A Week In Windsor

This summer, I was given the opportunity to visit the Rocket Innovation Studio (RIS) office and experience what it’s like being an onsite team member for a week! Working remotely definitely has its perks but I was excited to go to Windsor for the first time, meet team members who I had only interacted with through screens and work from the amazing RIS office!

So, I made the almost 4-hour train ride down to Windsor from Toronto, got set up in the hotel down the street from the RIS office, ordered take out and prepared for an awesome week ahead. Follow along on my journey with me!

The first thing I noticed walking down to the RIS office was the Detroit River straight ahead. The blue sky, blue water and clear view of the Detroit skyline was picture perfect. I was surprised at how close the RIS office building was to the riverfront, but it made for the perfect photo-op.

When you enter the building, you are greeted with modern, minimalist interiors with fun decals on the walls that signify the relationship between Windsor, Detroit and Rocket Companies®. I was welcomed by multiple team members and set up at a workstation right beside one of the many large windows that surround the building. I spent my morning admiring the office space, taking advantage of the in-office snacks and planning out the rest of my week in Windsor.

I got to officially meet my team in person during our team lunch where we had Windsor-style pizza from Capri Pizza and donuts from a popular spot nearby called Stiemar’s – both of which were delicious and did not disappoint.

After lunch, I was able to hop into some in-person meetings which I thoroughly enjoyed! I found it was much easier to read the room and collaborate with team members face to face. Aside from meetings, it was nice to chat with team members who I would not usually encounter working from home.

After work, a few team members took me to another Windsor staple, Vito’s Pizzeria, where I had a phenomenal spaghetti carbonara which only added to my growing fondness of Windsor’s food scene.

The highlight of my second day was going on a graffiti tour where I got to see some of the amazing art on the streets of downtown Windsor. If you would like to see an example of some of that graffiti, you can check out this LinkedIn post!

I also went to a popular downtown Windsor café called March 21 where I had a croffle (croissant and waffle). I continue to be amazed by the selection of restaurants in the area.

My third day in Windsor was the most eventful as a group of RIS team members and I crossed the border to go on a guided tour of the Rocket Companies offices in Detroit! The story behind how Rocket Companies came to be is truly inspirational.

It’s cool to see the effort Rocket takes ensuring their spaces are not only beautiful to look at but foster creativity and innovation in their team members. It was extremely fun walking around Detroit and seeing how much it has evolved over the years. We visited a few of Detroit’s hottest spots, including ice cream at Milk & Froth and dinner at Vicente’s Cuban Cuisine!

I spent the last couple days of my stay enjoying the perks of working in office, collaborating with team members, and exploring bits and pieces of Windsor. My team members were kind enough to take me to some of their favourite spots, such as Anchor Coffee House, The Cookie Bar, Coffee Exchange, Biblioasis and Smudge!

I also happened to come right on time for the famous Carrousel of Nations festival that happens in Windsor every year! I went to Greekfest where I had some awesome Greek food and enjoyed the music and entertainment.

Before I left, I stopped by the Downtown Windsor Farmer’s Market where I walked around and appreciated some of the small businesses and shops that had set up stalls there and I even got some small souvenirs to take home!

Overall, I had a wonderful time in Windsor and it was so exciting to meet team members in person! I not only learned so much about the city of Windsor, but also RIS and Rocket Companies. I would love to visit again and not just for the amazing food! Thank you to everyone who made this trip such a memorable one!