For our first all-company gathering of 2025, we rallied our team for a combination of new experiences and good old-fashioned work time together in person. These quarterly office summits have historically been energizing and inspiring, and this was no exception. Despite a blizzard, a packed schedule of big branding and media campaigns and onboarding two new team members, we were reminded of how meaningful it is to have colleagues you can count on – to problem-solve with you, show up for you in times of personal change and recognize your wins (big or small). Read on to find out how we spent the time together.
Day 1.
Our two remote friends arrived from Los Angeles and Milwaukee ready to take on the week. We kicked things off with a buffet of childhood cereal favorites to fuel up before our all-agency training session with our leadership coach, Nicole Paul. Growing our mindsets and engaging in group discussion are all part of a balanced breakfast, of course.
Nicole walked us through some powerful exercises around examining our core beliefs and the stories we tell ourselves. We learned that our own perceptions can sometimes stand in the way of how we consider constructive feedback and relate to one another. Nicole explained that while our negative perceptions can impact our behaviors and experiences, so can positive thoughts! It’s empowering to realize a simple shift in our mindset is entirely in our control – and it can make all the difference in how you experience your work life.
We also used this time together to launch a fun, St. Patrick’s Day-inspired initiative called “You’re so golden.” Each of us was gifted a few chocolate gold coins. Throughout the week, we were invited to surprise and reward each other with a gold coin and a note of appreciation. At the end of the week, the person with the most gold coins would win a little green, so to speak.
Day 2.
Our cross-departmental teams got straight to business with client workshops, building out deliverables and collaborating in person. While we’re more than used to a hybrid approach these days, the opportunity to stop by someone’s desk for a quick question amplifies how nice it is to have team members you trust and can communicate with seamlessly to solve problems.
The workday was business as usual, but our evening event introduced us to a whole new world of competition. Enter: fowling, a portmanteau of “football” and “bowling.” Basically, throwing a football at bowling pins, and trying your best not to hit anyone in the process, until you’ve knocked them all down.
After a few rounds of two-on-two games, we decided to kick things up a notch with a melee-style competition. Rather than focusing on individual lanes, we’d band together into two mega teams – one side of the room versus the other. The stakes? Whichever side won the most after three rounds got an extra gold coin added to their tally. Game. On. The rivalry was fierce, but ultimately, team two took the crown (and got one step closer to the ultimate green prize at the end of the week).
Day 3.
Meetings continued as usual as we neared the end of our time all together. We presented boundary-pushing new creative, examined inclusive hiring practices at our DEI roundtable and brainstormed some exciting new ideas to promote an upcoming announcement for the agency. Day three was capped off by one of our Creative Academy events. These are intentional activities of service or learning that get us to step outside of our comfort zones and engage with the community (and each other).
This time, we got to indulge in an afternoon of learning how to turn store-bought flowers into a beautiful and unique arrangement with Amy from Smarty Plants. Even though we each had our own vase to attend to, we ended up working together to fill out our arrangements in style, offering an outside opinion, an extra stem or some simple words of encouragement. Even folks who walked in knowing nothing about arranging flowers left with a new skillset and something beautiful to bring home.
Following the floral activity, we came together to reflect on what we’d each be taking away from this week. Answers ranged from appreciation for our teammates’ brilliance to a newfound talent for football-throwing to a deeper understanding of what makes E&S special.
The meeting ended with a much-anticipated announcement: who would win the “You’re so golden” challenge? After a final scramble to share as many kudos as possible and up the tallies, associate creative director Erin Gambiana walked away with the grand prize: $200 cash.
Day 4.
The week ended with a renewed sense of gratitude as our remote employees headed back to their home bases. Though we packed a lot into a few days together, the biggest takeaway was really simple: at E&S we have each other’s backs. No matter what comes our way as we navigate tricky projects or constructive feedback, we can lean on our core values to see things through. By staying curious, giving a damn, owning our sh*t and being real with each other, we can continue to be really good and make it fun in the process. This week proved that.