2024

(the picture above is from our 2024 team retreat)

Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing well and that 2025 has been kind to you so far. It doesn’t feel real, but I’m finally back with a new People & Culture report! 

The last report was published back in March 2024, and today is May 20th 2025 so it’s been just over a year. A lot has happened since then, both personally and professionally and it's been quite the rollercoaster!

I’m so excited to reconnect with you and share all the updates.

Here are some pictures of beautiful Scotland where I am writing this report from:

Before we start and in case you’re new around I am here to tell you the story of our team while we grow our products Wildmetrics and Wild Mail.

As you can guess from the title of this report, it's all about our people and the culture we are trying to build. I (Emilie, People Ops) share my experiences, thoughts, and learnings as we progress on this journey and open up about the challenges and topics that are perhaps avoided sometimes.

You can find our past reports on our Culture page here. With no further due, welcome back to our Culture & People Report series!

Here is a quick team update showing everybody’s 2024 highlights

First, I'd like to introduce Ursula Paggetta (she/her), who joined us last year as a Customer Success Specialist and has since transitioned into the role of Growth Specialist.

Rather than writing a whole essay about her and how thrilled we are to have her on board, I thought I’d let her application speak for itself. She shared this moodboard with us, and it truly captures her energy and vision. Take a look here.

Now, let’s jump right into the team update and it makes sense to start with Ursula herself. Her year was full of meaningful gatherings, creative energy, and memorable getaways. In October, she traveled to Italy to celebrate her Mamma’s 80th birthday - a heartfelt milestone. November brought a retreat with friends in Punta Paloma and a powerful Manual Revelation workshop in Cádiz, both offering space for reflection and connection. December was eventful too, with the Growth team meet-up in Barcelona and a spontaneous moment of joy (and a bit of silliness) at Playa la Caleta while supporting a friend’s second-hand store. 

2024 was a year full of friends, family, and unforgettable trips for Leo. From winter beach days with his friend Fede to a summer surf session in Cádiz with a schoolmate captured by his personal photographer (also known as Felipe, his son). It was all about soaking in good moments. A family road trip through northern Spain took them to beautiful towns like Toledo, Segovia, and Oviedo. And in November, a trip to Budapest, Prague, and Vienna with a friend included a special highlight: finally meeting Bastian in person after nearly five years of working together remotely. 

It’s been a beautiful year for Benji from sun-soaked family time in Menorca and cozy winter visits to Christmas markets in France, to hitting milestones like a 10km Spartan race with customers/partners and placing 2nd in an RX CrossFit competition. There were meaningful moments with Iris, first snowy adventures in Andorra with little Kiara, and the Growth team retreat in Barcelona.  

2024 was a big year for Pancho, full of meaningful milestones and special moments. Home renovations in Argentina were in full swing, and the highlight of the year was welcoming his beautiful niece, Amapola, into the world. He spent the Argentine winter skiing with loved ones and closed out the year with a festive Christmas in Germany, celebrating with Mona’s family and friends.

It was an intense, and memorable year for Andreea. In July, she visited a friend in Berlin, followed by her first-ever techno festival - Medusa - in August which she attended with her husband and they both absolutely loved it. September brought a peaceful escape to the mountains. The year also included studying AI, strength training, and a joyful return to the company in June (yay for everyone!).

Alban spent some time exploring the Alps while visiting his sister, niece, and nephew. He enjoyed great live gigs, including The 1975 and Angus & Julia Stone, and experienced the energy of Hellfest festival. A special moment was playing at the wedding ceremony of a close friend. On the athletic side, he took part in 'La Mussara' in Salou with some friends, a challenging 200km bike race. All in all, 2024 was a year full of adventure, music, meaningful connections, and personal challenges.

Luis’ 2024 was adventurous and rich in beautiful connections. He had an amazing time exploring the Algarve solo, so much so that he’s decided to make it an annual trip. He moved to Alicante, reconnected with old hobbies (football 7 and reading fiction), and fell in love with new hobbies like salsa dancing where he met incredible people and built beautiful and special friendships. He also made a few trips to Barcelona to catch up with family, experienced his first stadium visit, and enjoyed some epic team meet-ups.

