You could see it in all the grins and assortment of hugs, fist bumps, and laughter-filled conversations in the food truck lines. It had been a minute.
A minute since Amazon Web Services (AWS) employees, “builders” as they are known in AWS parlance, had come together in person to just connect—about work, about family, and friends. The afternoon gathering was also a chance to connect with colleagues about whether to brave the line for fried chicken sandwiches, grilled corn on the cob, or the soba noodles that looked so delicious.
AWS CEO Adam Selipsky kicked off the event with a simple message: Everyone is a builder at AWS because everyone is a vital part of building the business. “Whether you're a software engineer, or you are selling our services,” Selipsky said. “Whether you're part of an accounting or finance team, or do legal agreements for our services, we’re all building a business together. We're all building for customers.”
Bumping into colleagues across teams and across the different parts of AWS along a two block stretch of 7th Avenue in Seattle was a reminder of the interconnection of people and skills that is so vital to a place like AWS. “It’s really important what we are all doing, and I find that when we’re together it’s easier to remember that,” Selipsky said. “I really encourage you to keep thinking about, and keep finding ways to come together.”
And there was one more thing that Selipsky exhorted the crowd of thousands to do. Have fun.
From the cheers that followed, that was not going to be a problem.
Here’s more of the day in photos.
7th Avenue running through the Amazon headquarters in Seattle was pedestrian only and food truck filled on Builders Day. AWS employees gathered together for a meal, fireside chats with senior leaders, and the opportunity to catch up IRL with each other.
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