2023 WIT Team Summit: Day 3

The WIT team recently concluded the company’s first-ever in-person summit, bringing 21 of the company’s 23 full-time employees together in Orlando from Dec. 5-8. We are chronicling all of the fun activities and new connections made with a series of posts on each day. Read the prior posts about Tuesday and Wednesday.

Thursday, Dec. 7

‍Thursday morning kicked off bright and early for the Women of WIT ERG as they enjoyed fellowship, coffee, and holiday treats at a local bakery. Se7en Bites is women-owned and operated in the heart of Orlando’s Milk District and has been featured in several shows including Diners DriveIns & Dives. Meeting Trina was the cherry on top for the group!

The tasty goodies that they brought back set the tone for a fantastic morning of working sessions, which included a fascinating discussion of sub-ocean tubes, virtual-reality metaverses, and believe it or not, PLINKO! 

How did we get there? Well, let’s start at the very beginning, shall we? Coincidentally, that’s exactly where Vaidhy kicked things off in a fascinating tech talk. He took us from the base concepts of the internet at its inception through the complex structure of the WIT digital backend!

Everything was going fine until we collectively had to wrap our heads around the submarine cables, which are huge tubes along the bottom of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans carrying fiber communication lines. Most of us think of the internet as existing in a so-called “cloud” (or maybe literally in clouds) so the amount of physical infrastructure involved was shocking! This revelation and the ways it relates to other systems and new innovations made for a fascinating group discussion.

Talk segued into product ideation, and we split into small groups to analyze WIT’s current product offerings and brainstorm for new ideas. Groups offered thoughts on fun new creations, strategic improvements, and the future of the digital engagement landscape. It was a thought-provoking discussion and was voted the best part of the week’s working sessions! 

Then it was time to have some fun! Thursday afternoon sent the full WIT team down to Topgolf for some food and friendly competition. The golf aficionados of the group assisted n00bs and showed off some stunning swings before the rest of us were saved by Angry Birds mode. Hook or slice, every ball had a chance to take down the structures of the pigs!

Ryan and Ben were two of the group’s best golfers, while Holly took a converted soft ball swing and launched some lasers at her targets. If any WIT partners would like to take a meeting on the green some day, we’re all for it!

This was our final full day in Orlando and ended with an al fresco team dinner at The Waterfront. With WIT hoodies on and hearts full, we made the most of our last meal together with a veritable banquet. It was a bit chilly out but spirits were high and laughter rang out over the water. Have you ever had a “Holden”? Well, now Holden has! Have you ever had tequila with cinnamon? Nevermind. We don’t need to talk about that one. Is blackened fish always spicy? We’re still debating that one! 

What’s not up for debate is the thoughtful care and dedication demonstrated by WIT leadership every day, and especially on this night. Stephi and Vaidhy surprised us all with printed awards highlighting individual strengths and successes in 2023. Each award was delivered with an inside joke or a touching speech, and by the end most of the group had to grab for an extra napkin. Blame it on the spicy fish if you must!

So yes, there were tears… At least it was after we took a team photo in our matching new swag! Aren’t we cute?

Tears were dried, food was fried, drinks were tried, and love was supplied all around. This dinner put a bow on the whirlwind of activities and was the perfect way to end a fantastic week together in Orlando! 

Of course, everyone is already excited to plan another WIT Summit in 2024. Where should we go next? 🤔