Bali Retreat 2023: When Our Global Team Finally Met
For two years, we talked about doing it. For two years, scheduling conflicts, visa complications, and a lingering pandemic kept pushing it back. But in February 2023, it finally happened: our entire team — every single person — came together in Bali for five days.
I'm still processing it, honestly. So bear with me if this reads more like a journal entry than a blog post.
Day One: Awkward Hugs and Nervous Laughter
We booked a villa compound in Ubud, up in the rice terraces away from the tourist crowds. The plan was simple: half the time for strategy sessions, half for cultural experiences and bonding. No rigid agenda. Just be together.
The first arrivals trickled in on a Monday afternoon. Rizwan flew in from Lahore. Priya from Toronto. Our UK team from Manchester and Chorley. The Philippines team from Manila. I drove up from Denpasar, where I'd arrived the day before to handle logistics.
The first in-person meeting was between Rizwan and Priya, who had worked together daily for over a year but never been in the same room. I watched from across the courtyard as Rizwan walked up, they made eye contact, and then — without any hesitation — hugged like old friends. Priya was laughing. I think Rizwan might have been tearing up a little, though he'd deny it.
That set the tone for the whole retreat.
Strategy Sessions Under Palm Trees
We had serious work to do. 2023 planning, brand strategy reviews, operational improvements. But there's something about discussing quarterly goals while a gecko chirps on the ceiling and a tropical breeze comes through open windows that makes everything feel more human. Less corporate. More real.
Our best session was an unplanned one. On the second evening, after dinner, we ended up sitting around the pool talking about why we each joined Boxiki. The answers were surprising. For some, it was the flexibility of remote work. For others, it was the mission — the sustainability commitment, the charitable giving. For a few, it was simply that they felt respected and trusted in a way they hadn't at previous jobs.
I didn't record that conversation, and I wish I had. It was the most honest, vulnerable discussion I've ever been part of as a leader.
Balinese Adventures
On day three, we took a break from work entirely. We visited Tirta Empul, the ancient water temple where Balinese Hindus come for ritual purification. Our guide explained the significance of each fountain, and several team members chose to participate in the ceremony. Watching my colleagues from five different countries stand together in that sacred water — fully present, fully respectful — was one of the most moving experiences of my life.
That afternoon, we did a Balinese cooking class. Twelve adults crowded into an outdoor kitchen, fumbling with mortar and pestles, burning satay, and laughing until our sides hurt. The food we made was surprisingly good. The mess we left behind was spectacular.
The Last Night
On our final evening, we gathered on the villa terrace overlooking the Ayung River valley. Someone had bought local beer and snacks. The conversation ranged from work goals to personal dreams to terrible jokes. At one point, our newest team member — who had been quiet most of the week — stood up and thanked everyone for making them feel welcome in a way no company ever had.
I looked around that terrace at faces I'd only known through screens for years, and I felt something I can only describe as profound gratitude. These people chose to be here. Not just in Bali, but at this company. They chose us, and we chose them, and somehow it all works.
We flew home the next day, scattered back to our respective time zones. But something had changed. The Slack messages were warmer. The video calls had more laughter. The trust was deeper.
We're already planning next year's retreat. I can't wait.