Campus Vacations Joins Verve!
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Campus Vacations Joins Verve! Find out how we're Which members Kritsen Rowsey Want to find out using therapy to of the leadership tells us all about why Community be our best! team are you? Fall Break fun! are our warriors? V E R V E ’ S M O N T H LY M A G A Z I N E • O C TO B E R I S S U E
CONTENTS We're bringing you this issue fashionably late (as usual)... THIS MONTHS 1. Editors Letter 01 MAGAZINE 2. New Starters 02 ...however to make up for it we have something for everyone, from the sublime (coaching and therapy), to the ridiculous (things Jack TEAM 3. Interview with Justin Van Camp 10 and Ted would never say) and everything inbetween.... 4. Why coaching matters 14 CHARLES BARNARD This issue's big exciting story is that we have a new Canadian 5. Therapy at Verve 16 WHAT IS FALL BRE AK? - P10 office! Campus Vacations is now part of the team and they could GEORGE POWELL 6. A Crash Course in Design Thinking 20 not be a nicer bunch (of course they couldn't, they're Canadian) - its AL ANA PEREZ amazing to have them as part of the team! 7. The Warriors of Verve - Community 22 CAISIE DILKS 8. Kristen tells us about Fall Break 26 And also thank you to everyone who reached out about wanting ELINA MEIMANE to be part of this month's issue - you can see from the team list that 9. Caisie takes us to ADE Dance Event 28 we had a new mix of contributors - slack me (@annebedi) if you'd GEORGIA OWEN 10. #Whatup from Team Hamburg 30 like to be part of next months issue! WHY COACHING M AT TERS - P20 JOE MARTIN 11. Charles Whirlwind Adventure 32 JOE STEVENS 12. The Sports Squad 36 ANNE BEDI KRISTEN ROWSEY 13. Wired 40 EDITOR ORL ANDO BAEZA 14. My Set of the summer 42 VIVIENNE SUNG 15. High Five 44 FROM TE A M HA MBURB - P36 THE DESIGN TEAM 16. Which member of the leadership team are you quiz? 46 17. Interview with Orlando 51 18. Lock-ins 52 19. What else is happening? 54 20. And other stories 56 21. Things jack and ted would never say 58 MATTHEW KENDALL GRANT BARRATT CHARLES WHIRLWIND ADVENTURE - P40 ii Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 1
NEW STARTERS Marjorie Love Conway Mary Montgomery Phoebe Gash David Kroes Megan Wright Jesse Owens Orlando Baeza Gary Rosoff Account Manager II Office Manager Software Engineer Intern All things people Assistant Salesforce Administrator VP of Marketing VP of Business Development Community - Los Angeles People & Talent - Los Angeles Engineering - London People & Talent - Los Angeles Office of CEO - London Sales - Las Vegas Marketing - Los Angeles Inventory and Business Development- Los Angeles Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met Who’s the most famous in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? person you’ve ever seen/met Hugh Hefner. At one of my I managed a restaurant in The most famous person I’ve Allen Ginsburg — he Most famous person I’ve met: I met Kylie Minogue once after I have worked in and around in real life? previous jobs, we threw 3 WeHo near the Hills so we got met by a long way is Ralph autographed my orange. The one and only Stone Cold my friend randomly lent his lifestyle culture my whole Kobe Bryant, Shaq, John Elway, parties a year at the Playboy a lot of celeb types in constantly. Fiennes (aka Voldemort) - he Steve Austin, Oddly dead chihuahua to her when she was career so this is tough. Kobe? Robin Williams (Funny Oscars Mansion and I got to interact Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, came to do an interview at What is your favourite handsome IRL. recording an album in the UK. LeBron? Lenny Kravitz? Jonah story) with Hef each time. He was a Kristen Bell, Michael Vartan, my school. He was incredibly swear word? Bit of a long story. Hill? Michael B Jordan? James really sweet man. Joss Whedon, Zach Braff, Alex engaging and I was totally ‘Butt-rash fungus’ What is your favourite Franco? Rihanna? Nas? I’ve What is your favourite Pettyfer, and Tyra Banks were starstruck. Coming in close (I type, smiling). swear word? What is your favourite been around a few different swear word? What is your favourite all regulars. My biggest fan second was when I was about The F word, waaaay too much. swear word? people along the way. :) For Fuck Sake. swear word? girl moment came when Tom 6 years old and Katy Hill from If you had to wear one piece of ''Twat'' - I always thought it's By far Fuck is my favorite cuss Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie Blue Peter came to Cyprus clothing that you currently own had a great ring to it. What is your favourite If you had to wear one piece of If you had to wear one piece of word. Use it on the daily. came in for dinner one random (where I lived at the time) to fly for the rest of your life, what swear word? clothing that you currently own clothing that you currently own night. I came around their table with the Red Arrows. I got to would it be and why? Shit. No, it’s probably fuck. Shit, for the rest of your life, what for the rest of your life, what If you had to wear one piece of “checking up” on them so often hold her hand as we walked did I fuck this up already?! would it be and why? If you had to wear one piece of My Apple Watch — it talks to would it be and why? clothing that you currently own Hugh Laurie invited me to sit across an airfield. clothing that you currently own me! Pyjamas - really don’t for the rest of your life, what My Baseball Hoodie. down with them and have a If you had to wear one piece of for the rest of your life, what understand why people actively would it be and why? glass of wine to relax. I accepted. What is your favourite clothing that you currently own would it be and why? chose to wear anything other I absolutely love my watch. I've swear word? for the rest of your life, what My grey hoodie shirt. It’s than pyjamas at home. only recently started wearing What is your favourite When ‘wank’ is used adjectivally. would it be and why? comfortable and I can rock it it, but it's quite satisfying not to swear word? Basketball shorts because it’s casually or dress it up a bit. have to find your phone and Far and away - Cunt. If you had to wear one piece of eternally comfortable and also get distracted by a tonne of Americans can be super uptight clothing that you currently own functional. I like versatility, ha! messages when you just need about that word but I think it’s for the rest of your life, what the time. just great. would it be and why? Tricky because you’d need If you had to wear one piece of to account for the seasons… clothing that you currently own imagine wearing a hoodie for the rest of your life, what in the summer we just had… would it be and why? Maybe a hat? I could cope with wearing a hat for the rest of Probably my Frye boots. Does my life. that count? They’re super comfy, durable and badass. I feel like I can do anything in those boots. Basically, I am answering this question “in the event of a zombie apocalypse what would I wear...” 2 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 3
