Any given Tuesday, we sit in a conference room, on a zoom, presenting work and strategy we’re oozing with pride over. And no matter how well the work is received, how ingenious idea, I can almost guarantee you someone will ask about it. And it’s not time spent or the rationale. No, it’s another r word - ROI. What’s the return on this campaign? That spend? This initiative? Fair questions. And every time, we answer with as much confidence and clarity as we can. And I will usually follow-up with this question: what’s the ROI of not doing something?
What’s the cost of not marketing until your pipeline is empty? Or not investing in your team until cracks start to show? Too often, the cost of not doing is invisible - until it isn’t.
If investments were guaranteed everyone would do it. We all inherently know that you have to “pay some to make some”; but when the rubber meets the road, when we have to make the choice of subsidizing an effort or not, it’s normal to be afraid, ask questions and even get cold feet.
The one place I can essentially guarantee a return? Human capital. If you have a team you value, one you go home or u/downstairs from and say, “Wow, they’re really working hard.”, investing time, energy and money into them is almost always going to net you out positively.
We take time with the team seriously. We shut our laptops, set the OOO’s and encourage team bonding over late night emails from a hotel room. And we do it all knowing the work and the needs of our clients don’t stop. It’s always a gamble. But every time, we learn again that pressing pause pays off. That a few days together can yield dividends that no spreadsheet can fully capture. And when you look closely, the math actually adds up.
At our most recent offsite in Paso Robles, CA, we saw the numbers in action.
Equation 1: Strengths + Vulnerability = Trust
“Learning more about my teammates and their work styles and strengths helped me realize where the best places are for me to support in each working relationship, and I think the synergy this can create will be beneficial in my role, and ultimately help create more productive processes and better work.”
Through coaching and our “you get the best of me when…” exercises, we saw firsthand how simple transparency compounds into trust. Trust accelerates everything else: projects, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Equation 2: Competition + Laughter = Connection
“The scavenger hunt was a fun way to get to know everyone!”
We sent people into the vines, gardens and out to make friends - lighting up everyone’s competitive streak. What started as a game turned into real bonding - the kind that makes it easier to raise your hand, disagree or pitch the wild idea in a meeting later on.
Equation 3: Long Table Dinner + Shared Stories = Belonging
“I LOVED the team dinner in between the grape vines. Growing up without having the traditional "family meals at the dinner table" this gave me a rare feeling of connectedness and community that I always long for. You can always count on good food to bring out everyone's most joyful, wholesome side.”
We ended the few days with a vineyard dinner under string lights, over roasted chicken and vegetables I’m still thinking about. The table wasn’t just beautiful; it was proof that belonging is built in moments, not memos.
Here’s the ROI:
People described the experience as inspiring, magical, ebullient! (A word that is highly under used, btw.)
The moments that stood out weren’t about slides or spreadsheets, but about feeling seen and supported.
The impact? A team more willing to show up, speak up and play to win together.
So when someone asks me about ROI, I’ll say this: the cost of something, an off-site, per say, is measurable, but the cost of not doing something, like investing in your people, can ofte be immeasurable - and simply unachievable without putting your own skin in the game..
Teams don’t break overnight. They fray slowly. Investing in people is how you prevent the break - and how you create the kind of work only true teams can deliver.
At Noble West, people aren’t just part of the business. They are the business. And like any good investment, they deserve to be nurtured.
