As you may have heard, Kite Hill PR is celebrating its tenth anniversary! A decade in business is a major milestone that requires celebration and reflection. Being a hybrid workforce spread all across the country, we focus on creating retreats and company gatherings that are truly meaningful and collaborative.
To mark this occasion, we embarked on a company retreat to New Orleans. From swamp tours and dueling pianos to team-building challenges during beignet breakfasts, we soaked in as much of the Cajun culture (and humidity) as we could! Temperatures ran high (80 degrees compared to NYC’s 40) and so did enthusiasm, as our team rubbed elbows with people they rarely see regularly.
The focus of the retreat was to celebrate our company’s history of collaboration and innovation, while also highlighting the important role that mentorship plays in our agency’s culture. We learned from one another and opened the lines for future teaching and growth opportunities.
All in all, it was a jam-packed couple of days that showed us a new way to embody our company value of collaboration – and so much more. While other companies continue to debate the future of work, we continue to firmly plant our flag. Kite Hill PR is a best-in-class, work-from-anywhere agency, that comes together in unique and impactful ways. Check out our team’s key takeaways from the retreat below.
As PR professionals, we are in a business of agility and connection. While the retreat was a great (and fun!) reminder of how we show up together as a team with those qualities on display, it also afforded us the opportunity to slow down. To remind us to take time to celebrate the big moments, as they’re unfolding around us. This was a sentiment that Tiffany shared in her closing remarks to the group and one that really resonated with me on both a personal and professional level. I feel so thankful and fortunate to be a part of this team — a team that embodies its values to the fullest, a team that shows up for one another, a team that celebrates one another, and a team that sees every challenge as an opportunity. — Mackenzie Gavel, Account Director
As a hybrid workforce, we’re now fortunate to have team members from coast to coast. And while our team works at a very high level in mostly remote situations the majority of the time, coming together twice a year re-energizes our team, feeds the soul of our agency’s culture, and sparks creativity. Being in New Orleans – a city that is truly unique and a gumbo of cultures and experiences – was the perfect setting for making this kind of magic. In just a few short days, we all forged stronger ties and more creative minds, all to the benefit of the clients we serve, our families and more. – Jeanne Meyer, Chief Client Officer
Laughter is contagious and critical when establishing personal connections. You can’t have knee-slapping, deep belly laughs over Zoom (but can certainly try!). That is why our retreat was so valuable as it set us up for success in a digital environment, as a team, and strengthens our peer-to-peer mentorship. This experience is motivational fuel until the next time we can all get together. –– Sammy Jordan, Account Director
I enjoyed connecting with team members that I don't work with on a daily basis. It was so nice to see everyone IRL and not just their faces on a computer screen. These connections will make us a stronger team. — Phyllis Beck, Culture & Workplace Experience Manager
Our New Orleans retreat was a great reminder of how important it is to prioritize human connection and celebrate major milestones – both professional and personal – together. It also reinvigorated my love of travel and trying new things (can check crawfish boil, live jazz music, alligator sightseeing and beignets off my bucket list – all thanks to Kite Hill!). –– Maggie Stasko, Account Manager
Not only did I learn so much about the culture of New Orleans, I learned a lot about my fellow Kite Hill team members on a personal level as well. Having those important personal connections with your team can strengthen your professional rapport— and by learning more about your coworkers’ backgrounds and personality traits, you can build better teamwork strategies in the workplace. This is an opportunity I will never forget, and I am grateful for everyone on the Kite Hill team who organized this incredible, successful retreat! — Brielyn Stoll, Account Executive
Our New Orleans retreat was a wonderful opportunity for us to explore a beautiful city together, learn from each other and celebrate our personal and professional milestones as a collective. It reinforced the power of in-person connection for me and ultimately made us stronger as a team. I’m very grateful to be part of a team that takes time to reflect and understands the power of organic team building. –– Alexandra Morrison, Senior Account Executive
When you don't work together in the office, it's easy to forget that behind Zoom screens and Slack messages are individual personalities with different experiences and perspectives (and great music taste). Having quality time with one another in an exciting place like New Orleans reaffirmed my appreciation and gratitude for the incredible team we have and what each of us brings to the table — including a seafood boil :) — Kyle Murray, Account Supervisor
Our retreat was a great reminder of the importance of knowing your colleagues as human beings – not just your colleagues. When we’re able to learn about each other’s passions and hobbies we’re able to connect deeper as a team which builds an environment that makes everyone each other’s biggest cheerleaders and is really amazing to work in. Retreats don’t always need to be 8 hours in a conference room doing ice breakers. I learned so much about the team from hanging out together and eating seafood. — Kerriann Becker, Senior Account Executive
I’m grateful to be part of such an incredible team and to have had the opportunity to visit a place I have never been. New Orleans is a vibrant city full of culture. Its richness was unexpected and I’m excited to learn more about it and its history. Traveling to this new place with colleagues presented a unique opportunity to bond and get to know colleagues especially. We now all have this amazing memory to share and it has brought us closer together, and will continue to do so in the future. — Gina Preoteasa, SVP
While we work in a remote environment, our retreat in New Orleans was a great experience to strengthen our relationships with one another. Spending three days together in a city with rich history and culture allowed us to learn and try new things while creating amazing memories. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of such an amazing team that values teamwork and promotes collaboration. –– Julia Worthington, Account Associate
This was an amazing GIFT we were given to not only grow closer as a team but to also learn about the rich history and culture of the amazing city of New Orleans. I feel blessed to be a part of a team of dedicated PR professionals who work hard and understand the importance of balancing work and fun. I realized how important in-person team time is to building relationships. I also learned that I can limit myself to two beignets, and they do iced coffee at Cafe du Mode. –– Charlyne H. McWilliams, SVP