Strategic Event Planning at GoodData

CHALLENGE

As a late-stage, high-growth SaaS company, my client was experiencing turbulence in its go-to-market (GTM) strategy and facing increasing misalignment within the sales team. Following leadership changes in the sales and finance departments, a disconnect between customer success, product, and sales functions contributed to missed benchmarks and declining morale. Leadership realized the need to regroup, reenergize, and reignite engagement company-wide.


APPROACH

Working closely with the CEO, I was tasked with planning and executing our first-ever overnight offsite company retreat, hosted at a luxury resort in Sonoma, California. The goal was to foster alignment, boost morale, and rebuild trust and excitement across the global team, which included employees from both the San Francisco and Prague offices.


KEY ELEMENTS

• Full logistics and operations management: I coordinated transportation, accommodations, and catering for over 65 employees, negotiating special rates at the MacArthur Place luxury resort to maximize value and create a memorable experience on a tight budget.
• Social and team-building activities: The weekend included a Roaring ’20s themed dinner party, interactive team bonding experiences, and relaxed gatherings around fire pits, providing ample opportunity for employees to reconnect.
• Strategic sessions and presentations: Leadership presentations helped clarify the company’s new GTM strategy, while fostering cross-functional collaboration and ensuring that all teams understood their roles in achieving company objectives.
• Sales-specific alignment: After the main retreat ended, the sales team remained for an additional day of intensive, sales-driven strategy sessions. This included an open Q&A with leadership, giving all team members a platform to voice concerns and rebuild trust.


RESULTS

• 150% increase in outbound sales calls: Following the retreat, the sales team, particularly the BDRs, saw a significant rise in productivity, with a 150% increase in outbound sales calls for several weeks.
• Boost in morale and engagement: The retreat resulted in a measurable increase in employee satisfaction, reflected in post-retreat surveys, which included overwhelmingly positive feedback. Many employees praised the luxurious accommodations, with some noting it was the nicest hotel experience they had ever had.
• Stronger in-office attendance: Previously inconsistent in-office attendance among the sales team noticeably improved after the retreat, as employees felt more connected to the company’s vision and motivated to contribute.
• Higher levels of C-suite alignment: The retreat’s impact was particularly felt in leadership’s ability to present a united and energized front at the board meeting that followed, where they showcased a renewed approach to the company’s sales strategy.
• 15-point increase in Employee NPS: Employee satisfaction and engagement scores rose by 15 points post-retreat, a direct reflection of the event’s success in reenergizing the team.


TAKEAWAYS

The Sonoma retreat not only fostered morale and team cohesion but also provided a critical reset for the GTM strategy. By giving employees, particularly the sales team, the chance to engage directly with leadership and align on key initiatives, we were able to reestablish focus and drive, paving the way for measurable improvements in sales productivity and company-wide engagement.