Stephanie distinguishes as a true visionary around fostering and deepening human connections in a world where ecosystem-thinking and interconnected is becoming more and more important. Stephanie is a community-building strategist and community leader facilitating and setting strategies for humans to learn, collaborate, and grow together. She has an associative brain, a way to always ask the right questions, an endless stream of creative ideas and a constant curiosity for people, dynamics and behaviours.

Her transformation from someone with a background in strategy and business development in the creative industry to a community-empowering spider in the web of future-facing individuals is a journey worth reading about. This blog article highlights Stephanie's inspiring journey and the value of fostering deeper connections in the modern business world.

Stephanie set up Second Nature, a community strategy consultancy which is driven by a passion for bridging worlds and fostering interconnectedness in the business realm. As a community strategy consultancy, Second Nature supports future-facing companies to build communities for more connection, attraction and retention of clients, employees and partners.

Her visionary thinking, creative metaphors, and strategic insights drive their mission. They empower partners with the knowledge and tools to cultivate thriving communities for learning and growth. Second Nature envisions a future where we can adopt ecosystem thinking to create positive change in society. Her favourite quote;

“THE PART CANNOT BE WELL UNLESS THE WHOLE IS WELL” Ecosystems and communities take care of their members and vice versa—because they are invested in the success of the collective. - Plato

Stephanie also leads KULA - a network community for personal and professional growth - where the community learns, grows and connects around topics such as entrepreneurship, leadership, investing, social impact, culture and personal development. “Giving is considered more noble than solely receiving” and this beautiful culture is created that we often forget is possible in other business dynamics. Stephanie’s role with KULA reminds us of the potential of communities and offline interactions as we navigate an increasingly digital and isolated world.

She is continuously eager to learn and emerges herself in recent studies on system mapping, system innovation, design sprint facilitation, and a post-master building communities in organisations at Radboud University. As she sees that who we are and what we do work wise are interconnected she brings in her experience and knowledge from co-active coaching, systemic work facilitation and authentic relating. In addition she dives into and gains new perspectives from topics such as future and heart-centred leadership, learning & development, company culture, co-creation, system thinking, regenerative thinking and ideation.

Stephanie has always been curious about cultures, people and dynamics. After she just turned 17-years old she lived in various places outside of The Netherlands like Kuala Lumpur, Nairobi, Spain, London, the US, Georgia, and New York City which have moulded Stephanie's path. These experiences have taught her the profound importance of building and deeping human connections and the potential for beautiful encounters with strangers in various cultures to shape one's life.

Her passion for community building is driven by a deep understanding of its transformative potential:

Belongingness + Value Creation: Communities provide a sense of belonging while simultaneously fostering value creation. This duality is at the core of what Stephanie believes makes communities so impactful.

Driving Innovation and Creativity: Communities are hubs of innovation and creativity. They bring together individuals with diverse skill sets and perspectives, sparking ideas that can change the world.

Collaboration and Interconnectedness: In a world that often feels disconnected, communities bridge gaps and encourage collaboration. They foster interconnectedness among people who might not have otherwise crossed paths.

Attraction and Retention: Organizations that embrace community-building strategies can attract and retain employees and clients more effectively. People are naturally drawn to communities that align with their values.

The Future of Business: Stephanie predicts that communities will soon be more valuable than companies themselves. This shift toward a "community-first" strategy is revolutionizing the business landscape.

So, are you prepared to adopt some community-thinking into your company, work or life? It might be the secret to growing your business by deeping your relationships and adding value to your clients, partners and employees. We invite you to join us at our upcoming Vision Retreat. Stephanie will be sharing her expertise and vision for fostering deeper human connections in the modern business landscape.