Slowing Down to Speed Up: What We Learned in the Catskills

Last week, the entire Actively team did something we rarely do: we logged off. We swapped Slack threads and sprint boards for hiking trails and campfires, packed into a bus, and headed up to the Catskills for four days of reflection, connection, and a healthy dose of fun.

This was more than a company retreat. It was a reset. A reminder that in order to move fast and build something that lasts, sometimes you have to slow down and have a little fun.

Why Disconnecting Matters

At Actively, you’re surrounded by some of the most driven, creative, and brilliant people you’ll ever meet. We’re not here for the perks (though yes, the snacks are solid). We’re here to build a generational company that redefines how GTM teams operate in the AI era.

But even the most passionate builders need to recharge. With our rapid growth and new teammates joining nearly every week, it’s easy to get caught up in the grind. This retreat gave us the chance to step away from the day-to-day, look around at the people beside us, and remind ourselves why we show up every morning. Here a just a few things we learned in the process.

Alignment Starts with First Principles

We kicked things off with a pitch competition that brought together every team across Actively, from Sales to Product Engineering to our customer implementation group. After sharing our vision for building a wall-to-wall Superintelligence for the entire GTM org, each group created and delivered their own Actively pitch.

It was inspiring to hear how different teams described our value and future. The session built empathy, sparked new ideas, and reminded us that our story isn’t just marketing. It’s something we all create together.

“I loved the discussions between the technical and sales teams about how we pitch Actively. It was incredibly insightful to see how sales communicates our value so clearly, and I got to add some technical depth in return. We walked away with a stronger, shared vision on how to tell Actively’s story.”

- Arushi Arora, Forward Deployed Engineer

We Can’t Turn Off the Intensity (and That’s a Good Thing)

Even our happy hours had a habit of turning into working sessions. One evening while enjoying some drinks and snacks in Woodstock, we found ourselves in conversation circles, brainstorming new content ideas and refining how we onboard new customers. When you’re surrounded by people who love what they do, intensity doesn’t feel like work. It feels like momentum.

”What really stuck with me was how this strengthened everyone's understanding of why different teams operate the way they do, and people walked away with real confidence in their ideas about how the company operates, regardless of their role. Future collaborations are going to be so much smoother now that we all get the 'why' behind each other's constraints and priorities. That ownership mentality across the board is huge - these conversations made us better in both the short and long term.”

- Ethan John, Forward Deployed Engineer

Our Customers Inspire Our Future

We dove into a future-focused roadmapping session that invited us to imagine the GTM organization of tomorrow. We built customer journey maps, put ourselves in the shoes of Sales, Marketing, and Ops leaders, and dreamed up how Actively can help them realize the true promise of AI to not only increase their efficiency but grow faster. It was equal parts reflection and imagination, and it made one thing clear: our best ideas start with our customers.

"The most exciting part was realizing that we don’t have to be constrained by how things work today. If we start from what’s possible in a world of AI and work backward, we stop asking questions like ‘How do we make this function more efficient?’ and instead ask, ‘What should this function be in its ideal state?'"

- Mirai Shah, Head of Strategy and Operations

“Because every member of the team is either helping build the product or using it on a daily basis (Actively's sellers use our product internally), everyone from a brand new SDR to our Head of Engineering was able to offer creative and informed opinions. As an engineer, it's a privilege to see the things I build have a meaningful impact on the day-to-day of my friends on the sales team as well as directly influence our revenue numbers.”

- Ben Brooks, Product Engineer

Check out our customer stories

Building Together Means Playing Together

Of course, no retreat is complete without some serious fun. Apple picking, rail pedal cars through the mountains, ceramics workshops, and nature walks filled our days. There was laughter, a few friendly competitions, and plenty of memories that brought us closer together.

And it wasn’t just a team event. It was a family affair as well. Some people brought partners and kids, turning the week into something truly special. Here’s one of our AEs, who brought his 4-year-old son along for the fun:

“Henry has not stopped talking about the train, mushroom hunt, and arts and crafts since he got home. I will treasure this time with the company and my son for a long time.”

- Jake Jessup, Enterprise AE

At Actively, one of our favorite company values is “Take Pictures.” It’s a reminder to celebrate the moments that matter: the people, the progress, and the shared experiences that fuel us. In the Catskills, we took that literally.

Onward and Upward

As we head back to our laptops and whiteboards, we’re re-energized, reconnected, and ready to build the next chapter of Actively together. Slowing down isn’t about losing speed. It’s about sharpening focus so we can move with even more purpose when we hit “go.”

We’re still growing, and we’re looking for builders who share that same fire. Check out our open roles.

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