By Marianne Edmonds, Co-Founder LOUD Events
Each year, our staff give us their blood, sweat and tears; working long long hours, over weekends and holiday breaks to service our often needy clients. Being a small business of highly emotionally charged women we set out years ago to create a dynamic ultra-fun work environment so that the girls don’t mind being amongst it.
We have a great social programme and in addition set out each financial year with a trip incentive. Having visited Queenstown last year, this year we had planned to take the team to Japan. However two heavily pregnant team members meant for our reconsideration to stay on shore. We kept the destination a secret however being winter we knew that red wine by fireplaces would appeal to all.
Helena (LOUD Events co-founder) and I provided the staff with a packing list and asked them to be at the airport with the destination still a mystery.
Helena and I designed the itinerary to include something for everyone. Landing in Hobart we headed north to luxury seaside accommodation at Piermont at Swansea. The first night included a stunning degustation menu onsite. Waking the next day, we took off for a culinary excursion off the East Coast. Local oysters, scallops, mussels, abalone, mushrooms, local cheeses, local ice-creams and not to mention the 100 stunning wines. We rolled back to Piermont to lie in front of fire to play loads of inappropriate sessions of Cards Against Humanity.
The next day we ventured into Hobart to enjoy the magnificent MONA before sitting down at Frank Restaurant for the meal of a lifetime – right on the harbour. Departing Hobart we headed north to Bicheno to witness the fairy penguins coming in for the evening.
Our last day was spent in Swansea and we headed out early for a full day of a quad biking excursion through the Coles Bay National Park including lunch on the headland. One of the most beautiful places on earth. The day finished off on a peak overlooking the national park with a bonfire and Tassie seafood extravaganza.
Each morning the team would arrive at breakfast to a small gift of thanks – each equipped with a quirky message of thanks.
The trip was designed with a little piece for everyone – culture, nature, food and wine and ultimately an experience the team will never forget and most importantly an experience which enabled our team to hang out with no stress overhead and just be themselves – our sisterhood. The element of surprise throughout the entire trip proved to work perfectly with our team – keeping the anticipation and excitement forefront.
The question is …..where will 2019 take us?
“Each year, the trip we believe reinforces to our staff how much they are valued and provides us with a platform in which we can truly thank them for their hardwork,” said Helena Medhurst.
What the team had to say
“It is like one big road trip with your sisters! For a control freak who likes to know everything it is the one time of the year where everything is a surprise for me. You never know what Marianne and Helena have up their sleeves. My favourite touch from the ladies is the little room gifts with funny notes attached,” Danielle Gadanyi told Spice.
For Laura Condon, the trip was a tick off the bucket list.
“A trip to Tasmania has featured on my bucket list for the last two years and I could not wipe the smile off my face when the retreat was announced at the airport that morning. It was one of the most indulgent and adventurous trips I have ever done and an amazing place to visit, especially with an amazing well deserving bunch of girls you work so closely with, she said.
Fellow team mate Meredith Lambert said the retreat was “the perfect mix of relaxation, interesting activities and hilarious team bonding”.
“It was incredible to spend time just hanging out with everyone outside of our general, hectic, event work environment and reinforce all the brilliant attributes that make LOUD events the truly unique and awesome company it is.”
