Head of People

Please tell me an overview of your company and describe your role.I work for Gamesight, a performance marketing company founded in Seattle but now operating fully remotely. We build the unrivaled measurement platform that helps video game publishers around the world make the right marketing decisions. With it, we&#39;re mastering the art &amp; science of creator activations to skip empty hype and deliver results for our customers.I&#39;ve been with the company for over two years, recently moving from Chief of Staff to Head of People &amp; Operations. My responsibilities involve all things people and HR-adjacent, as well as managing cross-functional projects across the company. As far as off-site events go, I collaborate with our Contracts &amp; Operations Manager, Camille, to ensure the seamless execution of our offsite events. Her help has been invaluable. Is your team fully remote?Yes, we are fully remote. Although Gamesight was initially founded in Seattle, we closed our office when the COVID pandemic began, and we never reopened it. I joined the team after that transition, and we&#39;ve been operating entirely remotely ever since. We have been very intentional about how we’ve built our remote workspace and culture, and we have no plans to go back to in-office. Currently, our team consists of about 40 members spread across the globe.So, regarding the planning of company off-sites, what prompted the decision to organize one, and who gave the green light for it?That&#39;s a good question. I can&#39;t recall if it was my CEO&#39;s idea or if I brought it up to him, but we discussed it extensively, and it was something we both strongly wanted to pursue. We held our first off-site last year, and this year marked our second. It&#39;s proven to be extremely valuable, and we intend to make it an annual event. It&#39;s been a great experience.What factors influenced your decision to choose the location and the Hilton Garden Inn Redmond Town Center as your venue?We selected Seattle as our off-site location because a significant number of our team members are already based there. This decision helps us save on costs associated with flying additional team members to another location. Additionally, we have the option to use our CEO&#39;s house to host some events, adding a personal touch to the experience. The Hilton Garden Inn Redmond Town Center location was ideal, offering walkability to some of the activities we had planned, and an in-house restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. Their pricing also aligned with our budget, making it an easy choice for our off-site gathering.That&#39;s great. The event at your CEO&#39;s house sounds like a unique and engaging activity you guys have.Yes, it’s a fan-favorite event. This year we incorporated two activities at his place. First, we had our leadership meeting, which was a new addition for this year. It was a few hours dedicated to discussing our goals for the upcoming year and ensuring alignment on our priorities. The second event at his home is what we call &#39;closing ceremonies.&#39; As avid fans of &#39;The Office,&#39; this is where we present our superlative awards which are similar to The Dundies, create content with our marketing team, and play tabletop and video games. We have dinner, celebrate team member anniversaries with bespoke gifts, give out new Gamesight swag and prizes, and this year we even had a birthday party complete with party hats and birthday treats. We weirdly have several former DJs on the team, so we also had a DJing contest. It&#39;s essentially a grand finale, a time to just have fun with no work. It works well for us because we can utilize both indoor and outdoor spaces at his place; however, given our growing team, I&#39;m not sure how many more years we&#39;ll be able to continue doing it there.What were your KPIs or OKRs for the event?My CEO&#39;s primary concern with the all-hands event is that everyone has fun and spends quality time together - that&#39;s legitimately his main goal; however, our CTO suggested having a work-related goal as well. Therefore, our top priority for our off-site was to foster a stronger connection among team members and ensure everyone left with a clear understanding of the goals for the upcoming year such that we’d be able to tackle our projects and problems better &amp; more efficiently than we might have been able to before the off-site. From an operations and logistics stand point, we also wanted to get everyone to the event and home safely, with no travel issues, all while keeping our per person, per night costs at or close to our previous year’s costs. I believe we successfully achieved all of that!Can you highlight some other notable and successful aspects of the event? Any particular activities or initiatives that stood out?Definitely. We aimed for a good mix of team bonding and randomization during the event. We organized breakfast groups where I grouped people up - people who might not interact often in their day-to-day roles at the company - and each group chose a restaurant to have breakfast at together. We also had each team choose a group activity to do together. Some made candles, others crafted knives at a blacksmith studio, one team painted pottery, and another visited a cat cafe. This allowed colleagues to spend time with both their everyday team members and others they wouldn&#39;t typically talk to. And as a gaming company, it was important we played games together, so we played BINGO, miniature golf, tabletop games and trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, Exploding Kittens, Coup, and Wavelength.How did Retreat help you?Retreat made the hotel booking process so easy. It was fantastic to be able to hand that off to you all and trust that it would get done. I know you worked with April at the hotel to make everything super smooth for check-in, and we really appreciate the service you provide. Thank you. It&#39;s great to hear that.

