Imagine working from a sunlit terrace in Barcelona, exploring ancient temples in Kyoto, or sharing cultural gifts with colleagues from around the globe—all while keeping up with your day job. These aren't just daydreams for X-Teamers; they are real experiences made possible by the X-Outposts.
At the heart of this initiative is Henrique Paula, X-Team's Event Lead and the mastermind behind these extraordinary global retreats. Here’s how he does it, one magical event at a time.
Henrique’s process for planning an X-Outpost begins with the community itself. “On the the X-Outpost website, we continuously survey our X-Teamers about where they'd like to go. That's where I start,” Henrique explains. He gathers suggestions from the global team and identifies locations with the most interest, ensuring that destinations reflect the geographical diversity of X-Team. “What’s important is that the destinations have to be spread out around the world. X-Team is a global community, and we like to make our X-Outposts available to everyone, not just to the people on the continents where we have most X-Teamers.”
Once the destinations are shortlisted, Henrique evaluates factors like weather, peak seasons to avoid, and nearby attractions. He also considers logistics like proximity to airports and the availability of quality accommodations. “It’s important to choose a good hotel because its location and quality have a big impact on the participants' experience,” Henrique says. Walkability is a welcome bonus, but not essential. Balancing fluctuating participant numbers can be tricky, as not all hotels are flexible with cancellations.
With the groundwork laid, Henrique focuses on creating marketing materials to build excitement. This includes everything from the X-Outpost website and sign-up forms to promotional videos and Slack groups. He also gathers activity suggestions from participants and finalizes an event schedule just weeks before the X-Outpost begins. After each event, Henrique collects feedback to improve future X-Outposts.
X-Outposts aren’t just about logistics; they’re about creating meaningful experiences and fostering connections. Henrique emphasizes that participants don’t need to take time off work to join. “X-Teamers continue working as usual during the event week and explore the destination in their free time. All activities are optional,” he says.
Over the years, X-Outposts have grown in scale and sophistication. “The X-Outposts have become more organized, which has allowed us to host more participants,” Henrique notes. This growth has brought clarity around costs, guest participation, and event schedules, while structured activities like the “Epics” sponsored by X-Team add even more value.
Reflecting on the most unique X-Outpost, Henrique highlights Kyoto, which drew over 80 participants from across the Americas and beyond. “We had over eighty people coming from the Americas to the other side of the world for it,” he recalls. Personal stories like Rodrigo Oliveira's marriage proposal in Crete further showcase the deep connections these events foster. “I think it says a lot about the meaning that X-Outposts—and X-Team—have for our X-Teamers,” Henrique shares.
One standout addition is the X-Change, inspired by a moment of cultural sharing during the Santa Marta X-Outpost in 2023. “I noticed that some X-Teamers brought sweets from their home to share with the others. People loved it. I thought it was something nice to turn into an activity,” Henrique recalls. Moments like these underscore the meaningful connections X-Outposts foster.
Looking ahead, Henrique is excited about hosting a meetup in Italy in 2025.
As for uncharted territories, Henrique has a personal dream of hosting an X-Outpost in the snow. “It’s a bit tricky budget-wise and more X-Teamers will need to request it, but that would be really nice to see happen,” he says.
Henrique's meticulous planning and passion for fostering connections make X-Outposts much more than company retreats—they’re opportunities to learn from other X-Teamers while celebrating the diversity and creativity of our global community.
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