--- title: "Octily Beneath the Surface: When 8 Became the Perfect Date" source: https://octily.com/insights/octily-beneath-the-surface-when-8-became-the-perfect-date/ description: "A one-day offsite in Berlin brought our remote team together on the 8th of September, a date that felt meant to be." --- # Octily Beneath the Surface: When 8 Became the Perfect Date ![Susan Smit](https://ebnnmeydktscnefergjm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/client-logos/team/susan-smit-new.png?width=168&quality=70&resize=contain) Written by Susan Smit Publication date October 29, 2025 Categories Insights Octopinions Reading time 1 min read ## A Berlin day that brought our remote team together Most of the time, you’ll find us spread across time zones and screens. But this September, the Octily crew came together in Berlin – and the date couldn’t have been more fitting. The 8th of September. Our lucky number. Eight arms on an octopus, the infinity loop on its side… it felt like the day was made for us. For some of us, it was the very first time meeting in person. Our unofficial HQ? Anna’s place. The perfect spot to kick things off before diving into strategy and stories. Getting there was its own adventure: planes, trains, cars, and in Anna’s case, just rolling out of bed. > 📸 Huge thanks to Daniel and Rob for capturing these beautiful moments! ### So how do you capture a whole day in Berlin? We asked the team to sum it up in three words: **Susan:** Strategy. Good Vibes. Creativity. (And loads of coffee) **Daniel:** Fun. Food. Fortschritt. **Sanjeev:** Working. Relationship. Booster **Lin:** Wunderbar. Memorable. Great Day. **Fernanda:** Connection. Collaboration. Inspiration. **Rob:** Connection. Memories. Laughter. **Simen:** Get-together. Playful. Connected. **Michelle:** Pizza. People. Party. **Anna:** Energetic. Togetherness. Flow. ### Berlin in motion Not just plans and notes, but laughter, stories, and great connections. ### Morning coffee + meet up ### Strategy talks (with a dash of Daniel and Rob’s dad jokes) ### Food chats about life ### Ending with more energy than we started Beneath the surface of remote work, these one-day meetups give us the spark that keeps everything moving forward. Ideas were brewing and great things are coming your way. ### Let’s stay curious We believe good ideas come from different minds, different perspectives, and different ways of working. This was just a small peek beneath the surface. Got a challenge? We’d love to hear it. [Get in touch](https://octily.com/get-in-touch/), [send an email](mailto:octily@octily.com?subject=Let%27s%20build%20something%20amazing%20together), or [book a meeting](https://octily.com/meet). We would love to explore what we can create together. ![Susan Smit](https://ebnnmeydktscnefergjm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/client-logos/team/susan-smit-new.png?width=168&quality=70&resize=contain) Written by Susan Smit October 29, 2025 Get notified about new articles Your browser asks for permission first. Delivery via OneSignal, details in our [Privacy Policy](https://octily.com/privacy-policy/#push-notifications). [Customization ### Workforce AI (formerly Galaxy) Customize Cornerstone Workforce AI (formerly Galaxy) to match your HR strategy with AI-powered workflows and branded experiences. Explore More](https://octily.com/customization/cornerstone-galaxy/) ![Eight arms. One brain. Why we built octo.taxi](https://ebnnmeydktscnefergjm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/insights-images/why-we-built-octo-taxi-cover.jpg?width=1280&quality=70&resize=contain) Octopinions ### Eight arms. One brain. Why we built octo.taxi An octopus keeps about two thirds of its neurons in its arms. After ten years of building on Cornerstone, that turned out to be the best description we have of HR data – and of why we built octo.taxi. Read More ![Building with AI: from Shiny Prototype to Painful Maintenance](https://ebnnmeydktscnefergjm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/insights-images/building-with-ai-from-shiny-prototype-to-painful-maintenance.png?width=1280&quality=70&resize=contain) Octopinions ### Building with AI: from Shiny Prototype to Painful Maintenance AI made the software demo fast and cheap – but the last 20%, the security, and the maintenance still aren't. Why building it yourself usually backfires. Read More ![The Business Case Your Cornerstone Customization Is Missing](https://ebnnmeydktscnefergjm.supabase.co/storage/v1/render/image/public/insights-images/business-case-cornerstone-customization-cover.jpg?width=1280&quality=70&resize=contain) Octopinions ### The Business Case Your Cornerstone Customization Is Missing A post about software sales got me thinking about our own pitch – and about why great Cornerstone customization so often stalls one level below the people who sign off the budget. Here is how to tell the third story: the one a CFO actually funds. Read More ## Nice to meet you! Want to learn more about what we do? Let’s start a conversation. [Get in Touch](https://octily.com/get-in-touch/) [Book a Meeting](https://octily.com/meet)