Wise Guys

Wise Guys An evening with three voices, three life journeys – and one shared theme: authenticity.

What is right and wrong?

How do we stay true to ourselves – and to others?

Who do we want to be, and how do we become someone others can count on?

How do we make conscious choices in a complex world?

Three speakers from very different backgrounds discuss values, responsibility and vulnerability. Despite their differing experiences, they have arrived at similar insights about life – and what really matters.

Through personal stories and reflections, they invite you to an evening that provokes thought, opens up new perspectives and inspires important conversations.

Jan Emanuel

Doing the right thing – or the wrong thing?

At a time when many people feel lost in their roles, Jan asks questions about identity, direction and responsibility. What does it take to stand firm when expectations pull us in different directions?

He highlights the importance of independence, personal responsibility and emotional strength. Vulnerability and compassion are not opposites, but prerequisites for genuine strength. Focusing on motivation and healthy ideals, he shows how we can develop into proactive, responsible individuals.

Today, he is an entrepreneur, author, public commentator and former politician – and living proof that change is possible. From an upbringing marked by social exclusion, crime and substance misuse, he found a new direction through education and work in care and treatment. Taking part in SVT's reality programme Shaolin Heroes gave Jan new insights into self-loathing and what it leads to

Robert Karjel

Someone to count on

We all want to be someone others can count on – but are we when it really matters?

Drawing on his experiences of international missions and rescue operations, he shows how trust, teamwork and self-leadership are built – and why they are essential both at work and in everyday life.

Robert discusses how we react under pressure, and what it takes to make wise decisions in difficult situations. Can we train ourselves to be courageous and responsible? Can we prepare ourselves mentally for crises?

Robert Karjel is a former helicopter pilot and lieutenant colonel in the Swedish Armed Forces. He took part in the rescue operation during the Estonia disaster and hunted pirates off the coast of Somalia. Today, he is also an author and speaker focusing on leadership.

Marcus Olsson

The strength in vulnerability

Being honest with yourself may be the hardest thing of all – but also the most important.

Marcus is a priest/pastor who has studied psychology and CBT. Through his work as a street pastor, prison chaplain and treatment assistant, among other roles, he has met people at some of life's most pivotal moments – experiences that shape his powerful and hopeful message.

Marcus shares his own journey through an upbringing marked by a stammer, bullying and mental health problems. His sense of not being good enough grew stronger, and for a long time the future seemed hopeless. The turning point came through people who saw him for who he was – and did not give up.

With warmth and clarity, Marcus shows how our words and actions affect others. What is a joke to one person can leave another wounded. His story is about the courage to be authentic, to stand up for yourself and others – and about there always being a way back.