NEW STARTERS CAMPUS VACATIONS Patrick Guido Arminio Anja Bexelius Paul Monk Evan Fonfa Justin Van Camp Alex Handa Eugene Winer Corinna Howard Software Engineer II Senior Sales Manager Software Engineer I Accountant II Leading our outside sales team Advisor Advisor Senior Manager of Events ops & Program Development Engineering - London Sales - London Engineering - London Finance and Legal - Las Vegas Sales – Toronto Sales – Toronto Sales – Toronto Events Operations - Toronto Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who is the mot famouse person Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met you’ve ever seen in real life person you’ve ever seen/met Who’s the most famous in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? Dalai Lama and Jane Goodall in real life? person you’ve ever seen/met I briefly worked with the I went to a Christmas dinner with Most famous person I’ve ever When I was in Los Angeles Eugene Winer. - its a tie Nelson Mandela. in real life? current wife of Chris Wood a client of mine and surprisingly met is Dennis Rodman, NBA recently I saw Larry David What’s your favourite swear David Duchovny, I was an extra (Bastille’s drummer), she was one of the owners and also the Hall of Famer. I met Dennis at a walking out of a hotel I was What is your favourite word? What is your favourite on site. kind enough to give me and biggest actor in Sweden, Mikael pool party in Las Vegas a few staying in. I happened to be swear word? swear word? I’m very proper, I never swear, What is your favourite two friends tickets for Bastille’s Persbrandt, joined us. years ago. An interesting guy... getting in my car at the same Merde. Calisse Tabarnak. anyone can vouch for that. swear word? concert in Rome a few years a giant of a man. time and was following behind ago. What is your favourite his Tesla for a few blocks. I kept If you had to wear one piece of Câlice or the classic Fuck. What is your favourite thinking how he would be the If you had to wear one piece of If you had to wear one piece of swear word? clothing that you currently own What is your favourite swear word? best/worst person to get in a clothing that you currently own clothing that you currently own Huvva! for the rest of your life, what If you had to wear one piece of swear word? car accident with! for the rest of your life, what for the rest of your life, what Hmm, the word f*ck tends would it be and why? clothing that you currently own would it be and why? would it be and why? Shit. to come to mind, purely for My Garmin Watch - gotta count for the rest of your life, what If you had to wear one piece of What is your favourite A warm jacket! My underwear, to spare the versatility. Although I’m not sure those miles and calories. would it be and why? clothing that you currently own swear word? I don't like being cold. world from having to look at If you had to wear one piece of I really have a favorite, I think it’s for the rest of your life, what my furry buttocks and bullocks The large Adidas sweater clothing that you currently own situational. However I’m trying Fuck. It never gets old. would it be and why? all day I accidentally stole from a for the rest of your life, what to cut down on the swearing. I would move someplace If you had to wear one piece of SnowJam passenger, because would it be and why? warmer and walk around in If you had to wear one piece of clothing that you currently own it's crazy comfy. Nike shorts and t-shirt, they one of my tunics all day. clothing that you currently own for the rest of your life, what super comfy and look really for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? nice :) would it be and why? Probably my black jeans. I An overcoat. Warm, functional, wear them multiple times a durable and never goes out week anyway, and I think they of fashion. Although if global are appropriate for many warming continues this may not occasions. be the smartest pick! 4 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 5
NEW STARTERS CAMPUS VACATIONS Danielle Jones Emily Tsinkas Megan Boese Mallorie Ihnat Leigh Kane Shelby Bolitsky Patrick Whearty Cheryl Myerscough Agent Senior Agent Account Manager Senior Agent Senior Agent Event Operations Coordinator Agent 2 Events Operations Coordinator Sales – Toronto Sales – Toronto Sales – Toronto Sales - Toronto Sales - Toronto Sales Toronto Sales - Toronto Events Operations – Toronto Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? I worked as an assistant I met Lil Jon in Cancun on I met Mary-Kate and Ashley Justin Timberlake. Lebron James. I've met Skrillex. Dave portnoy (owner of Owen Wilson, while shopping at to a publicist for Toronto Spring Break! Olsen during an interview they barstool sports) Third Street Promenade. International Film Festival. One did with MTV when I was in What is your favourite What is your favourite What is your favourite of my favourite (and slightly What is your favourite high school... A friend and I swear word? swear word? swear word? What is your favourite What is your favourite embarrassing) memories swear word? waited all morning, crouched Not sure if this is a swear word Go Fuck Yourself! Fuck. swear word? swear word? would be when I delivered I don’t really say it a lot but I up on the streets of Toronto in a but I use ‘tits’ a lot lol. Don’t have a favorite, try not to Fuckface. the wrong lunch orders to Jake think the word cunt is funny. line that was wrapped around swear that much but I guess it Gyllenhaal and his assistant. the block. We were able to be If you had to wear one piece of If you had to wear one piece of If you had to wear one piece of would be “shit”. on set while they were filming, clothing that you currently own clothing that you currently own If you had to wear one piece of If you had to wear one piece of clothing that you currently own What is your favourite that’s the day all my childhood for the rest of your life, what for the rest of your life, what clothing that you currently own clothing that you currently own for the rest of your life, what swear word? dreams came true. would it be and why? would it be and why? If you had to wear one piece of for the rest of your life, what for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? My Hat. My velour hoodie because it's clothing that you currently own would it be and why? Fuck. would it be and why? What is your favourite My roots sweatpants, they are literally the comfiest piece of for the rest of your life, what Red flannel shirt Definitely my sweat pants the definition of comfy, you would it be and why? swear word? clothing I've ever owned. If you had to wear one piece of because they are so comfy. can only get them in Canada! Fuck ‑ I still remember looking it Denim blue express t shirt. clothing that you currently own They’re perfect for the cottage, up in the dictionary for the first for the rest of your life, what sleeping or lounging around on time as a kid.. would it be and why? a lazy Sunday. As a Canadian I should If you had to wear one piece of probably like the cold or at clothing that you currently own least be used to it, but that’s for the rest of your life, what not the case and I am always would it be and why? complaining I am freezing! So Can i pick my hair scrunchie? I would choose my Lazypants If not - I would have to say my sweatsuit. There is nothing fave pair of PJ’s for optimal softer, comfier and warmer in comfort. my wardrobe. 6 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 7
