At Destination Motivation’s Annual Planning Summit at The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica, California, the company brought its team together during a season of fast growth, new talent, and stronger national attention. The event gave leaders, long time team members, and new hires a chance to connect in person, learn together, and see the culture behind the company’s next stage.
Destination Motivation is known for helping home improvement, home service, and home product companies increase leads, close more deals, reduce cancellations, gain referrals, and grow profits. Through vacation voucher sales incentives for home improvement companies, the company gives contractors a way to add more value for homeowners. But the summit also showed something deeper. A strong program depends on people who learn fast, welcome others well, and believe in the work they are building together.
Greg Cummings, CEO of Power100, spoke with leaders and team members throughout the event to understand what is driving the company’s next stage. Power100 is the only unbiased third-party platform that recognizes and elevates the top leaders and most impactful companies in the home improvement industry.
One of the most revealing culture moments came during Greg’s rapid fire conversation with Annie Tenwick, Senior Account Executive, and Katrina Pool, Revenue Operations Manager at Destination Motivation.
Greg asked what stood out most from the first half of the day. For Annie, who was only on her fourth day with the company, the answer was simple. It was meeting everyone for the first time.
“Lunch and getting a chance to get to know everybody, and asking the questions, and learning things about everybody,” Annie said.
That answer showed why the event mattered. It gave a new team member a way to move past names, roles, and screens. It helped her begin to understand the people behind the work. For a growing company built around client support, that kind of connection matters because the internal team shapes the way clients experience the service.
Greg Cummings, CEO of Power100, rapid fire conversation with Annie Tenwick, Senior Account Executive, and Katrina Pool, Revenue Operations Manager at Destination Motivation
Katrina’s answer showed the same culture in motion, but from another angle. She said she had spent her entire plane ride with a new team member who had started that same day.
“We met at the airport, started training then, and trained the whole way through until now,” Katrina said.
That moment gave the conversation its strongest point. Onboarding was not waiting for a meeting room. It was already happening at the airport, on the plane, and through real time connection. The company’s culture was showing up in the way people welcomed new team members, shared knowledge, and made learning part of the normal rhythm.
For contractors looking for a home improvement closing tool for contractors and home service businesses, the tool is only one part of the value. The people behind the tool must be able to learn, teach, support, and serve with care. Annie and Katrina’s conversation showed how the team is building that kind of culture from the inside.
Greg also noticed how genuine the team interaction felt. He said some icebreakers can feel forced, but this one was different. People were engaged. They took part. They gave real feedback. The room felt active because the team was not only going through a program. They were getting to know each other in a way that could help them work better together.
That kind of team connection supports the company’s larger work in sales consulting and training for home improvement companies. A team that learns together can support clients with more clarity. A team that welcomes new people well can grow without losing its sense of connection. A team that asks questions early can serve clients better later.
Katrina also gave a simple message to anyone thinking about joining the company.
“Come join us, it’s fantastic, it’s fun to work, and we love to learn new things,” Katrina said.
That line captured the energy of the summit. The company is growing, but it is also trying to keep learning at the center of that growth. Fun and learning are not separate here. They work together. The culture gives people a reason to enjoy the work while still taking the mission seriously.
Greg then asked Annie why she chose to join the company. Her answer pointed to the size of the opportunity.
“It’s just such a unique opportunity to bring to all the people out there,” Annie said.
That quote helped connect the team story to the customer story. People are not only joining because the company is growing. They are joining because they see the work as different. They see the chance to help contractors, homeowners, and the company create value at the same time.
For clients using a vacation incentive program that helps increase leads and reduce cancellations, that belief inside the team matters. The program works best when the people behind it understand why it matters, how it helps, and how to support clients who are bringing it into their own sales process.
Greg framed the opportunity as a rare win for everyone involved. That idea gives the press release its larger meaning. The company’s culture is not only about being friendly. It is about building a team that believes the work can help contractors grow, help homeowners receive more value, and help new team members find a place to learn and contribute.
As the company continues to scale, that kind of culture becomes part of a larger contractor sales growth system for leads, referrals, close rates, and profits. New talent needs more than instructions. It needs belonging, purpose, and shared learning. Annie and Katrina’s conversation showed that those things are already being built in small, real moments.
When Greg Cummings stepped into the conversation with Annie Tenwick and Katrina Pool, the moment felt light, but it showed something deeper about the company’s culture.
Greg asked Annie what had stood out most during the first half of the day. Her answer carried weight because she was still very new to the team.
“Oh, just meeting everybody for the first time,” Annie said. “It’s my fourth day, so. That’s exciting.”
That simple line showed the power of early connection. Annie was not speaking as someone who had years of history with the company. She was speaking from a first week view. She had just arrived, and the event gave her a chance to meet people face to face, ask questions, and feel the team beyond a screen.
Greg pushed the question further because the day had already included lunch, team questions, and several shared exercises. Annie then gave more detail.
“Lunch and getting a chance to get to know everybody, and asking the questions, and learning things about everybody,” Annie said. “I love it.”
