TC Høiseth is the caretaker's son who, despite a difficult childhood, became a globetrotter and bon vivant as well as an ambitious businessman who believes in the power of interpersonal relationships.

"Almost daily, I have to pinch myself," he says.

Tor Christian Bødtker Høiseth, or "TC" as everyone calls him, looks out over the panoramic view at Besserud near Holmenkollen in Oslo. It is here that he lives in a 350 square meter house with a swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, garage with a gym, driveway with a basketball court, and a sunny terrace overlooking the Oslofjord. It was the house he used to dream about when he passed by on the train as a child.

"I often ask myself, 'when will I wake up from this dream'. Living here and being able to travel the world to work and meet interesting people is pure magic. I am proud of what I have achieved, but at the same time, I am very humble because I have been lucky. I have always had a group of amazing people around me who have cheered me on and helped me along the way," he says.

He is quiet for a moment, while he lovingly pats his dog "Bøtta", who circles around his leg..

If there's one life rule that has followed me since I was little, it's: "Never give up". I am extremely grateful to have learned this, as it has given me the strength to fend for myself. It made me aware that you have a responsibility to create your own life.

Career and leisure

TC Høiseth is a partner at Antler, a global venture capital firm that has established itself as the most active in so-called early-stage investments globally. For 13.5 years, he worked at the investment bank Arctic Securities, where he also ran their office in Rio de Janeiro for three years. But there's more to life than just work. TC knows that well..

He loves running and has a personal record in the marathon distance of three hours and six minutes. Nevertheless, one of his future goals is to finish in under three hours. He skis, both cross-country and alpine, hikes in the Norwegian mountains, loves horseback riding and playing polo. He speaks both Italian and Portuguese and is known for hosting dinners and large parties – preferably with as many and diverse groups of people as possible. Every Easter in Eidsbugarden (in the Norwegian mountains), he and his friends invite the entire local community for après-ski on Good Friday. He loves socializing with "people", and it seems the feeling is mutual.

We meet him the day after a several-month-long business trip. He spent two months in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Francisco, and two months in Dubai. The world has become TC's "office". He is always on the move, often by plane, which has resulted in him achieving Pandion status with SAS. He is also always looking to meet new people and explore opportunities. Some are best with numbers and spreadsheets, others are best with people.. 

TC belongs to the latter category.

I am privileged to have gained the trust to travel the world and meet so many incredibly talented, kind people. Achieving success in business for me has been about building trust and good relationships," he says.

He smiles, revealing his shiny white teeth. He is tall and well-groomed, with medium-length, blond hair. He's the type who could walk down a catwalk without anyone wondering about it..  

“In San Francisco, I met the founder of one of the world's first venture capital firms, and he invited me to his vineyard in Napa Valley. There we sat and talked late into the night about everything including Antler, what we invest in, and how we work. We drank wine, had dinner, and enjoyed the natural flow of the conversation."

He leans over the table.

"From the outside, parts of my work may seem like leisure and vacation, but in this job, leisure and work go hand in hand. That's how this life is. I meet so many people through work, whom I get close to, and who often become my friends. For me, the most important thing has been to build trust, in addition to delivering a good product or service. We are all human, and establishing a good first impression certainly makes it easier to see opportunities rather than limitations. For me, this approach has been absolutely crucial."

Never forget where you come from

Sometimes the place where you grow up creates expectations about who you are. If you come from the western part of Oslo, like TC, you are typically born with a silver spoon in your mouth. You are used to a big house, a cabin in the mountains, and a full refrigerator. 

That was not the case for TC. Although he grew up in the prestigious part of town, life was anything but simple. He lived in the janitor's residence at Hemingbanen, where his father was responsible for the facilities of Oslo's largest sports team. TC is an only child, and his mother died when he was only a year old. And in the small part of the old clubhouse where they had an apartment, he often felt scared and trapped. His father was an alcoholic, and when he drank, he could become angry and unstable, sometimes violent. 

"Many of my classmates lived in big houses and had parents with important jobs and good stable incomes. I had none of that, and I constantly tried to hide the situation with my father and his alcohol problems," says TC.

TC spent a lot of time with his grandmother in Kongsberg (a small town an hour outside Oslo) and other children in the neighborhood. There he felt more "normal." There he was like everyone else, and he wasn't labeled as 'the janitor's son.' He felt the same peace in Bø, where he worked all summer at a restaurant in Sommerland (the local water park), where he was already serving soda and pizza at the age of 11 before later advancing to other tasks with increasing responsibility.. 

