Sailing With My Peers: Celebrating 10 Years at Outbrain
At Outbrain, we like celebrating success. One very special tradition for those employees celebrating their 10th work anniversary is to go sailing for several days around the world. The cruise is organized and led by our founders , Yaron and Ori, who themselves skipper the boats! What an experience! Not only embracing the adventure of sailing in the sea, but also sharing the experience with our leaders.
After a decade in the same workplace, colleagues become friends, and spending some time celebrating each other’s professional achievement brings us all together, even more. 97% of our employees approve of our CEOs on Glassdoor, the company dynamic is based on trust and respect, and we know our leaders are guiding us to success. This year has been remarkable; not only has Outbrain celebrated its 15th birthday, but we have gone public too.
If you have already heard about Outbrain’s values, mission, and vision, you might already know the connection between the sea, the lighthouse, and Outbrain. In the words of our founders:
“Our Lighthouse defines why we started the company, as well as where we aspire to progress to, for many years to come. For sailors, a lighthouse is a reference point that guides ships to head in the right direction. Outbrain’s mission, which we call Our Lighthouse, is to create the most meaningful and trustworthy online discovery feeds connecting a person, channel and marketer.”
Outbrain Cultural Manifesto
Let me share my story. I joined Outbrain 11 years ago and I am currently part of the People & Culture team in Netanya. Due to COVID, we had to postpone the sailing trip but finally in June 2021, I set off with 15 other wonderful Outbrainers for the Decade Cruise, this time in Croatia.
Our starting point was a beautiful town called Split, which we reached after long flights from different parts of the world: USA, Slovenia, and Israel. In Split, we met with our sailing friends and the captains – we had three: Yaron, Ori, and Gilad. My husband and I were in the boat with captain Yaron, Hilit and her +1, and Troy. Pretty soon, we set off for a wonderful cruise, spending some hours before our next stop enjoying pleasant conversations, having good laughs, and enjoying delicious coffee on board. In the evening, we reached Hvar, where we docked. We went ashore and enjoyed a delicious dinner together
Our diligent captains got up very early the next morning to prepare the boat for the day of sailing. Some of us who work with Ori and Yaron know how hard-working they are, but seeing them in action was again a reminder about their commitment to their people, to the Outbrain vision, and their striving to offer the best possible experience for their employees.
A big part of the experience is to share meals, cook on board, share anecdotes from our years at Outbrain, listen to music, and enjoy the perfect sea view. On the last night of the cruise, we prepared a joint meal, and of course some cocktails. Each boat brought a dish to celebrate the end of the adventure.
I truly love the people who surround me at Outbrain daily. The fact that all these talented people have stayed in the company for so many years proves how special Outbrain is and the amazing company culture we have. Having such a wonderful experience cruising at sea after a year and a half without flights due to the COVID crisis made the adventure even more special.
Sailing for most of us was a first time experience, and as we like to say at Outbrain, #ExpandYourToolbox, learn something new every day, and stay curious!
Thank you Yaron and Ori for the amazing experience. I will always remember and cherish it!
