As a remote-first company, Syde makes it a priority to bring the whole team together every year or so for a week of in-person connection and fun. Past meetups have taken place in incredible spots like Madeira, Barcelona, and Berlin. This year, 94 Syders landed just outside of Eretria, Greece—a coastal town on the island of Evia.

The main goal of these offsites is to connect face-to-face—to align as a company, exchange ideas, and get to know each other beyond the confines of Zoom. While remote work tools have come a long way, there’s still no substitute for sharing a meal, a laugh, or a late-night puzzle session with your teammates.

Flash Talks That Hit Home

While we dove into some work with sessions covering hot topics like Enterprise for WordPress and MultilingualPress, a big part of the week was simply about building relationships. One of my favorite formats for that was the “flash talks”—three-minute presentations where team members shared their personal interests or hobbies outside of work.

I ended up attending 18 of these talks, and they were fascinating—everything from kart racing and cross-continent road trips to techniques for overcoming worry and community service initiatives. One talk, though, really stuck with me. It was called “How to Become Average and Proud of It”—a hilarious and relatable reminder that it’s okay not to be the best at everything, that progress matters more than perfection, and that “average” can be a win worth celebrating. Honestly, it was the pep talk I didn’t know I needed.

Puzzles, Pub Quizzes & Play

We also leaned into some classic team-building activities—beach games, a pub quiz, and what became one of the most memorable experiences of the week: The Puzzles. At the kickoff, our CEO Alex Frison explained that each team would be given one of nine Marvel puzzles, and at the end of the week, we’d bring them all together to complete the full picture—symbolizing how each of us contributes to the bigger picture at Syde.

As a puzzle fan, I was into it—and I wasn’t alone. No matter what time of day—9 a.m., 1 p.m., even 1 a.m.—there were always people in the puzzle room chatting, laughing, and working side by side. Big shoutout to the Migration & Support Team for finishing theirs first!

A Toast to Greece

Midweek, we leaned into local culture. We enjoyed a Greek BBQ, a live band, and a traditional dance performance that quickly turned into an all-team dance-along. Holding hands, laughing, and trying to follow the (very fast) steps—it was a total highlight, and one of those rare moments where you feel truly connected to the people around you.

On our final day, a big group headed to Athens to visit the Acropolis and soak up some of Greece’s rich history. I wasn’t able to make it, as I had a flight to catch that day. Still, I managed to sneak in a quick (and totally worth it) stop at a local winery to sample some native grape varietals and chat with a few locals.

The Final Takeaway

All in all, it was an unforgettable week that reminded me how powerful real, in-person connection is—especially in a remote-first company like ours. Stepping away from the screen to share meals, swap stories, and laugh together added a whole new depth to our work.

I left feeling more connected to my team and more excited than ever to be part of this global, dynamic company. I can’t wait to see where the next offsite takes us!

Related articles