NEW STARTERS CONTRACTORS Steve Jalim Pauline Richey Sheila Htin-Kyaw Arthur Azis Paul Annett Software Engineer Senior Product Manager Software Engineer Intern Paralegal Principle Product Designer Engineering - London Product - London Engineering - London Finance and Legal - London Design - London Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met person you’ve ever seen/met in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? in real life? My secret super-power is Chris Hadfield - astronaut. The actor Tim Roth has bought Bradley Cooper once I once worked with Beyoncé. saying dumb stuff to celebs. Not famous to everyone but me a drink. We were chatting accidentally poured a beer he was a commander on to a friend who was working on my head at Glastonbury What is your favourite Exhibit A: Me, on deadline, the ISS (International Space behind the bar at the Lizard (he apologised - we are all swear word? during my first job as a Station) - he got Twitter famous Lounge in Paris and Tim joined good now). At the moment it has to be the journalist: “Which [bad word] particularly for performing us. There was some small talk one my 9 year old recently idiot stole my [bad word] chair!?” Bowie’s Space Oddity whilst in but he was most interested in What is your favourite came out with – “What the Jeremy Clarkson: “Er, me.” space. Very cool and interesting my boyfriend’s native country, swear word? fudgecake?!” Wheels it back over and sits on human. Burma/Myanmar. CHRISTMAS NIGHT! ‘cause it the edge of a desk instead. doesn’t really make sense and If you had to wear one piece of What is your favourite What is your favourite it makes me laugh when my clothing that you currently own Exhibit B: I was a contestant swear word? swear word? grandmother says it. for the rest of your life, what on Pointless. Thirty seconds Having fallen in love with I don’t really swear unless I’m would it be and why? before filming started an The Good Place: “Holy driving (in which case it’s a If you had to wear one piece of episode, Alexander Armstrong I tried to think of something Motherforking Shirtballs”. A stream of F-word variations), clothing that you currently own was chatting about how he cool, but my wife says it’s great way to swear even when but I do say ‘bloody’ a lot which for the rest of your life, what loved living in Oxfordshire. obviously my dressing gown. hanging out with folks with I argue is not a swear word as would it be and why? Mishearing, I managed to At least I’ve got Arthur Dent for kids :) it’s uttered by the fairy bloody I have a matching corduroy accidentally diss his favourite company. godmother in Shrek! over-shirt and trousers that my home county. (We still made it If you had to wear one piece of friend made for me which I to the semi-final, at least.) If you had to wear one piece of clothing that you currently own reckon would do me pretty well clothing that you currently own for all occasions. What is your favourite for the rest of your life, what for the rest of your life, what swear word? would it be and why? would it be and why? Anything in French. Probably Definitely one of my dresses If I had to wear one thing connard. with decent pockets. I pretty for the rest of my life I would much never get rid of any of choose my eternity ring. It was the ones I have with pockets as If you had to wear one piece of given to me by husband after they are so rare - I blame the clothing that you currently own the birth of our daughter in patriarchy ;) Pockets have a for the rest of your life, what Singapore. It reminds me daily surprisingly interesting history. would it be and why? not only of him but that we If that sentence doesn’t make A now-ragged Howies t-shirt made a whole new person! :D you snore, feel free to ask me that’s nearly a decade old but about it! still fits perfectly. I was wearing it when my first daughter was born - it was old then! 8 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 9
WITH CAMPUS VACATIONS JOINING VERVE WE WENT STRAIGHT TO JUSTIN, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS WHO IS JOINING US, TO FIND OUT HOW THE COMPANY STARTED. Take us back to the beginning… out all the trips happening in my neighbourhood – so We grew up in Ottawa, Alex, Eugene and I [three founders], I was front lines. which is the capital of Canada – Alex and Eugene were best friends at school and then I was a few years behind them How did the company come about? and met them later. So Alex was working at his dads agency, Eugene was helping when Alex wasn’t around and I was there too – but How did the whole Student Grad thing come to pass? we were doing this alongside our studies. Alex created a Well originally in the 90s this tradition developed of going brand called S-Trip as his college project which became the away with your friends after you graduated. Groups of kids brand that dealt with all the students and thats the brand were doing it just using local travel agencies and there was that eventually created Campus Vacations.. nothing official. There was no name for this trip, it wasn’t like in Greek life where they have these specific trips they go on When did you go full time? – here it was totally organic. It was just a few groups who So I got a summer job with an American company that thought of it and then eventually a load of different groups were doing these grad trip and I saw the way they ran ended up going away together to the same place and from their business and were scaling and there people started thinking about how they could all go I thought, nobody is doing this together in bigger groups. properly in Canada. So I went back home, Eugene and Alex How did you three get involved? were at University at this It was through Alex’s dad who owned one of the travel time and I decided to agencies who help facilitate all these trips - ‘Handa Travel’. quit school and do this One agent there decided to send all the students who came full time. to him to one destination and the students really enjoyed that. That sense of all celebrating together before they went their separate ways. And then every year it would get bigger and bigger. It got so big in our city there was more then 1000 students going to Acapulco Mexico one year. The local newspaper would send a reporter so parents could see what their kids were getting up to. And how did you three get involved? So Alex planned the trip for his year through Handa Travel, and then Alex and Eugene started working at his Dad’s agency being the travel agents for other students trips. I was the rep who organized my own years trip and Alex was my agent. I was very passionate about it – it was the coolest thing to be involved with and Alex hired me when I came HOW IT ALL STARTED back from the trip to help book the next years trip. I helped 10 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 11
