At Offleash, our purpose is to make a mark on the world for our clients, colleagues, and community, and we did just that during our annual offsite. The theme was “Make Your Mark,” and it couldn’t have been more fitting for the incredible energy and connection we experienced in San Francisco last week.
We kicked the week off with our fall mixer at Waterbar on the Embarcadero (an Offleash fav!) to connect with both new and familiar faces—clients, prospects, VCs, reporters, and friends. At Offleash, we’re passionate about fostering connection, and our network is everything. Something magical happens when we all get together in person to share experiences, ideas, and perspectives.
As part of our corporate social responsibility commitments, OffleashCARES organized an activity to give back to our community by assembling personal care packages for the San Francisco LGBT Center. The San Francisco LGBT Center serves as a vital resource for the LGBTQ+ community in San Francisco, providing youth services, housing and employment assistance, community programs, and more. Giving back is a core tenet of our company, and we strive to be leaders in corporate citizenship, caring not only for each other and our clients, but also seeking to improve the quality of life for underserved communities.
We work hard and play hard at Offleash, and during our week in San Francisco we also took a cable car ride across the city, stopping at several iconic landmarks and ending with an epic dinner in the historical North Beach at Original Joe’s. If there’s one thing this team knows how to do—aside from wowing clients with our PR skills—it’s how to have fun!
This was my second offsite, and it felt extra special as it marks my one-year anniversary at Offleash. I’ve formed incredible friendships here, and spending time with everyone, exploring a new city, singing karaoke, and sharing tons of laughs was truly invaluable.
Professionally, I’ve grown so much working with this talented team over the past year, from connecting with top reporters and the brightest minds in tech, to learning the ropes in the enterprise B2B tech space. Having only worked in PR remotely, this offsite is something that I will always look forward to.
I asked some of my colleagues to reflect on our offsite and here’s what they had to say:
“There’s really nothing like being in person with my colleagues! While we do a great job working together remotely, meeting face-to-face brings a different level of connection. It allows us to get to know each other beyond work, learning about each other’s personalities, quirks, and stories. That personal connection makes such a big difference, especially in teamwork. When we understand and connect with each other more, it shows in how we collaborate and deliver for our clients.”
— Sarayu Srinivasan, Account Executive
“Offleash does a great job of prioritizing our team members and building a fun and positive culture. The two offsites I have been to have been a great introduction to, and reminder of, that culture. There’s always a lot of thought put into each little bit of it, from the hotel to the team building, to dinners and activities, it really does feel like there’s a real effort to make our time together memorable and special. Genuinely already looking forward to next year!”
— Duncan McGuigan Stull, Assistant Account Executive
“My favorite part of the offsite? The hugs. We have this ‘YOU HAVE LEGS!’ joke when we see each other in person that absolutely cracks me up — but it’s so true! We all get to know each other so well virtually, but we so rarely are even in the same room. Getting to actually be in each other’s presence is such a gift.”
— Nina Beck, Marketing Specialist
“The most impactful part of our offsite was having the opportunity to make meaningful connections with my teammates who I don’t work with on a regular basis. As someone who works across the country from most of my colleagues, having the in-person time was so valuable and I’ll cherish the quality conversations and the memories we created forever. It was my very first time in San Francisco so the trolley tour across the city also left a lasting impression.”
— Erica Anderson, Account Manager
“As an extrovert, I thrive on in-person experiences. There’s truly nothing like it. Engaging face-to-face recharges me and helps strengthen relationships within our team and with our client partnerships. There are so many highlights, it’s difficult to choose just one! A standout moment for me was the philanthropic activity we did to benefit the San Francisco LGBT Center that the OffleashCARES team organized. It was truly inspiring to come together as a team and give back to a local organization that positively impacts members of the San Francisco community.”
— Tanaya Lukaszewski, Senior Vice President
“There is no replacement for in-person time as a team. Whether we are team building, learning, problem solving, or just having fun together (as we always do!), we certainly know how to make the most of it. Love you all!”
— Robin Bulanti, Partner
This year, we truly stuck to our theme and made our mark—not just on San Francisco, but on our community, our clients, and each other. We’re grateful for the time to reconnect and can’t wait to carry this momentum forward.