Publica, How to maintain a good company culture during rapid growth

A very precious culture

Publica is an ad tech startup that provides technology to companies like Paramount, AMC, Fox, MLB, and Samsung.

The company was founded in 2016 and acquired by a large public company in 2021 (NASDAQ: IAS). As a bootstrapped company, the company had to put a lot of effort into getting off the ground. This was made possible by a dedicated team of hungry, young individuals who were willing to go the extra mile.

As a result of these difficult times, a sense of grind and community developed and the team became extremely united. Eventually, after the company became successful, their staff grew to 30 and new high-profile individuals were hired.

It was imperative to maintain the culture that made Publica successful in its early days, but it was not an easy task given this rapid expansion climate. Also, it was an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate what had just happened.

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Planning something special

As soon as travel restrictions were lifted, Publica's CEO, Ben, decided to plan an event for his team members to get to know each other, celebrate all of their successes to date and talk about the company's vision for the future.

As a firm believer in company retreats, Benjamin thinks they will play a vital role in shaping the company's culture.

“Covid has proven the effectiveness of remote work. However, it is nearly impossible to create a bond over zoom. (...) From the feedback I’ve gathered, that is what employees truly want.” Benjamin Antier - CEO Publica

Their goal was to plan an event that would stand out, but they had strict budget and timeline requirements. As soon as they realized they lacked the knowledge and experience to pull off such a feat, they realized they needed help.

How do you plan an event that your employees will never forget?

Is there a place where 30 people can meet that is close to an airport and has a lot of fun activities nearby? After a few days of searching, they couldn't find anything interesting.

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Opting for peace of mind

Three criteria led them to choose TeamOut for venue sourcing and event planning:

Reliability/Quality

“By working with TeamOut you know you will provide an unforgettable experience to your team on every level. Every detail has been thought through and verified to provide the best Team Retreat experience possible to every employee.”

Time-efficiency

TeamOut reduces considerably the amount of prep-work you need to put in.

Budget

TeamOut allowed us to get access to a premium venue with amazing activities at an affordable price.

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A unique trip in Mexico

They wanted to hold a retreat outside of the US and after exploring their options and consulting with our trip designers, they chose an option in Mexico's Playa de Carmen.

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Mahekal Beach Resort

Mahekal Beach Resort is an all-inclusive resort and one of the first hotels established in Playa del Carmen. This unique property offers incredible amenities, making it the perfect place for a company retreat. It is 45 minutes from Cancun Airport, which has direct flights to all major US cities.  While still being reasonably priced, the hotel set a high standard of quality.

It has 195 rooms spread over a large jungle area. It has three delicious restaurants on site that cater to all dietary restrictions, as well as large meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 195 people.

One of the perks of staying in Playa Del Carmen is the wide variety of team-building activities available. From buggy excursions to exploring Cenotes, horseback riding on the beach to attending a Cirque du Soleil show at night, there are more things to do than you could ever imagine. The activities range from adventures to low impact activities, making it extremely inclusive for all teams.

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The itinerary

Since Publica was on site for four days, our team crafted an agenda they would remember.

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See full itinerary here.

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Work. Retreat. Repeat

This retreat was an absolute success, according to Benjamin:

“After the retreat I noticed an increase in team interactions, improved communication, and overall happiness across the org.”

In the end, Ben accomplished his mission. He created an event that his team will remember and set a foundation for what the company culture will be like for the rest of the new hires to follow.

In addition, he shared some of their impressions of working with TeamOut:

“They are a great team, professional and fun to work with.”

“The event was pretty much completely stress-less at every level”

“My employees will remember this trip for years to come”

Benjamin and his team are already planning their next retreat with TeamOut, this time with 75 participants. Stunning growth for Publica!

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