Gamesight's 'Damesight' ERG

AHIRL Presentation

DJ Contest

Engineering Team

Leadership Team

MarOps Team

Sales Team - Blacksmithing

Gamesight's Annual All Hands IRL Event: A Seamless Blend of Business and Fun with Retreat

Looking for a corporate retreat that combines stunning natural beauty, vibrant culture, and modern amenities? Seattle, Washington, is the perfect destination! Known for its iconic skyline, diverse neighborhoods, and rich history, Seattle offers an inspiring and dynamic setting for your next team offsite.

Start your exploration with a visit to the Space Needle, where your team can enjoy panoramic views of the city and Puget Sound. Explore the nearby Chihuly Garden and Glass, showcasing the stunning glasswork of Dale Chihuly.

Immerse your team in local culture by visiting the historic Pike Place Market, where you can watch the fishmongers, sample local delicacies, and explore unique shops. Discover Seattle’s musical heritage at the Museum of Pop Culture or the historic Paramount Theatre.

For outdoor activities, head to Discovery Park for hiking trails, scenic views, and beach access. Take a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island for a relaxing day trip or explore the nearby Cascade Mountains for more adventurous team-building activities like hiking, skiing, or mountain biking.

Seattle’s culinary scene is diverse and exciting. Treat your team to fresh seafood at waterfront restaurants, savor local specialties like clam chowder and salmon, or explore the city’s vibrant food truck scene. The city’s lively nightlife includes craft breweries, live music venues, and cozy coffee shops.

With Retreat's expert planning, we've selected the top retreat locations in Seattle, ensuring a seamless and memorable experience tailored to your team's needs. Whether you’re looking for modern conference facilities, cultural experiences, or outdoor adventures, Seattle has it all.

Prepare for an extraordinary team adventure in Seattle, where every moment is an opportunity for bonding, exploration, and cultural immersion in one of the Pacific Northwest’s most captivating cities!

Seattle

The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel celebrates Seattle&#39;s fine arts community as it demonstrates the fine art of hospitality to meeting and incentive groups. A recent $10-million renovation incorporated Pacific Northwest art throughout the hotel&#39;s public areas and guest rooms. The 121 accommodations go on to feature such luxuries as wood-burning fireplaces, Frette linens, and private in-room bars. The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel also embraces green travel by using eco-friendly products and practices.For gala affairs, meeting planners choose between four banquet rooms that include The Grand Parlor with its gilded chandeliers, supported by wireless Internet access and a 24-hour business center. An on-site fitness center, steam room, and “Etherea Salon.Spa” add off-hours diversions, while the Alexis Hotel&#39;s proximity to popular attractions such as the Pike Place Market invites groups out to explore the Emerald City.

The Alexis Royal Sonesta Hotel

Best described as Asian-meets-retro-urban, Hotel Aendra Seattle MGallery Hotel Collection brought new life to a restored 1926 building in Seattle&#39;s bohemian Belltown neighborhood. Ultra chic with a nod to Seattle&#39;s Scandinavian heritage, the lobby celebrates texture with distressed plank floors, hand-knotted rugs, a granite fireplace, and whimsical Arne Jacobsen swan chairs. Warm retro tones of khaki, charcoal, and ocher extend to the 199 guest rooms and suites.Hotel Aendra Seattle MGallery Hotel Collection caters to corporate events and business meetings with two beautifully appointed rooms totaling 3,450 square feet. Configurations accommodate groups of up to 175 for receptions, 170 for dining, and 30 for board meetings. Above the lobby, the Living Room loft provides a lively after-hours option. Lola, the restaurant created by renowned Seattle chef Tom Douglas of Dahlia Lounge fame, serves a lively mix of Greek-meets-Northwest cuisine.

