Vercel FLOW 2026

Vercel FLOW 2026 is in the books!

This was the 2nd annual company offsite Vercel has ever done, this year in Phoenix, Arizona. FLOW stands for "For the Love of Web," which is a nod to the company's mission and our raison d'être.

Last year we went to Monterey, CA and had sushi in the Monterey Bay Aquarium, just around the corner from the actual tuna tank. Yes, that's messed up. But it was also an awesome experience I'll never forget. So this year being in the desert, there was a lot of expectations FLOW had to meet this year.

Company offsites are generally hit or miss. An full-company offsite like this has one main goal: connection. On that point, FLOW delivered. We arrived last Wednesday at various times, and my team was all on site by lunch time. The resort we descended upon included a waterpark, so we spent the afternoon playing pickleball and alternating between the lazy river and the wave pool. I went into this experience thinking it'd be weird to be shirtless around co-workers, but honestly it wasn't. Maybe I'm just getting old and care less. Or maybe tech is just mostly dudes. ¿Porqué no los dos?

I can't begin to fathom what a week like this costs (and am continuously surprised stuff like this is approved). There was a billboard by the resort's gates. Black walls with Vercel slogan's everywhere. Vercel branding on the lobby doors, room keys, pillows, and generally everywhere. A swag drop in the hotel room on the first night while we were at dinner. A custom black book with Vercel history - we're really leaning into our legacy and story arc as a company, which is kinda cool to be a part of now. Lego mini-figures with bricks for each anniversary. A handkerchief and FLOW-themed bolo tie. Even the lazy river had black inner tubes, and the pickleball paddles also had the Vercel logo. It was such an insane level of attention to detail that you'll only ever experience in big tech.

TBC, I'm not fully convinced that's a good thing. As an employee, you never want to be the wet blanket, but as a person you can't help but think of real world issues that money could've impacted. It can feel a little wasteful, but that could also be the frugality drilled into me by 1/ growing up with lower income extended family members, 2/ the Marine Corps, and 3/ Amazon... and maybe 4/ I'm getting a little long in the tooth.

We didn't have a spectacle experience like the aquarium this year, but the dinners each night were exceptional. Wednesday we had a BBQ at the Rustler's Roost, Thursday we bought out El Chorro, and Friday we had a pool party at the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa's waterpark. I didn't take many photos, which is something I always regret afterwards. But here's a few moments from the week: