Hey all, this is Steve (second from the left, top row, in the most flattering picture of me on all of the internet). I’m Cartograph’s marketing guy. I normally lurk behind the scenes, but I need to peek out from the curtain on this one to share my thoughts about the (currently in progress) Cartograph 2026 team retreat.

Quick context: I joined the company last year, and this is my first retreat. First time meeting the majority of the team in person.

What I have learned in the last 2.5 days is that being fully remote is not an excuse for a company to have a bad or non-existent culture. This team is physically together 2-ish weeks a year, but when we do congregate it feels extremely comfortable. Even as a relative newbie, it felt like I was getting back together with a bunch of old friends after 6 months apart and not missing a beat.

I don’t think that’s an accident. We talk a lot about the CartoCulture™️, because we take it extremely seriously. What is an after thought at many companies is, as Chris Moe said yesterday, an essential business function. Megan Paz and the rest of the team have carefully and intentionally cultivated these vibes over the last 8 years. Every hire, every team meeting, every digital secret Santa event, and every goofy Slack meme has led to this; a team that legitimately enjoys working (and hanging out) together.

That closeness is what fosters all the collaboration and collective learning that happens here. When I was walking around the sushi restaurant we rented out as a co-working space yesterday, I overheard so many conversations where incredibly smart, incredibly talented Amazon experts were sharing their knowledge with each other. Swapping tips and tricks to make sure every client gets the best service and best results they possibly can. No silos. No hoarding of wisdom to maintain job security. Just a bunch of folks united with a common goal and a sense of camaraderie I don’t think I’ve ever seen in a work environment before.

And then we finished working and played flip cup on a boat.