Hotel Aendra Seattle MGallery Hotel Collection

Just 33 miles north of Seattle, Tulalip Resort Casino combines a spacious, modern conference center, a AAA Four Diamond hotel, and a full adult gaming casino operated by the Tulalip Tribes, all set among the towering evergreens of western Washington.Using bold, urban boutique décor as a backdrop, the 370 luxury guest rooms and suites interweave a subtle tale of Native American, Coast Salish life by incorporating traditional tribal textures and symbols into the rugs, artwork, and accessories. Amenities skew toward comfort and connectivity. Such appointments as 55-inch high-definition TVs, polished stone countertops, a trio of body-spray showerheads, and complimentary Wi-Fi are standard throughout. The 14,000-square-foot T-Spa, full-service fitness center, and indoor Oasis swimming pool provide relaxation and recreation between sessions.Corporate events fit right in at Tulalip Resort Casino. The property features 12 venues and 30,000 square feet of flexible conference space, including the Orca Ballroom, which can host trade shows and receptions for up to 1,500 or divide into three sections.Leisure activities revolve around the 192,000-square-foot casino, live music and comedy at Canoes Cabaret, and eight onsite dining options, including the new Tula Bene Pastaria &amp;amp; Chophouse; Journeys East for Asian cuisine; The Draft Sports Bar for games and good times; and Blazing Paddles Stone Fired Pizza and Spirits, which offers more than 50 toppings.

Tulalip Resort Casino & Spa

Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle offers sweeping views of the Space Needle, downtown Seattle, and the South Lake Union neighborhood from its floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel, which opened in 2006, shares a new mixed-use development known as 2200 Westlake. Neighbors include high-end condos, retail shops, Starbucks, Whole Foods Market, and Vida Spa. Groups in town on business find themselves in a convenient, upscale environment just blocks from the Washington State Convention Center and financial district.Events for up to 200 participants take place in 5,554 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space, all located on the same floor and all filled with abundant natural light. The largest of seven rooms, the Lakefront Ballroom, adjoins a 925-square-foot terrace and signature view of the Space Needle.The 153 rooms and suites echo the ultimate standard of service with Hypnos handmade beds (endorsed by the Queen of England herself), Villeroy &amp;amp; Boch bathroom fixtures, 42&quot; HD plasma-screen TVs, Herman Miller desk chairs, and complimentary Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections. The lobby bar presents a wide choice of the world&#39;s finest champagnes, sakes, and specialty cocktails.

Pan Pacific Hotel Seattle

Seattle’s only waterfront hotel, The Edgewater is just steps away from the Bell Harbor International Conference Center and the downtown area’s most famous attractions. Its location affords jaw-dropping views of Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains, and the city. The AAA Four Diamond Award winner mirrors the full scope of the area’s natural assets in its chic Pacific Northwest décor, including river-rock gas fireplaces, rustic pine furniture, down bedding, and bathrooms with exotic stone sinks and flooring.Even the property’s food and beverage offerings show off the character of the region. Menus from the onsite signature restaurant, Six Seven, revolve around the freshest local ingredients — whether for room service, restaurant dining, or catered affairs.For groups, seven of the eight function rooms overlook the bay, city, or both. They include the incomparable Olympic Ballroom, which features a curved window wall on the bay, four large mirrors to multiply the view, and nine crystal chandeliers. Seasoned conference planners and cutting-edge presentation equipment ensure that meetings are as productive as they are memorable.Originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair, The Edgewater Hotel boasts a long history as an iconic landmark and a home away from home for countless rock ’n’ roll legends. Hotel guests walk in the footsteps of everyone from the Beatles and Blondie to the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin.

The Edgewater Hotel

Lotte Hotel Seattle stands as a beacon of luxury and sophistication in the heart of downtown Seattle, Washington. Located at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Stewart Street, this upscale hotel offers convenient access to the city&#39;s top attractions, including Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, and the Seattle Art Museum. Its prime location makes it an ideal choice for both business and leisure travelers looking to explore the vibrant cityscape.

Lotte Hotel Seattle

<h1>Explore Seattle&#39;s Eastside in the Heart of Downtown Bellevue</h1>With its small-town charm and big city convenience, Bellevue, Washington is a modern oasis with endless activities and cultural attractions sprinkled in.Nine miles from downtown Seattle, Hyatt Regency Bellevue on Seattle’s Eastside connects you to world-class shopping, dining, entertainment and major corporate headquarters. Visitors will also enjoy the natural beauty and scenery and the abundance of outdoor recreational activities nearby.

Hyatt Regency Bellevue

<h2>Relax and rejuvenate at our hotel in downtown Bellevue, WA</h2>Prioritize your well-being at The Westin Bellevue. Located in the heart of downtown Bellevue with beautiful views of the surrounding city, Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline, we offer guests a lively destination to work and play. From your Bellevue, WA, lodging, cross-covered sky bridges to The Bellevue Collection, the regions premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination. Business travelers thrive with Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Salesforce, Pokémon and other Fortune 500 companies nearby. Find meeting and catering amenities at our four-star hotel with over 27000 sq ft of event space and several meeting rooms with balconies and windows. Fuel up at Cypress Lounge &amp; Wine Bar, our restaurant with an indoor fireplace and outdoor patio. Rejuvenating treatments await at Truce Spa while a Westin Heavenly® Bath awaits in your deluxe hotel room with views of Bellevue. Call room service, turn on your flat-screen TV and sink into your Westin Heavenly® Bed and leave feeling better than when you arrived.