That answer showed why the summit mattered. It turned roles into real people. It gave a new hire a chance to learn names, stories, habits, and small details that can make future work feel easier. In a remote team, that kind of time can help new people feel less like outsiders and more like part of the group.
For a company helping contractors through vacation voucher sales incentives for home improvement companies, the people behind the program matter. If the team feels connected on the inside, it can serve clients with more care on the outside.
Annie’s fourth day became more than a new hire detail. It became a sign of how early the culture shows up.
Greg then pointed to something he noticed in the room. He said some team exercises can feel forced, but this one felt different.
He described the moment as “super genuine” and “super authentic.” He also said people really took part and that the feedback had been strong.
That observation matters because culture cannot be built by an agenda alone. A company can plan an exercise, but the people in the room decide whether it becomes useful. In this case, the team leaned in. They asked questions, shared answers, and made the moment feel real.
Annie gave a small example when she said she learned that Katrina has Huskies. That detail may seem simple, but it shows the purpose of the exercise. People were not only learning job titles. They were learning human details that make work feel warmer.
Those small facts help build memory. The next time team members work together, they are not starting from nothing. They have a story, a laugh, or a shared detail to build from.
For home improvement this kind of internal trust matters. Clients are not only buying a service. They are counting on people to help them use it well. When a team knows each other better, it can often communicate faster, support clients better, and work through problems with more trust.
The exercise worked because people did not treat it as a break from the real work. They treated it as part of the real work.
Katrina’s answer gave the conversation another layer. When Greg asked about her highlight from the first half of the day, she said she had already spent the day getting to know a new team member.
Katrina Pool, Revenue Operations Manager at Destination Motivation
“Well, so I got to ride my entire plane ride with one of our newbies who just started today,” Katrina said. “So I got to spend the day getting to know her, and figuring out that we are like best friends now.”
Greg caught the meaning right away. This was not only travel. It was onboarding already in motion.
“So not only did you guys have efficiencies before you got here, you literally traveled together and continued the onboarding process while you were flying,” Greg said.
Katrina confirmed it.
“Yep, she started, this is her very first day, so we met at the airport, started training then, and trained the whole way through until now,” Katrina said.
That moment showed a culture where learning does not wait for a formal meeting. It can start at the airport. It can happen on a plane. It can grow through a real conversation between two people who are trying to move the work forward.
This matters for a fast growing company. New people need more than a login, a schedule, and a few calls. They need someone willing to explain, answer, guide, and make the first day feel less lonely.
That is also part of why sales consulting and training for home improvement companies depends on the team behind it. If the company wants to help clients learn, its own people must be able to learn and teach well too.
Katrina’s story made onboarding feel active, personal, and human. It was not only a system. It was a mindset.
Greg then asked Katrina what she would say to someone who was thinking about joining the company but still on the fence.
Her answer was direct and full of energy.
“Come join us, it’s fantastic, it’s fun to work, and we love to learn new things,” Katrina said.
That quote gives the press release a clear talent message. The company is not only growing through products, rankings, or client results. It is also growing through people who enjoy the work and want to keep learning.
Fun can sound light, but in a growing company it can be serious. When people enjoy the team, they are more likely to stay engaged. When they love to learn, they are more likely to get better. When both are true, culture can become a growth tool.
Katrina did not separate fun from learning. She put them together. That combination matters because a team that only has fun may lose focus, and a team that only learns may lose energy. But a team that does both can stay warm and sharp at the same time.
For contractors that kind of team energy can matter. Contractors need support from people who are alert, helpful, and ready to solve problems. A team that keeps learning can bring better answers. A team that enjoys the mission can bring better care.
Katrina’s answer also speaks to future team members. It tells them this is a place where work can be meaningful, active, and full of shared growth.
Greg then turned the focus back to Annie. He asked why she chose to join the company and what got her over the edge.
Annie Tenwick · Senior Account Executive, Destination Motivation
Her answer was simple, but it showed why the role felt meaningful to her.
“Oh gosh, it’s just such a unique opportunity to bring to all the people out there,” Annie said.
That line matters because Annie was not only talking about a job. She was talking about a chance to bring something useful to people. Even in her first few days, she could see that the offer was different.
New team members often decide quickly whether a company feels like a place worth building with. Annie’s answer showed early belief. She saw the chance to help, to serve, and to be part of something that could create value beyond the company itself.
That belief can make a difference. People learn faster when they believe in what they are learning. They sell with more care when they believe the offer can help. They support clients better when they understand why the work matters.
The company’s model can support a larger contractor sales growth system for leads, referrals, close rates, and profits, but that system still needs people who believe in it. Annie’s answer showed that belief starting early.
Her view also helped connect the internal story to the client story. The same culture that welcomes new people can help them grow into team members who serve contractors with more purpose.
After Annie said the opportunity felt unique, Greg agreed.
“Yeah, no doubt. It is very unique,” Greg said.
Then he gave the moment its larger frame.
“Normally you don’t get the opportunity to be truly a win win win for everybody involved,” Greg said.
