February 23, 2015
Behind The Scenes: Autopilot Visits SFO
Last Friday, the customer-facing team at Autopilot went offsite to tour the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and talk strategy for our upcoming launch. Because the company name “Autopilot” was inspired by CEO Mike’s love of aviation, this was the perfect venue for a team building adventure.
**First stop, the SFO Museum **
Created in 1980, SFO Museum was the first museum located in an international airport. 
From left to right: Sander Zaydman (Director of Marketing), Brian Sun (Customer and Content Marketer), Anne Fleshman (Demand Generation Manager), Hadley Clark (Customer Success Manager), Taylor Dreifort (Office Manager & Executive Assistant), James O’Connor (Account Executive) (_Image Source_)
The Air Traffic Control Tower
Next, we had the rare opportunity to go up the Air Traffic Control Tower. SFO and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are building an all new control tower that will stand at 231 feet tall, the tallest post-tension concrete structure in the US. You can read more about the project here. *
*Hard hats, neon vests, and all, the Autopilot team entered the construction zone. 
Up the elevator we go! 
The view from the top. 
We even watched a few flights take off. *
*From left to right: Taylor Dreifort (Office Manager & Executive Assistant), Brian Sun (Customer and Content Marketer), Anne Fleshman (Demand Generation Manager), Sander Zaydman (Director of Marketing), Guy Marion (CMO), Hadley Clark (Customer Success Manager), James O’Connor (Account Executive), Peter Stern (CRO)
Emergency Operations Center
Finally, we visited the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), a space dedicated for emergency planning and response. *
*This is the room where the team manages and prepares for emergencies large and small in San Francisco. Regarding how they respond during emergencies, the Operations Manager described their mantra: “The plan is nothing, the planning is everything.” 
Did you know SFO is equipped with over 2,000 security cameras? *
*The expression on CEO Mike’s face says it all - SFO is truly a fascinating place. With over 30,000 personnel and 1,200 daily operations (600 landings and takeoffs), the airport operates like a small city. 
From left to right: Mike Sharkey (CEO), Scott Irwin (Board Member and General Partner at Rembrandt Ventures), Brian Sun (Customer and Content Marketer), Sander Zaydman (Director of Marketing), Guy Marion (CMO), Peter Stern (CRO) Overall, the day at SFO was a blast! We ended the tour with a strategy brainstorming session and cocktails - sorry, no photos ;) An occasional offsite is a great way to get out of the office, inspire new ideas, and strengthen your team. Do you ever have offsites with your team members? How do you bond at your company? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
