Plex Retreat Chaos: CEO Sick, Employee Eats Tarantula

A 2017 corporate retreat for streaming service Plex, costing $500,000, became a legendary disaster for its 120 employees in Honduras. Planned as a 'Survivor'-themed event, the retreat was marred by unusual incidents.

CEO Keith Valory was unable to participate as he contracted E. coli from a salad shortly after arrival, resulting in significant weight loss and requiring an IV drip. He could hear the chaos his employees were experiencing while confined to his room.

During the opening ceremony, Shawn Eldridge, head of business development, consumed a dead tarantula presented on his team's platter. He described the experience as "pretty horrible" due to the spider's hairs, despite being familiar with them from his Texas upbringing.

Further issues arose at dinner, with reports of undercooked food, particularly chicken and beef, as the resort struggled to cater to the large group. Despite these challenges, some employees found humor in the situation, joking that at least it wasn't a tarantula.

Greta Schlender, a senior product manager, endured a particularly rough time. She fell into a fire ant hill, received two antihistamine shots (one in the buttocks, another intravenously administered by a stranger), was bitten by sand fleas, and became stranded on an island overnight. Her colleagues applauded her return for "surviving."

Another employee, Rick Phillips, discovered a porcupine in his bathroom one morning after hearing a crash the previous night. The hotel staff removed the animal, and the incident provided Phillips with some unexpected notoriety among his colleagues.

Despite the numerous mishaps, including a porcupine encounter and an employee eating a tarantula, many key figures from the retreat, including the CEO and several department heads, continue to work at Plex nearly a decade later. The company co-founder noted the event generated "hundreds of little inside jokes" and strengthened company bonds.