Last week, our entire team came together for our all-hands gathering — and for the second time this year, we were all in the same place. From presenting client work to diving into leadership training, cheering at the College World Series and giving back through community service, the schedule was packed in the best way. The energy, conversations and shared moments throughout the week left the whole team inspired and recharged. For a little extra fun, we captured most of the week in a series of Polaroid snapshots.
Day 1.
We kicked things off with a productive working day to take full advantage of in-person meeting time with our out-of-town colleagues. Over lunch, Associate Creative Director Hannah Husman led a thoughtful and informative session on brand tracking tools, sparking great discussion around the best ways to capture brand health over time. We wrapped up the day by presenting an updated strategic brand platform to one of our agribusiness clients. This exciting milestone set a strong tone for the week ahead.
Day 2.
On Tuesday, the creative team joined forces for a group brainstorm that reminded us how energizing it can be to create together with multiple writers and designers in one room. Later, the entire agency participated in a leadership training session led by our president, Leanne. The session was all about the “ladder of inference” – a framework that explains how we draw conclusions and take actions based on our observations and experiences.
Together, we explored how quickly assumptions can cloud our thinking, especially when we’re trying to balance multiple objectives. Through individual reflection and group exercises, we learned how to pause, acknowledge potential assumptions and speak up when something feels off. Addressing misunderstandings early helps prevent tension and leads to more effective collaboration. We like to call this “name it to tame it.”
In the evening, we met up with our client partners at biBerk to enjoy game 10 of the College World Series. Both the temperature and the vibes were high as we took a break from talking business insurance to connect over one of Omaha’s best events of the year. As if we needed another reason to love our hometown.
Day 3.
The MVP of Wednesday was Keynote, as we rocked a full day of various client presentations and status updates, including a new brand platform, concept moodboards for a holiday campaign and a media strategy workshop with one of our key vendors.
It wouldn’t be Wednesday at E&S without a little happy hour in the afternoon for a midweek treat. This week, however, we took things up a notch by turning our biggest conference room into a lounge complete with a delicious charcuterie spread for snacking, Mario Kart on the Switch and a station for bracelet-making. We can’t resist an opportunity for competition or creativity.
After happy hour, the creative team took their competitive edge out into the neighborhood by visiting a nearby escape room. They completed the detective-themed room with 36 minutes to spare. Nailed it.
Day 4.
The final official day of our summer all-hands happened to fall on Juneteenth – a day that marks the true end of slavery in the U.S. As part of our commitment to DEI, and in observance of this historic event, we closed our office to give us time to reflect, learn and spend time in our community. Volunteering together is one of our favorite ways to contribute and connect, so we spent the morning at the Siena Francis House helping organize their pantry and a stock room of critical supplies for people experiencing homelessness. Not only did we get to work hard on something together as a team, we got to support their very busy staff by tackling some big items on their to-do list. By the afternoon, we were feeling fulfilled and deeply grateful for the opportunity to give back. All in all, this year’s summer all-hands was jam-packed with activity that made our team and client relationships even stronger.