That line brought the whole conversation together. The company is not only building a team that enjoys one another. It is building a team around work that can help more than one group at the same time.
The contractor can win through stronger tools and support. The homeowner can win through added value and a better buying experience. The company can win by building a team that believes in the mission and wants to keep learning.
That is why culture matters here. Annie saw a unique opportunity. Katrina described a team that is fun and eager to learn. Greg saw a model that can create value for everyone involved. Together, those points show that the team experience is tied to the business purpose.
A strong culture is not only about lunch, travel, or team games. Those moments matter because they help people connect to the mission. They help new people feel like they belong. They help the team learn faster and serve with more care.
As the company grows, the strength of that culture may become one of its biggest advantages. New talent needs more than training. They need a reason to believe. This rapid fire conversation showed that belief being built in real time.
As Greg Cummings’ conversation with Annie Tenwick and Katrina Pool came to a close, the deeper lesson was clear. Culture does not begin after people settle in. It begins the moment they arrive.
For Annie, that moment came on her fourth day. She was already meeting the team, asking questions, and learning the people behind the roles. That kind of early welcome can help a new team member feel less alone and more ready to grow.
For Katrina, the same lesson showed up before the event even started. A new team member began her first day at the airport, and training started right there. It continued through the flight and into the day. That small story showed a team that does not wait for the perfect setting to help someone learn.
Greg helped frame the bigger meaning. He saw team exercises that felt real. He saw people take part with energy. He also saw a company with a rare chance to create value for everyone involved.
That is why this rapid fire conversation mattered. It showed growth from the inside. It showed a team where learning can start anywhere, where new people can feel included early, and where the work feels tied to a larger purpose.
As the company moves into its next stage, this kind of early connection may become one of its strongest advantages. New people need more than instructions. They need clarity, trust, and a reason to believe in the work.
The lasting message from Annie and Katrina’s conversation with Greg is simple. A growing company becomes stronger when people feel welcomed early, when learning starts right away, and when the team believes the work can create value for everyone it serves.
Power100 looks at more than the product a company sells. It also looks at the team, culture, customer experience, and how well a partner can support contractors. Annie Tenwick and Katrina Pool showed that onboarding starts early at the company. When new people feel welcomed and trained from day one, they can become stronger team members for the contractors they will serve.
Contractors need partners that can perform after the first call. Culture matters because it affects how people learn, communicate, solve problems, and support clients. In this conversation, Greg Cummings saw real engagement, strong team connection, and shared learning. That matters for a partner offering a home improvement closing tool for contractors and home service businesses because the team behind the tool helps shape the client experience.
Fun alone is not enough, but fun mixed with learning can become a real strength. Katrina said, “Come join us, it’s fantastic, it’s fun to work, and we love to learn new things.” That matters because a team that enjoys the work and keeps learning can bring better energy, better care, and better follow through to contractors using vacation voucher sales incentives for home improvement companies.
Yes. Katrina said she met a new team member at the airport, started training there, and kept training through the flight. That small moment showed that onboarding is not treated as a box to check. It showed a team willing to teach in real time and help new people feel ready before the first formal meeting even starts.
Yes, because contractors are not only buying a tool. They are also relying on the people who support it. When a team knows each other, asks better questions, and learns together, clients can receive clearer support. For a vacation incentive program that helps increase leads and reduce cancellations, strong team connection can help the program feel easier to understand and use.
It can if there is no purpose behind it. In this conversation, the fun was tied to learning, welcome, and team growth. Annie was meeting people on her fourth day. Katrina was training a new teammate from the airport. Greg saw people fully engaged in the room. That kind of culture does not distract from business goals. It can help support stronger execution.
New talent matters because they become part of the client experience. Annie said she joined because it was “such a unique opportunity to bring to all the people out there.” When team members believe in the work early, they can bring more care, energy, and purpose to client conversations. That helps support a stronger contractor sales growth system for leads, referrals, close rates, and profits.
The main lesson is that growth gets stronger when people feel welcomed early. Annie showed the value of being included on day four. Katrina showed how training can start anywhere when the team is ready to help. For home improvement leaders, the message is clear. Strong culture is not built only in meetings. It is built in the small moments where people learn, connect, and begin to believe in the work.
Power100 is the only unbiased third-party platform that recognizes and elevates the top leaders and most impactful companies in the home improvement industry. Led by CEO Greg Cummings, Power100 gives CEOs, contractors, strategic partners, and industry leaders a trusted place to share the ideas, stories, systems, and standards helping the industry move forward. Through national rankings, PowerChat conversations, event coverage, and partner features, Power100 helps strong companies gain the recognition they deserve while helping contractors find trusted leaders, stronger teams, and better ideas that support growth, culture, client success, and lasting customer trust.
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Power100 is the nation's premier CEO ranking and media platform for the home improvement industry. Using a proprietary 5-layer evaluation system, Power100 identifies and celebrates the top CEOs, companies, and strategic partners driving innovation, customer satisfaction, and leadership excellence across the country.