2024 was a truly unforgettable year for Franco, marked by some of life’s most meaningful moments: getting married to his now wife Dami surrounded by loved ones (congrat guys!!). The wedding was unforgettable, filled with joy, love, and moments that became cherished memories to last a lifetime.. Following the ceremony, Franco and Dami headed on their honeymoon in Maragogi, Brazil, taking in the stunning beaches and relaxing atmosphere. Later in the year, a spontaneous Christmas gathering with friends turned into a lively after-party.

2024 was a year of hands-on projects, meaningful experiences, and connections for Bastian. He wrapped up a two-year van build at the end of winter and spent the spring volunteering on a permaculture vegetable farm, deepening his connection to sustainable living. Summer brought a permaculture course and the start of a long-awaited adventure: living full-time in his van for three months, which he loved. In autumn, he began building a tiny house in Portugal, turning yet another dream into reality. A personal highlight of the year was meeting Emilie again after many years and meeting Leo in person for the very first time. 

My 2024 (Emilie) was all about healing and reconnection (a real emotional rollercoaster to be honest). It was a slow, often painful journey of healing and finding my way back to the light. After my trip to Portugal and spending the winter in France, I returned to my little Scottish island and moved into a new home. I began an intensive six-month therapy journey focused on grief, trauma, and PTSD. There were moments I felt lonelier than ever, and struggled a lot, yet, I felt so incredibly loved and supported by the people in my life.

Little by little, I felt more like my myself, noticing the beauty in everyday moments, making new memories, celebrating life and love, and going on some of the most beautiful Scottish adventures with my partner and friends. One unexpected source of joy: welcoming a dog into my life, which brought comfort, companionship, a quiet sense of purpose during the hardest days and so much love.

Alright, I have mentioned our team meet-ups a few times, so here are some photos to bring those moments to life and wrap up our team update. While we absolutely love being a remote-first company, sometimes there's nothing quite like (re)connecting in person.

People & Culture Update:

What happened over the past year?

People & Culture Reflection

Why did it take so long to write the next report—and where did I go for a whole year?

If you read my last People & Culture report, you’ll know that 2024 was an incredibly challenging year for me personally, following the unexpected passing of my dad. And to be completely honest- it still is. Grief is a long, unpredictable journey, and I’m still learning how to live with it and grow around it. Losing my dad created a seismic shift in the timeline of my own existence, separating it into a before and after. Grief like this doesn’t just reshape your world; it reshapes you entirely. I am grieving two people at once: him, and the person I was when he was still here. To be honest, I rushed to "heal" and return to a sense of normal last year. But there is no return, only forward, and in time, my new self will be able to carry the love, lessons, and memory of my dad in ways that are meaningful and lasting or so I hope. 🕊️

So after publishing the report in March 2024, I took a holiday in Portugal, where I also had the joy of finally meeting Bastian in person for the first time since my last visit to Barcelona 5 years ago. That trip coincided with the Running Remote Conference in Lisbon, which was an incredibly valuable experience. I learned a lot, met inspiring people, and came back full of ideas for our team. But personally, it was tough. I was way outside of my comfort zone, juggling a lot behind the scenes: family responsibilities, lingering grief, and my first birthday without my dad. I found myself carrying both inspiration and heaviness.

And then, things began to escalate (”shit hit the fan” as we would vulgarly say in the UK). We hit a wave of challenges as a team and as a company:

It was a difficult period. Mistakes were made. We were stretched thin. But we owned those moments, learned from them, and have since made meaningful changes and continue to do so. 

By September, it was clear: we needed to start hiring again. We were overwhelmed and also needed to prepare for Benji’s upcoming paternity leave in Q1 2025.

So in Q4 of 2024, I began hiring again for what I initially believed was a single role. As the process unfolded, it became clear that we were actually filling three different roles, something we hadn’t quite anticipated at the time. Our final new team member joined us last month (April 2025), and things are finally starting to settle.

A thoughtful and human-centered hiring process

Today I just want to take a moment to reflect on this last round of hiring and ultimately our hiring process. Honestly, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in a while. It was intense, yes, and totally consuming at times, and I really enjoyed it. It reminded me how much I love building teams and finding the right people to grow with.

Hiring takes such a huge amount of time, care, and energy and is such an important responsibility: you’re not just filling a role, you’re shaping a team. You want to make sure you’re bringing in the right talent for the team, but also that we are the right choice for the candidates. That mutual alignment really matters to me, to us.

