Why Coming Together Matters
At Curious Plot, we’ve always believed great work happens when people feel connected to our purpose, to our clients and, most importantly, to one another. This year has been a major milestone for us, with 34 new team members onboarded in 2025 and team members located in 20 states as well as an ever-evolving hybrid model that hopefully gives people flexibility without sacrificing connection.
With growth comes this ongoing responsibility not just to deliver exceptional work but to define who we are together. That’s why this year’s All-Agency Meeting, held December 2-4 and themed BE THE ONE, wasn’t just another gathering. It was a commitment to culture, clarity and collective purpose.
Shared Space Amplifies Engagement
One of the most powerful things I witnessed during our week together was how much energy emerges when we’re in the same room. There’s a reason leaders and researchers alike talk about this so consistently.
Research shows meaningful collaboration and connection are among the top reasons people come into the office; it isn’t because they have to but because being together enables brainstorming, social connection and community in ways that virtual work doesn’t fully replace. In fact, shared space can enhance engagement and connection across your whole hybrid workforce, helping teams build trust, spark new ideas and solve complex problems together, all of which are harder to replicate online.
True confession. Yes, we do ask our headquarters team members to come into the office two days a week. I wish we didn’t have to make this a mandate, but the good news is we ask it to be intentional and remind team members regularly that making the time and the space matters. When we choose to show up for one another physically and emotionally, we strengthen the glue that holds our culture together.
Hybrid Isn’t Going Away but It Must Be Intentional
The workplace is no longer a binary choice between office or home but a thoughtfully designed hybrid experience. Industry research shows hybrid work is now embedded in organizational cultures and leaders must shift toward ways of engaging teams that balance results and human connection.
What was very clearly reinforced from our time together in early December is pretty simple and very clear: Relationship building is not optional. When teammates interact face-to-face, whether in shared breakouts, dinner conversations, hallway chats, team exercises or even “dance-offs,” something intangible happens. We become more effective collaborators and more committed to each other’s success. It’s these moments that help new team members feel at home and long-standing team members feel understood and energized.
BE THE ONE and Looking Ahead to 2026
Our theme this year for our annual meeting was BE THE ONE. While we say “theme,” it was so much more than a theme or a slogan and really all about choice: the choice that you will be the one who shows up for others, who sparks possibility and who breaks through logjams rather than waiting for someone else to act. That mindset gets amplified when we are physically and psychologically present for one another. It’s a culture principle.
2026 is going to be a year of even more growth, more change and more opportunity. As we continue to scale across states, clients and disciplines, our culture only will thrive if we design it actively, not passively. Shared space will continue to play a key role because context matters, and so does human presence.
Special Shoutout to Chad Greenway
As we wrapped up our All-Agency Meeting, I found myself reflecting on the impact of our final keynoter. It is not typical of me to call out a “hired speaker” in this way, but Chad Greenway truly earned it. He didn’t just give a speech; he delivered a message that resonated deeply with who we are and who we aspire to be.
Chad, a former linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings and today a successful entrepreneur, reminded us leadership isn’t defined by titles or statistics, it’s defined by character. Long before the accolades, the Pro Bowls and the standout performances on the field, Chad built his reputation on something far more enduring, and that is being a “character-first player.” Those qualities are the same ones we want to see reflected across our agency as we continue to grow: Show up for others. Do the right thing even when no one is watching. Learn from every experience. And stay true to who you are.
Chad, thank you for closing out our week with such honesty, energy and authenticity. Your message reinforced everything we believe about leadership and everything we aim to cultivate in our culture heading into 2026.
Closing Thought
Thank you, Curious Plot team. Thank you for showing up, for leaning in and for carrying that energy back into our clients and teams. Our culture is stronger when we intend for it to be. That means not just working together but truly connecting whether virtually, in our local hubs or at future gatherings.
Let’s carry the spirit of BE THE ONE into every day of 2026.
Together. With intention. With presence. With purpose.