The Westin Bellevue

<h1>Modern Residential-Style Redmond Hotel</h1>Hyatt House Seattle / Redmond’s upscale aesthetic and plentiful amenities are ideal for work and play. Enjoy the comforts and conveniences of home at our pet-friendly hotel such as complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi, indoor pool, 24/7 fitness center, covered parking, and flexible meeting spaces. Redmond is home to Marymoor Park, Redmond Town Center, Sixty Acres and the Microsoft Visitor Center.

Hyatt House Seattle/Redmond

<h2>Setting the stage for your Seattle stay</h2><h1>Premier Downtown Seattle Hotel</h1>Thanks to a lobby that&#39;s been known to drop jaws, luxurious yet playful guestrooms, a location that&#39;s the envy of every other <a href="https://www.monaco-seattle.com/seattle-downtown-hotels/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand-Hotel%20Name_Exact&utm_term=kimpton%20hotel%20monaco%20seattle&adpos={adpos}&creative=595106431171&device=c&matchtype=e&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAjwpuajBhBpEiwA_ZtfhXoeS1QorWxEG274ZXVp9OqV4B1Tl4Msmz129U9f6z2opN98ZwuoJxoCk3EQAvD_BwE">downtown Seattle hotel</a> around, and a vibe that&#39;s truly one of a kind, the <a href="https://www.monaco-seattle.com/press-room/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand-Hotel%20Name_Exact&utm_term=kimpton%20hotel%20monaco%20seattle&adpos={adpos}&creative=595106431171&device=c&matchtype=e&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAjwpuajBhBpEiwA_ZtfhXoeS1QorWxEG274ZXVp9OqV4B1Tl4Msmz129U9f6z2opN98ZwuoJxoCk3EQAvD_BwE">award-winning Kimpton Hotel Monaco</a> has stage presence in spades, and offers a fun-filled escape from life&#39;s hustle and bustle. Our <a href="https://www.monaco-seattle.com/boutique-hotels-seattle/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand-Hotel%20Name_Exact&utm_term=kimpton%20hotel%20monaco%20seattle&adpos={adpos}&creative=595106431171&device=c&matchtype=e&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAjwpuajBhBpEiwA_ZtfhXoeS1QorWxEG274ZXVp9OqV4B1Tl4Msmz129U9f6z2opN98ZwuoJxoCk3EQAvD_BwE">spacious guestrooms</a> are made to relax in, and when you’re ready to head out on the town you’re already poised in the perfect walkable location. No stay would be complete without dining at our <a href="https://www.monaco-seattle.com/downtown-seattle-restaurants/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand-Hotel%20Name_Exact&utm_term=kimpton%20hotel%20monaco%20seattle&adpos={adpos}&creative=595106431171&device=c&matchtype=e&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAjwpuajBhBpEiwA_ZtfhXoeS1QorWxEG274ZXVp9OqV4B1Tl4Msmz129U9f6z2opN98ZwuoJxoCk3EQAvD_BwE">Outlier restaurant,</a> known for their drool-worthy burgers, craft brews and divine milkshakes.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle

Washington State is an outstanding destination for corporate offsite events, offering a mix of vibrant cities, stunning natural landscapes, and modern amenities. Cities like Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma provide top-tier venues such as the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, the Spokane Convention Center, and the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, all equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for meetings and conferences. Washington's diverse environments, including the majestic Cascade Mountains, the scenic Puget Sound, and the lush forests of the Olympic Peninsula, provide perfect settings for team-building activities such as hiking, boating, and wine tasting.

Washington’s rich cultural heritage can be explored through visits to attractions like the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, as well as historic sites like Fort Vancouver and the LeMay Car Museum in Tacoma. The state’s culinary scene, known for its farm-to-table dining, fresh seafood, and craft breweries, ensures memorable dining experiences with specialties like Pacific Northwest salmon, Dungeness crab, and locally sourced produce. With its well-developed infrastructure, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and efficient public transportation networks, Washington is easily accessible for attendees. The combination of natural beauty, cultural richness, and modern facilities makes Washington an ideal choice for corporate offsite planning, promising a productive and inspiring event.