The key for me throughout this process is staying true to how I want to treat people: with honesty, compassion, and kindness. I make it a point to reply to every single candidate, no matter the outcome. Everyone deserves respect, and if someone’s taken the time to apply and put themselves out there, the least I can do is show up for them authentically and with respect. It’s simply the right thing to do.

I’m not sharing this to pat myself on the back but rather to highlight how impactful it is to simply treat people well. To respond. To be kind. To offer feedback with compassion and intention. That shouldn’t be the exception in 2025, but sadly, it still is. And I’m so proud that Wild Audience is doing things differently - making the hiring experience more human, more thoughtful, and more honest. 

Nowadays, we forget how much power there is in small gestures, a thoughtful note or simply in a kind word. We forget that words are powerful and that kindness is too. Searching for a job is already daunting and stressful enough—there’s no need to make it any harder than it has to be.

We’ve received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback, which makes every hour spent feel completely worth it, along with some valuable insights on where we can improve. We know we’re not perfect and still make mistakes, and we’re fully committed to learning, evolving, and doing better with every step we take.

There is one message that I wanted to share with you - it's one of these messages that stop you in your tracks—the ones that remind you exactly why you do things differently. This email from Diana which filled my heart. It reminded me that kindness, transparency, and the effort we put into building a meaningful culture doesn’t go unnoticed. Even for those who may never officially join our team, the experience still matters. Deeply.

“Dear Emilie,

Thank you for your email, and I’m sorry for the late reply. I wanted to prepare the test and send it along with my response, thinking it would be something quick. Before looking at the test, I wanted to learn more about the company, so I visited your website and came across the reports. The more I read, the harder it was to stop. It felt like a book you start reading and can’t put down. I stopped reading at 2 a.m. I was really impressed by the company culture, the combination of stories about the company’s growth and development along with the personal lives of employees.

I was happy to see that Andreea, a Romanian like me, is part of your team, and I also felt connected with you, Emilie, because I too lost my father suddenly, and I’m sorry you had to go through that.

I felt so many things while reading the reports, and for that reason, I want to congratulate both you and Bastian for creating and fostering a company culture based on transparency, work-life balance, and the genuine recognition of each team member. It’s amazing to see that you care that a team member had a newborn, what sports they like, and what passions they have. I wish all companies had CEOs like Bastian and Queens of Culture like you, Emilie. You are both amazing people.

The next day, full of excitement, I opened the test document. At first glance, I knew these were things I had never touched on before, but I didn’t want to give up easily. I went back to the reports to gather information, and with the help of ChatGPT, I tried to learn. I got so caught up in it that I ended up spending hours in front of my laptop until I stopped and thought: This is not what Wild Audience needs. And because your company promotes transparency, I want to let you know my conclusion:

As much as I wish, I am not prepared for the offered position. Although I am working every day to improve, my English is not as fluent as your company requires. To conclude, I really appreciate your time, and if in the future there is a position that offers training and fits my profile, I would be more than happy for you to consider me.

Thank you again for taking the time to review my application, and I wish you all the best.

Kind Regards,

Diana”

Even though Diana didn’t end up joining our team, her message really moved me. It was a powerful reminder that the energy we pour into being authentic, transparent, and caring can create a ripple effect far beyond the day-to-day of our own team.

We often underestimate how much people feel the culture we build - whether through an email, a blog post, a hiring process, or even a rejection email. Diana reminded me that leading with empathy matters. Always. Even when no one’s watching. Especially then. It’s not about doing anything extraordinary- it’s about being decent, kind, and real. And if that’s part of our legacy, then I know we’re on the right track.

Reflecting on the past year, it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come—everything we’ve achieved, the growth we’ve experienced, and the lessons we’ve learned along the way. From welcoming new team members and embracing the 4-Day Work Week, to improving our compensation philosophy and deepening connections through meet-ups, every step has strengthened our team and our company culture. I believe 2024 has laid a powerful foundation for the future. I’m genuinely excited for what’s next and can’t wait to see how we continue to support one another, and build an even more empowering, diverse, inclusive and fulfilling workplace. After all, Wild Audience’s mission - design work optimised for living, for everyone - is not just a goal, but a daily reality we’re proud to create and live by.

What’s happening now and what’s next?

I think it's time for me to wrap it up! I hope you've enjoyed it and if you made it this far, thank you for reading it and for (still) being here. I truly appreciate it, and I hope to see you again in our next report whenever it may come.