On the second day we were all up early for breakfast.
I think it was the ONLY day that we were all up before 9AM. The reason? Because it was time for the “work” part of the trip. We dedicated half a day (or slightly more than that) for everyone to get an update on how the overall Netccentric Group (Nuffnang,ChurpChurp,NomNom etc etc) was doing around the region. We went through the history. How we went from like 2 to 70 full-time staff in 3 years… and the challenges we face from this growth.
We acknowledged the things we had done right and are still doing right but we also acknowledged the problems that we’re facing with the growing company. We wanted to get everyone’s input. How we could do things better than what we are already doing.
One process of it though was ideas! We wanted to come up with new things so one of the exercises we had was where we broke up everyone into many groups. Each group had a couple of hours to collectively come up with an idea of a new product that we should offer. After that, each took turn to present their idea to everyone. There would be a jury to decide which was the best idea in terms of creavity and also whether it made business sense. A prize was offered to the team with the winning idea.
The winning team came up with a really good idea and it’s something we are really launching as a product in 2011. After we were all done with the work part of the day, it was time for everyone to go free and easy. Everyone went to do whatever they wanted to do on the ship.
Some of the girls went to the pool to relax.
Ming and I though went to play Bingo!
We didn’t win.
By the time we were done with Bingo, it was almost time for dinner. That night was FORMAL night. That means everyone was expected to dress up. So the girls went back and put on their dresses and looked their best. The guys did the same. When we all met again we all looked like different people. Everyone looking grown up.
Here are some pictures we took that night before and during the dinner. Some of the ladies.
More of the ladies 🙂
Me with gents!
And this was when some of us were trying to get together for a group photo.
After dinner though we went ahead to do a Nuffie Tradition. Every year right before Christmas we would all do a Secret Santa. Meaning everybody drew lots and had to buy a present for someone. Then at a Christmas dinner, you would have to explain to everyone why you bought that present for someone. It doesn’t have to be expensive… just thoughtful.
This year we did our Secret Santa on the cruise since it was the one time in December that both the Malaysian and Singaporean teams would get together. We all squeezed in Ming and my room.
And we ordered Champagne.
There was a whole lot of presents that went round that night and it was exciting finding out everyone’s Secret Santa.
Like Clara here was Angeline’s Secret Santa.
But Robb was Angeline’s Secret Santa.
My Secret Santa Was Nick Davis.
He explained how he had talked to my gf about what to buy me. He at first wanted to buy me XBOX games but realized I had almost everything. So then he thought since I was so into games, instead he would buy me an offline game (trying to “ungeek” me). So he bought me a Poker Set.
I don’t really play Poker but I promised him I will learn 🙂
The set weighed like a ROCK. It was DAMN heavy.. and he was stopped at Singapore’s Security check-point because they thought he was carrying a bomb or something in the case. Every year the Nuffies also do something nice for Ming and me. This year they made this… apparently they took turns to stitch it.
If you look closely you’d notice that it was the mascots for all the companies under Netccentric.
From left is Nom Nom’s monster, Nuffnang’s stickman, ChurpChurp’s bird and Jipaban’s shopping bags.
The whole Secret Santa thing took hours because there were just so many of us. I wonder how we’ll do this again next year especially if we were to include the Nuffies from the other offices. It was though… a great way to end the day.
Timothy Tiah – Co-Founder of Colony, Kuala Lumpur Co-Working Space