Bringing our remote team together via regional meetups
At Updater, we’ve always believed that meaningful connections fuel great teamwork. In a remote-first environment, fostering those connections takes intention and creativity. This year, we set out to bridge the physical gap by hosting regional meetups nationwide, creating opportunities for our team to meet in person, strengthen relationships, and build trust.
With events in LA, Miami, NYC, Denver, St. Louis, Atlanta, and Columbus, these meetups offered us the chance to connect face-to-face, enjoy a fun activity, and share a delicious meal. The results were even better than we hoped: 73% of our team attended at least one meetup this year, and of those who joined, an overwhelming 98% said the experience was valuable and wanted to attend another.
Here’s a look at the unique experiences we shared:
- New York City: Teammates chose between an art scavenger hunt at The Met or an evening of bowling.
- Miami: A boat cruise around Miami’s beautiful coastline gave us the chance to connect while soaking up the sun.
- Los Angeles: A hike to the iconic Hollywood sign brought teammates together with stunning views and great conversations.
- St. Louis: At the Budweiser brewery, we explored history, shared laughs, and toasted to a great day.
- Atlanta: An indoor mini-golf and arcade experience brought out everyone’s competitive side in the best way.
- Columbus: A lively game bar with ping pong, giant beer pong, and bowling kept the energy high.
These meetups were more than just fun outings—they were an investment in us. We know that trust and camaraderie are built when people feel seen, heard, and connected, and the meetups created those moments of belonging that are harder to replicate over Zoom.
The feedback from our team speaks for itself. Employees told us how these events strengthened relationships, sparked new friendships, and reminded them of what makes Updater special. The meetups reinforced something we’ve always known: when we prioritize our people, great things happen.
