Building a strong team spirit and a genuine sense of belonging is never easy. When SiteGround first started, we were a small but ambitious team with a true startup mindset. But how do you preserve that same closeness when there are more than 550 experts, spread across different countries, teams, and generations? That challenge rests largely on the shoulders of our Events team – the people who craft experiences that bring our global community together.
Their work shines brightest during our Team Festivals – the moments when the entire SiteGround family comes together. Today, we’re taking you behind the scenes for an exclusive look at how it all comes together. Meet our Events Managers, who recently led our latest Team Retreat – a special event that unites 500+ SiteGrounders to share hobbies, learn new things, spark ideas, and truly connect.
From wild logistics to heartfelt teamwork, it’s clear that every event has its surprises. Here is what our events look like:
We sat down with them to learn what it really takes to shape SiteGround’s culture through events, and how their roles have evolved as the company has grown.
Q1: To set the stage, what’s something about your job that would surprise people?
Ramelina: I guess it would be the fact that I never get tired of my work. Every time I’m organizing an internal event, I’m genuinely excited to see my colleagues’ smiles. That excitement keeps me going—I’ve never felt exhausted, even when I’m holding flower scissors in my hand, removing vinyl from fences after only three hours of sleep. I truly love every minute of it.
Stanislava: The best thing about organizing events is that you never know what wild idea or unexpected task you’ll get involved in. For example, last year for our Team Festival, we had to find 30 huge water tanks to create a light installation, which led me to research where to rent water containers from! This year, we brought a giant floating SiteGround logo all the way to Greece and installed it in a pool. People are often surprised that all of these diverse projects are handled entirely in-house. And honestly, that’s one of the things I love most about being an Events Manager.
Q2: But beyond the behind-the-scenes hustle, how do these experiences actually shape SiteGround’s culture?
Ramelina: When you look at typical team-building photos or videos from different companies and then compare them to ours, you instantly see the difference. Our motto, “Never Bored. Never Boring.” isn’t just a marketing slogan, but a true reflection of who we are. Everything we create is by us, for us, driven by the creativity and enthusiasm of our colleagues across departments. That’s what makes our events so authentic and full of energy.
Stanislava: SiteGround’s annual Team Festival perfectly captures our team spirit. It brings together collaboration across many departments – Designers, Office managers, IT experts, Social media team and Creative teams, Accounting, Legal, and more. During the festival, it’s our own team members who lead the main workshops like 3D printing, electronics, handicrafts, sports activities, and many others. Despite everyone’s different day-to-day roles, we all become part of the ‘festival crew.’ This approach allows us to create something truly special, and everyone can feel it.
Q3: What’s one story from an event that perfectly captures the spirit of teamwork here?
Ramelina: One story? Impossible. There are dozens of them. However, the fact that we gather every year for a team photo, with all 500+ people coming together, and we’re still not bored from calling out “SiteGround” with broad smiles, speaks for itself.
Q4: How do you measure the success of an internal event?
Stanislava: There are many common event metrics like attendance rates, social media engagement, or post-event surveys. However, since events are inherently emotional, I prefer to focus on the energy that lingers afterward. What I see is people buzzing with excitement – sharing videos, photos, and stories.
And perhaps most importantly, our festivals often spark new friendships. This is especially important for new colleagues, who instantly feel included and connected. I know that from personal experience. When I joined SiteGround, it was just before a team event, and it helped me feel at home from the very start.
Q5: As SiteGround continues to grow, how have the challenges you face as an organizing team changed?
Ramelina: When there were fewer than a hundred people, it was easy to think about what everyone might enjoy. Now, with more than 500 colleagues, we have to focus on what will appeal to the majority, while still making sure each person feels included and seen. That’s a tough balance to strike. But because our events are created by us, for us, and always infused with positivity, the result is inevitably something special.
Stanislava: With such a large and diverse team, it’s impossible to match everyone’s taste in a single event, especially when it comes to the music lineup. But the beauty of SiteGround’s diversity is that it brings so many hidden talents together. So we turn the challenge of diversity into an advantage by including our own colleagues in the lineup. For example, our amazing rock band, made up entirely of SiteGround team members from Tech Support, AI Development, DevOps, and QA teams, rocks the stage every year. We even have DJ sets performed by one of our Product Owners! And one more from the Customer Care team!
Q6: What is the biggest value of investing in memorable internal events?
Ramelina: Truly great internal events are a refreshing boost to our work-life balance. That’s why our team-buildings include a bit of everything – opportunities to learn something new, connect with nature, sing and dance, show your talents, and share your favorite hobbies. You even forget about your smartphone entirely and just enjoy being present with your teammates in real life.
Stanislava: SiteGround events remind me, and hopefully everyone, just how amazing the people we work with every day really are. They’re one of the things that truly set us apart because we pour our hearts into them, just like we do when creating our products and services. In the end, it’s these moments together that genuinely restore my faith in community and humanity in general.
We’ll leave you with a glimpse of the fun: check out our party photo gallery! And here’s a final thought from Ramelina that perfectly captures how our events shape SiteGround’s culture: “Creating only for work doesn’t work for long. You have to play. It’s a voyage, not a destination.”
P.S. Don’t forget to check out our Expert Spotlight series to get an inside look into different SiteGround departments!