I had made a deal with Alex’s father to give me a desk and a phone THE WAY VERVE HAS BUILT ITS because I wanted to try and prove we could do trips outside of Ottawa BUSINESS UP, VALUING ITS PEOPLE where we grew up, because at this SO MUCH AND ITS CULTURE WAS time that was the only place doing these ‘grad trips’. I had to teach myself SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY SPECIAL everything, faxing off airlines, buying AND WE FELT THIS WAS THE BEST FOR space, I made a small website. I had CAMPUS VACATIONS. a lot of success, selling trips in the first few months. I called Alex and Eugene and said “I’m doing this, you need to come home”. And they came to do it. So in strategy of using peer-to-peer selling. It was very exciting. about 2004 we decided to separate what we were doing We also felt that student travel had so much opportunity but from Alex’s dads business and do our own thing – and we was a niche that nobody else was paying attention to, but he used S-Trip as the main brand. was and we felt we could together introduce this around the world in a way that has never been done before. The way What was your mission? Verve has built its business up, valuing its people so much We had one mission: market creation. Grad trip was a and its culture was something that was very special and we tradition in Ottawa but nowhere else. So we went round and felt this was the best for Campus Vacations. we sold this idea…that when you graduate you should all go somewhere together and celebrate. We went from town to So what are your, Eugene and Alex’s roles in the town and convinced them they were missing out. We grew company now? our business from just us to 8-9 full time staff and we got into So Eugene and Alex are joining in an advisory capacity, every town in Canada and started to push into America. and I’m joining full time. My role is helping to build the outside sales team that’s going to be selling travel all across north America. What made you want to get involved with Verve? We first heard about Verve because we were competing with the JusCollege brand. We were fighting over the same groups, sales people going head-to-head in Greek Life and Spring beakers in the States. Then we were introduced to Callum. Mine and Alex’s conversation with Callum was very surprising because we always felt like we’d kind of been alone on this peer-to-peer thing. We saw a massive potential in it, and we had acquired lots of companies who were doing it. We had proven it in North America – we knew it could work. It was amazing for us to meet someone who not only saw the same potential as we did but was acting on that potential, who was following through on a very big Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 13
WHY COACHING MATTERS belief. I listen for self-imposed limiting assumptions the ideas – and that is so exciting. My background is in when I coach, and help the person I’m coaching professional service firms -- big corporates, law firms explore what is holding them back. My job is to see and banks -- and that just doesn’t happens in those the potential in those I coach, and to support them in types of environments. I ask people working there developing that. what they want, and we work it out and sometimes W E W EN T TO O U R HEAD O F What is the most common type of work you we realise that there’s no way to navigate the political constellation and bizarre bureaucracy to get there. COAC HI N G AL I HAL L TO EX P LORE do with everyone? The most important work I do is help individuals raise I had this coach in high school who would say, “If in MO R E W HY S HE F EELS COAC H I N G their awareness and take responsibility for who they your mind you can conceive it and in your heart you do believe it then your body will achieve it.” At Verve, I ALI HALL I S S O I M P O RTAN T AN D HOW I T’S are and what they see. I ask those I coach “what is driving you?” or “what is stopping you?” I want to feel is exactly like that. I’m the coach that tries to help Head of coaching D I FF ER EN T AT V ERV E. know what is preventing someone from having a them unlock potential, deal with inner critics and help create the conditions for people to thrive. difficult conversation, or blocking them from what Why do you feel opportunity they want to explore. you find frustrating?” or “is this it they are trying to achieve and then asking them Being an in-house coach for a whole coaching works? Coaching works because it is about where you fee you’re getting stuck?” questions to help them find ways forward. I want to know what someone believes they could accomplish company is a first for you - how has that One of the reasons coaching is differed from working with a few individuals so powerful is because it is time I listen for self-imposed limiting assumptions if they knew they couldn’t fail. I’m helping them to from one company? hone their awareness and feel empowered to do what for the person being coached when I coach, and help the person I’m they want. Deep down people crave choice and Firstly it gives me a broader context because I know to stop and reflect. Coaching is asking questions -- and not even coaching explore what is holding them back. responsibility and at Verve that coincides perfectly with how the organisation works and the dynamics at the company’s core drivers of freedom and ownership. play on a wide scale. What I really love about being necessarily profound ones. It creating a reflective space for the It is about breaking down the story a coach to the company is my ability to help enact could be as simple as “what gives person being coached to explore into small parts and noticing where What has been different about your work at change, rather then trying just to help the people I’m you energy?” or “when are you at what they want, what the reality there is energy and possibility. Verve and other places you’re worked? working with enact it. If someone says that there’s your best?” Most sessions begin looks like, what options they face The thing I love about Verve, and something I this huge blocker, and it has to do with the dynamics with the question, “what do you and how to get there. Is there anything that is genuinely witness all the time, is that if there’s between a few people (for example) then I can call want to get out of this session?” universal in your coaching something that someone really wants to do, and it’s a meeting with all those people and we sort it out. People may want to discuss what Much of my time is spent reflecting sessions with everyone that inline with Verve’s core purpose, then the company Because I’m coaching everyone in the room, I feel like is frustrating them or making them back what I hear and then testing you work with? says do it. Try it. Go for it. Ultimately Verve is open to all I can have meetings with positive intentions where anxious, or they may begin with an it - such as “is this is the part that A common theme is around self- everyone feels supported, challenged and listened to. 14 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 15
