This week is Out Of Focus 2025, our company retreat where we all take a week off to travel from all over the country and come together in person and rest as a team. The Focus Lab team is 100% remote, which means many of us spend a lot of time in the trenches of Zoom and use Figma hotkeys like it's our second language.
This year we'll be in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. For some, rest might mean relaxing with a book at the quiet cabins; for others it might be going for long hikes or riding rollercoasters at the world-famous Dollywood. But no emails, no messages, no work — our team is encouraged to rest in whatever shape or form that means to them. This is why teammates who are unable to attend still receive the entire week off as a paid holiday.
The result? The ROI?
Well we can't measure "joy," nor should we try. But we know the team-wide happiness, camaraderie, fun, and gratitude that comes out of this event is always invaluable. Wherever you are, I hope you find some time to pause and celebrate this year.
From our own Stetson Finch in Slack: a fascinating breakdown of the design team's process for the new game Marathon, and also a masterclass in presenting and speaking to creative work.
"Rebrands that resemble one another aren't necessarily using similar visual treatments because they're trendy; rather, their trendiness is proof of their effectiveness."
There is something magical about a printed brand book. "It's a moment frozen in time, celebrating the energy and vision of a team while charting a course for the future."
Papier's Copy Lead Jennie Watson shares: "When you start your career, it can feel like you're supposed to stay in your lane. [...] But with time and experience, you learn that the words and pictures are such a marriage."
Self-described "designy illustrator," Mikey Burton is giving us some affirmations we needed to hear in his "Manifesto for the Aging Creative v1." We also love his Pile O' Prints offering, a "handpicked pile of printed ephemera." When your feed is jam-packed with AI image prompts, a hand-printed piece with authentic ink smear feels like a true treasure.
