Crepes & Commitments: Lessons from Q3 Camp

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Wonderist Q3 Camp Olympics! While the world eagerly awaits the Paris 2024 Summer Games, we Buds couldn't resist getting a head start on the Olympic spirit. Every quarter, we gather our elite team of department heads and agency leaders to showcase our wins, strategize for growth, and go for gold in dental marketing. The similarities to the global sporting event? Striking. The stakes? Just as high.

With Paris calling, we traded our usual office attire for berets and striped shirts, transforming our San Diego headquarters into a charming Parisian bistro. Flags from around the world draped our walls, and the aroma of freshly made crepes filled the air. As Buds settled into their seats, you could almost hear the iconic NBC Olympic theme song playing in the background.

The stage was set for a day of reflection, learning, and excitement for the initiatives ahead. Time for the Q3 Camp Games to begin!

Going For the Gold: Establishing Our Commitments

Before diving into each department's highlight reel, we kicked off Camp by establishing our agency's core commitments. Just as athletes abide by rigorous training and sportsmanship, we at Wonderist are dedicated to a set of principles that elevate our game.

We believe that strong commitments are the secret sauce to seamless collaboration, podium-worthy client results, and an unbeatable team. The Buds walked through eight key commitments that define our work culture:

1. Stay Present: That means full focus and participation in all work and interactions.
2. Be Prepared: Meetings have clear objectives and active contributions from everyone.
3. Embrace Feedback: We push past discomfort to give and receive constructive feedback and foster continuous growth.
4. Disagree, Then Commit: The Buds voice concerns openly but fully support decisions once they are made.
5. Deliver on Our Promises: Realistic expectations are set, and meeting deadlines are met.
6. Challenge the Status Quo: We push for innovation, adapt to industry changes, and refuse to settle for stagnation.
7. Accept Accountability: We hold ourselves and our clients responsible by clearly communicating our needs.
8. Communicate Clearly: The Buds keep clients informed, celebrate successes, and quickly address concerns.

In true Olympic spirit, we even awarded mini gold medals to Buds who fully embodied each commitment. Bravo, Buds!

Passing The Torch: Putting Our Commitments into Action

But we didn't just chat about our commitments. One way we embody these commitments is through Camp itself. By being transparent about our wins and shortcomings, and clearly showcasing initiatives that transform our workflows, our department heads and leadership team demonstrated how these principles translate into real-world victories for our clients and our agency.

Here's how some of our department heads and agency leaders embodied a few of our key commitments:

• Matt, our CFO, kept us accountable by linking our initiatives to our financial goals. He emphasized that if we all stay committed to our new processes and initiatives, we're well-positioned to hit or exceed our benchmarks in the next quarter
• Davia, Business Operations Manager, took on our commitment to challenge the status quo by unveiling a new curriculum set to elevate our coaching capabilities, sharpen our skills, and deepen our dental knowledge. 
• Sarah, Culture and Office Manager, transparently shared survey feedback on what Buds are excited about and areas of concern. She highlighted the impact of completing surveys, reinforcing our commitment to continuous improvement and clear communication.
• Forrest, Director of Business Development, walked us through the quarter's numbers before highlighting an area for improvement — identifying and addressing client needs. He led us through an exercise on how to uncover hidden pain points through strategic questioning and active listening, demonstrating our promise to skill development and constant growth.
• The Design, Content, and Web department heads delivered on their promise to roll out a transformative new initiative — and they did so through a live demo. MJ, Mary, and Ryan clearly communicated game-changing features and striking results in efficiency before defining next steps.

We crossed the finish line with an open-floor Q&A session featuring our founders and Matt, embodying our commitment to open communication at all levels.

Celebrating Our Wins

In true Olympic spirit, we capped off our golden quarter with a victory celebration at the Padres game. After all, what better way to honor our teamwork than by cheering on our local sports team?

Takeaways from the Team

Our commitments aren't just words on a slide deck — they're the foundation of how we operate at Wonderist. By constantly reinforcing and living these principles, we're crafting a culture where trust, innovation, and excellence aren't just goals, they're our starting line.

As we look ahead to Q4, we're energized by the progress we've made and excited about the opportunities to come. We're committed to pushing boundaries, supporting each other, and delivering podium-worthy results for our clients. Time to raise the bar and go for the gold.