Therapy at Verve Our Therapists Callum’s has always been a huge advocate of therapy as a way of removing the things that are holding everyone back and we’ve been Prof Jamie Hacker Hughes Fiona Nicolson trialling offering therapy as part of the mastery process for the last few Prof Jamie Hacker Hughes Fiona Nicolson years. We’ve had such positive results we’re now locked in therapist in has been working with Verve is a therapist we over the last few months. “I’m a used for the last the UK and are looking for ones in Vegas and LA. We spoke to Callum consultant clinical psychologist few years. and the other people involved to find out more. and specialise in using a type of therapy called EMDR. EMDR (or Fiona is a eye movement desensitisation or reprocessing cognitive hypnotherapist. in full) is a form of therapy which helps people to Cognitive hypnotherapy differs Callum Negus-Fancey remove psychological blocks in the form of doubts, from traditional hypnotherapy fears, trauma and addictions that may be affecting because it also draws on recent I think what’s interesting is that we all their performance or enjoyment at work and at discoveries in psychology, have saboteurs that hold us back and I’ve home replacing them with more adaptive ways of cognitive theory and neuro found that the change you can make by thinking and behaving. linguistic programming (NLP). tackling these has a surprisingly big impact “EMDR, (Eye Movement Desensitisation and It works to unlock potential on all parts of your life. Thats because Reprocessing) is a form of therapy developed about through pinpointing and positively it doesn't tend to just deal with the one 30 years ago which uses eye movements (or other changing the negative beliefs that particular issue you were trying to solve, but forms of bilateral stimuli) to facilitate, through a can hold individuals back. process of dual attention, a process of adaptive instead affects you're overall performance, information processing. In other words, EMDR happiness and wellbeing in a way that’s very profound. Therapy also doesn't blocks the normal use of working memory which See what some of our tend to feel as iterative as other forms of development - instead it feels allows information stored in long term memory to team had to say about be retrieved, processed and resolved.” like a huge step-change as you find yourself overcoming something you their experiences with Jamie and Fiona. never thought you’d be able to solve. I've seen Jamie and lots of different therapists to help me develop as a leader and I really recommend it. How to get therapy through Verve? We have a therapist in the UK called Jamie who specialises in EMDR and we’re looking for a great therapist in both Vegas and LA. You can use your mastery budget to see them (talk to your manager) and it gets you about 3 sessions which is more than enough to have a huge impact. 16 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 17
We spoke to some of the people who have seen Jamie and Fiona Harriet Cross Dan Almeida Anne Bedi Irene Coghlan (Pollen Membership Manager) (Pollen Member Growth) (Communications & Brand Director) (Global Head of Partnerships & PR) Had sessions with Fiona Had sessions with Fiona Saw Fiona a few years Saw Fiona last year and last year and has just last year, and is about to ago and saw Jamie earlier this year has started started seeing Jamie. go and see Jamie. this year. seeing Jamie. The reason I wanted to go was I The main reason was insecurity I was suffering for travel anxiety I went to Fiona originally to realised that there were situations about what people were thinking that I’d had since I was around tackle my public speaking nerves. which were giving me anxiety about me – I’m a highly sensitive 19. It all started when I had to Naturally, I don’t enjoy being when they shouldn’t. I realised I had an overall anxiety to people’s body language and tone, and I constantly go on very strong medication to cure a benign brain in the spotlight and had some where I didn’t feel good enough and it was affecting over analyse everyone and don’t take what people say tumor which caused extremely high anxiety and when embarrassing attempts at public speaking growing up me in my relationship, my friendships and at work. I’ve at face value. So when people say things I think “do I came off the medication the anxiety, although far so always tried to avoid it. When I moved into the new started seeing Jamie this year and been doing EMDR they actually mean that” and that will stay with me lower, ultimately stayed. It all became focused on travel partnerships role at Verve, it was much more client/ and together we determined exactly where the anxiety the following day “do they think am I doing a good anxiety – I didn’t do any big travel (planes or long car partner facing and I felt my nerves had become a barrier was causing me the most problems both in my personal job”, “what do they think of me”. It happens in work, it journeys) and I found even short bus journeys stressful so I really wanted to work on it. life and at work, and then working out the exact happens in my personal life: to give you an example say I and struggled with the sense of overwhelming panic in situations where I felt stressed when I didn’t need to and haven’t spoken to a really good friend in ages, and then the run up and during the experience. It got worse and Fiona helped me address some of my nerves around then we did the EMDR on that. I reach out to them to arrange catching up – if they worse over the years and became really debilitating - I public speaking but she also helped me deal with work then they come back with a wishy washy answer because really wasn’t coping at all. About 4 years ago I saw Fiona stress and the constant feeling that I wasn’t doing We started on stuff at work first and then when we they’re busy, in my mind I’ll start being like “are they mad and post sessions with her I was able to start travelling enough. When I first went to see her, I was quite started doing situations where I felt stressed at home at me?” and “what did I say that pissed them off?”