Celebrating Growth with a Week in Chicago

The Yetter Tax and Sales Tax Institute came together for a week in Chicago for our annual summer gathering. This was the largest get-together in our company’s history, as our team has grown to 15 members! This monumental milestone reflects our growth but also speaks to our commitment to expanding our skillset to provide more for our clients and students. By leveraging the unique strengths of each individual on our team, we better tailor our offerings for our customers. 

As a remote-first organization, we recognize the power of digital tools in facilitating collaboration and communication. However, we also acknowledge that there is something irreplaceable about being in the same room, sharing meals, exchanging ideas face-to-face, and simply enjoying each other’s company. In-person meetups like these allow us to deepen relationships, spark creativity, and align more closely around our shared mission. They give us the space to step back from our day-to-day routines and reconnect with the bigger picture of who we are and why we do what we do. 

This was more than just a team-building event. It was a celebration of our values in action. Our team thoughtfully designed each activity throughout the week to reflect the principles that guide our work: Being in Service, Expertise, Integrity, Respect and Kindness, Curiosity and Growth, Well-Being, and Devotion. Here’s a look at how we brought those values to life during our time in Chicago. 

Being in Service: Giving Back to the Community

We began our week with a visit to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. This incredible organization collaborates with over 800 local partners in the fight to end hunger, including food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters. During our orientation, we heard moving stories about the impact of their work. One worker explained how moving it was for him to see the boxes of food on his neighbor’s front steps, and even shared that his family members had used pasta from the boxes to make a delicious shrimp scampi dish. It was a moving testament to how food builds more than just health, but community. 

After the orientation, we quickly got to work, forming an assembly line to sort and bundle bread and bakery products. We checked expiration dates, inspected packaging, and prepared items for distribution. Along the way, we connected with other volunteers, danced to a lively playlist, and shared plenty of laughs over the sheer variety of bread we encountered. Through our work at the facility that day, along with the other volunteers, we repacked 6,000 lbs. of food, providing enough servings for 6,000 households. 

It was a joyful, humbling experience that reminded us of the importance of service and the power of collective action.  

Expertise: Sharing Knowledge Across Teams

As our company has grown, so has the depth and diversity of our expertise. During the meetup, we held presentations from both the Marketing and Consulting sides of our business.  

Marketing shared exciting new initiatives focused on curating content tailored to our audiences. While the Sales Tax Institute has always strived to provide the most valuable and timely information through pages like News and Tips and our Newsletter emails, we are striving to increase the relevancy of that content so there’s less noise, and more value hitting the inbox of our subscribers. The same goes for our social media strategy. By emphasizing diversity in the information we post, we are reaching more people and increasing engagement, so our connections see the information that matters most to them. 

During the Consulting team presentation, there was a fruitful discussion about the most common challenges facing our clients and how we are addressing those obstacles. From state portals setting a gold standard for ease of use, or lack thereof, to increasing audits and expanding tax base, it was a fascinating information sharing exercise where we brainstormed new ways to help each other, and our clients.  

These sessions provided us with a clearer picture of the work being done across the organization, and highlighted how we can collaborate to come to solutions faster. They also helped break down silos, allowing us to appreciate the unique strengths everyone in our organization brings. By sharing our knowledge and learning from one another, we are building a more cohesive, informed, and effective team. 

Integrity: Navigating AI with Transparency

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we work, and we are committed to using it responsibly. During our time together, we rolled out our internal AI policy. This policy is designed to educate everyone on how to use AI tools effectively while maintaining transparency and protecting both our company and our clients and students. A major benefit of AI is how it can save us time and effort on more manual tasks, freeing up energy and brain power to dive deeper into how we can better assist our clients through faster responses. 

One use case that we reviewed was how AI can help clean up inboxes, identifying emails that are still waiting on responses. Maintaining clear lines of communication and ensuring no one gets lost in the inbox is essential, especially considering how important our client’s work is. This, along with improving email drafts and creating AI summaries of meetings (without confidential information of course) are just a few of the ways that AI can help make our work easier, all while benefiting our customers through stronger communication. 

