There’s a different level of energy that comes from being in the same room. Different cultures and perspectives coming together, working through real problems face to face. That’s exactly what happened when global managers from Skillz, RZR, and Beamable came together at Skillz HQ in Las Vegas for four days of alignment, strategy, and connection.

Day 1 – Context & Connection

For many in the room, it was the first time meeting teammates in person. People who had been working together across the globe, from Bengaluru to San Francisco to China to Las Vegas, were finally sitting at the same table. 

The evening’s highlight was a fireside chat between Andrew Paradise, CEO of Skillz, and Kent Wakeford,  Skillz Inc. board member and six-time founder. He co-founded Integral Ad Science and took it public on NASDAQ, was co-founder and former COO of Colossal Biosciences, built a $2B+ gaming business, and raised over $750M in venture capital. Now co-founding at the intersection of AI and deep science, he’s the kind of operator who has seen every stage of the build and is far from done. 

Kent spoke about what leadership really demands as a company scales, how to make decisions with imperfect information, what it takes to build a culture that holds up under pressure, and what still drives him. It was a reminder that these challenges aren’t unique, they’re part of building something real. 

The night ended with a look back at the past year for both Skillz and RZR, sharing a clear comparison between 2025 and 2024. 

Day 2 – Getting Aligned, Together 

The morning started with a shared view of where things stand and where the business is heading, giving everyone the same context before diving into the work.

The afternoon is where things shifted. Ten cross-functional groups, bringing together people from Skillz, RZR, and Beamable, sat down to tackle real business problems. No hypotheticals. No surface-level brainstorming. Just teams working through challenges and building 90-day plans they would own moving forward.

What stood out was how quickly people aligned. Different teams, cities, and perspectives, but conversations moved fast and decisions followed. By the end of the day, the ideas on the table weren’t coming from the top. They came from the managers who will actually execute them.

Day 3 – Leadership & Execution Readiness

Day 3 picked up right where the previous day left off. Cross-functional groups presented their 90-day plans, sharing their work directly with Gaurav Verma, General Manager of Skillz platform, and Aman Sareen, CEO of RZR. What started as working sessions turned into real conversations, with live feedback, questions, and challenges in the room. 

From there, the focus shifted to what it actually means to be an effective manager. The sessions were practical and direct, centered on how to align teams, hire quickly, and communicate clearly with the people you lead. 

The day closed with one of the most practical questions a leadership team can ask: “How do you bring this week home to your team?”

After a full day, the group recharged together with an evening at Area 15, a fitting end to the most intensive day of the event.

Day 4 – Celebration & Commitment

Day 4 started on a more reflective note. The morning included a conversation with Andrew Paradise and Casey Chafkin, co-founder and Skillz Inc. Board member, reflecting on how the company started and how it has evolved. It added context to everything the group had worked through during the week. 

The afternoon brought one final shared experience, the group took on an escape room together, a lighthearted but fitting end to a week built around collaboration, problem-solving, and trust. 

What The Week Meant

The biggest takeaway from the week: the people.

Bringing everyone together in one place created shared context, real experiences, and stronger trust across teams. That shift carries directly into how work gets done. 

What happened in Vegas is coming with us this time. We left feeling aligned, better connected, and clearer on how to move forward together.