. internationally for work and pleasure. I still found it sceptical about what I would get from it, but over time realised I already found myself looking at stress in difficult and draining emotionally, but I could do it. Then I started to notice the benefits and one of my friends a totally different way. I saw Fiona last year and she This is then replicated at work where I’ll have a short last year I went to see Jamie and did EDMR and that actually commented on how I seemed much happier had started the process of changing how I felt about conversation my manager or with someone from a was when everything changed – it actually mostly cured and less stressed and wanted to know what I was doing situations, so I already felt further along. The last session different department and if it goes really well I could my travel anxiety for 95% of the time. I suddenly found I differently. She has actually gone to see Fiona herself I had with Jamie I could really feel the difference – I come away thinking that was really productive and was totally relaxed around travel and chose, rather then since then and found her great. mean I was in the kind of situation a few days ago that its all fine, but if I pick up on anything not being okay, simply coped with, going in long car journeys. I didn’t would have caused me so much stress before him and I even something really insignificant, I’ll then spend ages have any anxiety in the week running up to the travel I went to see Jamie this year and we continued to work realised I felt absolutely fine. I can feel the difference and thinking afterwards “what did I do?” or “what were either. on my public speaking nerves. I was able to test this out I’m really looking forward to the next sessions. they really thinking” or “what have I done wrong” and like-for-like recently when I did a reading at a friend's it affects me really deeply and my productivity takes This has enabled me to do the job I do now as I travel wedding in front of a room full of people I know very a nosedive. Frustratingly it becomes a self-fulfilling for work internationally constantly, I have felt my well and noticed that the extreme nerves I'd had before prophecy where now my performance is affected productivity go up without a doubt, mainly because were gone. Five years before that I'd read at another because I was worried that it was when in reality it was I’m not tired all the time because being anxious is friend's wedding and was terrified, with shaking hands, nothing. Its absolutely exhausting. exhausting. However it’s not just about the travel voice, sweaty palms and speaking way too fast, but this because although it felt like my anxiety was all focused time round, I was in control. Fiona didn’t have a huge effect on me to be honest I on that, actually it was affecting my entire life – and think I might just not be very receptive to her kind of having that removed has opened up my world literally Before I saw Jamie and Fiona I had been avoiding public work because I was over analysing what she was saying and figuratively. Occasionally it flares up still when things speaking but now when I'm asked to talk at conferences, to me, and when she was asking me questions I’d be are particularly stressful, but the times it happens are weddings, the town halls etc I'm up for it – it’s been overthinking it: “what is she trying to do” or “what is she so rare that I never worry about it. I’ve stopped getting great for my confidence and important for my job. thinking” and maybe that stopped it from working. I saw anxious about the possibility of getting anxious and that little changes afterwards that helped, and I could see in itself is a huge win. I’m continuing to work on my public speaking as part where she was going with her work, and it did work for a of my Mastery plan but rather than worrying about little bit but not enough to make me want to go back. I’m controlling my extreme nerves, I can now focus on looking forward to going and seeing Jamie and seeing if developing my actual presentation skills and style which he will have a bigger affect. will help me perform better in my role. 18 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 19
A crash course in design thinking A s part of my trip to Vegas, Why did we do this? I facilitated a two hour Anyone who tackles problems that impact customers of any type can use design thinking workshop the design thinking approach to help them get to better, more innovative to introduce everyone solutions. The idea of this workshop was to demonstrate some of the core to how we like to solve problems in values of this approach, and also to help build empathy between product/ product and design. From the outside design and other teams who might not understand why we ask so many VIVIENNE SUNG this will have looked a bit like a questions instead of jumping straight into solving problems. Some of the Chief Product Officer kindergarten art project (right down to takeaways I hoped people would have are: the pipe cleaners and stick on gems), but underneath the hood it was a fun • Human-centred design: Empathy for the person we are designing for, way to learn about some key concepts from design. The workshop, which and feedback from users, is fundamental to good design - if we skip this was designed by Stanford d.school, gives anyone that takes part a quick step our solutions will inevitably fail. and dirty introduction to the way to approach design thinking. Instead of • Experimentation and prototyping: Prototyping is not only a way to just telling everyone about design thinking you actually get to do it. validate an idea; it is an integral part of our innovation process. We build to think and learn - the activity of building improves our solution no end! The topic of the workshop was to improve the gift giving experience for a partner, so that the next time they have to give someone a present it would • A bias towards action: Design thinking is a misnomer; it is more about feel easier/better/simpler! doing that thinking. We as a team aim to have a bias toward doing and making over thinking and meeting. We broke down the process into 5 stages, with a couple of rounds of rapid • Show don’t tell: Creating experiences and telling good stories is the best fire iteration in each stage: and most impactful way to communicate a vision. • Empathise: gain a deep understanding and empathy for your customer • The Power of iteration: The reason we go through this exercise at a and their problems frantic pace is that we want people to experience a full design cycle. • Define: select a problem you heard from your customer to solve A person’s fluency with design thinking is a function of cycles, so we challenge participants to go through as many cycles as possible— • Ideate: come up with as many potential solutions to that problem as interview twice, sketch twice, and test with your partner twice. possible Additionally, iterating solutions many times within a project is key to • Prototype: build a demonstration model of a favoured solution successful outcomes. • Test: give it to your customer to try out and feedback on At the end, everyone presented their designs back to the group. We had If you fancy giving this a go for yourself then you can do a virtual version of some amazing fun solutions - from Salesforce integrated calendars to this workshop here: A Virtual Crash Course in Design Thinking — Stanford flying gift parrots and mobile Apps. d.school. All you need is a partner, a bunch of craft materials (the more glitter the better!) and a couple of hours. I’d love to hear how you get on!
