Meetups offer remote companies an opportunity to gather away from the day-to-day for more in-depth conversations that foster deeper relationships for the team and bigger leaps for the company.

At the beginning of October, sixty 37signals employees met up in Amsterdam for the first company-wide meetup outside the U.S.

Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, the Co-founders of 37signals, discuss the importance of in-person meetups for remote companies, the structure they use for their twice-yearly team gathering, and tips and insight for other companies on planning their own offsite meetings.

Show Notes:

[00:34] - The essential value of gathering the entire team together.
[02:05] - Why the company decided to gather outside the U.S. for their latest meetup.
[02:29] - The changing rhythm of a global company working across several time zones.
[04:12] - How moving the event to Amsterdam turned it into a social experience.
[04:51] - The priceless value of extravagant experiences and live connections to stay strong and connected as a remote company.
[06:39] - Post COVID-19: Why the company-wide meetup experience is an expense not to be cut.
[07:26] - How the scarcity of the experience adds to its value.
[07:54] - The structure 37signals uses for their meetups.
[09:41] - How getting together as a group fosters bigger, more crystallized discussions for bigger leaps as a company.
[11:22] - From the intimacy of the small group dinners to the peer appreciation event, how the meetup fosters deeper relationships for the team.
[13:33] - Unifying the unique human experience through sharing cultural diversity.
[15:10] - The challenges of transporting such a large and diverse group to the meetup location.
[15:52] - Introducing the Amsterdam meetup lessons into future events.
[17:04] - Jason and David share their tips and advice for other remote companies looking to host their own company meetup.

Links and Resources:

The REWORK podcast

@reworkpodcast on Twitter

@37signals on Twitter
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Company Meet-Up: Amsterdam Edition

REWORK