"From an early age, I had to take matters into my own hands. If I wanted to wear clean clothes, I often had to wash them myself. I sometimes wet the bed, but my father rarely bothered to change the sheets. Normally, he got very angry, so most of the time I didn't dare tell him. If he happened to find out, he would just put a towel over the wet part, which made it feel a little better - at least for a short while. At school the next day, I smelled of urine and my friends called me 'Stink-osaurus'. Then I thought: 'No one is ever going to call me 'Stink-osaurus' again'. It was in the early years of elementary school, and I must have been 7-8 years old. From then on, I took responsibility for taking a bath and making sure I wore clean clothes”.

He remembers the psychological terror and stress on the way home from school: What awaited him at home? Was his father drunk or not? Had he prepared the football field, the Heming field, with chalk to mark the lines, which was his job? The sports building had to be opened in the morning and locked in the evening, but TC often had to take over the responsibility. 

"Heming players who went to my school could knock on the door of our apartment and ask to borrow a ball pump, and my father would open the door drunk and naked. It's not very funny when you're 10 years old..."

TC often ran away from home. He just needed to get away. Sometimes he ran to his aunt and cousins, who lived just across the train tracks. Other times he walked up and down the neighboring streets, dreaming about how life could have been. And what was going on inside the big houses he only saw from afar. Life inside those unknown living room windows seemed light-years away. It was another reality. Something safer. An almost unimaginable dream world.  

"I had a love-hate relationship with my father. When he was sober, we were good friends and very close. Then it was us against 'the rest of the world'. The thought of losing him was unbearable, because then I would be completely alone. I told the child welfare services that I wanted to live with my father when they asked me. At one point, we got a dog. First one, then puppies, and we kept one of the puppies, so we had two. The dogs became my physical and mental form of happiness. I could enjoy their company, and when I was sad, the best thing was to cry my tears into their fur.”

At the age of 13, he made a life-changing decision

Some family friends invited him to spend Christmas with their family in Bø in Telemark, and TC said yes. He chose not to spend Christmas with his father and grandmother in Kongsberg. He can still feel both the excitement and the guilt as he drove away and saw his father and grandmother in the rearview mirror. 

It was the last Christmas he spent with his father.  

And he made one of the most important decisions of his life.  

"At that time, I took control of my life. The family that took me in knew how things were at home and wanted to help. Since then, I've been with them every Christmas and every summer. And I regularly attend Sunday dinners, and we have daily contact on the family's WhatsApp chat. They became my new family – a family I love incredibly much. I really don't know how I would have managed without them. I still feel a bit scared – and extremely proud – when my siblings refer to me as their brother, without reservation or further explanation.”

TC's father died 10 years ago when TC was 30 years old. But it wasn't until he was around 20 that he felt secure enough that he had established his own life and existence. It was also around this time that he was ready to tell others about what it was like growing up with an alcoholic father. 

I hope that my upbringing has made me more aware of how others feel.

I try to meet everyone with a smile and respect – and remember that everyone has their own story to carry. We all play the main character in our own lives and do our best with the cards we've been dealt.

– Do you believe that your upbringing has helped make you stronger in building relationships?

"For me, business has always been about building trust – and you have to be open and honest. I don't find it difficult to show my vulnerability, and when I do, others typically open up as well. I find it truly enriching and rewarding for both parties.”

There is something invincible about him

TC's journey to success with an adventurous career can be compared to the Norwegian folk tale about a young boy named Askeladden, who started as an underdog with no great expectations and ended up as a hero through his ingenuity and resilience. 

At the age of 15, he attended high school in the USA for a year. He was the kicker on the school team and was nicknamed 'The Norwegian Nightmare'. He was chosen as Prom King at the Senior Year Prom. His confidence grew, and a sense of self-worth developed in him.

At the age of 20, he moved to Milan to study economics. He was good at math and science and excelled in these subjects. After his studies, he interned at the investment bank Carnegie in Oslo.   

"I worked really hard during this period and did everything to impress the boss and get a permanent job. I tried everything. I sent him pictures from when I was skiing because I knew he was a ski enthusiast himself. I probably called 20 times, sent emails, and followed up. I did everything to show how dedicated and interested I was.” 

Never give up

For a long time, he heard nothing back, but TC didn't give up. One day when he returned from university, he opened his laptop, where there was a new email from the boss. In the subject line, it said: "Persistence pays off". And further in the email, it said: "Dear TC! I am pleased to offer you a permanent job in the Corporate Finance department at Carnegie.  

I believe that one of my greatest strengths is that I never give up. People almost have to scream in my ear before I actually agree that the deal isn't going through. Sometimes I've spent way too much time on a single transaction that ultimately didn't succeed.

He continued his career at Pareto, then Arctic, where he was hired at the age of 23. He was on the cover of Dagens Næringsliv (Norwegian news media, ed.) as the "highest paid under 30". As soon as he wakes up in the morning, his focus is on the tasks ahead. If he doesn't think about the deals he engages, he thinks about the investors he is working towards. Often he succeeds in capturing the customer, but not always. 