‘THE WARRIORS’ OF VERVE: THE FIRST TEAM TO RESPOND YES TO A LOCK- IN, AND THE LAST ONES TO LEAVE THE OFFICE AFTERWARDS. WHAT DO WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS AND WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE ON THE COMPANY? GEORGE POWELL Community Manager “Community is so important as we look after our users and, without our Ambassadors and customers, we’d have no business.” - Ryan Bentley, US We’re a company that prides itself on providing money-can’t-buy experiences to Ambassadors. That can mean anything from securing the best possible rewards, through designing the product in a way that’s simple to use, to making sure that Ambassadors remain motivated and receive only the most relevant and engaging communications. The Community team are able to touch on every aspect of this. It’s the link between Ambassadors as far and wide as Chile, Poland and New Zealand, as well as the rest of the world. Working in Community encompasses managing Ambassador relationships all the way through the funnel, driving activation, engagement & reward redemption, motivating our Ambassadors, collecting feedback, all campaign communications & humanising the business as much as possible. Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 23
BUT WHAT DOES THE DAY OF (THE TYPICAL) WHAT PHELAN LOVES COMMUNITY MANAGER LOOK LIKE? ABOUT COMMUNITY: "Community is that human touch that lots of other companies don’t seem to have these days. I enjoy seeing some of our Ambassadors join the team and 9am grow throughout the company, from an Ambassador Still in bed to a Community Manager, Membership Manager, client success or wherever! I can think of Georgia, 10am Harriet, Ellen and Jack Fossey - all coming through the ranks!" Still in bed ANGELA VERATTO DOING A VIDEO DASHBOARD WALKTHROUGH 10.15am WHY GEORGIA THINKS 15 minutes of ping-pong or Fifa to COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT: Checking messages from restore faith in humanity. Ambassadors and emails to see _ "It’s the customer-facing side of the how the day’s lookingx Brainstorming engagement ideas company. We motivate Ambassadors, with the team and Emily Adams push them to sell, and get them 11am from CRM, such as video tutorials or walkthroughs. SCHEDULING IN COMMUNICATIONS earning their top rewards. They’ll have a better time at Either in the office or, at least, _ the festival, and we get more sales." upright. Building out templates for newsletters and content to catch Between May and September, Now, we’re ready to start the day the eye of Ambassadors. community received a tide WHY ANGELA VERATTO _ LOVES COMMUNITY of 123,000 messages from Responding to questions from Meeting with CSM to discuss how Ambassadors and customers. "I love the way I'm learning and Ambassadors like “what’s a box we can increase the number of Despite the amount of fire- having the freedom to share my office?” or “are you allowed to take active Ambassadors. fighting though, we all love ideas, working in a great team where in chocolate bars?”. These are legit _ what we do, and we all want everyone helps each other and questions. Scheduling in communications so to find improvements so enjoys their job. It’s great, believe me - from Monday ambassadors keep in the loop of GIFS, ANIMATIONS AND IMAGES Ambassadors and their friends breakfast in the office until the weekend when the any news as well as engaged. ARE NOW A STAPLE IN ALL EMAILS can have a better experience. festival is on!" _ It’s this last point which is _ Jumping on a few calls with perhaps the most important. Running experiments on how to Ambassadors to get some As we look to grow rapidly feedback and have a chat. This is convert inactive Ambassadors or WHY RYAN BENTLEY next summer, we’re looking useful in gaining insights into what on ways to motivate people to hit LOVES COMMUNITY at ways of reducing the reward thresholds. "I love working in Community because to improve and feedback to the issues Ambassadors face, so wider team. everything goes as smoothly as the Ambassadors and customers are End of the day _ possible in 2019. So, if you want what allow us to do what we do! It can Adding best practices or results of to see what we’re working on, be stressful, but once you start figuring This is when members of the experiments to Notion for current or if you want an insight into it out and getting the issue resolved, the Ambassadors team will talk about ways to or future Community Managers what our Ambassadors are and customers are always super grateful and you improve campaigns or brainstorm - if you want a link to our Notion thinking, come find us in the ways to improve the dashboard can even joke around with them. It’s just a great WE PREFER THE pages, just shout! cave or one of the tables in LA! or automated emails for experience to be a part of." HEARTWARMING MESSAGES Ambassadors. 24 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 25
FALL WHAT IS FALL BREAK? Fall Break is a mid-semester “holiday” where students get a long 3-day weekend. Most campuses will either give students a Friday or Monday off of school. Typically, Fall Break falls either the first or second weekend in October; however, KRISTEN ROWSEY can run throughout October and even into November. Senior Account Manager HOW MANY TRAVELERS DO THE TRAVEL TEAM DEAL WITH? This year we traveled 4,721 students to Vegas during the month of October. That’s over 1K more than we did in 2017! WHO WORKS ON FALL BREAK? Everyone on the travel team really contributes to this trip. Everyone from Customer Service to Marketing & CRM, to Sales & Operations all really comes together to pull their weight and contribute in different ways. Bo, Zach and myself primarily sold this trip; however, the rest of the sales did close some additional groups. Sales is also extremely instrumental in hosting and working at the clubs. Operations & Hailey specifically, played an integral role in basically making sure EVERYTHING goes smoothly. From check-in, to hotel logistics, shuttles & open bar, operations ensures this is all set up for our groups and runs according to plan. Mackenzie worked long hours sourcing hotel rooms & continually tweaking these based upon our projec- tions. Garrett & Andrew setup an incredible lineup & ensured our students would have the promised entry. Customer Service played a crucial role for all of us in ensuring clients are really being taken care of. They assist is so many ways, continually answering questions, dealing with tricky situations and occasional difficult students. Giuliana was instrumental with the product side, Sarah Jane with our mass messaging & Sean with graphics. These are just a few key people & departments; but truly everyone in every department really came together & helped make Fall Break a massive success. WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES ARE THERE? We provide them a club access lineup that they get complimentary entry to with their wristband. They just need to arrive and be inside by cutoff times with an even girl to guy ratio! Lineup will typically include a few options each day and night, Thursday-Sunday. ANY STAND-OUT STORIES? There were some students from two different universities that didn’t travel with us, even though a majority of their cam- pus did. These students chose to book around us and unfortunately when they showed up in Vegas, the company they had originally booked with, hadn’t pulled through and the students were left blindsided with no reservations. Their friends who did book with us, immediately reached out to see if we could help their friends out. We were able to hook them all up with reduced club access passes & even a hotel room for the weekend. We were able to come through as the hero’s and help these poor students out. Several reps from these two schools that did book with us, reached out expressing their gratitude and appreciation for what we’d done. I know this will go far specifically for those organizations & helping secure bookings from those groups next year! Travel team = Vegas Legends. Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 27
