Some of the best ideas (and conversations) happen over coffee. That’s why, every other Friday afternoon, we host something simple, casual, and kind of magical: Coffee Club.
What started as a small idea to bring people together outside the office has grown into a lighthearted tradition that blends collaboration, conversation, and a little caffeine-fueled competition.
We meet at a different coffee shop each time. Sometimes it’s an old favorite, sometimes a new spot that’s “new-to-us”. We choose locations with convenience in mind, aiming for central places that make it easy for teammates across the area to join in. Whether it’s a downtown staple or a tucked-away gem, the goal is the same: create a space to work side-by-side and connect beyond the screen.
Attendance is never required, but the crowd keeps growing. And while not everyone can make it every time, the impact is always there. Some dive into a project. Others bounce ideas around across departments. We sip, chat, and enjoy the chance to share the same table.
Of course, we couldn’t just leave it at coffee. To spice things up, we introduced a little game: Coffee Bean-Go.
Each Coffee Club visit earns you a random number on your personal 4×4 Bean-Go card. Get a full row, column, or diagonal? That’s a bingo and a win! Prizes are involved (and worth playing for), and recently, someone finally claimed the very first victory. The room celebrated, and now the competition is officially on.
The game has added a dose of friendly competition and a good excuse to show up just one more time.
The fun doesn’t stop at the café. We’ve got our #coffee-club channel on our company’s instant message platform, where team members drop photos and running conversations from the day. Even folks who can’t attend in person still get to be part of the atmosphere: chiming in on the location, checking on the Bean-Go leaderboard, or just reacting with a string of emojis.
It’s casual, open, and always good for a laugh (or a pastry recommendation).
Sure, we’re here for the caffeine and camaraderie. But Coffee Club has become more than a meetup; it’s a pocket of culture. A place where collaboration feels natural. Where people from different departments can show what they’re working on, toss ideas back and forth, and ask questions in real time. It’s coworking without the walls, community without the pressure.
For example, during one recent Coffee Club, a conversation sparked around one of our clients about how to bring some implementation ideas to life. A designer shared how they envisioned certain features, while a developer asked detailed questions to make sure the experience would work as intended. They dug into specifics: what kinds of data a user should be able to search, what happens if a duplicate user is imported, and what deleting a team would mean. The kind of nitty-gritty, “in the weeds” discussion that usually only happens once you’re in the thick of building a design.
These meetups keep us rooted in something real. They remind us that good work doesn’t always happen on a deadline and that thoughtful tech is still built by people, together.
Want to build something meaningful with a team that values connection as much as innovation? Let’s talk.
