If you enjoy the robust digital audio infrastructure that SoundStack provides as the parent company of Live365 – or if you’ve simply been broadcasting your own radio station with us for years – you may not know one big fact about both companies...
Every single SoundStack and Live365 team member works remotely.
That's right: in order to power your favorite broadcasting engine, SoundStack and Live365 employ software engineers, system administrators, product solutions engineers, customer support specialists, and sales and marketing teams from all across the world. And if you think about it, it makes sense...how else are we able to provide world-class service for our publishers if not by employing expert team members from all over the globe?
SoundStack has been steadily growing since its unveiling in 2022. Offsites allowing team members to meet in person have happened on a smaller scale before. But lately, SoundStack has experienced rapid expansion. It's been about 10 years since Live365 was acquired by CEO Jon Stephenson, and 4 years since we rebranded into SoundStack. The size of our team has increased from about twenty-or-so tech gurus to around 100 team members globally. When a company grows that big, it's nice to have alignment...a kind of alignment that can often only be achieved by face-to-face encounters.
So in 2026, the minds behind SoundStack proposed a bold plan: a three-day offsite where every single SoundStack team member was invited and could finally meet each other...all happening in the Eastern European country where SoundStack's story technically began.
In mid-May, the SoundStack team packed their bags and traveled to the Alpin Resort Hotel – located in the mountainous area of Brașov, Romania. The event, named AMPLIFY, officially kicked off on May 13 and started with a greeting from Jon Stephenson. He shared childhood tales about his own connection to radio, showed off the history of SoundStack, and explained how Romania actually factored into that history; Stephenson was in Romania at a Bucharest McDonald’s when he won the bankruptcy auction for Live365 back in 2016.
After that, Senior Vice President of Operations Justin Ruoff took the "biggest selfie in SoundStack history" and led the large group in a fun icebreaker. Ruoff created a bingo-like 'connection sprint' where team members were tasked with quickly meeting each other, while also trying to figure out who in the room had completed specific career milestones. Some examples of the milestones in the bingo squares included "has represented SoundStack at an industry event or conference," and "has been at SoundStack long enough to remember when the team was under 20 people." Upon meeting someone who had completed the milestone, the player had to acquire that person's signature on their bingo sheet, and take a selfie with them.
Team members hurried to chat with co-workers, scribble signatures, take selfies, complete a row of boxes, and be among the first to turn in their bingo sheet in the hopes of winning a prize. Other eager Stackers – like VP of Publisher Enablement Heather Smith – simply relished in the opportunity to learn more about fellow employees. "I want to fill out ALL the boxes," she said during the game.
AMPLIFY offered the chance for SoundStack team members to present ideas, skills, and advice to others during midday panels and group sessions. There were featured speeches that covered a variety of topics: including finance, marketplace dynamics, business clarity, and redesigned product experiences. There were even re-enactments of SoundStack and Live365 customer experiences, as we continue to refine the customer onboarding process.
Besides the featured talks, there were several smaller presentations Stackers could attend. These more intimate panels touched on niche skills and softwares the team use in a typical workday, from things like metadata and Liquidsoap all the way to AI.
Of course, AMPLIFY wasn't just all business. Stackers had time to bond over fun activities that happened across the Romanian countryside. There was a scenic hike through the Poiana Brașov mountains, a guided ATV off-roading adventure, and a trip to the stunning Bran Castle – also known as "Dracula's Castle."
Additionally, the Alpin Resort Hotel itself provided plenty of entertainment for team members. Stackers worked together to complete various themed escape rooms. During breaks, employees could walk through "Magic Land": an enchanted nature escape that featured colorful sculptures, huts, and fairy tale characters. On the final eve of AMPLIFY, Stackers celebrated with a relaxing outdoor bonfire and dinner experience. (We'd be remiss without briefly mentioning the hearty Transylvanian fruit spirit – known as pálinka – team members dared each other to try!)
During AMPLIFY, the company also reflected upon the life and legacy of the late Ionut Sarghi. Sarghi worked as a Support Expert and was part of the SoundStack team since 2019. Sarghi was born and raised in Romania, and sadly passed away before AMPLIFY in early 2026.
To commemorate Sarghi's contributions to SoundStack, the team created the Support Excellence Award in his honor. The first-ever prize went to Shawn Minisall. Other awards included The Empathy Award, which was given to Release Manager Victoria Ionescu, and The Hustle Award, which went to Team Lead Vlad Munteanu.
After three successful and activity-filled days in Brașov, the majority of Stackers departed to Bucharest, where they had one last hoorah singing karaoke at the city's famous Mojo Music Club. Then it was time for goodbyes and some early morning flights back home. It's been about a month since the events of AMPLIFY, and we're still reeling over how insightful, memorable, and fulfilling the experience was!
Why AMPLIFY Matters
If you're a SoundStack partner or a broadcaster with Live365, you may be wondering why we're sharing all these details with you. What kind of impact will AMPLIFY have on your future audio experience?
For starters, AMPLIFY was the place to discuss what's next for the platform. There were product demos we unveiled during our sessions and countless discussions that we're excited to share with you in the coming months.
Another reason AMPLIFY was important? It allowed for rapid team alignment and growth. Being together in one space made us all collectively aware of the positives – as well as the challenges – our publishers encounter on a day-to-day basis. AMPLIFY featured numerous stories and survey results from real broadcasters and partners. Your input helped us understand what we need to work on next, and how you would like us to improve our products so you can better reach your audio goals.
SoundStack feels stronger now more than ever, and we're ready to put in the effort to achieve the features and fixes you've asked for!
We're hoping to have more in-person company events like AMPLIFY in the near future. But our largest team gathering yet could not have happened without the help of YOU, our wonderful publishers. Without your dedication to the platform and its tools, we would not have such a hard-working, talented, and diverse team of people to call our own.
And so we conclude this behind-the-scenes recap of AMPLIFY with two words: THANK YOU!
Or, as they say in Romania: mulţumesc!
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Article Image: A group photo of the SoundStack team at the Alpin Resort Hotel during the 2026 edition of Amplify.
