2021 has been a banner year for Coterie Insurance. Adding dozens of new team members, landing incredible partnerships, launching new products and features, and holding the very first all-company event, CoterieCon. We were thrilled to slow down a bit the last week of September and bring together our coterie in person for team building, training, and future planning at our first all-company event.
Our team
Getting 100 passionate people who have spent months on Zoom together in person and from all corners of the United States was quite a feat – but an enjoyable one. With the calendar jammed packed with everything from scavenger hunts to collaborative brainstorming, team members reported feeling closer than ever to each other and the company’s Mission.
“CoterieCon was refreshing for so many reasons,” said Diana Hillenmeyer, Operations Manager at Coterie Insurance. “We put our laptops away, let our Zoom links rest, and connected with our colleagues in person! There was an incredible amount of energy in the room on our first day and to have the whole coterie together for the first time was memorable.”
Our culture
The activities and events for the week were created to enhance the objectives of the three-day event which included fostering a shared Mission and decision making, building connections and trust with teammates, and creating a new set of ideas through creative brainstorming.
“CoterieCon was an incredible chance to deepen the connections we’d already established through remote work with virtual game nights, happy hours, and lunches as well as team meetings, but getting to see everyone in the same space and learn about each other in person gave us all a deeper sense of intimacy and familiarity with each other,” said Rafael Roa, Coterie’s VP of People. “It feels like even more of a team now.”
Many team members reported feeling that it was a surreal experience to be able to brainstorm and chat with their teams in person. But more than that, it solidified the fact that we have something very special here. The culture created by the co-founders is based on integrity, passion, intelligence, and humility and it was clear from the event that these values are prioritized by every team member.
Looking ahead
While we have fostered an amazing workforce while working 100% remotely, the value of getting together in person cannot be replaced. We are already planning our next get-together to keep this up!
