I'm writing this post whilst on a train to London (back from Newcastle, where the WooThemes team attended DIBI) to catch a flight back home after a week-long UK-trip with the whole WooTeam. This was the first ever time that we had the whole team together in one room (10 of us) and the main aim of the trip was fun, geekery, team-building with a bit of work sprinkled in.
So as I reflect on the trip on what it has meant for our company & team, I realize that all of the things that I thought we would benefit from the trip have indeed happened. And to use a cliche: plus so much more. Fact of the matter is that - as a business owner and co-leader of our team - I'm absolutely overwhelmed by all the fantastic experiences I've had with the team in the last few days.
I think that teams, as a unit - don't always get the attention it deserves and this is especially true for online, where the focus tends to be on the cofounders, product & revenue strategy. Half of the WooTeam works remotely and out of our Cape Town office, which makes meetups like these even more important. I don't think that you can ever attach too much value to meeting someone face-to-face; it really doesn't matter what kind of technologies you use to replicate that remotely, because it will never beat face-to-face conversations. I think that's just human nature.
The friendships that we've forged / reinforced on this trip will have a lasting effect on the work that we'll do in the next couple of months and I'm sure that our users will be the primary beneficiaries of the renewed passion and energy within the team. Double win.
Yes, this trip has been quite a significant expenditure for us, which is why we need to limit them to once every 12 - 18 months. But heck, the way I feel about this week now, I'm ready to spend that money all over again (after I've had a week's rest first admittedly, as my body can't take the shots so well anymore).