17-21ST OCTOBER AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT OCTOBER SAW ANOTHER YEAR OF VERVE AT AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT! clients and prospective clients alike. From this we were able to secure LiveNation Sweden who confirmed Summerburst and Way out West, I-Motion agreed on 10 Festivals CAISIE DILKS across their portfolio, Paramo Senior Client Success Manager Presenta in Colombia agreed to A working with us on Estéreo Picnic, and DGTL said yes to us working DE is an annual with their Barcelona event! electronic music conference and festival On top of this huge success, Verve which offers a full hosted a networking event in program of daytime conferences the evening, with a mixologist, and night time parties across 450 canapés and some key names in events, with 2200 artists in 115 tow. In attendance was the We Are venues across the 5 day schedule. FSTVL team, the Director of Elrow, the Head of Insomniac, PayLogic’s The shows attract over 450,000 team, Stubhub and TicketMaster to people from all over the world to name a few. the city, making Amsterdam one of the busiest clubbing cities in the Aside from a few sore heads world! So obviously Verve had to and probably a bit of liver be there… damage, Verve came out on top once again! The Sales and CS teams from Europe attended on top form, Until next year, ADE!!! holding meetings with our current 28 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 29
#WhatsUp? From Team Hamburg We wanted to find out more about where our German teammates work from, so Elina reached out to Mark to find out more! H ere is your inside look on where often do afterwork drinks in a pub called “dschungel“ or do our typical hawaiian lunch bowl which we both love. Jan and I work, and some reasons why you guys should definitely As anyone who has ever met Jan will surely understand, it took him no time to become the center MARK POEHNER come and visit us. Hamburg is always a of attention in the whole office. So I am spending a Senior Client Success Manager little in the shadow of our big neighbour good amount of time updating people on where he is at the moment or where his car has broken down. Berlin, but it is the second biggest and “most beautiful” city in He’s also loved by the desk clerk as all of his post and packages arrive to the office (as he has not rented a Germany (at least we gotta say it is, both born and raised here). flat yet). I am thinking to start a new career now as a postman,with all that experience earned during the Our office is located in the middle of the city, and is a highlight by itself! We don’t actually last month… (kidding!) have an our own office, as we’re working in a co-working space and sharing it with other startups, bigger companies like Redbull and Spotify (my wife works there as a Sales Director) Our office is close to Old Town, the harbour, and big booze brands (which comes in handy, as they often throw TGIF after work drink the famous Red light district and Party Mile events). We can work from the open spaces on all 4 floors with different vibes, 1on1 rooms “Reeperbahn” where the Beatles started of. and chill areas. You can also book massage sessions, workshops, so a lot is going on here. The coolest thing about Hamburg is that although it is quite a big city, it does not feel like that at all, I work from the office nearly every day, as I like to be around people. When Jan isn’t in his van you can get to the best places in about 10 minutes. lost somewhere in Europe, he parks the van in the city and comes to the office as well. This happens more often than people might think! I am hoping that I am one of the main reasons We truly love working for Verve from our office and why he comes in, but it might as well be the good wifi. When Jan and I are both in town, we that the company gives us the freedom to do so. 30 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 31
7. Charles Charles has just re from 6 weeks of tr turned avel, 6. And in London to launch Pollen Travel whirlwind Got back in Europe, with the team! and both for pleasure quick Paris stop ted work, and we wan adventure to hear all about it ! 1. All started in Brighton for the tech retreat 2. Two of my favourite things: Gatwick Express... 8. Cultural visit 9. of Ukraine 3. And flew back ... and airplane food!! to the land of 4. the free! Swung by beautiful ... 10. Checked in for Fall Break 5. ... and busy LA 32 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 33
17. Participated in the design thinking 11. 16. workshop organised by Got an all-access But also did my dance partner, thanks to travel team! some work! namely Viv 12. 18. And rushed And came up with to party! an app for Zach! 13. Owned the dance floor with Viv 19. Picked up useful reading at the airport on the way back 14. Crazy turnout for travel teams event 1 15. 20. And for event 2 And started using all the new information with Barbara in London! 34 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 35
THE SPORTS SQUAD The Sports Squad assembled in January this year. Their opposition: the challenge of building a sports product while contending with moving goalposts and opposition tough to break down. the intervals. Following user GEORGE POWELL research, though, Community Manager it was clear that an answer had to be found for the question of A how to sit people together if team of fourteen pushback from partners, and tickets are bought separately. huddled for their signing up the first team. warm-up: a design FIELD GOAL 3-3 sprint to figure out 0-3 - FIELD GOAL JACK SHELDO N JASON GERALI what this product may look The squad hit back quickly JAMES SPRY-LEVERTON like and how it would work. The initial designs didn’t with a solution to allow After coming up with the initial cater for group seating, the ambassadors and their STRAT EGY ENGIN EERIN G SALES designs, the squad was ready assumption being that people customers to sit together. to kick off. It was time to face would happily sit apart for Things looked briefly shaky a long process of gathering the match, but catch up when it was clear the product feedback, design iterations, over a beer and hot-dog in had to be built around an BONNIE VIVATNAMONGKON JORDAN OYENUSI ANTONI O SORBO DANIEL PAVITT MAR CIN JAWA DZSK I JERETH CORMA CK ENGINEERING DESIG N ENGIN EERIN G ENG INEE RIN G ENGIN EERIN G ENGINEERING 36 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 Verve Magazine | Issue 13 | October 2018 37
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