Yondera’s First Night in the Real World

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all well and heading into the weekend feeling good.

I’ve spent the last few days reflecting on last Saturday’s Yondera launch party, and honestly, I’m still smiling.

Ten months ago, Yondera was just an idea. A thought. A conversation. And suddenly, there we were, standing in a packed basement in Soho, speaking about our hopes and dreams to around 60 people who had battled classic UK weather and an even more classic UK train system just to be there with us.

That part still blows my mind.

For those who couldn’t make it down, we took over the brilliant basement at The Starman and filled it with friends, family, and a whole bunch of strangers who are now friends. Prosecco flowed freely, the pizzas were outrageously good, the canapés disappeared faster than we could blink, and the venue absolutely delivered. If you’re ever looking for somewhere intimate, characterful, and full of soul in Soho, I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Throughout the space, we scattered our Yondera Experiences so people could wander, explore, and chat with Owain and me about what’s coming. Some experiences will land over the next few weeks and months, others are more aspirational, but all of them sit under the same idea: helping people slow down, reconnect, and experience more from life.

Our Yondera Running Club shirts went down a treat, as did our purpose-made launch candles (huge love to our artisan candle maker, The Worst Wick, for those). And congratulations again to Akasha Cawson, who walked away with our Yondera Wellness Hamper.

We also premiered our Yondera Experiences short film, created over the last few months by Ella, our marketing wizard. Seeing people watch it together in the venue’s tiny screening room was genuinely special, if you haven’t caught it yet, it’s up on our socials.

And soon, we’ll be sharing the official launch party video shot by the ridiculously talented Callum Oakaby-Wright.

It would be criminal not to shout out our live guitarist Santi Wais, who brought the atmosphere early doors, and David Wilcox, who kept us dancing late into the night.

Since Saturday, my heart’s been full. The messages, the encouragement, the conversations, it’s been overwhelming in the best possible way. The most important thing for Owain and me was simple: that people came and had fun. By every measure, that mission was accomplished.

But honestly? The real fun starts now.

Over the next few months, we’ll be hosting our very first experiences. We’ll be putting our money where our mouths are and showing, not telling, what Yondera is about. We’re building this community in public, sharing the wins, the lessons, the chaos, and everything in between.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, supported us, believed in us, or simply sent kind words.

And if you fancy starting your Sunday the Yondera way…We’ll see you at 10:00 this Sunday, 9th February, for the very first Yondera Running Club at Green Park.

This is only the beginning.

Jack.