Previously on… my year in human connection 🪽

I’m still building a billion €€€€ business.

But in 2025, we got very real about what that actually takes.

Not hustle. Not hacks.

People. Products. And the courage to keep going when the answer is sometimes no.

And honestly? A lot of beanbags, brave conversations, grief, laughter, and unexpected friendships along the way.

What actually happened this year

We rebranded.

Tjena became Wing People | Human Connection as a Service— a name that finally says what we do without needing a Swedish pronunciation guide (see video below and all will make sense lol)

We welcomed a co-founder.

Orlaith Brogan went from founding friend to Chief Commercial Officer. Because building something this human-first was never meant to be a solo mission

We shipped things that didn’t exist before — and quietly laid the groundwork for what’s coming next:

→ Nudge Cards™ — mini permission slips for real connection

→ The anti-pitch-slap — an AI messaging coach that says hello instead of buy now

→ Wing Person in Residence — launching officially in 2026 👀 (deep, embedded human connection inside teams, communities, and organisations)

Still slightly wild to see that list written down.

Showing up (and being trusted)

This year, titles finally caught up with instinct.

I became Connection Architect at The College of Extraordinary Experiences  — a formal way of naming what I’ve always done:

Designing rooms where connection actually happens. Engineering serendipity. Spotting the gold in people.

Darren J Kerr and I having a lovely conversation about human connection.

In July, I was also asked by Alexander Broekman  and joined Superconnectors as Connection Catalyst for Sweden.

Our first Superconnectors Sweden event is happening in February 2026, and we’re currently looking for ecosystem partners who believe that connection is infrastructure — not a nice-to-have.

👉 If that’s you, check here.

The connections that shaped the year

This was the year of new friends and old roots.

Frances Vieras Blanc✨ + London Experience Week solidified our business… on beanbags.

No stage. No pitch deck. Just real conversations, ideas landing, and Wing People energy fully embodied.

At IMEX, we didn’t just network — we recorded our very first podcast. Thanks David Wight for being our "accidental guest"

Rough. Honest. Unpolished. Watch this space → 2026 👀 🎙️

I reconnected deeply with Andreas Fredriksson, and together we went back to our roots — TEDxStockholm and channeled our inner GISH at London Experience Week and at IMEX.

And met new friends too...hi Jessica Weickert and Anna Mader !

Same values. New chapter. A lot of laughter.

And then there were the friendships that kept showing up.

Julia Eisenloeffel 🌺 — bonded in London, then Stockholm, then again at The College of Extraordinary Experiences and got to hang with Steve Usher too!

These are friendships that don't need maintenance. Just presence.

The people who made this year what it was

This year wasn’t just about building things. It was about who I built them with.

Stephanie Darvill — shared stages, shared rooms, shared energy. One of those people who elevates a space just by being in it.

Diana Gärdsell 🖐️🎤 — we met on LinkedIn years ago. This year, I got to attend her gorgeous wedding to Carl Gärdsell. Proof that online connection can turn into real-life joy.

Annsi Krol — my very first customer. An incredible Wing Woman supporter. Always here. No matter what.

New friendships bloomed too.

Like Jeanette Lesslie Wikström — security by title, calm force of trust by nature.

And Erica Eriksson — going deeper, more honest, more human with every conversation.

Then there were the reconnections.

🤖 Henrik Djurestål 🤖 — from helping him launch his AI labs live in 2024, to collaborating again at Slush, to now working together with me as his Wing Woman in Residence for Vorker.ai.

Big props to Mateo Bornico 🌊  and 🔍 Antonella Strömberg 💡 for being MY Wing People since I couldn't attend physically!

And 🤖 Henrik Djurestål 🤖 having a chat with Anton Osika before Lovable was Lovable!

Full-circle moments like that don’t happen by accident.

Regina Summer — for always knowing that bringing the Wing Squad into workshops instantly lifts the energy (because it does)

Karen Nordblom — for the trips with the boys in Gran Canaria, for keeping each other sane, and for pretending to be me on stage so she doesn’t have to say her real name. That’s real friendship.

Daniel Bouamama — my bartender collaborator. Date My Mate would not have happened without you. Full stop.

Kristoffer Kellenberger & Ryan Bare — our bark park buddies. Yes, you’ve moved to the other side of town. Still dog buddies for life.

Mark Rickmeier — my Chicago connection. Not only did he jump at the chance to work together, he gave the most generous, pinch-me testimonial about our work on a podcast afterwards. That kind of belief stays with you. (Watch here 👀)

The entire Wing Squad — for trusting the process and executing like absolute pros. You are living proof that human-first can also be high-performance.

Ash Phillips — one of those conversations that reminds you why you build in public.

What started as a casual end-of-year catch-up turned into one of those sprawling, energising, idea-stacking conversations where everything just… clicked.

Wing People. Community. Human infrastructure. Superconnectors. Programs. Workshops. Art. Funding. What actually matters in the age of AI.

Different paths. Same instincts.

By the end, it was clear: this isn’t just collaboration — it’s alignment.

2026 showed up early in that conversation.

And finally — my hubby. My devil’s advocate. My partner in crime. My grounding force and biggest believer — sometimes all at once.

Nothing I build happens without you.

And then… my birthday 💛

This one deserves its own moment.

Orlaith, proving once again that she truly gets me, surprised me with the most incredible gift:

A personalised birthday greeting from Josh Radnor (yes — Ted from How I Met Your Mother). (Watch here 👀)

I laughed. I cried. I may have watched it more than once.

Some gifts are objects. Some gifts are “I see you” moments.

That one? Absolutely the latter.

Date My Mate took off 🪽

One night, I stood outside a bar holding a sign that said:

DATE MY MATE

And watched strangers become instant friends.

It wasn’t just cute. It wasn’t just fun.

It worked.

So much so that…

👉 Date My Mate is coming to Edinburgh, Scotland in January 2026. Check it out here.

This is only the beginning.

Don’t forget the Ugly Ladies

Yes. The Ugly Ladies.

If you know, you know.

If you don’t — they’re a reminder that not everything meaningful is polished, pretty, or perfect.

Some things are powerful because they’re messy.

Chicago, family, and holding space

I got to visit Chicago as a Wing Person. And I got to be with family.

This was another year without my mom. And another year without Chris.

Grief doesn’t disappear. It changes shape.

And connection is what makes it lighter.

One thing my mom lived by was simple. Those who do not ask do not get.

She had a mission. To reach the $60,000 goal for The Dream Factory. We are not there yet.

I know the way I am in the world is because I am my mother’s daughter.

So I did the thing.

I wrote a letter about her mission. About the letter she once handed to Wayne Gretzky. And while at TECHARENA, I found the courage to hand it to Richard Branson.

Stephanie caught the moment on camera.

Legacy is not loud. It is choosing to act, even when the outcome is not guaranteed.

We’re still working toward the $60,000 goal my mom set for The Dream Factory. Click the link here.

Not there yet. But we will be.

So what’s next?

More Wing People. More countries. More rooms where nobody leaves feeling like they didn’t belong.

If you need a Wing Person with you or at your next event — let’s talk.

If you want to try the anti-pitch-slap — it’s ready.

If you’re curious about Wing Person in Residence (2026) — my DMs are open.

If you know someone who needs an introduction that could change everything — tag them below.

Because one introduction really can change everything.

Happy connecting, Shaena 🪽

#2025Wrapped #WingPeople #HumanConnectionAsAService

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