At OpenTent, one very important component in our work is trust. Not just the trust between us and our clients—but the trust between teammates. The kind that lets us solve hard problems together, offer support when things get tough, and go above and beyond. And in a remote-first world, building that connection requires intention, consistency, and care.

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Above and Beyond, Without Being Asked

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Every week at OpenTent, something quietly remarkable happens. A teammate solves a tricky client problem with elegance. Someone delivers something amazing without needing to be told. A client experiences a personal crisis—like losing their home in a fire—and our team's immediate response is "What can we do for them?"

There's no policy for this. No checklist. It just happens. Our team shows up consistently and rises to the occasion. 

Why? Because we hire people who genuinely care. People who are wired to think relationally. And once they're here, we surround them with a small, stable group of teammates who work together daily—not in silos, not across faceless departments, but together. In a pod. Like a team.

As Seth Godin puts it: "People like us do things like this."

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Why Rituals Matter — Tea & Toast Weekly Meetings

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We believe that culture isn't just created during the hard moments. It's created during the small, intentional ones too.

Every Monday, we host Tea & Toast, a 30-minute all-company gathering that blends company updates with a bit of play. There's music, laughter, games, and it ends with a toast—literally. We all raise a glass (or mug) to something meaningful in the week ahead.

Some business executives might wonder: Isn't that just a distraction? Shouldn't every hour supposed to be billable?

We'd argue the opposite.

Moments like Tea & Toast are a strategic investment—in morale, in retention, in creativity, in better client service. That 30 minutes a week is a small cost for a very big return.

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We Actually Want More of Ourselves at Work

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Every quarter we ask our team: "When did you feel most connected to others this past quarter?"

Almost every time, the response is: "When we went through something hard together." A big launch. A tight deadline. A weekend push. A never-been-done-before project.

People like rising to the occasion—together. They love the crunch, the flow, the sense that we're doing something ambitious. They don't want to coast. They want to grow. And while we're careful not to overdo it (we check in often), we also believe that challenge, when supported well, creates meaning. It builds pride. It bonds people

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‍Fewer Clients. Deeper Relationships. Better Work.

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We intentionally avoid what we call "client stuffing." Our team isn't juggling 20+ accounts. We don't believe in maxing out capacity just because we can.

Humans can only hold so many truly high-quality relationships at once. And deep client partnerships—the kind that lead to transformative work—take time, presence, and brain space.

We turn away potential clients often. We're selective not because we're exclusive, but because we want our team to have the margin to do exceptional work—and enjoy doing it.

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‍Bridging the Digital Divide

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‍We love being a Work From Anywhere company. It allows us hire amazing people wherever they live. It allows our team to prioritize family, community, and flexibility.

But we also acknowledge the limitations of remote work.

There's real science behind it—your brain's mirror neurons, which help you connect and empathize, only fully activate when a person's face is about 80% life-size. On Zoom, that rarely happens. Which is why a day full of Zooms can feel… exhausting and empty.

To keep connection alive, we bring the team together in person when we can. Not just to work—but to spend time with each other. Because when you've laughed with someone over dinner, taken a long walk, or shared stories about your real life, connecting for your weekly virtual strategy session feels more joyful. Teammates genuinely want to show up and help each other. 

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Our Vision For The Future of Work

We believe in a future where work feels fundamentally human. Not just functional. Not just profitable. Not just efficient. Human.

We're building toward a workplace where people aren't reduced to pixels in a meeting grid, but are recognized as whole beings with dreams, challenges, and brilliance to share. Where your teammates know what lights you up and check in when you seem off.

When people feel truly seen—not just for their output but for who they are—they bring their full selves to work. Their creativity. Their courage. Their care.

The truth is, we're in a constant state of figuring this out as we go. Some days we nail it. Other days we miss the mark. But we keep showing up, keep listening, keep adjusting.

When we get it right—when we truly come together across physical distance and digital spaces—something magical happens. People don't just do their jobs. They invest. They innovate. They care deeply about outcomes. They don't just stay. They belong.

And that feeling of belonging is the foundation that everything else is built upon.