TBI Ski Trip Bigger & Better

How do you make a ski trip better? Make it bigger. That’s the philosophy at Telecom Brokerage Inc. In 2010, its annual ski event had more of everything – more people, more resort, more skiing, more days and more sponsors.

Sponsors included Qwest, XO, Level 3, One, Lightyear, Masergy and Global Crossing.

The master agency hosted more than 24 agent and carrier executives at an enormous 19,000-square-foot luxury retreat in Breckenridge, Colo., in January.

PHONE+ Publisher Mike Saxby was in attendance at the event and said he had never been in a house so big in his life. What’s it like to live large? The house included a roman spa, racquetball and basketball courts, a private home theater, sauna, a boardroom for executive meetings and more.

Ironically, the house had terrible cell reception! All those telecom executives had to drive a couple miles to make calls – or not. Instead of texting and checking voice mail, these execs were “forced” to engage in more face-to-face conversation over home-cooked meals prepared by the TBI staff.

On day one, Friday, Jan. 15, everybody met for happy hour at the famous Breckenridge Brewery where they serve small batch bombers with a big taste. (No, we didn’t make that up; it says so on the Web site).

Saxby and agent John Manning beat former pro James Lockhart in racquetball. (OK, he spotted them points, but, seriously, how huge is that?)

Day two was skiing sun up to sun down followed by poker and movies in the evening. Day Three: more skiing followed by a birthday party for TBI’s Ken Mercer. The crew baked him a giant cupcake. Day Four was a holiday so everyone stuck around for more skiing.

The big takeaways? Don’t anyone tell you differently: More is more and Bigger is Better.