"I don't like to fail. Then I can get really upset and angry. But my attitude is: I don't accept defeat because I never give up. Sometimes the solution can be to restart. Skiing or running in the forest or mountains to clear my mind helps. Often in the deep forest with running shoes on and with "Bøtta" by my side. After a few kilometers outdoors with high intensity, I often get a wave of positive energy, and I get back on track. It can give me clarity, so I can see things from a different perspective.”

Other times, during negotiations and discussions with clients, it can be good to behave more like the Japanese: Get comfortable with silence when other people are around. Even if you have the floor and the attention in the room, lean back, think again, and reflect on the question being asked. Embrace the silence, and then respond thoughtfully and clearly.

- So have you achieved success?

"Well, silence gives you time to express yourself better. Often others can become uncomfortable with silence, so yes, it has often worked as a good solution for me many times.” 

When work and leisure overlap and go hand in hand

He celebrated his 40th birthday on a business trip in Dubai with business associates and some friends of friends he was connected to via social media. It's often how he meets people on business trips abroad. When he went to Hong Kong for the first time, he asked on Instagram if anyone knew any acquaintances there. He received many responses and was social almost every evening or weekend after work tasks were completed. Since then, he has kept in touch with several of them. He did the same recently in San Francisco. 

"I love this life, where work and leisure go hand in hand, while also experiencing the world and, to an even greater extent, getting to know new and exciting cultures. Spending time somewhere and staying over the weekend, prioritizing leisure time with those I meet through work, is optimal for me.".

"I can run, ski, and train with my business partners, go to dinners and be out with them, without thinking about staff responsibilities in Norway. This freedom and flexibility is a form of luxury I've valued very highly. My department heads and CEOs have always been very supportive of how I've chosen to work, and we've had mutual respect and trust," says TC..

But when he wakes up alone after a weekend on a business trip abroad, of course, some extra thoughts arise.. 

"Sometimes I think life would be even better with someone. Someone I can share everything with, from early morning to late evening. But I haven't met this special person yet, and until then, I still believe this is the right priority in life for me."” 

- Do you think it relates to your father still being on your mind?

"Like a 'millstone around the neck'? No, I don't think so. I've shaken him off. The periods when I think about him the most are typically from November 20th - which was his birthday - until Christmas. When I hear the song 'Home for Christmas' by Maria Mena, I remember the day he died. It was December 15th, when we played that song on repeat until he died."

TC has the same first name as his father, Tor. But he wishes to be known as TC.

"I was probably hard on myself and managed to set my own boundaries as a child. It could definitely have gone the wrong way. I have a normal relationship with alcohol, I'm not angry or bitter, and I'm incredibly fond of people and life in general. I also feel that I've learned one of the most important things in life: To see people for who they are - and hopefully notice those who need to be seen.".

His gaze becomes more intense. 

"When someone claims that people from western Oslo are superficial and self-centered, I have many examples to the contrary. I was seen and taken care of. Someone noticed me when I needed it. There are many ways to 'see' others. I became particularly aware of this in Bø many years ago. I got an arm around my shoulder and was asked: 'How are you really, TC?' Then the feeling of being seen struck me like lightning through my body. I've tried to use this approach to meet others who need to be seen in the same way."” 

The dream house

Six years ago, he bought his dream house. The house he dreamed of as a child. When he one day discovered that the house was for sale, it felt unthinkable to make an offer. It was too unreal to live there. And certainly far too expensive. But a friend persuaded him to go for it – and he won the bidding round..  

"This house suits me and my social lifestyle perfectly. I can gather many people, and everyone knows the house is always open, and they can drop by. As I learned in Italy: If I don't have food, we'll just make pasta.”

He regularly invites friends over for dinners, lunches, workouts, fun, and relaxation - table tennis, basketball, and training sessions.

When I go downstairs from the bedroom every morning, I go out on the terrace, enjoy the sun, the fresh air, and embrace the view. Then I pinch myself and think: "This is too good to be true.""

He looks down under the table. The dog has again settled at his feet. 

"And I love having "Bøtta" with me. The world's best dog.” 

What we learned from TC

1. Never give up.
   It has been with me since childhood. The ability to never give up got me my first job at Carnegie, and as my boss said to me: "Perseverance pays off".
   
   
2. Never underestimate the power of communication.
   Meet everyone with respect and a curious smile, no skepticism or prejudice.
   
   
3. Never "grow up".
   "Never grow up, Peter Pan, never grow up". Preserving childhood and the youthful spirit within is important for quality of life.

Photographer: Truls Qvale 

Journalist: Lasse Lønnebotn 

MAN IN THE SHIRT: "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood" - quote by Theodore Roosevelt in Paris, 1910. In the portrait series "Man in the Shirt," BARONS meets business people who have in common that they have put themselves in play and at risk. Where do they find courage? What is the most important thing they have learned along the way? And what can we learn from them?