Case Study
How Ethos transformed post-IPO momentum into lasting team alignment.
Ninety-four employees stepped away from the demands of one of the biggest moments in the company’s history and returned more connected, energized, and aligned than when they arrived.
94
Team Members
2
(U.S. & India)
1
Shared Direction After Going Public
Client
Ethos
Duration
4 days
Location
Boulder, CO
Number of people
94 employees
The Challenge
What Was Getting in the Way
Ethos is a technology-driven life insurance company focused on making financial protection faster, simpler, and more accessible. After finally going public, Ethos brought 94 employees together in Boulder for a retreat designed to help the team prepare for its next chapter.
The challenge wasn’t finding a place to meet. It was helping people step away from months of relentless execution, celebrate what they’d accomplished, and reconnect with one another after an intense period of growth. Leadership didn’t want another offsite filled with presentations and conference rooms. They wanted an experience that would restore energy, strengthen relationships across teams, and create genuine alignment around where the company was headed next.
The biggest question was whether a retreat centered on nature and shared experiences could accomplish what another strategy meeting couldn’t: helping people slow down, reconnect as humans first, and return to work with fresh perspective and renewed momentum.
“This was Ethos’ best retreat ever!”
Peter Colis, CEO
The Approach
What We Did Together
Together, Wilder and Ethos chose Boulder for its unique blend of outdoor access, walkability, and meeting infrastructure. The destination made it easy to combine meaningful work with experiences that encouraged people to connect in ways they wouldn’t have inside a conference room.
The centerpiece was a company-wide orienteering challenge through the Flatirons. Small teams navigated the trails together, working through challenges that encouraged collaboration, communication, and problem-solving outside the office. Those conversations didn’t end on the mountain. They flowed directly into a hackathon, where ideas from the day’s experience became tangible solutions before everyone headed home.
The rest of the retreat followed the same philosophy. Shared dinners on Pearl Street gave the team time to unwind together in one of Boulder’s most vibrant neighborhoods, while a privately guided stargazing experience offered a quiet way to end the day that felt very different from the typical conference-room retreat.
Behind the scenes, Wilder managed the planning, logistics, and on-site execution, allowing the Ethos team to focus entirely on being present with one another.
The Outcome
What Changed
By the end of the retreat, a company that had been focused on reaching one milestone had the chance to celebrate it together and begin thinking about the next.
“Honestly, we’re still on a high from this event. It worked really well, our people were happy, our exec team was happy. So much so that the execs were asking, ‘Should we just do it here again?’ It was that great, that easy, that beautiful, that seamless. That’s a kudos to Wilder and their team.”
Allyson Savage, VP of Communications, Ethos
Retreat Details
Objective
Renewal & Alignment
Industry
Insurance / Insurtech
Retreat Type
Company Retreat
Peak Activities
Flatirons Orienteering + Hackathon
Private Guided Stargazing Experience
Pickleball Tournament
Service Used
Full Retreat Design & Planning
Local Cultural Immersion
Organizational Values Alignment
Onsite Retreat Management
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Results at a Glance
A post-IPO retreat that balanced celebration with strategy
Nearly 100 employees connected through shared experiences
Strengthened connections across teams through shared challenges
A retreat designed around connection, not conference rooms
Created momentum for the company’s next chapter
A new model for what company retreats could look like