A successful premiere: SuiteCamp 2022

The place? Gremmelin, North-East Germany. The time? Early September 2022. The reason? 10 years of SuitePad. We are looking back on the first-ever SuiteCamp.

Goodbye city, hello countryside

It feels like a school trip when the SuitePad team heads out to the bus on Wednesday afternoon, their suitcases full of anticipation.

Did we forget anything? Who do we sit next to? What can we expect?

Slowly but surely, we leave Berlin’s bustling Checkpoint Charlie behind and take the autobahn north. SuiteCamp is calling — and with it the promise of three days of "workation" in the countryside.

Our destination is Gut Gremmelin, on the edge of the Mecklenburg Lake District. And that's about as much as anyone knows at this point.

Good vibes at Gut Gremmelin

A few hours later, our bus pulls up in front of the impressive yellow manor. You can tell there's much history hidden inside its walls.

Once the family residence of a wealthy landowner, it served as a Russian military hospital post-1945 and was left to decay afterward.

An elaborate renovation in the mid-90s brought it back to life. Since then, Gut Gremmelin has been welcoming guests who long for a time off by the water.

Just like we do. To make the most of it, we use the time post-arrival to walk through the spacious grounds, swing under the old tree, and swim in the lake.

Then, in the evening, we enjoy a delicious barbecue and cozy up by the campfire, looking up at the sky in disbelief.

You just don't get such magnificent starry nights in Berlin!

Four fun workshops

The following day starts with a breath of fresh air. Some go on an early morning run, others jump into the cold lake. And some catch their breath making it just in time for the breakfast deadline after hitting the snooze button too often.

A healthy breakfast is much needed because all of Thursday is dedicated to learning. The team splits into four groups, each attending a full-day workshop.

We are spoiled for choice between:

1. Stress and Resilience

The first workshop — lovingly called the yoga workshop by some — focuses on resilience's meaning and its most critical dimensions. Anne Vichel explains how they strengthen well-being and vitality and how daily routines and personal resources can help. The beautiful late summer weather makes the relaxation exercises on the jetty that much more relaxing.

2. Storytelling

"Everyone has something important to say, but not everyone knows how to say it." Juliana Hahn explains to the second group how to find good stories, edit them in a meaningful way and tell them excitingly. Of course, all participants are to get creative themselves and share stories of a day in the life of a SuitePad.

3. Rhetoric

What do Annelie Herwig and Steve Jobs have in common? Both know how to present themselves and their messages well. By the end of the day, the participants of the third workshop also do. After all, they received video feedback on their eye contact, body language, pausing technique, and statement structure. A great challenge with great added value!

4. Personality and Collaboration

Every organization grows with and because of the people who work in it. Johanna Oppermann reflects on the different personality types at SuitePad. She explains how they best communicate, especially in a multicultural context. After numerous exercises, this group knows each other inside and out.

Work hard, play hard

After a full day of work, many good reasons exist to celebrate — the best being SuitePad's 10-year-anniversary.

#10SuiteYears

In the course of the "workation", we have already heard anecdotes and seen pictures. So now, we're adding to them with a big birthday bash.

Following dinner, the tables are cleared away, and everyone is ready to hit the dancefloor. We boogie to the DJ playing the greatest hits of the past ten years (at least).

And yes: the whole team went full steam ahead on the celebration.

Back to Berlin

The following day, however, everyone was running out of steam. Many use the generously extended breakfast time up to the last minute. For the final team building, everyone gathers one last time in front of the impressive facade of Gut Gremmelin.

The task is to create a particularly spectacular domino experience. To great applause, the colorful stones fall onto the lawn — followed by everyone stumbling onto the bus, ready to head back to the capital.

What a trip it was! If you want to be part of the next one, you should look at our open positions.

It's great fun to be part of this diverse, creative, and somewhat crazy bunch!

Copyright: Peter Akselson, Benedikt Jonas, Tilmann Volk
_{Published on September 8, 2022}