Campfire Company | Futureform Retreat in Monte Isola, Italy

THE SCREEN-SIZED GAP

For Futureform, a boutique Salesforce consultancy, the primary challenge was not technical, but cultural. Having expanded from a modest team of nine to nearly fifty members in just a few years, they were searching for ways to ensure that their vibrant, very personal culture would remain as strong as it had been - despite embracing increasingly remote ways of working.

“We didn’t know what to expect from the retreat, but it quickly became clear: it didn’t just bring the team closer, it created momentum we could feel after returning to work.”

CAMPFIRE COMPANY TEAM

CEO AT LOREM IPSUM

OWNING THE ISLAND

The mission was to bridge this digital divide by physically gathering the team—many of whom were new starters—on a secluded Italian island to celebrate their sixth anniversary. The objective was to create beautiful memories that only can develop when a team does something like "owning" an island together for three days.

SANDSTONE AND SILK

The atmosphere on Monte Isola was one of lived-in history meeting modern celebration. The scent of ancient stone and lake water permeated the Medieval Hall, where workshops were held under vaulted ceilings.

DAY TO NIGHT TRANSFORMATION

By day, the team navigated the steep, narrow paths of the village in t-shirts and jeans, the air filled with the sounds of a competitive scavenger hunt and the hum of private ferries crossing the water. As the sun dipped behind the mountains, the mood shifted. The casual daytime attire was traded for floor-length dresses and tailored suits for a gala dinner in the olive garden. Thousands of fairy lights tangled in the branches of the trees, casting a soft, golden glow over the long tables as live music drifted through the warm evening air.

THE BLUEPRINT OF BELONGING

The journey was designed as a gradual immersion into the local environment. It began with the tactile: high-quality canvas totes and enamel mugs provided a physical anchor to the event from the moment of arrival. The programme avoided the claustrophobia of typical corporate retreats by favouring the outdoors. A workshop in the castle's historic hall provided the necessary professional grounding, but the true "work" of the retreat happened elsewhere.

SHARED EXPERIENCE AS FOUNDATION

The team bonded over the shared absurdity of a village-wide scavenger hunt and the quiet intimacy of a boat tour around the island’s perimeter. On the final day, a guided hike through the island's interior served as a metaphorical "climb" together, punctuated by local anecdotes and shared physical effort. Every meal was an intentional touchpoint, from the informal terrace breakfasts to the four-course formal finale, ensuring that the remote team spent their limited in-person time in a constant state of shared experience.