January is a time for reflection, planning, and rejuvenation to prepare for the rest of the year. The eTeam did exactly that in the picturesque setting of Blackberry Mountain on a company Lead retreat to prepare and refresh ourselves to offer the very best for the year 2025.
As soon as we arrived, we were shuttled off for team clay shooting in the cold. Though our fingers may have been numb, our aim, and dare we say outfits, was on target! The time between taking shots was filled with words of encouragement, cheering and laughs, huddling near outdoor heaters, and some friendly competition at the end of time.
To wind down from the excitement of the day, we attended a team dinner at the resort’s Three Sisters, which ended up being a favorite of all by the end of the retreat. After we dined, we returned to lounge in matching Show Me Your MuMu Pjs and started on an Unsolved Case File game. Once the exhaustion of the day hit us all, we cozied up in beds, excited like kids on Christmas Eve for the rest of our time together.
We were up bright and early the next morning, ready for business. We braved the cold again and took a scenic outdoor hike up the mountain to our breakfast destination. With fires going, breakfast and warm drinks were a grand reward, making us all feel even more accomplished.
We yapped, munched, and then split off for relaxing spa sessions which included massages, sauna sessions, and luxurious beauty product samples we each tested out. Once refreshed and relaxed, we rejoined for an afternoon full of reflecting on the past year, brainstorming, and planning exciting happenings for the year ahead of us.
We ended our night by enjoying cozy fireplaces at another team dinner at the top of the Mountain. After dinner, we put on our PJs and detective hats again and pulled together to finally solve our Unsolved Case File.
On our Final morning, we killed a HIIT boot camp workout together and were again rewarded with a scrumptious breakfast. In case you did not catch on, food is a great motivator for this group. After our bellies were full, we somewhat reluctantly packed our bags to return home.
Our time together and away from our daily realities spawned some new and refreshing ideas and perspectives for the year ahead, brought us all closer together as a team, and reenergized us. Upon returning to stores and HQ, our leads truly hit the ground running to start making the plans a reality, which we cannot wait for you to attend and see.
