“No Slide Decks, Just Aperol”: Qwello’s Joy-Fuelled Summer Celebration in Italy

The Vision: A Big, Bold, Bonding Experience

After a year of cross-border growth in the EV charging industry, Qwello didn’t want a working offsite. They wanted a four-day celebration of the people who made that success possible.

No decks. No meeting rooms. No strategy sessions. Just movement, music, creativity, and connection across one sun-soaked Italian estate. Summer camp for grownups, you could call it.

The only problem? Their People & Culture team was burned out from managing earlier (smaller) retreats solo. This time, they wanted to be in the retreat, not managing it. That’s where we came in. They’d worked with us before and came back knowing we could handle the logistics, so they could focus on their team.

The Challenge: A Venue With No Built-In Support

Qwello had a very specific vision and a short list of non-negotiables:

Full buyout of the venue
Set dates in the high season (June)
Interesting activities, both onsite and nearby
Straightforward access from major airport (Milan)
Exceptional food

We found them their dream setting: a secluded estate surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills. It had the charm. It had the view. But it had no infrastructure - no event staff, no transport, no AV support - and it definitely wasn’t built to host 100 people over four days of multi-track activities.

So we transformed it. We brought the crew, the systems, and the structure to make it run.

The Experience: A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Celebration

They wanted luxury. So we designed a statement welcome reception. It was a private dinner at very fancy winery estate. No pesky tourists. Just the team, the vines, and a slow and authentic winery.

The programming was strictly all fun and no work. And better yet, the team had the choice of not going on the scheduled activity. So, if it wasn’t for you, you had the option of lounging by the pool.

A Taste of the Highlights…

Paddle Showdown

A 50-person paddle competition turned into an unexpected high point. Surprisingly competitive, completely hilarious, and impossible to script.

River Adventures

Canyoning, river hikes, and cliff jumps delivered adrenaline and team-wide bonding.

These activities topped the feedback charts, not just for the thrill, but for the sense of shared accomplishment.

A Day of Creativity

After the river adventures, the team craved balance. So we created a slower onsite day—no gear, no adrenaline, just art, laughter, and space to create.

Everyone chose a craft—pottery, painting, drumming, or cooking—and in small circles the conversations deepened. The laughs remained, but were joined by stories and reflections.

It wasn’t about performance, but presence—and each person found their own rhythm.

People having dinner at Tri Šešira in Belgrade

Evenings to Remember

As the sun went down, things lit up. Karaoke by the pool (complete with fairy lights and a few surprise ballads), intimate dinners under the stars, and late-night laughter made for the retreat’s emotional peaks.

Some teammates chose the adventure. Others chose to rest. That’s what made it work. Because this wasn’t a retreat built for performance, it was built for presence. And everyone, in their own way, found it.

Behind the Scenes: Making the Magic Run

And while it all felt seamless to the Qwello team, the smooth surface was supported by constant motion behind the scenes. Our crew:

Coordinated 4+ offsite and onsite activities daily
Managed all transport logistics across rural terrain
Filled staffing gaps left by the venue
Handled last-minute medical needs and vendor changes
Designed and executed special moments: surprise birthdays, themed decor zones, and activity transitions
Worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Qwello’s People & Culture team as embedded allies

The Difference: From Overwhelmed to Fully Present

This wasn’t Qwello’s first retreat. In past years, the internal team handled everything. But with a hundred people on site and dozens of moving parts, that model was no longer sustainable.

“Now that we have a partner who we can rely on, I can be not only physically there but also mentally there, and actually bond and interact with my colleagues.”

Anca

People & Culture

That shift - from firefighting to fully participating - was the core transformation. OnsiteHub didn’t just execute the plan. We enabled the team behind the team to step into the experience they created.

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“They know what we want. They know what the team wants,” said Ines. “And they help us make sure every part of the retreat feels personalized.”

The Outcome: Deep connection & joy at full volume

By the final evening, the feedback was clear: this retreat hit the mark.

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The team felt recharged, reconnected, and celebrated. They walked away with stories, inside jokes, and renewed momentum, proof that culture isn’t built in the boardroom. It’s built beside the pool, by the fire, on a riverbank, or at the mic after a second glass of wine.

“The team comes back recharged and ready to take on new challenges,” said Anca. “They work better together and they have more fun finalizing projects together.”

It was a celebration only Qwello could dream up. And a retreat only OnsiteHub could deliver.

Key Outcomes

The Qwello Team Retreat 2025 received outstanding feedback, with exceptionally high ratings across all key aspects of the event — from overall experience to organization and team bonding.

Overall experience

99%

Rated it an excellent experience

Organization & logistics

97%

Found them to be extremely well-organized

Agenda clarity

96%

Totally agreed it was clear and helpful

Impact on team bonding & collaboration

97%

Felt it significantly strengthened connections

The Bottom Line

This wasn’t just a beautiful retreat, it was a logistical masterpiece. One that the venue simply couldn’t support on its own. Our team made it happen.

If you’re planning something ambitious in a location that isn’t built for complexity, you need more than a coordinator. You need a partner.

We’ll be there. Boots on the ground, radios in hand, making the impossible look effortless.