Highlights from the INGAGE Team Retreat

By: Helen Roldan, Senior Director, Public Affairs

What is there to gain from pressing pause? Turns out, a lot.

We held our inaugural INGAGE team retreat last week, where we had the chance to spend three days together in Miami. For many of us, it was the first time meeting in person. While some of us are based in the same cities, our work often has us in different places, supporting clients across the country. The retreat gave us the chance to pull away from our typical routines and focus on face-to-face collaboration and connection.

On a personal note, while it wasn’t the first retreat I’ve participated in, it was the most intentional. Instead of just a handful of staff, our entire team was present. And instead of only discussing work, we made space to connect on a human level. We took the Enneagram, mapped out our lifelines, and literally broke bread together. 

(I should note: we are still an agency that supports a myriad of clients. So, while we did take occasional breaks to keep up with our workloads, we stayed as organized as possible ahead of the retreat to minimize distractions while together.)

So – what exactly did we do?

We kicked things off with a welcome dinner on night one. I had the vantage of getting there towards the beginning, which made things extra nice as I was able to connect with people on a more personal level before the entire team arrived. 

The next day kicked off with a yoga session, led by our very own VP of Public Relations – Olya. 

We then filled out our enneagram and lifelines. (For those wondering, most of us are Type 1s, 2s, and 3s, perfectionists, helpers, and achievers.)  It was a nice way to really get to know each other beyond email threads and work calls. 

After those presentations, our President Katherine Doble and SVP of Business Development & Public Relations, Michelle Lenhart, hosted workshop sessions. In those, we focused on communication tools, particularly diving into how we can use these skillsets in our professional capacities and even in our personal lives. (This was one of my favorite parts of the retreat!) 

We had dinner as a team and walked around the neighborhood to unwind. Those moments in between gave us space to listen, think, and connect with one another.

Day three was more relaxed, but it was a day where we took refreshed headshots, did a teambuilding activity, and had open floor discussions. Everyone brought questions, ideas, and examples to the table, and the conversation naturally turned into a group brainstorm on how to improve as an agency across the board. 

In conclusion….

Retreats like this help teams come back stronger. I think I can safely say, we all left feeling more aligned and ready to serve our clients with a fresh perspective. The value of taking a pause like this lies in the personal conversations, shared meals, and clarity that comes from being in the same room. 

If there is one takeaway I can offer, it's this: if you’re a business owner or team lead, I can’t recommend a retreat enough. Make the time. Your staff and your clients will feel the difference.

One last note

If you’re curious (like I was!), here’s what some of our teammates had to say about our time together:

“The team just gets along so well and everyone has a strong desire to succeed while lifting each other up. I was in awe to see it in person. To witness everyone coming together and openly sharing, collaborating, and problem solving was amazing.” – Katherine Doble, President & Founder

“I think my favorite part of the retreat, besides getting to spend time with my amazing colleagues, was hearing everybody’s suggestions during the roundtable session. I was so inspired by everyone’s passion and insights.” – Desirae Diaz, Executive Assistant

“For me, the best part was meeting everyone in person. I’ve worked at INGAGE for over two years and never had that chance before. I think this will help us build better working relationships. I also enjoyed the dinners and being able to talk outside of work.” – Baneet Shahpuri, Account Director

“My favorite part was the welcome dinner at Mandolin and getting to know everyone. The food was great too.” Sofia Jimenez, Account Coordinator

“I think my favorite part was the Enneagram. I learned so much about myself and others, and it’s changing the way I communicate. I’m becoming a more empathetic listener because of it.” Jennyfer Grundler, Public Relations Coordinator

“The entire energy of the team was the best part. We were all open, aligned, and giving our best. The lifeline exercise was very human and exposing, which helped us become more thoughtful with one another. And we had fun. We shared ideas, worked together, and connected as people.” Francesca Marcos, Account Manager

To see more of what we did, check out our recap on our social channels! https://www.instagram.com/ingagebiz/reel/DLkhJnAscYq/