We had open discussions about the benefits and risks of AI and how we can integrate it into our workflows without compromising our values. This initiative reflects our commitment to integrity and to doing the right thing, even when it is complex or new. To learn more about AI’s use cases, check out our latest article on how this technology has evolved and is affecting our industry today. 

Respect and Kindness: Leading with Energy

One of the most engaging sessions of the week was our Energy Leadership workshop. We explored the seven levels of energy and their influence on our leadership styles. Through interactive exercises, we reflected on how we show up in different situations and how we have the power to shift our energy to be more effective and empathetic. 

We learned how common it is for people to project a level 1 or 2, also known as the victim or fighter position. These levels are driven by worry and a need for control, which ultimately limits options and opportunities. When we are working with our coworkers, students, and clients, we want to make sure that we strive to achieve the higher levels of 6 or 7, the visionary and creator. At these levels, we focus on connection and are able to problem-solve in new, positive ways. 

The workshop was both enlightening and fun. We laughed, we learned, and we walked away with a better understanding of how to lead with respect and kindness in every aspect of our work. 

Curiosity and Growth: Exploring Chicago

To celebrate our time together and the city that hosted us, we took a boat tour of Chicago’s iconic architecture. Led by an expert docent from the Chicago Architecture Center, we learned about the city’s rich history and the stories behind its iconic skyline. It was a beautiful way to experience Chicago and connect with one another outside of the office. 

This outing reminded us of the importance of curiosity and growth in both our work and in how we experience the world and each other. It was a moment of shared wonder and discovery that brought us even closer. After the tour, we continued to enjoy the city through a happy hour event on the water, where we were especially grateful for shady trees on such a hot summer day. 

Well-Being: Living for the Moment

At the Sales Tax Institute, we believe that well-being is essential to a thriving workplace. One of our favorite traditions is our monthly Show and Tell, where one of our staff members shares something meaningful to them, whether it’s a hobby, daily practice, or something that brings us joy. This month, we discussed the classic film Auntie Mame and its iconic quote: “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” Since it was an in-person event, we also got to share tasty treats and bond over a shared love of food. 

This discussion sparked a conversation about living in the moment and embracing joy. It was a heartfelt reminder that taking care of ourselves and each other is equally as important as the work we do. 

Devotion: Building Better Experiences for Our Students

Throughout the week, we held breakout sessions focused on one of our core missions: delivering exceptional experiences for our students. With fresh perspectives from our growing team, we brainstormed new ways to enhance our offerings and better serve our community.  

We are committed to continuous improvement and to creating learning experiences that are impactful, engaging, and accessible. This session was a testament to our devotion to the people we serve. It is the true strength of our business, which is connecting to solve problems together. If you haven’t checked out the Sales Tax Nerd Community yet, now is an exciting time to get involved as we roll out more interactive experiences and exciting ways to build community with your fellow Nerds! 

Looking Ahead: Stronger Together

As we reflect on our time in Chicago, we are filled with gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to gather, for the values that guide us, and for the people who make our company and the Sales Tax Institute so special. In-person meetups like this one are more than just a break from routine. They are a chance to realign, reenergize, and recommit to our shared purpose. 

“As we continue to grow, we are not just adding people. We are adding knowledge, strength, creativity, and heart. This meetup was a testament to how deeply we care about our mission and each other. Our entire team is so committed to our mission. I am incredibly proud of what we have built and excited for what is ahead.” — Diane Yetter, Founder and President, Yetter Tax and Sales Tax Institute. 

With 15 passionate, talented individuals now part of the Yetter Tax and Sales Tax Institute family, we are more equipped than ever to serve our community, support one another, and grow with intention. We return to our work with renewed energy, deeper connections, and a clear vision for the future. To learn more about our values, click here! 

Here’s to continued growth, meaningful impact, and living our values together.