How the Future Works

Step 5: Create a Culture of Connection from Anywhere: Reimagine Your Headquarters

When MURAL's leaders got the news that they had successfully raised $118 million in Series B funding, it was a big moment and cause for celebration. There was only one problem: This was August of 2020, and most of the world was in COVID lockdown.

Most of the company didn't yet know the news, and leaders wanted to stage an event for their people ahead of the public announcement. MURAL is a global company—with offices in Buenos Aires and San Francisco, as well as teams across Europe, Australia, and beyond—but they have always strived for a connected culture. The previous year they'd held a company-wide retreat in Argentina, but traveling was obviously out of the question this time around. So how could they mark this momentous occasion and give their people the party they deserved? Head of Culture and Collaboration, Laïla von Alvensleben, explains, “With only two weeks’ notice, I was given the task of creating a unique online event to celebrate our huge achievement, bond with new team members in our fast-growing company and of course, have a fantastic time together.”

Pulling that off would require creativity and a lot of intentional planning. MURAL's visual collaboration software can be used for things like virtual brainstorming or “whiteboarding” sessions, so, after von Alvensleben enlisted some help, they naturally started the planning process in a mural. One of the first things they did was decide ...