local software developers look ahead to challenges, opportunities in 2009

May 19, 2009

Twin Cities software developers agree that the coming year is going to bring challenges, as many of their clients batten down the hatches and concentrate less on new investments and more on managing… (Read More)